Another week of holiday completed. Packing sorted, so we grabbed the opportunity to have a walk through the local ‘jewel in the crown’ of Gateshead- Saltwell Park.
A really lovely park. I even took a little movie of a grey squirrel.
We said our goodbyes to my friends family who’d been our hosts and headed for the Newcastle airport.
A word of warning or perhaps it’s a helpful hint? Check your suitcase weight before reaching the check-in. I had sort of checked but prior to adding my toiletries. So I had to take out a jacket. Ok that’s fine although still one kilo over. But I wanted to put my carry on into the hold. This backpack turned out to be oversized and I therefore had to pay £7 extra. I was told where to take it but when I got there the man wanted my boarding pass. I thought I’d taken a picture of it but that turned out to be my car rental voucher. Ok back to the checkin counter. Thankfully they didn’t charge me for printing one. Back to the overweight baggage area and it was finally through the gates.
A last drink with my friends and a quick farewell- down to my boarding gate in perfect time and I’m almost the first one through and onto the plane. My friends had watched me leave before they left for Poland.
I met Qi Zihan (but we can call her Fiona)!! She’s a student originally from China at university in Belfast. Such a lovely travelling companion. We were extra lucky because we were crossing our fingers that we didn’t get a old guy sitting next to us. And we were lucky and have lots more room with the arms up. I ordered a hot water and some crisps but was only just able to get it down before we landed- the flight took just 40mins!
My cousins wife had kindly organised a drs appointment for me at 4:50 in Larne. I arrived at the Belfast airport at 3:30 which was around 15 mins early. Firstly I went to the information section of the airport to ask the guy how I should contact the car hire company. He looked at my voucher (the one I thought was my boarding pass). He pointed out the number. I had 10%battery left. (Oh no not again!).
I phoned the number but it wouldn’t work. So back to the info guy. He tried from his landline but it rang out. He then said I needed to go over the four zebra crossings and go to the bus shelter to the right and phone from there. Four phone calls later (I’m now on 3%) and another 20minutes I finally get them and they say they will be picking me up in about twenty to twenty five minutes. Omg. I had to drive 35 minutes to get to my appointment.
I bit the bullet and took a taxi there. The taxi driver wasn’t happy as I only needed to go three minutes down the road and I’d taken him out of the line so he would have to go back and be at the back of the queue. The address wasn’t correct on the voucher but we did get there. I ended up giving the driver £20 instead of the £9.80 he said. And then the fun started!
No fun really as I’d realised I was not getting to my appointment. I said I’d been waiting an hour he said I’d only been waiting forty minutes. I was asked for my credit card and charged for petrol (ok with that) but not happy with the hold of over £1000 incase I damaged the car. Even though I’d paid for full insurance for the week!? Then I had to sign so many documents. I’d already given them all the details but apparently that was all through a third party site. The guy kept taking external calls whilst dealing with me and also talking to other people in the office. It was so frustrating. Another man came and took me to the car to check it over for pre-existing damage. Another ten minutes. So an hour and a half later I finally set off for larne. Certainly not happy with that car rental company. I will see how they go when I take it back.
My relations were happy to see me and I was settled in. A nice warming dinner, catch up conversations and a couple of neat whiskeys and I was off to bed. It’s nice when you feel so comfortable. It was a big day today.
Lady Boomer 