Time sure does fly.
The same year that I started this blog, a long time ago in what feels like a galaxy far far away I also moved from a downtown apartment to the suburbs of Toronto. And man I must say it took me a lot of years and three kids to really kind of outgrow the pining for downtown living but that's another story.
As I may have mentioned before, I've been taking the same bus to work since then. Its been an interesting ride and since I basically catch the bus every morning in the same half hour range I feel like I'm come to know a whole bunch of folks by seeing them regularly over the years. But its the bus and its Toronto so you just recognize people but you don't really speak to them.
Whats also interesting is watching the school kids. There are two high schools on my route and its interesting to see the kids come on the bus as Grade 9ers and then grow over the four years of high school.
What can I say I'm a people watcher.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Travel
We was chatting today bout travelling.
Apparently all the airlines now want you to travel wid ya two long hands cause they charging left right and centre for big check in bag and they becoming more strict about the weight and size of the carry-on.
Is one time man used to travel wid two big valises looking like they could hold a dead body, not no boney dead body eidda a good size duppy and then still got a big big two tonne carry-on bag pack down dat dey used to squeeze up squeeze up in de overhead bin and you used to be sitting underneath saying lawd avest mercy I hope that this bin doan open midair and this bag catspraddle me as I sit in me tight seat.
Well dem days dun star!
Apparently all the airlines now want you to travel wid ya two long hands cause they charging left right and centre for big check in bag and they becoming more strict about the weight and size of the carry-on.
Is one time man used to travel wid two big valises looking like they could hold a dead body, not no boney dead body eidda a good size duppy and then still got a big big two tonne carry-on bag pack down dat dey used to squeeze up squeeze up in de overhead bin and you used to be sitting underneath saying lawd avest mercy I hope that this bin doan open midair and this bag catspraddle me as I sit in me tight seat.
Well dem days dun star!
Monday, September 09, 2013
Traffic
Last week was the first week of school for elementary and high school kids. I was expecting the streets to be crazy with traffic last Tuesday or maybe Wednesday once everyone got back into the swing of things but really aside from a few extra kids on my school bus it wasn't all that bad.
Compare that to today when University students also started in earnest and the traffic pileup got serious. I mean my usual 10 minute bus ride took about 20 minutes and the subways were more packed than they have been since last March.
It also feels although I have no proof to back it up like whole sectors of the employed just take the summer off cause as you look around the crowding doesn't readily appear to be caused by school kids and university students it seems to be an influx of workers who you didn't see all summer.
I guess maybe people change their schedules but it just feels like folks were off all summer and just started back work.
Oh well time to factor back in that additional 10 to 15 minutes for travel time.
Compare that to today when University students also started in earnest and the traffic pileup got serious. I mean my usual 10 minute bus ride took about 20 minutes and the subways were more packed than they have been since last March.
It also feels although I have no proof to back it up like whole sectors of the employed just take the summer off cause as you look around the crowding doesn't readily appear to be caused by school kids and university students it seems to be an influx of workers who you didn't see all summer.
I guess maybe people change their schedules but it just feels like folks were off all summer and just started back work.
Oh well time to factor back in that additional 10 to 15 minutes for travel time.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Travel woes
Happy new year all!
Now listen very carefully I will only say this once.
Ya see me? I aint neva travelling to Barbados by no cheap plane again ya hear. Who me? No boy I cant do dat no more. Not again! Ya might save a few coppers but this cheap plane ting will kill ya stone dead.
So just before Christmas I decide I gine home to Barbados for the holidays. Now usually I duz be more organized an try an leave early an come back before New years cause ya can get some affordable flights if ya plan properly but this time I aint had no choice but to go home a few days before Christmas and the affordable pickings was slim to none cause ya know all these airlines duz double and triple dem prices once dem see December reach an Christmas on the horizon.
So anyway somebody send muh an email saying such an such a charter gine to Bim an de price did look a bit reasonable well better than the resta flights so I say to myself, self boy like ya gine gotta do a ting wid dis charter ting. So although I was a bit apprehensive I book the flight an start getting ready to go home.
