Results for "Haïti"
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Many results are in French, the community’s main language. English translations are added over time.
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Partir en expatriés avec des enfants en Colombie
Nous sommes à deux doigts de signer un contrat de travail pour partir en famille en Colombie (avec 4 enfants de 3 à 11 ans) à Bogota, pour la prochaine rentrée scolaire.
J'aimerai avoir des renseignements sur l'adaptation familiale en tant qu'expatriés, les difficultés rencontrées là-bas au départ quand personne ne parle la langue.
Egalement, que me conseillez vous comme moyen de transport ? Faut-il que j'achète un véhicule sur place, ayant 4 enfants à véhiculer pour l'école, et le sport ? Le taxi est-il plus avantageux sur 2/3 ans ?
J'aurai aussi besoin de connaitre les coordonnées d'un club de patinage artistique sur roulettes qui fait de la compétition haut niveau pour les filles.
Si vous avez déjà été dans cette situation, tous vos conseils me seront les bienvenus.
Mille merci.
Nathalie
Découverte de l'Égypte en mai?
Je desire partir en egypte dans le courant du mois de mai mais j'ai un peu de mal à me decider sur la formule a choisir.
Croisière ou pas?
Je suis une grande curieuse et je n'ais pas envi de louper quelque chose!!
Les petits et grands conseils sont les bienvenue
merci encore
Tanger, mon amour
Tanger, au mois de juillet : je tombe amoureuse.
Paris, au mois d'aout : je négocie ma démission de mon poste d'animatrice socio culturel.
Village berbere au mois de septembre : je me marie devant Dieu.
Paris, au mois d'octobre : je liquide tout c'est à dire pas grand chose, mon appartement et le peu qu'il contient que j'abandonne à mon cher ami et compagnon de route, Haitham.
Tanger, au mois de novembre : je commence ma nouvelle vie d'habitante de la casba.
Tanger, au mois de janvier : je commence ce journal, dans un cybercafé, une clope au bec, une bouteille de sidi ali à mes cotés, pour mon plus grand plaisir et peut etre pour partager ce plaisir des mots d'ailleurs, des mots d'ici et maintenant avec quelques cyber voyageurs.
Je ne sais trop par quoi commencer, le commencenement peut être ?...peut être pas. A voir, a vous de voir peut être ? peut être pas... à bientot.
Paris, au mois d'aout : je négocie ma démission de mon poste d'animatrice socio culturel.
Village berbere au mois de septembre : je me marie devant Dieu.
Paris, au mois d'octobre : je liquide tout c'est à dire pas grand chose, mon appartement et le peu qu'il contient que j'abandonne à mon cher ami et compagnon de route, Haitham.
Tanger, au mois de novembre : je commence ma nouvelle vie d'habitante de la casba.
Tanger, au mois de janvier : je commence ce journal, dans un cybercafé, une clope au bec, une bouteille de sidi ali à mes cotés, pour mon plus grand plaisir et peut etre pour partager ce plaisir des mots d'ailleurs, des mots d'ici et maintenant avec quelques cyber voyageurs.
Je ne sais trop par quoi commencer, le commencenement peut être ?...peut être pas. A voir, a vous de voir peut être ? peut être pas... à bientot.
Consigne à bagages à Phi Phi
Arrivant le matin de phuket pour repartir en fin d'aprés midi pour krabi, existe t'il un endroit surveillé en échange de quelques bath pour garder mes bagages ? Merci d'avance 😉.
Avec 3 enfants pendant 10 mois, France, Niger et autres pays
De septembre 2005 à juillet 2006, nous sommes partis de Montréal pour les vieux pays la France, la Belgique et la Hollande. Jusqu'au 6 décembre, Eure-et-Loire, la Bretagne, le Limoisin, les Pyrénées, Castres, les Gorges du Tarn et Guillon ont été nos hôtes dans des gîtes de France.
Pendant le mois de décembre, mon beau-frère nous recevait au Niger. Janvier, ce fût le tour, de la région de Champagne de nous recevoir. Pur délice! En février, la Belgique nous donnait un gros coup de coeur en rencontrant des gens extraordinaires. En mars, la Hollande et ses merveilleuses ballades en vélo, nous ont bien animées. Et vlan, les trois derniers mois, c'était le tour de l'Angleterre et de l'Écosse de nous dévoiler leurs beautés.
Quel voyage! La découverte de nos enfants fût le clou du voyage.
http://vennes cossette.com
Pendant le mois de décembre, mon beau-frère nous recevait au Niger. Janvier, ce fût le tour, de la région de Champagne de nous recevoir. Pur délice! En février, la Belgique nous donnait un gros coup de coeur en rencontrant des gens extraordinaires. En mars, la Hollande et ses merveilleuses ballades en vélo, nous ont bien animées. Et vlan, les trois derniers mois, c'était le tour de l'Angleterre et de l'Écosse de nous dévoiler leurs beautés.
Quel voyage! La découverte de nos enfants fût le clou du voyage.
http://vennes cossette.com
Mexique avec deux enfants en bas âge
Bonjour,
Je pars au Mexique (Cancun) en Janvier avec 2 enfants (5 et 2 ans). J'aimerais savoir si sur place je peux trouver du lait pasteurisé demi-écremé, du cacao, et des couches.
Vos témoignages de vos séjours avec des jeunes enfants m'intéressent.....
Merci de vos réponses.
Logement pas cher à Singapour?
Bonjour !
Nous avons la possibilité de passer 2 jours à Singapour. Connaissez vous des adresses où nous pourrions dormir pour pas trop cher ? Si "oui", est ce loin du centre ville ?
Merci pour votre aide
fabaless
Nous avons la possibilité de passer 2 jours à Singapour. Connaissez vous des adresses où nous pourrions dormir pour pas trop cher ? Si "oui", est ce loin du centre ville ?
Merci pour votre aide
fabaless
Roller blade à Varadero
bonjour, jaimerais savoir s il est possible de faire du roller blade dans le coin de varadero...> les lois, dager... letat des routes... ou sont les meilleur spot etc
merci 😏
Plage de Nusa Dua à Bali
Bonjour à tous, je vais partir à BALI dans 2 semaines et je souhaiterais avoir des informations sur le climat en avril, la plage de Nusa Dua, les précautions à prendre (Hepathite A, paludisme, tourista...) ainsi que quelques adresses pour faire du shopping, du jet ski, des massages... Merci.
Hôtel Canoa ou Casa del Mar?
davidco, tu reviens du canoa ou du casa? content de ton sejour?moi je pars le 3 avril. le temps en ce moment ca va?
Logement chez l'habitant au Chili ou Cuba
🙂Salut, nous sommes à la recherche d'un voyage pour le mois d'août 2006. Nous ne sommes pas encore fixé et on recherche donc des idées.
Si vous avez des idées de logements pas chers, chez l'habitant par exemple, au chili ou à cuba. n'hésitez pas à me le dire.
A plus
Si vous avez des idées de logements pas chers, chez l'habitant par exemple, au chili ou à cuba. n'hésitez pas à me le dire.
A plus
Hôtel Iberostar Bella Costa ou Iberostar Daiquiri?
Moi et mon chum partons pour cuba le 25 Février et nous hésitons entre Varadero (Hotel Iberostar Bella Costa) et Cayo Guillermo (Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri). Nous voulons voir une belle plage de sable blanc et des eaux turquoises ou on peut marcher longtemps et on veut aussi pouvoir s'amuser un peu et faire des excursions. Quelqu'un peut-il nous donner un peu d'informations à ce sujet?
L'une et l'autre
L'une et l'autre
Jamais l'une sans l'autre
L'une parle, l'autre sourit
L'une écrit, l'autre rit
L'une lit, l'autre lit
L'une voyage, l'autre part
L'une revient, l'autre la suit
L'une patiente, l'autre attend
L'une s'impatiente, l'autre trépigne
L'une est partie, l'autre la rejoindra un jour
Parce qu'elle sait que ce sera toujours, toujours :
L'une et l'autre
Jamais l'une sans l'autre
Et cela quelque soit le voyage....
