Zane kindly borrowed his very cool bikebox to me and him and Jason packed it for me. I was so grateful that I was not left to figure this out by myself. I know what to do with my bike when it is put together, NOT when it is taken apart...
I ambitiously thought that I could brave getting to the airport with by taking 3 different buses while pushing dragging 3 pieces of luggage with wheels. Thankfully Tim, my little brother from another mother gave me a lift to the airport after we were up into the early hours of the morning playing around on my blog. Tim jazzed it up for me, thank you.
Bikeboxalan - REVIEW
The boys made it look so easy to pack the box. What makes this box so good is that the frame goes on the one side and the wheels go on the other, they get screwed onto the one side even and they get seperated with a sponge from the frame and there is a little pole in the middle that needs to be alligned in the middle that keeps the box from squashing inwards, so the bike won't get squash if something pushes on either side of the box. The box itself looks bigger than it is and fits into small cars. The only negative thing I can say is that there are no real handle where you can pick it up or drag it with and for us short people that is a bit of a problem. www.bikeboxalan.co.uk
Everything went so smoothly, everything fitted in his car, we left in time, we chatted up a storm, we arrived in time. Africa here I come!
I got to the airport, chose my bagdrop desk carefully, thought if I pick a man hopefully I can utilise some of my communication skills. #tosstoss This man got me to way my suitcase and bikebox and informed me that they were both overweight as if I didn't know that. Madam I will have to charge you £40 per piece on extra baggage. I said, NO-NO-NO, I will just repack it, thank you. My TC-charm was going to get me NOWHERE today. I went across to the otherside of the floor, took everything other than bikeparts out of the bikebox, bikeshoes out, pedals out, tubes out. From my own luggage I took out everything that had some sort of weight to it, all the chocolate that I could get my hands on came out.
After lieing flat on my stomach on top of my hand luggage suitcase and giving my fingers almost blisters I managed to get the zip on my hand luggage closed. I'm sure that this was even weighing more than the allowed 23kg, but they were not going to weigh that, thankfully.
I went to the desk of a lovely lady, that greeted me with, Oh you must be going to Cape Town. Now, THAT is how I wanted to be greeted! Yes, I am. I put my checked in luggage on the scale and it came to 21kg. Wow I got rid of 5kg!!! As I went forward to put my bikebox she said to me, Oh no don't worry I'll come round and put the tag on for you. Seriously, did I just repack my whole suitcase and emptied my bikebox for it not to be weighed???
As I had a few spare kilograms in my checked luggage, I quickly took out my D-lock from my hand luggage and stuffed it into my checked luggage. Unfortunately I could'nt find the big heavy cage that it connects into. Checked in my suitcase, dropped off my bike at the big items and off I went to security. Great.
Off to security... Hand luggage through to scanner, TC stripped from my belt and shoes through the metal detector and came out clear on the other side waiting for my hand luggage suitcase.
It ain't coming...waiting, seeing that security are staring at the screen very intently. Every time up another security member is looking at the screen... OH-oh... About 6 men were looking at the screen at which point I walked over and asked if they are looking at my suitcase. I informed them that it could be the cage for D-lock that they are looking at or the cleats of my cycling shoes.
The one man brought my suitcase to me and informed me that Madam we have to search through your suitcase. What, seriously? Please no, I just repacked it and will never get it closed again. Sorry Madam we really have to.
So he put my suitcase down on the 2 tables at the end of the conveyor thing and started opening it. I could'nt belief this was happening to me, I panicked because I knew that all the stuff I stuffed in that suitcase won't fit on the two tables and also I did not want the whole of Terminal 5 see my personal stuff (underwear), come on a girl needs her privacy!!! So I said, do we have to do it here? And I actually also panicked cause I knew that if anyone else's bag had to be searched we won't fit in on the two tables and I couldn't cope with the idea of my 'personal' things falling around and I have to claim them in front of strangers etc etc. So he said, would you like to go to a private room? I thought this sounds a bit ominous and strange or makes the matter sound more serious than it is, but I agreed and said yes please. I also asked how long it will take as there was only 50 minutes before my flight left.
We went to this private room and started unpacking my suitcase. I dread the thought of re-packing it and informed them that they would have to help me re-pack it. We went through everything and couldn't find what they saw on the screen, the suitcase was empty and it was not there. So we started packing it again, I got the security man and women to roll up my spare tubes. He picked up a packet which had a jacket for my brother-in-law in it and FOUND the culprit, the D-lock cage was trapped all the time. It looked like ammunition to them. This strong man helped me to get my suitcase close again - thankfully.
