London!

Well I didn't manage to get that much sleep in Bahrain, a few hours after I finally gave in to sleep, my body decided it was still on Nepali time and wanted to wake up. Still it meant I went down to reception to hear an update (as the time we were told has now come and gone) and got to see the full moon setting!

Still I am still a little disappointed I did not get to celebrate the winter solstice and the full moon (with a lunar eclipse I think) as I had intended - in fact I booked my flights so that I would be back in time for it - but I guess it is just one of those things. Everything happens for a reason and maybe I was meant to experience the energy of it without actually having to do anything about it.

Anyhow after breakfast, and quite by chance that they were also up at the same time, I ended up checking out of the hotel with a few of the friends I have made as we felt out of control of the situation sat in our rooms at the hotel. And then at the airport we were told our flight was going at 13.30 (thi was about 8.30m I think) and we were given new boarding passes with the wrong date and there was no real clarity on the situation (and immigration certainly were not happy about it, but I have the stamp so all good!).

So we were a little dubious. There were 6 of us by then so we sat in the bar chatting. It is quite amazing how much you can learn about people when you are in a situation like this, and the people who end up coming onto your path so to speak. So it was quite fun. But then 12.45pm came and no sign of us boarding and our mood dropped again.

Eventually after many trips to the Gulf Air transfer desk and many text messages and facebook messages and emails from people back home (not me, everyone else in UK) with conflicting information we were re-booked onto the next flight to go (waiting on Heathrow and also too many people on flight) at 17.20 instead...and amazingly, because my friends were so great in making a fuss to try their best to get us on the next flight for certain (which I would not have done on my own) and because two of the women sweet talked the guy on the desk and gave him chocolate and everything, and I actually asked the question myself, we all got upgraded to business class!

And the strange thing is, while we spent all this time together and became a group of friends who looked out for one another and knew each other by first name, not one of us exchanged contact details to catch up again. And yet I am absolutely fascinated to find out how they all get on with their lives as I know a little of their hopes and dreams by the way they talked about things.

It is quite incredible really. I will never ever forget that whole experience, it just took me into a totally different state within me and it created a rollercoaster of emotions in a very short period of time. But I believe I have come out fine. I laughed lots, I cried a little, I walked around in a daze and then the adrenalin would kick in and I am still buzzing (and my body clock tells me that I should be getting up and eating breakfast!

So the flight was great. I didn't sleep for more than 2 hours however so I am on 10 hours of sleep in 3 nights, which means I am actually rather hyper as used to running on empty (not good). There was just too much to do! I got to lay back if I liked, legs raised and everything, but they didn't give us a blanket which seemed a bit weird, I got a proper menu and meal on proper plates and everything and I had a relatively decent choice in films. Plus of course I had my book and the views of the lights of the places we were passing over head (really cool) and the stars sparkling in the dark sky until of course we hit cloud in Europe!

So I finally got to baggage collection at 9.55pm and my bag finally came through at 10.30pm so I got the Heathrow express free of charge (due to weather, great stuff!) and then a few tubes to London Bridge and then an overland to St Johns, which was also free. I walked into Hannah's a little after midnight and it is now 2.30am and I really must get some sleep.

Fingers crossed I will be back in Guernsey tomorrow and can finally get into my own bed and get into the Christmas festivities!

x