Dolma
Traduction du khmer
Bonjour,
je reviens de Phnom Penh avec des textes confiés par quelqu'un qui travaille au Théâtre brûlé où j'ai passé pas mal de temps à essayer de comprendre. Et je cherche une tradale pas trop cher. En poids de signes, c'est léger ; en forme, de la poésie. Je vais essayer du côté assoc et Langues'O aussi. Merci à vous
Inde du Nord et Himachal Pradesh en Juillet
Bonjour,
nous partons en Inde du Nord en Juillet, itinéraire un peu flou mais, atterissage à Delhi, puis monté jusque Himachal Pradesh, ce qui se passe c'est que je n'arrive pas à trouver la température dans cet région au mois du Juillet, est ce quelqu'un peu m'éclairer, et aussi niveau altitude est ce que des treks entre 2000 m et 3000 m sont possibles
merci pour vos réponses
nous partons en Inde du Nord en Juillet, itinéraire un peu flou mais, atterissage à Delhi, puis monté jusque Himachal Pradesh, ce qui se passe c'est que je n'arrive pas à trouver la température dans cet région au mois du Juillet, est ce quelqu'un peu m'éclairer, et aussi niveau altitude est ce que des treks entre 2000 m et 3000 m sont possibles
merci pour vos réponses
Budget Tahiti
😎 Bonjour,
Lors de notre tour du monde, nous allons nous arrêter à TAHITI mais le gros problème est le budget à tel point que parfois nous nous demandons si nous n'allons pas enlever cette destination de notre TDM.
Quel est le budget minimum par personne pour une semaine ?
Existe-t-il des tours en bâteau, d'une semaine, tout compris, nuit, nourriture, pour se promener d'île en île et à quel prix environ ? Coordonnées de réservation ?
Quel est le prix de la traversée en bâteau Tahiti - Moorea ?
Pouvez-vous me conseiller un hôtel ou bungalow à Moorea ?
Merci beaucoup par avance.
Agapi.
Lors de notre tour du monde, nous allons nous arrêter à TAHITI mais le gros problème est le budget à tel point que parfois nous nous demandons si nous n'allons pas enlever cette destination de notre TDM.
Quel est le budget minimum par personne pour une semaine ?
Existe-t-il des tours en bâteau, d'une semaine, tout compris, nuit, nourriture, pour se promener d'île en île et à quel prix environ ? Coordonnées de réservation ?
Quel est le prix de la traversée en bâteau Tahiti - Moorea ?
Pouvez-vous me conseiller un hôtel ou bungalow à Moorea ?
Merci beaucoup par avance.
Agapi.
Séjour d'un an en inde avec deux enfants
Bonjour,
Voilà, je compte partir en Inde (Bombay) en septembre 2006 avec mon ami et mes 2 enfants (6 et 4 ans) pour une durée de un an. J'ai déjà un peu voyagé mais jamais avec mes loustics. Notre décision de partir est prise mais nous devons commencer à nous organiser et je pensais que quelqu'un pourrait me donner des infos pour s'installer la-bas (recherche de maison, petits plans boulot pour moi car mon ami poursuivra ses études, école publique bilingue français-anglais pour les enfants et tous tuyaus utiles dans ce genre de cas). Je me pose beaucoup de questions par rapport à mes enfants qui pourront être confrontés à des images parfois insoutenables. Si quelqu'un a une expérience similaire, merci de me répondre.
Mo
Voilà, je compte partir en Inde (Bombay) en septembre 2006 avec mon ami et mes 2 enfants (6 et 4 ans) pour une durée de un an. J'ai déjà un peu voyagé mais jamais avec mes loustics. Notre décision de partir est prise mais nous devons commencer à nous organiser et je pensais que quelqu'un pourrait me donner des infos pour s'installer la-bas (recherche de maison, petits plans boulot pour moi car mon ami poursuivra ses études, école publique bilingue français-anglais pour les enfants et tous tuyaus utiles dans ce genre de cas). Je me pose beaucoup de questions par rapport à mes enfants qui pourront être confrontés à des images parfois insoutenables. Si quelqu'un a une expérience similaire, merci de me répondre.
Mo
Hôtel Decameron ou Ile de San Andres?
Bonjour,
j'hésite entre le panama (l'hôtel decameron) et l'île de San Andres pour des vacances à la fin d'avril. J'aimerais avoir des commentaires positifs ou négatifs sur ces deux endroits touristiques et surtout des infos sur les excursions que vous avez aimés.
merci.
j'hésite entre le panama (l'hôtel decameron) et l'île de San Andres pour des vacances à la fin d'avril. J'aimerais avoir des commentaires positifs ou négatifs sur ces deux endroits touristiques et surtout des infos sur les excursions que vous avez aimés.
merci.
