Two Weeks of Hard Work
Why did I think it would be easy..... because I really wanted this and I didn't think I would have to prove it. Well, I have proved it! I really want this and so I jumped through all the hoops!
1st Hoop: Lodging and transportation:
Flight attendants have a unique life and as a result, we can be very flexible in our living arrangements. My arrangements were going to be the same dream I had when I started this job..... my own place, with white carpeting (if I wanted it) furniture that fit my body type and lounge style and colorful little dishes with any foo foo design I liked. (No kids, dogs or others to clean up after)
In 1997 with a check of less than $12,000 a year I had to rethink it and so I got a "crash pad" in New York with 16 flight attendants. The furniture was whatever we could find on the streets that other New Yorkers didn't want and my bed was any bed that was available when I got in from my trip. Best news was finding you got the last bed and it wasn't the air mattress. Sleeping bags or bed sacks work best for this because you could make up your bed in a minute and put it away in your little space before you left. Oh, well. It makes you appreciate your family!
OK, it is 10 years later and I am thinking!!! I make a lot more money, this should be a piece of cake. 1st order of the day, a place to stay. I will live in Elstree near my English friends and have fun on my days off. Got a place and it is 3 hours from the airport! This cant be happening! And this cant work. I have taken every form of transportation to get to Heathrow so I can be sure of my trip before I have to work.
Day 1: Bus from in front of house to London Road.... next bus to Stanmore Station. (deduct 1/2 hour for standing on wrong side of road) Jubilee Underground to Green Park, change to Picadilly Line to Heathrow. Arrival!!! 3 hours. Might as well play around down here as I did make the trip. Cost 6.70GBP
Day 2: Has to be a better way. Bus from in front of house to Edgware Station (Northern Line) to Leicester Square, change to Picadilly Line to Heathrow. Arrival!! 2.5 hours and not lost. Play in city (after all, I am here) Note to self: On the ride home, DO NOT FALL ASLEEP! Train goes back to London, and bus stops running at 12:01 AM. That gives me another thing to think about.... I always fall asleep when I have flown all night.... Cost 6.70GBP
Day 3: Check out the train from Elstree/Borehamwood Station..... hmmmm 13GBP (pounds) and take train to Kings Cross change to Picadilly line to Heathrow. Arrival 2.5 hours. (Had to walk to train station)
Day 4: Ha! Arriva Bus from front of house to Watford Junction and then change to another bus to Heathrow. First check in is 6:05 am. Nothing runs to Watford Junction to catch 4:53am bus to Heathrow. Might be possible for later in the day trips. Takes 2 hours. Cost 9GBP
Only the bus allows me the option of dragging my bag. All the stations will require my carrying my bag up and down stairs.... miles of stairs. Not one of my strong points. So, I reluctantly resign myself to a crash pad in Hounslow and I cannot wait till the 1st of August, when I can check in. I will pay a bit more, but I will have my own room in a house, bottom floor (no stairs) and be 20 min. from the airport. I can take the bus from Heathrow to Watford Junction to see my friends on my day off and they can pick me up. And I can look for the little dream cottage on my spare time. Sounds like a good plan.
1st Hoop: Lodging and transportation:
Flight attendants have a unique life and as a result, we can be very flexible in our living arrangements. My arrangements were going to be the same dream I had when I started this job..... my own place, with white carpeting (if I wanted it) furniture that fit my body type and lounge style and colorful little dishes with any foo foo design I liked. (No kids, dogs or others to clean up after)
In 1997 with a check of less than $12,000 a year I had to rethink it and so I got a "crash pad" in New York with 16 flight attendants. The furniture was whatever we could find on the streets that other New Yorkers didn't want and my bed was any bed that was available when I got in from my trip. Best news was finding you got the last bed and it wasn't the air mattress. Sleeping bags or bed sacks work best for this because you could make up your bed in a minute and put it away in your little space before you left. Oh, well. It makes you appreciate your family!
OK, it is 10 years later and I am thinking!!! I make a lot more money, this should be a piece of cake. 1st order of the day, a place to stay. I will live in Elstree near my English friends and have fun on my days off. Got a place and it is 3 hours from the airport! This cant be happening! And this cant work. I have taken every form of transportation to get to Heathrow so I can be sure of my trip before I have to work.
Day 1: Bus from in front of house to London Road.... next bus to Stanmore Station. (deduct 1/2 hour for standing on wrong side of road) Jubilee Underground to Green Park, change to Picadilly Line to Heathrow. Arrival!!! 3 hours. Might as well play around down here as I did make the trip. Cost 6.70GBP
Day 2: Has to be a better way. Bus from in front of house to Edgware Station (Northern Line) to Leicester Square, change to Picadilly Line to Heathrow. Arrival!! 2.5 hours and not lost. Play in city (after all, I am here) Note to self: On the ride home, DO NOT FALL ASLEEP! Train goes back to London, and bus stops running at 12:01 AM. That gives me another thing to think about.... I always fall asleep when I have flown all night.... Cost 6.70GBP
Day 3: Check out the train from Elstree/Borehamwood Station..... hmmmm 13GBP (pounds) and take train to Kings Cross change to Picadilly line to Heathrow. Arrival 2.5 hours. (Had to walk to train station)
Day 4: Ha! Arriva Bus from front of house to Watford Junction and then change to another bus to Heathrow. First check in is 6:05 am. Nothing runs to Watford Junction to catch 4:53am bus to Heathrow. Might be possible for later in the day trips. Takes 2 hours. Cost 9GBP
Only the bus allows me the option of dragging my bag. All the stations will require my carrying my bag up and down stairs.... miles of stairs. Not one of my strong points. So, I reluctantly resign myself to a crash pad in Hounslow and I cannot wait till the 1st of August, when I can check in. I will pay a bit more, but I will have my own room in a house, bottom floor (no stairs) and be 20 min. from the airport. I can take the bus from Heathrow to Watford Junction to see my friends on my day off and they can pick me up. And I can look for the little dream cottage on my spare time. Sounds like a good plan.
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Liz