Off I went to dutyfree to get my brother-in-law and dad whisky and pimms. On my way out I heard the last boarding call for flight BA043 to Cape Town..... SSSSSCCCCCCHHHHUUKKKKKKKKKSSSSSSSS! I had to still get the transfer to the gate. I started sprinting towards the transfer train and almost fell over my own suitcase. That would've been a disaster.
Get off the transfer run to my gate, B36. There is NO-ONE and I mean NO-ONE to be seen at Gate B36. I started going down the escalator when a lady came towards me and asked me where I'm going. I was taken a back, what does she mean where am I going? I'm going to Cape Town. The lady said sorry this is not the gate for Cape Town. In my head what does she mean it is not the gate for Cape Town. She looked at my boarding pass and said your boarding gate is B48. I was like where is it, as she directed me I started running whilts shouting after her to ring my gate and tell them I am on my way!
I turned left at the corner as she said and started running this GATE was the furthest away that you can imagine. Out of breath I got there calling to them, I'm here, I'm here as if they were specially waiting on me. They said don't worry you are here now, I asked them, can I walk now? Yes you can walk. Phew.
I started walking to my plane, having to choose a corridor, I wasn't sure if I chose the correct on, it kept going forever and ever and there was nobody to be seen anywhere. I doubted myself, what if this plane doesn't go to Cape Town? As soon as I got to the end of the queue I asked the passengers where they were going. CAPE TOWN... And Relax.
I got to my seat and saw my neighbour occupied my seat, I quickly advised him that he is sitting on my window seat. I got onto the seat and started re-arranging their stuff in the overhead locker as it was taking up redundant space. The one guy kindly offered to put my suitcase in, so I bossed my Columbian neighbour who turned out to be Greek around to put my suitcase in correctly and finally sat down into my chair soaking wet in sweat – NICE… I’m on the plane and I am going to Cape Town and I will be able to ride the Argus and volunteer at the Absa Cape Epic.
I
saw Ray Hince on the plane, he was also going to volunteer on at the Epic.
Getting
off the plane I flew through passport control and then waited for a long time
for my bikebox. There was about 7 of the same boxes on this plane. Alan’s
Bikebox is a real popular brand. I walked out with Ray and thought, good I’m
distracted customs won’t pull me off, also they have never stopped me before
and in all fairness accidents happens in 3’s and I had 3 almost showstoppers
yesterday. But my hopes was crushed.
A SARS lady pulled me over. She was so
friendly when she asked how I was on which I responded very well thank you. It
felt like I had personal welcome back into South Africa. She asked if I’m
visiting family on which I said oh yes I’m visiting family. Did you bring the
gifts, off course I bought them gifts, what does she think? It was only at this
point where I realised… Oh-oh Tharina, you don’t want to unpack more bags and
show her all your gifts. She asked me where the gifts was? I said in this
suitcase, pointing to my hand luggage. Can you show it to me? What are you
serious? I’ve already unpacked this bag 3 times in the last day. I won’t be
able to close it again I told her, to which she said I’ll sit on it. I thought
you won’t sit on my suitcase, you will squash everything I have in there! J So
ja once again I opened it and showed her “some” of my books and chocolates that
I brought as gifts. She was happy with that. Madam did you bring any spirits?
Yes I did, whisky and pimms. Madam I’ll have to charge you tax on the Pimms as
you are only allowed to bring in one litre of spirits. At this poing I was so
over it, come on, did I really have to go through all of this just to get home.
They took their time to work out how much I had to pay. I said to her that they
can keep the pimms, I paid for it once and I’m not paying for it again. No
sorry we are not allowed to keep it Madam. Ahhhh. I got charged R40 tax on the
pimms. I agreed to get a receipt as I suddenly thought my R40 cash will be going
through the SARS books.
FINALLY
I WAS HOME AFTER ALL OF THIS… My poor sister thought something happened to me
as everybody was out already.
Lessons learnt:
1. I overestimated my charm
2. Bad luck comes in 4's too
3. TRAVEL LIGHT
Summary in the words of my Facebook status:
what a drama...enough for 2 more blogposts... over weight luggage, repack, strip search of heaviest hand luggage in the world in private room, enough time to get whiskey for my dad, FINAL call, train, get to gate NO-ONE there, WRONG GATE! But on seat 36A & heaviest luggage in overhead locker after delegating my 2 Columbian neighbours. I am going home now!
I'm here #allthatmatters... after getting stopped @ customs... SERIOUSLY unpacked same suitcase 4 times on the same trip. Turned out my neighbours were actually Greek & lovely. Never had any of this drama in the 9 years I've been in the UK. Makes a good story at least
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