Archive for the Category »Travelling «
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary defends plans for pay-per-loo fee | Business | The Guardian.
Not a publicity stunt after all. “Best” quotes:
O’Leary confirmed that he will ask Boeing to look at putting credit card readers on toilet locks for new aircraft.
Oh God, I can just imagine the credit card fee they will charge for that, the bastards. They already charge a fee of £5 per flight, per person, for payments by credit or debit card. And currently you have to pay £10 per flight for luggage, and if you were unfortunate with your internet access and had to check in at the airport, that’s another £20. But after October 1, you can’t check-in at the airport at all, apparently! I have no idea how that’ll work. (Source for fees: Ryanair website.)
O’Leary added that Boeing’s research department would now be able to work on the toilet concept because “war in Iraq and Afghanistan is winding down”.
Ugh. I mean it this time. I don’t care how cheap Ryanair is, this sort of crap is not worth it. And with the added fees, you’ll find yourself paying an extra £30 for every flight anyway if you have luggage, so what’s the point? It’s not even cheap anymore.
Oh hang on, just check-in costs £5. And the payment handling fee is £5. And the checked baggage fee is £10. That’s per person, per flight. £40 just in fees! So much for being a cheap airline, you blood-sucking bastards.
JUBILEE LINE: Suspended between Waterloo and Stratford, with minor delays on the rest of the line due to a person ill on a train at Southwark.
One person falls ill and almost an entire tube line gets suspended? Wow. We’re not quite in the future yet, are we!
Thesis stress is becoming ridiculous, but lucky for me I now have a whole week off, as I’m going to Los Angeles in the morning! Oh yes, I will spend a week in the sun, probably marinated from day one (but hopefully not getting the mother of all hangovers on day two, like last year), and plan to not see any sights at all. I do however plan to see Sin City and The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, none of which qualify as sights. But hey – maybe I’m lucky and I’ll manage to see the Hollywood sign through the smog this time around. I could barely make it out last time.
But I’m not going just for drinking and movies (although that sounds like something I wouldn’t mind doing in the future!), the main reason for the trip is meeting up with Amanda and go to Coachella. Two days of music, and a lineup that makes me giddy every time I think about it, despite Cocteau Twins pulling out. I like how the lineup is of band in such different genres. Bauhaus and Katie Melua at the same festival? That’s pretty cool. Even if I don’t care for Melua much.
I like travelling to different countries to hang out with people, it always gives you such a different experience than if you were to go with someone from your own area. So what if you don’t see any of the must-see places? I went to Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame last year and it took me less than a minute to conclude that it wasn’t worth the 30 min walk from my hostel. I mean, ooh. A street with pink stars with names on them. How very exciting.
I shouldn’t be so harsh on the place really, I did end up getting my first tattoo there that day. So it was worth the walk after all, I have a kitty on my arm that I’m very pleased with. And that drugged girl who came up to me when I was waiting for the bus and gave me the story of her life plus a couple of tips on how to not be safe in LA, she was memorable. She was one of those people who come to LA to try and become a star, it was pretty sad. She thought I was the same, and looked confused when I told her that I did in fact not care at all about becoming a movie star.
Nah, I couldn’t go to Hollywood to pursue a life of fame.
I could however go there for alcohol, decadence, music, dancing and having a blast. Worked like a charm last year, here’s hoping this trip will be even better.
And that I don’t get the mother of all hangovers followed with a cold, because damn, that can seriously mess up a trip for you.