No sleep and travel make strange bedfellows. They definitely aren't a match made in heaven. Well, that's my excuse anyway and they were only minor adventures. Quite funny really. I wonder what the shuttle bus driver thought!
This morning I left Granada on a 2 am bus bound for Madrid Airport. This airport is huge but luckily the bus went directly to the terminal I needed for my flight to London, arriving approx. 3 hours before the flight so perfect timing I thought. I'd have time to get through check-in and security and have a leisurely breakfast and a walk before getting on the plane. I can only blame sleep deprivation for what happened next!
On arrival, I got off the bus at Terminal 4 (I needed terminal 4). However, I somehow managed to get myself on a shuttle bus going to another terminal so ended up having a guided tour of the Madrid Airport. I think I must have missed the sign saying it was Terminal 4 and just followed everyone else onto the shuttle bus. To be fair, I'd only had a couple of hours of broken sleep (well dozing really) so wasn't at my sharpest. I only realised my mistake when we got to Terminal 2. I was able to take another shuttle at Terminal 1 back to Terminal 4 (a round trip of approx. 25 mins) and finally, went in search of my check-in counter.
Now, the check-in counters run at a perpendicular to the entrance hall at this terminal. Hence, as I wasn't wearing my glasses (not expecting to need them), I had trouble finding the British Airways counter. After several minutes of confused wandering, I finally spied a BA sign. Now, where was the check-in line? Usually in airports these days, you have to check-in via a machine and then go to the bag drop counter. However, I couldn't find a machine for BA but did find the bag drop counter and the Club BA counter. Neither of which were much use to me as I needed the normal check-in. Finally, I thought I found the line, dutifully lined up with up to 100 other people and did the airport shuffle. Getting closer to the front (about a third of the way there), I discovered I was actually in the Iberian Airlines line. So, now completely confused, I decided to just go to the Club BA line and ask. Luckily, I still had plenty of time before my flight (more than I realised at the time actually). The nice man at the Club BA counter told me I could check-in there and also drop my luggage. Wonderful! Now, relieved of my luggage, I just had to find breakfast.
Finding breakfast proved to be a bit more difficult than I expected from such a large and major airport. The first and only place in the main terminal appeared to be McDonalds. Now most of you will know my views on McDonalds - it is not part of the food chain! Decided to forgo breakfast and go directly to my gate. Perhaps they have a drink and snack machine there. Anything is better than McDonalds! However, as I said earlier, Madrid Airport is very big. They use letters instead of numbers for the gates. Then once you find the right letter for your gate, you then have to find the right number ie S gate, but S51 for departure. Getting to my gate meant taking a shuttle train for 15 - 20 minutes. However, as my flight was delayed, they hadn't decided specifically which gate but it would be M, R, S or U which are all in the same area but once you get there you might still have to walk a long way to find your specific gate. No problems, still got plenty of time and the system is very smooth and efficient with good signage. Anyway, it's only 9.00 am and the plane now doesn't leave until 11.30 am. Except..... when I got to the gate area, there was a notice that it was delayed even further so new departure time was 12.30pm. Damn, really need breakfast and a toilet. Luckily, Madrid Airport is well supplied with toilets. Just have to get through passport control and find some breakfast.
Immigration is a very large area, with excellent signage - right is for all the EU etc citizens, left is all other nationalities. However, no people on the other counters. What were we non-EU people to do? Several non EU persons wandering around looking confused and lost was a bit concerning. However, as I couldn't find anything else that looked like where we should go, I headed to the EU counter to ask. Turns out today, we all use the same counters. A very nice man gave me a lovely smile, wished me a good trip and barely glancing at my passport gave it a stamp and I'm on my way! Next step, definitely breakfast.
Luck was in, after 5 mins walk, I found a food place but it was full. Decided to keep walking a bit and come back in the hope that somebody would have left. However, found another place, good food, excellent tea and hardly any people. Fed and watered at last, I was feeling more myself, despite my fatigue and lack of sleep. Now just have to wait till they decided my gate number, and time of departure. London here I come!
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