How to get to Southampton (England) from France?
Hi there,
I found a cruise on the Queen Victoria departing from Southampton, but the trickiest part is getting to Southampton.
We’re leaving from Marseille or Paris if that’s easier.
Thanks for your tips, have a great day!
A long journey around Australia
Sunday, October 1st, 2023
Mulhouse-London
We dumped our trash on our neighbors. We hugged, overflowing with emotion. Then Léa from Taxis S showed up. She knows us well. For ages, she’s been our driver. She was practically the official taxiwoman for the trips of the company where Dom and I met. She knew us when we were single! Almost teenagers! She knows everyone and fills in the biographies of people we’d forgotten.
Across the street, while we loaded the luggage, S., perched in his window frame, waved a handkerchief. This wasn’t just any trip.
Then things got tricky. It’s funny how fate sinks its teeth into our happy moments—there’s this whole intermediate phase where the poison seeps in unnoticed because you’re still in the dark...
First, there was a delay on our flight to London. Dom immediately went on high alert, while I stayed calm. In my mind, we had two hours. I knew we had to go from Terminal 5 to Terminal 4, but two hours—come on, that’s plenty, right?
Bad calculation! Because those two hours were between the first flight’s landing and the second’s takeoff. But flights close at least half an hour before departure. Getting from one terminal to another means taking a shuttle bus. We waited for the one going to Terminal 4... until a young guy paid to direct people (who hadn’t seen us) informed us it was no longer possible to access Terminal 4 without going through Terminal 2 first for a connection! That really cranked up the pressure. We started installing a mental countdown with a programmed explosion at the end—guaranteed stress with added beads of sweat. The terminal bus was driven by a young Pakistani guy. We were *so* tense we bombarded him with our frantic, repetitive questions. “So? When are we getting there? What’s happening? Why aren’t we moving?” Our eyes were glued to our watches. The poor guy knew. Perfectly. Because it was obvious—no way around it. We weren’t going to make it. It was impossible. But Dom and I stubbornly refused to believe it. Then the kid stopped the bus. Me, hysterical: “What are you doing? What’s going on? Our plane takes off in... in... 4 minutes!!!! We’re gonna miss iiiiiit!” He wasn’t calm either. “You’ve already missed it!” He explained we had to cross a zone that required an escort car to clear a path through the runways. Impossible to do without. It’s forbidden. We had to WAIT (!!!). Then he got a radio call—he had to rush to Terminal 3 to pick up a passenger who was *super* tight on time. “Amir!!!! It’s RIGHT NOW!” they yelled in his already-red ears, thanks to the complaints of two hysterical Frenchies. Dom and I were in overdrive, hallucinating! We wanted to stop him, maybe even hit him to prevent him from turning around. He picked up the girl, whom we instantly hated like the most despicable witch. I turned on my data, searched for Malaysia Airlines’ number at Terminal 4, called, and actually got someone—quite a feat. A woman cut off my frantic rambling with a blunt “It’s over, the check-in is closed, the plane is about to take off.” I heard her but refused to accept it. I yelled, “We’re coming!” She shot back her monolithic “It’s over.” Finally at the doors of that damn Terminal 4, we ran—*really* ran—a marathon, Gate 6, security checks, pat-downs, “Take off your belts,” we asked questions, everyone seemed confident, we ran with one hand holding up our pants, the other clutching our belt, Gate 6—the room was empty. A girl was sitting there, calmly on the phone. We pounced on her. She calmed us down. Little by little, the light came back. Our brains rebooted. We finally understood it was over. We’d have to start crafting a new plan with the new reality. It started with a return to Terminal 5 to talk to British Airways, which took a good hour. With the same driver as before. We were alone with him. He took the time to apologize, to assure us it wasn’t his fault, that our problem had no solution, that nothing could’ve changed the outcome. At BA, we were exhausted. We were greeted by a handsome young man in a navy-blue uniform with gold stripes everywhere. We could’ve made a scene, but we were just relieved to find someone who’d take charge of our story. It was a minimal response, but it was *a* response. I suppose we could’ve demanded a business-class upgrade or a free trip, but we were just happy with a few vouchers for food, a hotel room with breakfast, and a little bag with plastic toys, a razor, toothbrush, hygiene products, and a T-shirt... Trinkets... But we were fine with it all—we said thank you eagerly because the essential was assured. He found us seats on flights tomorrow. *Tomorrow.* We were afraid to hope! We had the exact same flights but a day later. The same crappy times, but it was all good. We felt saved from the shipwreck, like survivors. - And what about the luggage? - .... !!!!
