Travelling the World on Wheels.: February 2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

“Everything we do at Emirates is dedicated to making your travel experience more comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable.”

This is so true about Emirates, although it’s a bit expensive. And if lucky one can get a cheap ticket like I got one this time; flight travel to Dubai is great. And yes, it was a great experience. Just like I explained in my previous blog-post (on visiting Fuerteventura) about getting into the plane on a isle aircraft wheelchair it was exactly the same way. I had already visited the loos at the Gatwick Airport therefore didn’t really need to go but the toilets on the aircraft are accessible and assistance is available when required.

I enjoyed the food on the flight. Although I was travelling in the economy class but still we were given food menus. We (economy class passengers) were given a choice of foods, I choose Chicken Coconut Curry with spinach and rice. The other choice was Baked Salmon with roasted vegetables. Then came the desert, Chocolate Fudge Brownie with hot chocolate sauce, yum and it was yum! They also gave me a bag full of Cadbury’s chocolates. As the flight was seven hours long we were given a small pack with small round shaped crackers, and a small sealed pack of salsa dip, this small pack was given the name ‘Nibbles’. The on-flight entertainment was great; all passengers had a variety of films (old and new), television programs (dramas, news, kids, etc) and music to choose from. Emirates was great, although economy but lots of leg room, plus the flight was half full therefore the seats next to us were empty and all passengers could lay on the seats. I’d say I enjoyed my seven hour flight from Gatwick to Dubai. J

It was six in the morning (Dubai time) when our plane landed at Dubai Airport. The airport is huge and my stop-over here was three hour long. Apparently there is a separate terminal especially for flights to and from Pakistan due to heavy load of passenger travel. I visited the toilet then waited in the transit lounge in fact slept for a bit, was too tired from my previous exciting Emirates flight experience from Gatwick to Dubai.

At exact 1 o’clock in the afternoon on the 5^th of February 2011 I reached Quaid-e-Azam International Airport.

Please do stay tuned to read my next blog-post, Waiting anxiously for you comments.

Take care.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

‘A friend in need s a friend indeed’ Thankyou Safia, Aasim and Aayaan.

So at 3pm I was at Gatwick airport. At the same time my friends had arrived the airport as well with my luggage, very nice of them. If Safia, Aasim a nd Aayan would not have been there I’d probably be crying and would have missed my flight (life savers) because I was 10 kilos over weight regarding luggage. It took two hours to sort the luggage out but it was all sorted in the end because of them. In the end that is after two hours of struggle like literally sweat and blood struggle we managed to check-in the entire 40 kilos of luggage and I’ll explain you how.

Perks of being on a wheelchair: (this is when being disabled helps, and being sympathised truly helps, it saved me a £250) The Emirates lady was determined to take £250 for access baggage. Oh my God, I cannot afford that! My friends were there (now this is true friendship my folks ‘a friend in need, is a friend indeed’) and if we are lucky enough, my friend Safia would tell us the entire story in detail in the comments box.

Well after loads of times of unpacking and repacking and sulking and misplacing my own keys many, many a times (this is what happens when I am under pressure and I panic, be calm at all times whilst travelling). The Emirates lady felt sorry for me when she saw lots of medicines and my wheelchair charger (I also took a picture with her, which I shall upload along with my blog post), and yes I also felt sorry for the excess luggage and a £250 payment or leaving my Mom’s medicines with Safia, so I went along with the drama. Soon my luggage was all checked in and we were all relaxed.

‘When there is a will there is a way!’

All four of us with gigantic smiles J went upstairs for a cup of coffee. Instead all of us had cold coffee and Aayaan enjoyed it the most. It was soon time to check myself inn, we all hugged and exchanged good byes and soon I was in the Gatwick Airport huge waiting lounge waiting for my flight. Thank you Safia, Aasim and Aayaan, I couldn’t have managed my journey along with my luggage to Gatwick Airport without you all. Therefore, I am dedicating this blog-post to you and company.

Love you and take care. X

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

At 1 o’clock in the afternoon I left my house in Maidstone. My friends Safia and Aasim and their little baby boy Aayan also wanted to come and drop me to Gatwick airport. As I was on my heavy motorised wheelchair I had to travel to Gatwick by train. My friends took my luggage in their car to Gatwick which was very kind of them. It takes approximately 45 minutes by car and 2 hours by two train, as one has to change at Victoria Station and then Gatwick Express (which takes exactly 30 minutes from Victoria Station London). I have all the pictures while travelling on trains and I am also going to be uploading them along with my post.

I reached Gatwick at 3 pm. My journeys via trains and the change at London Victoria Station all went smoothly. The trains tickets from Maidstone to Gatwick cost me £22.

Friday, February 11, 2011

How I ended up vacationing in Karachi, Pakistan?!!

Initially I was off to Israel for a ten days vacation in February this year. I am so dying to check-out the Dead Sea, Wailing Wall and the famous Masjid-e-Aqsa. I also found a great, reasonably priced, group travel package, especially for wheelchair users; which was perfect for me. Awesome, I thought. Quickly, filled with excitement,I sent the travel agency an email asking them for further details. (The name of the travel agency is Imaginative Travel and their website is http://www.imaginative-traveller.com). That evening I also spoke to my brother-in-law online (on my facebook group page ‘Travelling the world on wheels’ as well as on twitter, I had already mentioned about my travel plans to Israel and asking if anyone could be of help?!!) ‘You mentioned travel plans to Israel on ure facebook status?!!’ he asked. Yes, you did read correctly and hopefully if alls well then I shall be leaving next month (February), I told him. ‘Nadia, did you know if gone to Israel, you are then not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and a few other Muslim countries!’ Astonished I was on hearing this. Are you sure Zohair (thats my brother-in-laws name), I asked as I was very worried and aggravated to hear such disturbing news. But after a bit more research I found out that just visiting Israel then its alright, entering Saudi Arabia is fine, although still one cannot entre Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and a few other Muslim countries (so please make sure to find out before arranging a trip to Israel, its certainly the Forbidden Land not to sure about sanctified anymore). I guess everywhere on earth its so troubled by natural disasters and wars that no place can be called blessed or sanctified anymore! L

Anyways, so the next day I received a reply email by Imaginative Travel with all the travel information, all sounded good but they were fully booked for February and said that I can book a place for the August trip. I though thats good might as well pay a visit to Pakistan, Karachi and check-out my family there before visiting Israel. And that is how my folks I came to Karachi, Pakistan for a month and a half’s vacation on the 4^th of February 2011 by Emirates Airline from Gatwick London.

Hopefully my next blog post is going to be all about my ‘adventurous’ travel experience from Maidstone (where I live in UK) all the way to my destination Karachi (where my family lives in Pakistan). My following blog posts shall have more pics and less text, therefore creating a visual read.

Enjoy, shall be anxiously waiting for ure comments and feedback. X

Travelling the World on Wheels.