"fly"another day!

Warning!:
This story is quite long and all its characters are real and still alive!

When you pick the phone and start telling your family and friends a story of yours, and they all have one answer for you:" you must be kidding!".. you should be aware that you either did the dumiest act, or something stupid happened to you or both!

When my cousin advised me to act dummy in some cases in order to solve a dummier action from other people, I am quite sure that she did not expect me to go that far!

after more than a month of living in a totally different atmosphere, suffering from either flu illness or home sickness, I thought that it was the time for me to use my schengen visa before it expire to get a vacation away from the crazy working days on school projects and have some fun with my cousin in Europe.
The last week was a very crazy and tense week for me. I had (or may be I should say "I choosed", since no one pulled a trigger to my head to force me) to change my whole project idea within 24 hours before the final critic day and make a miracle, some how, I managed to finish.

I booked my flight to be after the critic. I had four hours to take my things and rush to the airport, while I am not fully aware of the way to it. Trying to read the underground map and being so worried that I missed the station. It took me more than an hour to reach a train station, where I will take another train to the airport. I already bought a ticket to serve me all the day to the airport using all kind of transportation. When the ticket man (I do not know what his name in English is) came to check the passengers’ tickets, I gave him mine.

He looked at me and said: “where are you going”?

Me: “to the airport!”

Him: “this ticket is not working here”

Me: “but it should work! It is one day travel card”

Him: “In London! This is out of London”!

Me: “ha! Really?! I did not know that! So what should I do?”

Him: “you should get an extension to your ticket”

Me: “Ok! How much that would be?” (Expecting few pounds!)

Him: “12.5 pounds!”

Me: WHAT?!


I was like been hit with a hummer! And following the say in Arabic “إدفع بالتي هي احسن” I had to pay like a rabbit and praying that I will not miss the plane since I was running out of time.


As soon as the train reached the airport, I jumped out of the train and start running. There was only 40 minutes left for the plane to take off! I start looking to the check in desks and finally found it with a very long que waiting. (it seemed to be for all flights of this airline). I jumped off the que , cursed by many of the passengers and went to the man who was organizing the travelers’que and explained for him my situation. He allowed me to go and be the first to check in.

As soon as I reached the desk, I gave hostess my passport and ticket. She started to work on it and in a moment … I have been hitting with another hummer … bigger one this time!

Hostess: “you are not supposed to fly today”

Me: “excuse me! What do you mean?”

Hostess: “your flight is tomorrow not today”

Me: “what you are talking about? My reservation is for today!”

Hostess (showing me my print out online ticket) : “see the date! It is tomorrow not today!”


I was not been able to believe my eyes or believe that I cut all the way running and paying a lot of money for nothing!


How could I not been able to see the date on my ticket! Unfortunately, I was following my dreams and wishes instead of facts!


Normally, in decent airline sites, when you pick the date of your desired flight, they either show you the available flights and timings or they will apologies if there were no seats available and advice you search in any other day.


This cheap airline did not show any indication of no availability.. And I proceed with the reservation for the next day without notifying me, while I was following them blindly!


I had no time to change my flight again for the same day or even asking for refunds. I had to return back in very bad mood. I believe all people who saw me in the train on my way back thought that someone died in my family or so!


The next day, I was not in the mood to travel any more! I was not excited or giving a dame about it! This time I know my way to the airport. I did not care about any body to jump off the que again and being late again for my flight. And the funny thing that my flight has been delayed for around an hour! I really wondered why the flight was not delayed the day before?! I know! It is just my luck!