Monday, October 2nd, 2023 London - Kuala Lumpur
It wasn’t the Ritz, but with exhaustion on our side, we slept well. The continental breakfast was way better than we’d expected from an Ibis Budget. Still, it wasn’t enough to restore my joy for life. The course correction had turned into an arduous obstacle course. I scoured the car rental site every which way. Couldn’t reschedule the car. I’d done it before, but this time... Not to mention the laptop battery was complaining—the Brits have this quirk of making their power outlets incompatible with our chargers. Frustrated, I called them but ended up with a girl who declared herself incompetent and offered to have someone from Avis in Perth call me back—someone who’d supposedly handle rentals better. I decided to wait while taking a bath. Barely settled in, the phone rang. I was soaking wet, of course, and asked Dom to answer. Unfortunately, she’s known for disliking my phone, and in a clumsy move, she hung up. We got annoyed. She put dry towels on the edge of the bathtub, but—another false move—they fell in the water. The phone rang again... I completely redid the plans for the next two days, then transferred the files to my phone to consult them later offline. I plugged in my USB cable... *Plop!* The battery died abruptly—my PC shut down without any of the usual polite warnings! I looked around, hoping to find someone to strangle... Long story short, you can tell the day started under the worst omens. I was in a foul mood and spread my bad vibes to Dominique, who was initially in much better spirits... I called Mastercard, hoping to get a refund for the non-refundable night in Perth we’d already paid for. Same old song: “We’ll call you back”... Then... I’ll cut it short—buses, trains, lots of waiting... We rushed to reach the infamous Terminal 4.
We tried new options and convinced ourselves that a delayed departure flight is unrecoverable, no matter the scenario. We were furious that BA hadn’t bothered to tell us, leaving us to run around like rats in a burning house.
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 Kuala Lumpur-Perth
The flight was pretty nice. 13 hours, though. Dom and I were facing each other across the aisle. We could get up easily whenever we wanted without bothering anyone and chat when we felt like it. Besides, their chicken was amazing. They were kind enough to offer Dom a truly remarkable glass of rum. Good movies too, including the excellent *Prisoners* by Denis Villeneuve. At KL, during boarding, we developed a nagging worry about our luggage. We checked with some Malaysian Airlines staff. I sensed their hesitation. They made calls. Then changed their minds, giving us smiles and thumbs up...
Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 Perth
*Happy is the man who, like Ulysses, has had a fine voyage.* Well, for us, it wasn’t that. Finally arrived, we experienced the loneliness of tourists watching the baggage carousel spin, emptying of its precious containers one by one, until only a handful of travelers were left, staring at each other in disbelief. Without luggage, you’re kinda screwed. Not even a change of socks—our feet had been swimming in the same shoes for 3 days. No adapter, so no laptop. No toiletries. We could’ve cried! The lost luggage guy played his part. If you want compensation, fill out the disclaimer on the website made for that. And then, “Don’t worry, your luggage will arrive tomorrow!” “Don’t worry?!” From the start of the trip, we’ve been jerked around, fed lies. Tomorrow is the *absolute* last chance to get them back. Beyond that, we’d have to scramble a whole new trip. And lose a lot in the process! I have no idea how to go about it. Tomorrow... OMG... Tomorrow... We landed at 1 AM. Avis, the car rental place, opens at 6:30. Luckily, we found some decent breakfast. It cheered us up and gave us a second wind. Incorrigible, we started believing again! Well, then we just killed time. What else was there to do?
In front of Avis’s little shack, we were freezing. We’d been there since dawn. The girl who showed up, a Latina, immediately saw us as a nuisance who’d ruin her hopes of a peaceful start. Her face and tone were as unwelcoming as possible. You know us—it ended with hugs. She gave us a gorgeous, brand-new car! A hybrid with ultra-sophisticated features, all buttons you shouldn’t touch if you want to drive this thing without causing irreparable damage! We’re off! Driving on the left is easy at first. You think about it constantly. It’s counterintuitive, it takes effort. It’s later, when you get used to it and confidence sets in, that it becomes dangerous—old reflexes can send you into a wall. Anyway, the car and I immediately clicked.