Now ya see me, I really not one a dem regular West Indian travellers dat ya duz see in the airport travelling wid 6 suitcases full up a ham, turkey and more meat dan ya cud pick up during Supercentre's Run For your money when dem gine home or dat duz come back up hayso laden down wid yam, breadfruit, dasheen an every ground provision dem cud lay dem hands on an try to sneak dem through secuity even though they know dem things cant import so. No bosie dat aint me at all. I duz usually travel light light light an carry only wha I suppose to carry. Mi aint tekkin a chance wid a fella at all at all.
But wid de baggage weight restriction I seeing on the ticket from this charter I did a little worried cause I figure once I put two underwear an a bath trunk in de bag my allowance dun reach.
But anyways I do muh best, weigh de bag at home an come in under the allowed weight. Get to the airport early early early an wha greet muh but a big long dutty lawless line stretch out at the departure desk cause all the people that like dem gine to the Caribbean that day like dem leffin the same time as me. All I cud do is stan up, wait an sing long two lil hymns to pass de time. Which remind me, if ya singing in de people airport doan sing Swing lo sweet Chariot, cause dem duz get worried and start asking ya all sorta questions and fa ID an ting so.
So an hour later when I get up to the front desk to check in I put my baggage on the scale an de igrant plane woman start giving me all sorta hassle bout the bag under the allowance but the weight of my carry on count towards the 2lbs dem giving ya as baggage allowance an dat put me ova. Lawd god fadda! I tell she the ticket aint say nuttin so an me an she did gettin ready to argue loud an long when she decide to lemma guh long cause I aint know wha kinda lawlessness dem gettin on wid bout carry on weight count towards luggage allowance when we aint custom to dat foolishness.
But still de Fadda was looking out fa muh so dat get straighten an I went through immigration wid less hassle dan usual. Cause wunnah know most times dese days dem duz want ya tek off ya belt, ya shoes, ya jewelleries, eva single iota when ya passing immigration. One time a immigration woman even mek me unbutton my pants button. Good ting I duz always leff home in clean bividees cause I had to ask she if is really weapon she searchin for or is sumting else she lookin fa.
But anyways all dat drama out de way an I get pun the plane now.
First ting now de people plane ram off, not a seat vacant an dem juss happen to put me in a seat dat faulty. I feel is the same igrant woman dat did wanta quarrel bout de baggage dat had it in fa muh an gi me the worse-est seat on de plane she cud find cause everytime I put the seat in the upright position an lean back the seat sliding backwards gradually. Nuh big issue but then on takeoff one hardface stewardess come to quarrel wid me bout why I aint got my seat in the upright position? I had to let she know plainly and loudly that the seat dun brek an um wun stan upright an ask wha exacty she want me to do bout that cause um was brek before i sit down in um. chupse! See dese igrant people, when dem get a lil position wid some power duz always wanta try an mek ya look small if dem can, like ya aint got nuh sense, dat is why ya duz gotta carry dem on juss as scruffy as them trying to carry you on.
Oh and then we aint leff til an hour later than we was supposed to leff. chupse!
But anyways what really took the cake for the flight was my seating companion and I cudda write a whole blog bout she.
So I sitting down deyso in my seat on the end and a ol lady on the odda end and in walks this nice looking twenty something young girl all pretty up an ting to occupy the seat between we. So at first I look at she an say to myself is how come when I was single I couldnt get a seat next to nuhbody dat was under 300lbs or sweating like dem juss run a marathon but now I well and truly married dem wait to put pretty young girls next to me. dat aint fair at all den. chupse!
But I shoulda known ya cant judge a book by its cover. From the time the young girl sit down next to me on the plane is one whole heap a sneezing and sniffling she start up wid an she head all in she hands bow down like she ketchin bad feels. So I sitting down dey thinking boy ya in some trouble cause we already know the air circulation on dem planes doan be the best and here you is sitting next to Typhoid Mary so ya gine gotta try ya best not to ketch wha she got.
So I feeling a way and praying that I doan get sick from all dem sniffles.
