The saga of Hazel's journey home sadly spans two days which is not what she was expecting or wanted so I am lumping them together in a blog entitled "Not so Easy, EasyJet"...
Today Hazel had asked for a day at home to take it easy, have a swim, enjoy the sunshine and finish the book she was reading so she could leave it for me. This was absolutely fine by us and so John and I went down to Polis to get some fish so we could have a nice light meal together mid afternoon before we took her down to the airport around 5.30pm. At some point, either during the night or during the morning some bloody midgie thing bit me on my wedding finger. I didn't realise until my wedding ring started to feel very uncomfortable and then I realised I needed to get it off pretty quickly. Good job I did because as I write this my finger is still swollen and I still cannot get my ring back on. It itches like buggery - if you pardon the expression although a slathering of the gel my neighbour gave me does give some relief.
We had our fish meal. We had chosen two good sized Sea Bream which, this time, we just had gutted rather than filleted. I was going to poach them 'en papilotte' having first stuffed the orifice with some lime, ginger, chili and honey and then John was going to take off the head and tail and fillet himself with two forks as he had been shown on our travels somewhere. I don't like dry over cooked fish nor do I like it if it doesn't looked cooked so poaching is a great way to ensure you get neither scenario. According to the experts the trick is to poach low and slow which is what I did whilst we waited for some Cypriot Potatoes to cook (in the oven with olive oil, lemon juice and water) and a salad. It was a lovely meal and we were happy and relaxed enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
We were mid preparation for Hazel's departure when she received a text to inform her that her flight was delayed by several hours but she was to check in at the original time. This was a bit of a bugger for her because once checked in and through into departures we couldn't be with her. She was happy to see to herself so we got her down for 6.30pm as planned and said our goodbyes. It has been so lovely having her here but a week really isn't long enough to do everything we wanted to do but then again we don't get bored with one another and it leaves us looking forward to the next time we are together.
I was knackered and so once we got home we did a bit of tidying up before having an early night. I was really glad that we had decided to take Mum out for lunch tomorrow because I really couldn't face preparing a meal.
I thought it was a bit odd that I hadn't heard from Hazel since she had text she was in departures but assumed no news was good news...
Sunday morning and I receive a phone call from Hazel and I somehow I just knew what she was going to say...
...she was still in Cyprus but in the Azia Hotel where they had been bussed at 3.00am this morning. Their flight had been cancelled because they didn't have crew that could complete it without going over their 'time'. Poor Hazel - she was shattered and somewhat bewildered as no-one could tell them what was happening save that they were trying to put on a flight today - EasyJet do not normally fly to Bristol on a Sunday.
We told her that we would go down and keep her company as she expected news around 12.00 midday as to what was happening. A quick phone-call to Mum informed her what was going on and, as I knew she would be seeing Sheila and Klaus after her trip to the cemetery, asked her to stay with them until we were on our way back.
Hazel had teamed up with a lady called Carol who lives in Polis and was on the same flight and we took the two of them out to Baracas lounge bar for a coffee and croissants to kill some time before 12.00.
Poor Carol had wanted to be back in the UK today for her grandson's birthday party. Hazel had to make new arrangements for the care of her dog Lily and for being picked up from the airport.
The common complaint with these situations is that there is little to no communication. Today was no exception and the poor customer services manager at the Azia was getting it left, right and Chelsea and she was as much in the dark with the arrangements as the passengers who had been affected.
On our return to the Azia Hazel was informed that they were going to be picked up at 12.30 and taken to the airport where there would be a flight around 4.00pm so we stayed with her until she went to sort out her bags and check out. Many thanks to Carol for giving us the complimentary bottle of wine that was left in her room!
As it happens they were picked up and taken to the airport and they did get back to Bristol but then were told that there was no-one to remove the bags from the aircraft surely someone is having a bloody laugh????? Hazel has been in contact to say that she finally got home around 9.40pm with her bags and was absolutely shattered - poor thing. I do hope that hasn't put her off coming back. Her return journey last year was a bit of a nightmare too.
We got home and Mum joined us from Sheila and Klaus's and we went out to Imogen's for lunch where we thought she might enjoy something different for a change. Mum and I shared a good old ham and pineapple pizza and Paris even split the base so one half had tomato on the base and one half didn't because Mum isn't so keen.
It was nice sitting out in Imogen's courtyard and it did make a change for me not having to cook. We think we will try and make sure we do that at least once a month to ring the changes.
It was pretty warm sitting there so it was with some relief we returned home to a nice breeze sitting out under the gazebo. Mum was on good form. I have to say she looked lovely in a pretty blue linen dress and her new shoes - she took my advice and investigated the shoe shop Hazel and I went to in the Old Town on Friday where she managed to find not one but two pairs to fit her feet - I know where I get my love of shoes from!!!
Mum returned home safe and sound and I took the opportunity to grab an hour snoozing on the bed whilst John watched a very exciting German Grand Prix.
Sod's law that all the time Hazel was here she wanted to know if we still had a tree frog. We used to have loads but the cats put paid to that and last year I could hear two calling and this year I hadn't heard any then bugger me as I was watering this evening one appeared from a pot so this photo is for Hazel and Haze this is real unlike the photographs you carefully took of a gecko in the garden which was, in fact, the metal lizard shaped towel hook by the outside shower!!!
