Hello everybody,
I hope you're all doing well and are not stuck somewhere in airports or trainstations!!!
Well, my plans to spend Christmas with my family and party for New Year in Austria have changed on Sunday, December 19...the day I was supposed to fly from London Heathrow to Vienna International Aiport. So far so good.
But: most of you might have heard/experienced the chaos that severe weather conditions in many parts of Europe have caused: Heathrow (amongst the most important travel hubs in the world!!) and Gatwick Airports shut down for a few days, Eurostar trains were suspended for a couple of days and many motorways in England were not passable, similarly - public transport in Great Britain experienced severe delays and complete failures respectively.
When I tried to get to Heathrow on Sunday, I was told I can take the Tube since the ExpressTrain wasn't working. Alright - half way there it was announced "This service will stop here. Sorry for any inconvenience caused."
Okidoki ... back in Paddington Station, the Heathrow Express has reopened - although the Airport is allegedly closed *What the F...*
I called Austrian Airlines - in Vienna and in London, I called Heathrow Airport ... the same story everywhere ... answering machine told me that all the lines are busy at the moment. "Someone will be with you shortly" *aaargh*
The ones taking it easy was my family ... thank you so much for being with me on the phone ;-))
...and, it was good to curse in Styrian-Austrian ;-))
So, this is how it came that I will spend Christmas 2010 in London and dance into 2011 in this amazing metropole!
Thinking about it, I guess I am a lot better off than all those people who are stuck in the airport for days. After all, I can stay with my friend in the heart of London - Covent Garden and enjoy the X-Mas season in this amazing city. I am cooking hot mulled wine (yesss, our famous Austrian Glühwein), and baking some sweets (aka Blätterteigtascherl and the like!), enjoying the snow, free museums and beautiful walks along the Thames River.
In January I will go back to Bath to complete my two last essays for this semester... Funky Backpacker's here I come again ;)
So, let's try my luck to go back to my home country in one month then!! ... January 17, 2011 it is :-)
Merry Christmas from the newest Londoner :-))
