ANOTHER EARLY START TODAY. WE GOT UP AT 7:00. KOCHLIWA IS DRIVING US TO THE AIRPORT.
IT’S -10°C OUTSIDE.
WE’RE GIVEN EXTRA JACKETS TO WEAR ON THE WAY TO THE CAR. THE CAR IS TOTALLY FROZEN. IT MUST HAVE BEEN DRIZZLY IN THE MORNING, AND THEN THE FROST SET IN. THE POOR LITTLE RENAULT LOOKED LIKE A GLASSED-OVER SHRIMP.
OUR DEPARTURE FROM WARSAW IS AT AROUND 10:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN IS BLITZING.
But only until the check-in officer demands our Malaysian entry card. We’re stuck. KL is our favourite place in Asia. While travelling around this part of the world, we’ve often used its central location. Here, we’ve rented hotels with multiple week-long breaks between trips to surrounding countries; we’ve slept there, done laundry, and stored our belongings.
WE NEVER HAD TO APPLY FOR A PAID ENTRY CARD.
Wombacik, who had been preparing for this trip for six months, hadn’t come across any information regarding the above-mentioned issue either. And now, suddenly, the chap at check-in claims that without this document – which has already been provisionally approved by the Malaysian Immigration authorities – we won’t be allowed to board the plane. As he says this, he gives us the address of a website where we’re supposed to find everything we need.
We anticipated such situations and fear them most of all. In cases like these, the ‘EFE syndrome’ rears its head among ‘Recycled Teenagers’ – that is, people with c. 25 years to go before they turn 100.
Heaven knows why people over 70 suddenly go completely crazy and instead of thinking things through in cold blood, they give in without any resistance, often following the idiotic orders of others.
And that’s exactly what happened this time. We filled in the aforementioned documents, paying an exorbitant fee (2 × $500!!!) for something nobody at KL had asked about). This is the price for the lack of class vigilance that we should demonstrate when checking in at airports in Poland.
WHY DO I THINK THIS? BECAUSE WE’VE ALREADY HAD SIMILAR DRIVES AT POLISH AIRPORTS SEVERAL TIMES…
THINGS WERE MOST HECTIC IN KRAKOW. THERE, A FEW IGNORANT CLUCS FROM THE CHECK-IN DESK THOUGHT THAT OUR (3 PEOPLE’S) VISAS FOR INDIA WERE STILL PENDING APPROVAL. FOR THREE HOURS THEY KEPT US IN TOTAL UNCERTAINTY, BECAUSE NONE OF THEM UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH. ONLY WHEN WE, DESPERATE, DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE SUMMONS TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER AND THREATENED BALICE AIRPORT AUTORITIES WITH HEAVY FINES FOR PREVENTING THE DEPARTURE OF THREE PEOPLE, FOR 12 MONTHS OF PREPARATORY WORK AND MORAL DAMAGES SUFFERED, THE MANAGER, WHO HAD HAD SOME DOUBTS THE WHOLE TIME, SOFTENED HER STANCE. WE ONLY HAD TO SIGN STATEMENTS THAT WE WOULD COVER ALL COSTS RELATED TO OUR FAILURE TO REACH OUR DESTINATION DUE TO THE LACK OF VISAS …
My apologies, I’ve gone on a bit too much. It’s because I’d like to spare all EFE members from making similar mistakes.
BAR THE INCIDENT MENTIONED ABOVE, THE PROCEDURE FOR DROPPING OFF BAGGAGE AND COLLECTING BOARDING PASSES WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. ALTHOUGH…
Wombat had a moment of panic during the security check. The girl being checked just ahead of us had, according to the customs officers – a man and a woman – far too many cosmetics. Wombat’s and my supplies would have passed without a hitch had her Warsaw mate not slipped her a cuckoo’s egg – an oversized box of cream… At the last moment, Wombat, seeing what was happening, slipped it into my bag. That flawless move presumably saved the American cosmetic from ending up in the bin…
WE’RE FLYING WITH ETIHAD.
THE FOOD ON THIS ROUTE IS EXCELLENT. MY VEGETARIAN DISH – SOME KIND OF PASTA WITH CHEESE – IS WELL WORTH RECOMMENDING. WASHED DOWN WITH RED WINE, IT FILLED ME UP FOR MOST OF THE DAY. THE WOMBACIK CHICKEN, WASHED DOWN WITH SPARKLING WINE, WAS ALSO A PERFECT MATCH.
WE ARRIVED IN ABU DHABI IN THE EVENING.
WE NOW HAD A SHORT BREAK IN THE FLIGHT. JUST AS MUCH AS NEEDED TO AT LEAST VISUALLY OVERVIEW THIS MEGA-MODERN AIRPORT.
THE FIRST STAGE OF THE JOURNEY IS BEHIND US …