Today Hazel had asked for a day at home to take it easy, have a swim, enjoy the sunshine and finish the book she was reading so she could leave it for me. This was absolutely fine by us and so John and I went down to Polis to get some fish so we could have a nice light meal together mid afternoon before we took her down to the airport around 5.30pm. At some point, either during the night or during the morning some bloody midgie thing bit me on my wedding finger. I didn't realise until my wedding ring started to feel very uncomfortable and then I realised I needed to get it off pretty quickly. Good job I did because as I write this my finger is still swollen and I still cannot get my ring back on. It itches like buggery - if you pardon the expression although a slathering of the gel my neighbour gave me does give some relief.
We had our fish meal. We had chosen two good sized Sea Bream which, this time, we just had gutted rather than filleted. I was going to poach them 'en papilotte' having first stuffed the orifice with some lime, ginger, chili and honey and then John was going to take off the head and tail and fillet himself with two forks as he had been shown on our travels somewhere. I don't like dry over cooked fish nor do I like it if it doesn't looked cooked so poaching is a great way to ensure you get neither scenario. According to the experts the trick is to poach low and slow which is what I did whilst we waited for some Cypriot Potatoes to cook (in the oven with olive oil, lemon juice and water) and a salad. It was a lovely meal and we were happy and relaxed enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
We were mid preparation for Hazel's departure when she received a text to inform her that her flight was delayed by several hours but she was to check in at the original time. This was a bit of a bugger for her because once checked in and through into departures we couldn't be with her. She was happy to see to herself so we got her down for 6.30pm as planned and said our goodbyes. It has been so lovely having her here but a week really isn't long enough to do everything we wanted to do but then again we don't get bored with one another and it leaves us looking forward to the next time we are together.
I was knackered and so once we got home we did a bit of tidying up before having an early night. I was really glad that we had decided to take Mum out for lunch tomorrow because I really couldn't face preparing a meal.
I thought it was a bit odd that I hadn't heard from Hazel since she had text she was in departures but assumed no news was good news...Sunday morning and I receive a phone call from Hazel and I somehow I just knew what she was going to say...
...she was still in Cyprus but in the Azia Hotel where they had been bussed at 3.00am this morning. Their flight had been cancelled because they didn't have crew that could complete it without going over their 'time'. Poor Hazel - she was shattered and somewhat bewildered as no-one could tell them what was happening save that they were trying to put on a flight today - EasyJet do not normally fly to Bristol on a Sunday.
We told her that we would go down and keep her company as she expected news around 12.00 midday as to what was happening. A quick phone-call to Mum informed her what was going on and, as I knew she would be seeing Sheila and Klaus after her trip to the cemetery, asked her to stay with them until we were on our way back.Hazel had teamed up with a lady called Carol who lives in Polis and was on the same flight and we took the two of them out to Baracas lounge bar for a coffee and croissants to kill some time before 12.00.
Poor Carol had wanted to be back in the UK today for her grandson's birthday party. Hazel had to make new arrangements for the care of her dog Lily and for being picked up from the airport.
The common complaint with these situations is that there is little to no communication. Today was no exception and the poor customer services manager at the Azia was getting it left, right and Chelsea and she was as much in the dark with the arrangements as the passengers who had been affected.
On our return to the Azia Hazel was informed that they were going to be picked up at 12.30 and taken to the airport where there would be a flight around 4.00pm so we stayed with her until she went to sort out her bags and check out. Many thanks to Carol for giving us the complimentary bottle of wine that was left in her room!
As it happens they were picked up and taken to the airport and they did get back to Bristol but then were told that there was no-one to remove the bags from the aircraft surely someone is having a bloody laugh????? Hazel has been in contact to say that she finally got home around 9.40pm with her bags and was absolutely shattered - poor thing. I do hope that hasn't put her off coming back. Her return journey last year was a bit of a nightmare too.
We got home and Mum joined us from Sheila and Klaus's and we went out to Imogen's for lunch where we thought she might enjoy something different for a change. Mum and I shared a good old ham and pineapple pizza and Paris even split the base so one half had tomato on the base and one half didn't because Mum isn't so keen.It was nice sitting out in Imogen's courtyard and it did make a change for me not having to cook. We think we will try and make sure we do that at least once a month to ring the changes.
It was pretty warm sitting there so it was with some relief we returned home to a nice breeze sitting out under the gazebo. Mum was on good form. I have to say she looked lovely in a pretty blue linen dress and her new shoes - she took my advice and investigated the shoe shop Hazel and I went to in the Old Town on Friday where she managed to find not one but two pairs to fit her feet - I know where I get my love of shoes from!!!
Mum returned home safe and sound and I took the opportunity to grab an hour snoozing on the bed whilst John watched a very exciting German Grand Prix.
Sod's law that all the time Hazel was here she wanted to know if we still had a tree frog. We used to have loads but the cats put paid to that and last year I could hear two calling and this year I hadn't heard any then bugger me as I was watering this evening one appeared from a pot so this photo is for Hazel and Haze this is real unlike the photographs you carefully took of a gecko in the garden which was, in fact, the metal lizard shaped towel hook by the outside shower!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.