Back to UK

Sunday, July 03, 2011
Southampton, England, United Kingdom
Sunday (July 3) it was time to head back to the UK to catch my flight out the following morning for home. Malta had a new bus system that was starting today so I got to experience it first hand. The benefit was now there was an "express" bus from Sliema to the airport without having to go through Valletta. Based on the timetable they should come every half hour at about 6 minutes past. I got to the bus stop at 7:30am and waited. No bus at 7:36, no bus at 8:06 and finally a bus at about 8:25am not even close to the scheduled time. The bus driver was going slow and cautious (very unlike the guys driving the old buses). It was supposed to be an express bus but he kept taking detours off the direct route to the airport. While passing through a hospital area I saw another bus stuck against a wall (at least I wasn't on that one). 45 minutes later the bus went into a transit center where lots of transit employees and upset ordinary folk were hanging out. Apparently other buses had run out of gas and these people were stranded. The transit employees decided to commandeer the bus I was on so I made a big stink about needing to get to the airport. One of the transit employees took me in his car which was much faster and direct, so I made it on time. The Malta bus system needs a lot of improvement though.

I checked in, had some breakfast and waited around the airport . I had a window seat on the plane so could see as we flew over France, the Alps and Geneva. The flight took me to Luton airport, which is north of London. From there I caught a bus into central London (~ 1 hr). The Tube ticket to get me from Baker St to Waterloo cost me about $7 (that's just a one way subway ticket!). At Waterloo I caught the train to Southampton with only about 5 min to spare.

I arrived in at Southampton at 5:30pm and called Jon who came and picked me up. We went back to his and Becky's new flat to hang out until the girls arrived. Jon took Becky, Laura and I outside town a little bit to a pub for dinner. The food was just ok. The beer tasted flat to me but Jon said it was alright (is English beer meant to taste like that?). After dinner we went outside to hang out. It stays light 'til almost 10pm here! Back to the flat to get ready for bed.

Photos & Videos

Comments

A4car
2011-07-25

thanks for this blog . I'm about to start doctoral research on the Internet and constantly bother myself with the idea
http://www.a4cars.co.uk/airport-taxi/luton-airport-taxi

2025-02-11

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank