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Published: November 29th 2008
Day 1
So we started, 25th November 2008. Meeting at heathrow airport with both the Maxwell and Cox family present and looking forward to a year's worth of adventures, stories and tales to tell. Who knew the next few days would be such a rollercoaster ride testing our patience and emotions to a massive extent.
Lyd and I boarded the plane, settling down to endure the next 6 hours of 'in flight entertainment' with us both looking forward to getting to Bangkok, finding a place to stay, and relaxing.
We landed in Bahrain in high spirits, not really looking forward to the next 7 hour flight, but knowing it took us to Bangkok all the same. Never before have i had my emotions sink so fast. Looking at the departure board to find out which gate we needed to get to we saw the dreadful....CANCELLED. In amongst much confusion we managed to find the Gulf Air customer service desk where they explained (in as vague detail as i think they could muster) that rioters had taken over Bangkok airport whilst we were on our flight to Bahrain. We were told to go and get a meal in the resturant and await further instructions. It's hard to remember exactly what happend in the following few hours, but the long story cut short is that after tempers started to fray, we were offered a hotel (which we had to really fight for), and that the Gulf Air staff were utterly useless at telling us what was going on. In amongst all the chaos and confusion groups started to form, generally of nationality, who decided to try and organise themselves as best they could. We were among 8 other Brits who were all lovely people who were all on our original flight and who were going to be on the same following flight out of Bahrain and into Bangkok.
The other issue we had was with our baggage. The Airport staff told us they were unable to give us our baggage and told us that it would be put to the side for when we had a flight out of Bahrain. Not ideal by any means, but we had no control over this issue, so we had to leave the airport, only clutching our hand luggage.
We eventually managed to get a Bus to a hotel where we were given places to stay, on the condition we gave them our passports (!) which, despite not being the best option for any of us, we reluctantly had to do...I would say given a hotel room, but that would have been too nice a description for what we got... A dribble of a dirty water shower, toilets with a bucket by the side to flush with, air-conditioning units with cables and wires hanging everywhere, walls with little or peeling paint or wall paper and grubby kitchen rooms. We did however have food and water provided for us all. We were told that a call would wake us in the morning to decide what was going to happen the next day. In total after our flights and arriving at the hotel i think we mush have spent at least 20 hours from when we left Heathrow, let alone the time it took us to get to Heathrow.
Day 2
We awoke the next morning to the sound of a Bahrainian man knocking at our door and telling us to meet down in the lobby in half an hour. When we got down to the lobby others were already waiting for what was going to happen, the groups were again formed and people begun chatting, trying to figure out the best thing to do.
We were offered breakfast, but this involved us getting into another bus to be taken somewhere we didn't know, and still without our passports. The English group declined as we didn't want to be parted any further from our passports. The morning passed without anybody really telling us what was going on and without anybody from Gulf Air coming to talk to us about the problem we all faced. It wasn't until the early afternoon when a Bahrainian man turned up in a car outside the hotel asking to speak to everyone. All the people in the hotel decided that only 1 spokesperson from the different nationality groups should go for the talks, which I, for whatever reason, was chosen to speak on behalf of the Brits.
Myself, a German named Sacha, A French guy called Pierre and an Italian (who i have forgotten the name of) were taken by taxi to another hotel where we were placed in a conference room and told to wait for the Manager Director of Gulf Air who was on his way. When we arrived we were treated very well, given food and drink and asked what was needed for the people left back at the hotel. Obviously we asked for food and water for everyone and that we get our passports back. Food and drink was provided but the passports remained under their control. Myself, Sacha, Pierre and the Italian guy talked and agreed that whatever happened, we wanted a flight out of Bahrain to somewhere in South East Asia and that in the delegations we remained calm, didn't get agitated and pushed as hard as we could for Gulf Air to sort out the poroblem. Jassim (the Gulf Air MD) arrived, asked of our health, and then negotiations began. His take on the problem was that it was not Gulf Air's problem, that he couldn't take account for Bangkok's riot problems and that all he could offer was a flight back to the countries we departed from, not only this but that we were only issued with a Visa for Bahrain that ended 12 midnight that same day. At this point i stopped him speaking and told him that on behalf of not just the Brits, but on behalf of every nation involved, that going home was NOT an option and that Gulf Air is contracted to Fly us to our destination or at least near to our original destination. The other 3 men sitting beside me agreed and gave the accounts of what they wanted to happen. Like before i can't remember the entire or exact negotiations but it ended with Jassim getting in contact with Bahrains airport and putting on a specially charted flight to Kuala Lumpur for whoever was supposed to be on the Bahrain-Bangkok connection, on the condition that we (the spokes people for our nations) signed a contract that stated:
I Graham Cox, the representitive of the UK group, take full responsibility for the passengers from the 'All Seasons Hotel' who wish to travel to Kuala Lumpur.