In Perth, underground parking next to the hotel, friendly welcome—we ended up forgetting all the morning’s mishaps. Should we go sightseeing?
https://voyageforum.com/images/posts/small/1733767537-5Nwk6t3DsBZNOzf.jpg
Across the street, while we loaded the luggage, S., perched in his window frame, waved a handkerchief. This wasn’t just any trip.
Then things got tricky. It’s funny how fate sinks its teeth into our happy moments—there’s this whole intermediate phase where the poison seeps in unnoticed because you’re still in the dark...
First, there was a delay on our flight to London. Dom immediately went on high alert, while I stayed calm. In my mind, we had two hours. I knew we had to go from Terminal 5 to Terminal 4, but two hours—come on, that’s plenty, right?
Bad calculation! Because those two hours were between the first flight’s landing and the second’s takeoff. But flights close at least half an hour before departure. Getting from one terminal to another means taking a shuttle bus. We waited for the one going to Terminal 4... until a young guy paid to direct people (who hadn’t seen us) informed us it was no longer possible to access Terminal 4 without going through Terminal 2 first for a connection! That really cranked up the pressure. We started installing a mental countdown with a programmed explosion at the end—guaranteed stress with added beads of sweat. The terminal bus was driven by a young Pakistani guy. We were *so* tense we bombarded him with our frantic, repetitive questions. “So? When are we getting there? What’s happening? Why aren’t we moving?” Our eyes were glued to our watches. The poor guy knew. Perfectly. Because it was obvious—no way around it. We weren’t going to make it. It was impossible. But Dom and I stubbornly refused to believe it. Then the kid stopped the bus. Me, hysterical: “What are you doing? What’s going on? Our plane takes off in... in... 4 minutes!!!! We’re gonna miss iiiiiit!” He wasn’t calm either. “You’ve already missed it!” He explained we had to cross a zone that required an escort car to clear a path through the runways. Impossible to do without. It’s forbidden. We had to WAIT (!!!). Then he got a radio call—he had to rush to Terminal 3 to pick up a passenger who was *super* tight on time. “Amir!!!! It’s RIGHT NOW!” they yelled in his already-red ears, thanks to the complaints of two hysterical Frenchies. Dom and I were in overdrive, hallucinating! We wanted to stop him, maybe even hit him to prevent him from turning around. He picked up the girl, whom we instantly hated like the most despicable witch. I turned on my data, searched for Malaysia Airlines’ number at Terminal 4, called, and actually got someone—quite a feat. A woman cut off my frantic rambling with a blunt “It’s over, the check-in is closed, the plane is about to take off.” I heard her but refused to accept it. I yelled, “We’re coming!” She shot back her monolithic “It’s over.” Finally at the doors of that damn Terminal 4, we ran—*really* ran—a marathon, Gate 6, security checks, pat-downs, “Take off your belts,” we asked questions, everyone seemed confident, we ran with one hand holding up our pants, the other clutching our belt, Gate 6—the room was empty. A girl was sitting there, calmly on the phone. We pounced on her. She calmed us down. Little by little, the light came back. Our brains rebooted. We finally understood it was over. We’d have to start crafting a new plan with the new reality. It started with a return to Terminal 5 to talk to British Airways, which took a good hour. With the same driver as before. We were alone with him. He took the time to apologize, to assure us it wasn’t his fault, that our problem had no solution, that nothing could’ve changed the outcome. At BA, we were exhausted. We were greeted by a handsome young man in a navy-blue uniform with gold stripes everywhere. We could’ve made a scene, but we were just relieved to find someone who’d take charge of our story. It was a minimal response, but it was *a* response. I suppose we could’ve demanded a business-class upgrade or a free trip, but we were just happy with a few vouchers for food, a hotel room with breakfast, and a little bag with plastic toys, a razor, toothbrush, hygiene products, and a T-shirt... Trinkets... But we were fine with it all—we said thank you eagerly because the essential was assured. He found us seats on flights tomorrow. *Tomorrow.* We were afraid to hope! We had the exact same flights but a day later. The same crappy times, but it was all good. We felt saved from the shipwreck, like survivors. - And what about the luggage? - .... !!!!
