A Room With A View

Given that we don't go around wasting tax payers money booking expensive hotel rooms when we travel for work I usually end up looking out over a car park or at the wall of another building. I was, therefore, surprised by the view I got when I pulled back the curtains of my room at the Park Hotel Vitosha in Sofia.

Certainly a better view than I had the first night of the trip!

Catching Up On Sleep

Just to let you all know that I made it home from Sofia early this morning without any more volcanic ash cloud related delays. I'll blog more about the trip when I've finally caught up on all the sleep I've missed over the last few days (I didn't sleep well even at the hotel in Sofia as I think I've pulled some muscles in my back/shoulder trying to sleep at the airport).

A Night At The Airport

As you know from my last post I spent Sunday night trying to sleep on the chairs by the departure gate at Munich airport. Notice I said trying to sleep, those chairs really are not comfortable. Anyway I thought I'd post a few of the photos I took that evening showing the departure board, my pillow and blanket and the view from my bed.

So if you want something fun to do then I'd definitely suggest A Night At The Opera or A Day At The Races and most certainly not A Night At The Airport!

Under A Cloud

No I'm not feeling particularly depressed although I am unbelievably tired. As some of you may know I'm due in Sofia, Bulgaria this week for a project meeting. I was due to arrive late on Sunday evening but... it's 2am on Monday and I'm sat in Munich airport. Yes the volcanic ash cloud is back. They closed the airspace at 3pm on Sunday and my flight wasn't due to leave until 7:25. I was hopeful that it would all sort itself out before my flight but of course I'm just not that lucky. So at 4pm they told us to go to the Lufthansa service centre where they would try to arrange accommodation and alternative transport. I dutifully joined the end of the queue. Nine hours and ten minutes later I finally reached the front of the queue. I don't think I've ever stood up almost motionless for quite so long in my entire life and I can promise you all it isn't an experience I wish to repeat anytime soon.

So I'm now on standby for the 9:30 flight (which boards in just seven hours) and if that ends up being full then I've also got a seat confirmed on the 1 o'clock flight. I've been issued with a pillow and blanket so I'm going to try and get some sleep but somehow I doubt I'm going to get much rest.

[I made it on to the 9:30 flight and am now at the meeting in Sofia, I'll update the story properly when I'm not working and when I'm not quite so tired!]