I called the hotel and told Lydia what was being asked and for her to talk to the people from the UK and find out if this was ok for everyone involved. It was. I signed the paper, as did Sacha, Pierre and the italian guy. Great! We had a flight to Kuala Lumpur and no one had to go home, holidays would be resumed and travelling would continue (or in our case, start!). The flights were finalised - we would head to the airport in the evening, a flight would take us to Dubai, and then on to Kuala Lumpur, landing at some point in the morning. We were then offered a Buffet for lunch and told we could do what we wanted to do for the afternoon, as long as we were at the meeting point for a taxi pickup later on that evening. Jassim gave me the responsibility of handing the tickets to everyone when we arrived at the airport, which, daunting as it seemed at the time, i knew i wouldn't mess things up, so i agreed.
After the Buffet i wanted to check with Jassim that things were all still ok, that the flight had been finalised by the airport and that everything would run smoothly. After seeing a 'CANCELLED' sign next to our flight I thought that I wouldn't ever feel such a gut wrenching feeling again for a very long time... How wrong i was. Jassim and the airport in Kuala Lumpur had been in contact and had agreed that it was too dangerous for so many people to arrive in Kuala Lumpur and not have any arrangements and so had cancelled our flight on the grounds of health and safety. (I didn't think until this point that the Middle East and South East Asia had heard of Health and Safety, let alone implement it!). Jassim then said that Gulf Air would provide no onward travells for ANYBODY and that the only flight he could offer was a flight home. Gutted and empty are the only 2 words i can think of that can describe how i felt at that moment in time. Not only for myself and Lyd, but that i had to be the bearer of bad news to in excess of 70 people. Still, the job needed doing so i called over Sacha, Pierre and the Italian and explained the situation. We all felt the same- let down, low and above all, gutted. We were sent off to another hotel where we were given large rooms where we could stay as our groups and formulate a plan of action. Our passports were eventually handed back to us here too, this gave us all a little hope. We called parents (many thanks for the support!!!!!), travel agents, insurance companies and the british foreign office (most unhelpful...'you have a ticket home, what are you worried about?'). We decided that as we had our passports back in our possession, we should go to the airport and try to book tickets to kuala Lumpur, or at least somewhere where the Visa wasn't a problem.
To cut what is already a long story slightly shorter, Lydia and i managed to get flights to Dubai at the cost of about 100GBP each. (the flights were through Gulf Air, the only flight we could get. But no help with the cost...) We were relieved and happy. Dubai wasn't on the list of places to go, but it would do so as we could sort ourselves out. We managed to get our bags from the airport, going through such exstatic emotions to be re-united with them again. This was at least a start.
So there we have it, Lyd and I managed to get onward flights. The other Brits resigned to going home although a couple had parents who booked them tickets back to SE Asia, almost upon arival back at Heathrow. It was hard saying goodbye. We had built quite a strange but intense friendship with everyone, not knowing anything about one another but yet sharing such a strange, odd and emotional experience. So here is to: Katherine and lilly, Kian, Wendy, Sian, Charlotte, Karon and Simon. (i hope i have got all the names right, my apologies if they are wrong). I hope you all well, Lyd and I wish you all the best.
So now we are in Dubai, not where we want to stay, but have flights out tonight onto Kuala Lumpur. YAY! let the travelling start and lets all hope that everything from here on in, runs a lot lot smoother...
All the best.
Lyd and G x
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Louise
non-member comment
OH MY GOD!!!!
Graham i am so glad i know you and i am privileged enough to be able to read your updates. This is a novel in itself, you will be able to write a book when you get back with all the entries. I am so looking forward to hearing more of your travels and wish you both all the best for a safe and successful flight out tonight!!! Looking forward to the next instalment! Love to you both, Lou xx