Monday, October 2nd, 2023 London - Kuala Lumpur
It wasn’t the Ritz, but with exhaustion on our side, we slept well. The continental breakfast was way better than we’d expected from an Ibis Budget. Still, it wasn’t enough to restore my joy for life. The course correction had turned into an arduous obstacle course. I scoured the car rental site every which way. Couldn’t reschedule the car. I’d done it before, but this time... Not to mention the laptop battery was complaining—the Brits have this quirk of making their power outlets incompatible with our chargers. Frustrated, I called them but ended up with a girl who declared herself incompetent and offered to have someone from Avis in Perth call me back—someone who’d supposedly handle rentals better. I decided to wait while taking a bath. Barely settled in, the phone rang. I was soaking wet, of course, and asked Dom to answer. Unfortunately, she’s known for disliking my phone, and in a clumsy move, she hung up. We got annoyed. She put dry towels on the edge of the bathtub, but—another false move—they fell in the water. The phone rang again... I completely redid the plans for the next two days, then transferred the files to my phone to consult them later offline. I plugged in my USB cable... *Plop!* The battery died abruptly—my PC shut down without any of the usual polite warnings! I looked around, hoping to find someone to strangle... Long story short, you can tell the day started under the worst omens. I was in a foul mood and spread my bad vibes to Dominique, who was initially in much better spirits... I called Mastercard, hoping to get a refund for the non-refundable night in Perth we’d already paid for. Same old song: “We’ll call you back”... Then... I’ll cut it short—buses, trains, lots of waiting... We rushed to reach the infamous Terminal 4.
We tried new options and convinced ourselves that a delayed departure flight is unrecoverable, no matter the scenario. We were furious that BA hadn’t bothered to tell us, leaving us to run around like rats in a burning house.
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 Kuala Lumpur-Perth
The flight was pretty nice. 13 hours, though. Dom and I were facing each other across the aisle. We could get up easily whenever we wanted without bothering anyone and chat when we felt like it. Besides, their chicken was amazing. They were kind enough to offer Dom a truly remarkable glass of rum. Good movies too, including the excellent *Prisoners* by Denis Villeneuve. At KL, during boarding, we developed a nagging worry about our luggage. We checked with some Malaysian Airlines staff. I sensed their hesitation. They made calls. Then changed their minds, giving us smiles and thumbs up...
Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 Perth
*Happy is the man who, like Ulysses, has had a fine voyage.* Well, for us, it wasn’t that. Finally arrived, we experienced the loneliness of tourists watching the baggage carousel spin, emptying of its precious containers one by one, until only a handful of travelers were left, staring at each other in disbelief. Without luggage, you’re kinda screwed. Not even a change of socks—our feet had been swimming in the same shoes for 3 days. No adapter, so no laptop. No toiletries. We could’ve cried! The lost luggage guy played his part. If you want compensation, fill out the disclaimer on the website made for that. And then, “Don’t worry, your luggage will arrive tomorrow!” “Don’t worry?!” From the start of the trip, we’ve been jerked around, fed lies. Tomorrow is the *absolute* last chance to get them back. Beyond that, we’d have to scramble a whole new trip. And lose a lot in the process! I have no idea how to go about it. Tomorrow... OMG... Tomorrow... We landed at 1 AM. Avis, the car rental place, opens at 6:30. Luckily, we found some decent breakfast. It cheered us up and gave us a second wind. Incorrigible, we started believing again! Well, then we just killed time. What else was there to do?
In front of Avis’s little shack, we were freezing. We’d been there since dawn. The girl who showed up, a Latina, immediately saw us as a nuisance who’d ruin her hopes of a peaceful start. Her face and tone were as unwelcoming as possible. You know us—it ended with hugs. She gave us a gorgeous, brand-new car! A hybrid with ultra-sophisticated features, all buttons you shouldn’t touch if you want to drive this thing without causing irreparable damage! We’re off! Driving on the left is easy at first. You think about it constantly. It’s counterintuitive, it takes effort. It’s later, when you get used to it and confidence sets in, that it becomes dangerous—old reflexes can send you into a wall. Anyway, the car and I immediately clicked.
In Perth, underground parking next to the hotel, friendly welcome—we ended up forgetting all the morning’s mishaps. Should we go sightseeing?
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