Saturday 20 December, everything started OK. From that I guess you may have an idea what is coming.
We meet in Dublin airport and had a group photo. Evelyn came up trumps with the hoodies. Notepads were also distributed for those who keep the traditional diary. Security in Dublin Airport was eventful, vaccination viles and needles were a surprise but eventually accepted. Worse was the tent in cabin baggage. Who thought of that, I won’t hang the guilty “G”? John managed to get it through.
We arrived in London Heathrow and made our way to terminal 5. The self check in machines greeted us so we availed of their services. First they would not accept our passports so the ticket numbers were required. Seat numbers could not be confirmed. What’s this? BA staff advised we should go to check in area G, the group check in. When we arrived there was an issue. Just a small one, “your flight is full”. What! …… You need to go to area A from where we just came. Any to cut a long story short the aircraft on the Kolkata flight was unserviceable even Ken couldn’t fix it) and substituted with a smaller aircraft so our group and some others YES YOU GUESSED IT WE WERE NOT ON THE FLIGHT!! And could not go directly to Kolkata.
AND SO TO PLAN B After some complementary snacks we were checked onto a flight to Bangalore some 4 hours later than the Kolkata flight. OK with the snacks digested the adventure through Bangalore to Kolkata could be a more interesting experience and let’s face it we were on our way. There were 2 flights from Bangalore to Kolkata which would see us at most 24 hours later than expected. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Wrong again Ken L. Memories of when I worked as an Aircraft engineer came back. “Should have offered my services on the first aircraft maintenance”CS. On board the Jumbo (not a breakfast roll) on the taxi way and approaching the runway – wait for it the Captain announced we were returning to the stand due to a technical problem with the aircraft. (Where is a good engineer when you need one?)
AND SO TO PLAN C -This would take 10 – 15 minutes to correct and we would be on our way. Well 2 hours later sitting on the aircraft, the air-conditioning not the best, we were informed all was OK and we would be airborne in half an hour. Fingers and everything else crossed we were (Carlsberg Plan in action).
Now we would arrive in Bangalore at 19:00 (01.30 tomorrow Irish time). What’s the problem with that? Just the connecting flight to Kolkata departs at the same time we arrive in Bangalore so we miss our connection and the next one is some 3 to 4 hours later.
Anyway its 19:25 Irish time now and 6 hours out of Bangalore having been fed and watered, I think some ZZZZ’s are in order. We will find out what awaits in Bangalore hopefully from the BA rep on arrival. We await safe arrival of the bags and TENTs. Maybe a nice hotel, some good rest at this stage followed by a flight to Kolkata for us all together in the morning is just what we need. The spirits are high (about 40,000 ft), the adventure has begun.
What a day or two!

PS we landed firmly in Bangalore and I mean firmly. It was quite a thump which even shocked me.