The Misery of Terminal 5

The night was noisy, uncomfortable, cold and restless. I got up around 5am with a severe lack of sleep. While grabbing a coffee, it was announced that all flights for this day have been cancelled either.

The rebooking didn’t work as well as the hotline since no one ever picked up the phone. The hours passed by and I spent my time waiting on a cold stone floor, for anything to change. The BA-Staff wasn’t quite helpful.

I still didn’t get a rebooking around afternoon which was when British Airways threw us out. Everyone without a conformed rebooking had to leave the Terminal immediately. I didn’t have a rebooking but going back to Oxford wasn’t an option since they really had lots of snow the previous night and getting back there was impossible.

After being kicked out of Terminal 5, I waited in the Arrival Hall. Once I managed to get a rebooking, I went back but they wanted to make me go back to Oxford refusing to pay for a hotel room. I spent some time wandering around and found out that the train station had been closed. Back in Terminal 5, I was really tired and finally got a hotel room in Central London.

At least I was able to get some sleep for the next night…Nothing had changed so far, it didn’t snow since Saturday morning…

How the Snow stole Christmas

I planned to surprise my family with coming home on Dec. 18^th instead of the 22^nd and everything was perfect.

Until it started snowing. Wasn’t such a bad thing but the human failure coming along with that was.

Before leaving Oxford on Dec. 18^th early in the morning, it started snowing so I checked my flight. Despite the fact that there were some cancellations, my flight was still scheduled to leave right on time. While I was on my way to the airport, I found out that all flight for the day have been cancelled.

It had stopped snowing by the time I got to the airport. I didn’t snow for more then an hour and there were about 3cm of snow and everything broke down entirely. At the beginning I had no idea what to do and waited. As soon as I found out how to rebook my flight – of course British Airways didn’t do that – I tried to relax and waited.

I was told there may be flight leaving late in the evening and we had to wait. The hours passed by and the cold stone floor became more uncomfortable with every passing minute. The time passed by terribly slow and nothing changed.

I went to the bus station, tried to catch a bus but there weren’t any going close to my home in Oxford and I refused to go there since I wanted to go back home!

There was no time for Christmas spirit or any kind of festive feelings during all these troubles.

I spent my first night at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 and the misery was about to start…

I know we all love them and what would Christmas be without some lovely movies?

Some hate them and some simply love them. It’s the same old story every year – and the same old movies every year. Although people like complaining about all the movies and well-known re-runs each year, because it gets boring, we still watch them.

And isn’t that why we love the same old movies when it comes to Christmas?

I can’t make up my mind. Sometimes it bores me but in case there will be new movies at some point, I miss the old ones.

I mean, as sad as the movie is, I cannot imagine a great Christmas time without ‘Jack Frost’ or ‘Christmas Vacation’. Well, the last movie is kinda crazy but pretty funny and I can’t help but watch it every time it airs around Christmas time. I love all those hundreds of lights around the house and I love the way the family behaves with all their relatives. Reminds me of the way I’d love to behave sometimes…

This, and the thought of some of my relatives, remind me of ‘Nightmare before Christmas’. The movie is great, it’s just the title that makes me think of some of my family members. Don’t blame me, they’re not my fault! I hate being stuck in a room with them and pretend to like them although we hardly speak through the rest of the year (not that I mind that)…

Oh, and I love ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’. I’m not an ungrateful person, but I sometimes get presents that make me wanna go all Sue-Sylvester-Grinch on other people, because their presents are so much nicer. No kidding, but the thought of that… Admit it, you felt them same when your Granny gave you something you wouldn’t even think of just because anyone else liked it and she didn’t listen to you wishes at all!!!

‘Home Alone’ was always funny when I was a little girl. Still kinda makes me laugh sometimes, but it lost something of its fun after the 20^th time…

I do like some of the newer Christmas movies. ‘The Holiday’ for example. All I have to say is Kate Winslet, right? That’s enough reasons to love it. But really, the movie is quite sweet and the soundtrack is adorable! And ‘Love Actually’ is another very, very good one!

But last but not least, there’s no Christmas morning for me and my sister without all these Mickey Mouse Christmas Cartoons while mum gets everything ready for Santa xD I just love being snuggled up in bed with hot chocolate and Disney Christmas Classics, nothing better then that!!! I really miss my childhood at some point so I need to keep it alive with all these wonderful things.

I personally miss all the exciting feelings when it comes to Christmas, was a lot more exciting when I was a kid! No I’m just busy with buying presents, wasting my time on what I’ll wear… bla bla bla! Isn’t that sad?

Mhm, and I’ve never seen ‘A Christmas Carol’, what a shame! And I always wanted to watch it. I mean, did anyone say Kate Winslet and singing?! I really need to watch it!!!

Which one’s your favourite?

The Smell of Christmas

Da ich heute, wie jeden Sonntag, ein wenig langeweile hatte (jedenfalls Vormittags) habe ich beschlossen mit einer Freundin - ich weiß ja nicht ob ich den Namen hier sagen darf :) - Kokosmakronen gebacken, nachdem meine Mum mich auf die Idee gebracht hat.

