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  Saturday 20th of April 2024 and I have time for a quick lunch before returning to my room to pick up my last luggage. It is knocking on my door and my TOP GUNS report to help me with my luggage. And I really appreciate it. I had put my big suitcase in the CCR in the morning so it was only two small bags remaining to bring down. But I am not looking forward to bring it ashore. We are in the middle of the dry dock so we need to climb over the chemical tanker next to us to come ashore.   Reporting for luggage duty
 Reporting for luggage duty
 Hug time
 Hug time
 Hug time
We bring down the luggage and there is time to say good bye and to hand out my good bye hug to our Paint Inspector as promised. He had been on about the hug since yesterday so I stopped in the smoke room. First time I meet him here on the shipyard and he had been really nice to chat with. For sure, without him onboard it would have been less fun. Always laughing and having a good time.  Our Paint Inspector
We said good bye and me boys grabbed my luggage, they had the kindness to let me carry my laptop bag by myself and we took off. Getting over to the ship next to us and then down to the jetty where the cars should be waiting for us. The Agent was waiting with his car and we loaded the car and I took the front seat. We are waiting for a second car as one car won't be enough for the five of us going home. I had to wait for about 10 minutes before we could leave, I was in the car with our Chief Engineer and the first stop will be at the immigration office in Xiushan.  My luggage on the way ashore
 My luggage on the way ashore
 My luggage finally in the car
 They can return to the ship
 Last good bye
 In the car waiting for the rest of the crew
First stop is at the immigration office and we arrive 20 minutes before 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I had expected a couple of minutes, but it started with a wait for 2 o'clock when they open. There were maybe, well, around 20 other crew waiting for the immigration. Time was for sure not passing quickly. 3 Immigration Officers and they looked at every passport, scrupulous, holding it up in front of the screen comparing every dot. All this while we were waiting and as soon as they called any of the Agents waiting with their respective crew they took off like a bullet from a gun.  Sprinting to the desk.
2 hours and 30 minutes later and we were ready to leave. They had sent home the drivers that took us here and it will be one car only going to Shanghai Pudong International Airport.  Waiting at the immigration
Leaving the shipyard and I chose the car as I was the first to come on the jetty. The driver spoke English so I chose his car. The on signers had told me that their driver had been able to speak exactly ZERO English. I was informed that we would only have one car going to Shanghai Pudong International Airport and I demanded two cars. Coming back to the parking from the immigration and they had loaded all our luggage in to one car. I was not so happy, one car for the luggage and one car for us. I want to be able to keep an eye on my luggage, 5000 Dollar laptop + an 10000 Dollar camera. The car was full of luggage, we are 5 off signers and the car was full. One front seat available and in the back seat there was space for a very small person next to the luggage. We could not believe our eyes, 4 hours in this car? I demanded another car and they loaded my and the Chief Engineers luggage in to a car with one Ukrainian off signer from another ship.  One of many tunnels
The Chief Engineer was really impressed by the road in China. We were passing many bridges and tunnels on the way to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The roads are very nice and the highway to Shanghai must have cost a fortune to build. So many tunnels and bridges along the highway. And it was very nice and modern tunnels. We ask the Driver for a supermarket giving him all the internationally recognized signs from drinking  and eating snacks. But he could not understand one single word or sign and I came up with an idea.
I used my ENGLISH to CHINESE app. Supermarket = 超级市场 Snacks= 零食 Our Driver was laughing repeating the words so we were looking forward to our stop. After an hour it was like: Did he understand? I was really hungry and thirsty. I would give anything for a bottle of water and a snack. We just drove on and on and after a couple of hours I spotted a restaurant sign. We took off the highway and we ended up at something looking like a shopping centre. I was delirious by anticipation and I really hope there is some nice restaurant.  At least one nice restaurant.
Instant disappointment! There were no restaurants that we wanted to eat at so we went in to a minimart and I bought orange juice and water plus some muffins.  Finally, we make a stop
My muffins were finished before we reached the car, I was very hungry. And I finished two Snickers as well and I only had two bottles of orange juice when I was back in the car. I gave one bottle to our new friend from Ukraine and we took off towards Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Another two hours to go. We reach Shanghai Pudong International Airport and we say bye bye to our new friend from Ukraine. I will fly with Air China and the Chief Engineer will fly with Lufthansa. We go to check-in at Air China and it turns out that it was the domestic check-in and they directed me to check-in row H and we went there. The Chief Engineer went to row D to check-in to his flight. I checked-in and I went to look for the Chief Engineer 5 minutes later. BOOM!!!! The line to Lufthansa was very long and we decided to meet in the lounge. I can bring one friend so he will come there when he is ready with the check-in. I passed immigration and security and it went smoothly. The escalator to lounge #71 was just after security so it was close. I took pictures that I sent to the Chief Engineer so he can find the way to Air China's lounge. I checked in to the lounge and I updated the Chief Engineer with pictures so he can find the way. I looked around the lounge and I grabbed a soda water and I went to the dining area on the second floor. I checked the area but I decided to wait for the Chief Engineer before eating. Well, I had some pizza with my soda water while waiting.   Escalator to the lounge
 Entrance to the lounge
 Reception in the lounge
 Bar on the first floor
 Dining area on the second floor
 Dining area on the second floor
It was 10 o'clock when I got a message from the Chief Engineer. He will be at the entrance and we went in to the lounge. But he was not allowed inside as we were not on the same flight. We went down to the terminal and they were closing all the shops but we found a restaurant and we had a chat while the Chief Engineer. He left for his flight and I returned to the lounge as my flight was delayed by one hour. Coming to the gate and the flight was delayed until 6 o'clock in the morning. +++++++++++++++
Sunday 21st of April 2024 and I returned to the lounge, they had no room available. The few rooms they had in the lounge was occupied by passengers with babies. This I can understand.