Na ja, was einfaches gibt's eigentlich auch nicht. Ich hab die schon ewig nicht mehr gemacht und ich denke wir haben uns gar nicht so blöd angestellt, abgesehen vom Eier trennen, aber man kann ja schließlich nicht alles können!

Heute ist ja schließlich schon der 3. Advent - wo ist die Zeit hin?!?! - und da dachte ich mir, muss ein bisschen was weihnachtliches her. Zusammen mit einem guten Film, in dem Fall 'Beaches'. Ich mein, Bette Midler muss man doch einfach toll finden und Ben & Jerry's waren auch noch zu Besuch... besser geht's doch gar nicht.


Ach und wieder einmal habe ich festgestellt das Rührei in der Mikrowelle zubereiten eine saubere und zeitsparendere und gesündere Methode ist als die Pfanne. Muss man halt auch mal getestet haben!!!!

~

Since I used to be bored on Sundays, I decided to do something this time. And it's the 3rd advent which brings us even closer to Christmas and my trip back home. While talking to my mum, she was making macaroons which made me wanna do the same since it's not that difficult!

So, I invited a friend over and I've to say the macaroons aren't that bad at all. I didn't make these in ages! We once again tried the microwave for scrambled eggs which is a quick, tidy and healthy alternative to the frying pan, watched 'Beaches' and had some awesome Ben & Jerry's ice cream!

And I'm slowly getting ready to go home <3

Sind wir mal deutsch heute...

Nach langer Zeit habe ich mir überlegt endlich mal wieder was auf deutsch zu schreiben. Ich hab ja jetzt Zeit, irgendwie ist meine Erkältung immer noch nicht weg und mein Doc meinte ich soll paar Tage frei nehmen, wenn ich kann. Ja, KANN ICH :)

Jetzt steht eine Woche lang nix tun auf dem Programm! Muss halt auch mal sein...

Frühstücken im Bett ist schon ganz angenehm, wenn alle anderen währenddessen genervt arbeiten sind (was man deren Facebook-Einträgen entnehmen kann... nicht, dass wir das während der Arbeit posten... lol)

Ich glaube England befindet sich in einer Art Ausnahmezustand. Alle beschweren sich ständig über das dämliche Wetter in England, aber ich muss sagen, dass es bis jetzt sehr schön war. Allerdings ist es mittlerweile kalt geworden. Es hat tatsächlich ein bisschen geschneit, am nächsten Tag sah zwar alles nach wunderschönem Frühlingswetter aus, aber man kann ja nicht alles haben. Jedenfalls höre ich die Engländer ständig über die Kälte meckern und der Winter hat gerade erst angefangen!!!! Und wir haben nur -3°C! Das kann ja lustig werden...

Auf der Arbeit ist immer noch alles beim Alten und die nächsten drei Monate kriege ich auch noch rum...

Bald geht’s Richtung Heimat! Das heißt, PACKEN!!! Und eigentlich finde ich Packen blöd, aber ich nehm schonmal wieder ein paar Sachen mit nach Hause. Ich würde jetzt lügen, wenn ich behaupte Frau war nicht shoppen... hahha

Achso, nur mal so. Hier gibt’s Aldi. Hier gibt’s super Sachen und auch das Essen ist ganz gut – gar nicht so schlimm, wie man immer wieder hört – aber ich habe mich noch nie in meinem Leben so über Aldi gefreut :)

Weihnachtssaison ist auch offiziell eröffnet. Letzte Woche wurden hier ganz feierlich die Weihnachtslichter angeschaltet, das Ganze hat ein bisschen an St. Martin erinnert, nur das hier keiner gesungen hat. Aber so wie ich das in Erinnerung habe hat das bei mir im Kindergarten auch nie jemand...

Einen Nikolaus gibts hier übrigens nicht, dafür habe ich ein tolles Päckchen von meiner Family bekommen <3

Teatime goes USA?!

Since Middle School I always wanted to go to the USA for a year but it never seemed quite possible at that time. During those last month I started thinking about it again and due to the fact that I won’t have time for that after I started studying, I might do it now. Or never and I’d love to be able to experience that and everything that comes along with.

Since I’m still in Oxford, I don’t know if there’s much I can do. At the moment, I haven’t been home for almost three months. I haven’t been as homesick as I thought I would be but I’m still happy to go home for Christmas.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to start studying next year so this might be my chance. The thought of that is exciting I’d lie saying it doesn’t scare me at the same time. But I guess that’s normal, so why not go for it. I’m not even home from my 6-month and I’m already talking about leaving for 12 month again, my mum is gonna love me. I signed up with an organisation and submitted my quick application, giving them my landline no. When I received their email, it said that they’ll contact me within the upcoming days.

LMAO! I’m not hooooooooooooooome! Fail for that xD I better talk to my mum and tell her before she gets the call and tell her to pass them my Oxford No.

I definitely like the thought of doing that and just like I said, it’s now or never. 

Getting ready for Christmas

Since the Christmas lights were officially switched on last week - or was it 2 weeks ago?! - I've been to London to enjoy a bit of festive and chaotic Christmas atmosphere and shopping of course. I have to admit that the lights and all that stuff are really beautiful!!!