At the gate they handed out a bottle of water and a bun to the passengers to enjoy while spending the night on the floor in the departure terminal. I asked for a hotel and the only thing I got was a telephone screen saying that all the hotels were full in English. I was really not happy when I discussed the situation in the lounge reception. They told me that I could enjoy the night sitting in the lounge. - I need to sleep. I was escorted around the lounge and the girl suggested several armchairs. Well, I cannot spend the whole night sitting in a chair and I went to look for a place to sleep. I had discovered that the cushion in the armchair was removable. I found the “BUSINESS CENTER” and I went to collect cushions and pillows in the lounge.  I put the chairs as some kind of divider
 My camping site for the night
 The girl from the reception would call me in time for boarding, last departure time, 06:00. I managed to fall asleep and I was actually having a good sleep. I woke up at 5 thirty and no one had given me any wake-up call. I went to brush my teeth and I checked the screen. Now departure time was changed from 06:00 to no departure time at all. I checked again an hour later and now it said 07:55 and I went to the gate but at the gate there was no departure time. I returned to the lounge and they told me that they would call me when it was time for boarding. I was not very happy and I told them that this was very bad. And the people sitting all night long in the departure hall with a bottle of water and a bun. I was told that I was lucky that I could use the lounge. I was enjoying a glass of orange juice when they came to told me that the boarding will start, by now the time had passed 8 o'clock.  Boarding have started
 Our plane is waiting for us
 Finally, time to board the plane
 Finally, in my seat
 View from my seat
Checking in and there was an alarm when they scanned my boarding pass. They took my boarding pass and when they handed it back, they had changed the seat number to 1J. Good, a free upgrade to BIZ. Way better than the bottle of water and the bun they received at the gate yesterday evening. I took my seat and I enjoyed a bottle of water while waiting for the boarding to complete. The seat next to me was empty when they closed the door so I moved to the window seat. I always ask for the aisle seat, but if the row is empty, I move to the window seat. And I can see the action when we take of through the window.  We are pulled back from the jet bridge
 We are ready to taxi to the runway
 We are ready to taxi to the runway
 Taxi to the runway
 Taxi to the runway
 Leaving Shanghai Pudong International Airport behind
We took off and I am looking forward to a 4 hour ++ flight to Bangkok. They were soon bringing my breakfast and it was nice with real food. The food in the lounge was nothing to write home about. And I also got tea and that was the best thing, well, nest best thing happening today. The best thing was that the flight departed. In the lounge they only had green tea to offer, which I found strange in a Star Alliance lounge. Well, I would have found it strange even in a domestic Chinese lounge.  Breakfast
I dozed off for a few minutes and the rest of the flight plying some games on my phone. Time passed quite quickly and it was soon time to decent to Suvarnabhumi International. And we approached the airport and we landed and I spotted the new terminal for the first time when we taxi past it. There were also a few planes at the new terminal. So, they have obviously started to use the terminal. We reached the gate and it was nice to finally set foot in Bangkok.  Suvarnabhumi International Airport
 Taxi past the new built terminal
 Taxi past the new built terminal
 Suvarnabhumi International Airport
 Suvarnabhumi International Airport
 Suvarnabhumi International Airport
 Suvarnabhumi International Airport
 Almost home
Immigration, I did not spend more than 10 seconds with the Immigration Officer. - Look in the camera! Stamp in the passport and off I went to pick up my luggage. I found the belt number on the screen and I went to the luggage belt. My bag was the first to come up on the belt and my second bag was the third bag coming on the belt and I was soon on my way to book a taxi.  My bag first on the belt
 Third bag on the belt
 I stopped at the AOT Limousine desk and I booked a taxi to Samut Prakan, my new home. I need some milk so we stopped at 7 Eleven. I bought milk so I can make tea when I am back home. I needed some refreshment for the ride as well, but it seems like they only had MAX on cans. Drinking from a can is nothing I like so I went to the 7 Eleven at the departure floor, nothing and I was disappointed when I returned to my luggage and the AOT representative.  Stopping at 7 Eleven
 AOT Limousine's representative with my “WHEELED” units
I went to my friend to pick up my scoter when I was back home. My friend is on Karen Mærsk working and he will be back home tomorrow. I stopped to buy a MAX and now I discovered that they have changed the label so this was the reason I could not find it at the airport. We will fly to Hat Yai on Friday to visit the Surveyor from Bongkot. My friend used to fly to Hat Yai every week to take a helicopter to the FSU to work on the ships loading there. And our friend, the Surveyor always came to pick him up at the airport. We will visit two important temples while down south. Click HERE to find out all about that adventure.
    
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To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
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