Well I had hope that I cud get way and come out the end a de flight widout ketchin dis girl flu cause thinking positively I was hoping she din too bad off wid de cold. Maybe dem was juss travel sniffles and coughing.
Well people wunnah wud know that that thought flee my head one time and I had to raise the white flag soon soon after that when the young girl reach in she purse an pull out a big able jar a Vicks and start to rub down sheself from head to toe! From then I knew I was a goner cause if a put together young girl like she, ona dem types dat looking posh an ting so gine reach fa Vicks and rub down ya dun know she got to got SARs or at least H1N1 to be resorting to dem sorta measures.
Wunnah feel I duz mek dese tings up nuh? No man I got imagination but I couldn't mek dat wun up. Is true man, true true true.
And after that well 5 hours later wid de chair still not in the upright position, I get off the plane feeling sick muhself and when ya hear the shout I was sick in bed the first 6 days I did in Barbados. Did even sick Christmas marnin an couldnt get out to 5 o clock service or enjoy my ham and Jug Jug. Cuhdear!
So neva neva again, me an dem charters boy. Nevers!
Now listen very carefully I will only say this once.
Ya see me? I aint neva travelling to Barbados by no cheap plane again ya hear. Who me? No boy I cant do dat no more. Not again! Ya might save a few coppers but this cheap plane ting will kill ya stone dead.
So just before Christmas I decide I gine home to Barbados for the holidays. Now usually I duz be more organized an try an leave early an come back before New years cause ya can get some affordable flights if ya plan properly but this time I aint had no choice but to go home a few days before Christmas and the affordable pickings was slim to none cause ya know all these airlines duz double and triple dem prices once dem see December reach an Christmas on the horizon.
So anyway somebody send muh an email saying such an such a charter gine to Bim an de price did look a bit reasonable well better than the resta flights so I say to myself, self boy like ya gine gotta do a ting wid dis charter ting. So although I was a bit apprehensive I book the flight an start getting ready to go home.
Now ya see me, I really not one a dem regular West Indian travellers dat ya duz see in the airport travelling wid 6 suitcases full up a ham, turkey and more meat dan ya cud pick up during Supercentre's Run For your money when dem gine home or dat duz come back up hayso laden down wid yam, breadfruit, dasheen an every ground provision dem cud lay dem hands on an try to sneak dem through secuity even though they know dem things cant import so. No bosie dat aint me at all. I duz usually travel light light light an carry only wha I suppose to carry. Mi aint tekkin a chance wid a fella at all at all.
But wid de baggage weight restriction I seeing on the ticket from this charter I did a little worried cause I figure once I put two underwear an a bath trunk in de bag my allowance dun reach.
But anyways I do muh best, weigh de bag at home an come in under the allowed weight. Get to the airport early early early an wha greet muh but a big long dutty lawless line stretch out at the departure desk cause all the people that like dem gine to the Caribbean that day like dem leffin the same time as me. All I cud do is stan up, wait an sing long two lil hymns to pass de time. Which remind me, if ya singing in de people airport doan sing Swing lo sweet Chariot, cause dem duz get worried and start asking ya all sorta questions and fa ID an ting so.
So an hour later when I get up to the front desk to check in I put my baggage on the scale an de igrant plane woman start giving me all sorta hassle bout the bag under the allowance but the weight of my carry on count towards the 2lbs dem giving ya as baggage allowance an dat put me ova. Lawd god fadda! I tell she the ticket aint say nuttin so an me an she did gettin ready to argue loud an long when she decide to lemma guh long cause I aint know wha kinda lawlessness dem gettin on wid bout carry on weight count towards luggage allowance when we aint custom to dat foolishness.
But still de Fadda was looking out fa muh so dat get straighten an I went through immigration wid less hassle dan usual. Cause wunnah know most times dese days dem duz want ya tek off ya belt, ya shoes, ya jewelleries, eva single iota when ya passing immigration. One time a immigration woman even mek me unbutton my pants button. Good ting I duz always leff home in clean bividees cause I had to ask she if is really weapon she searchin for or is sumting else she lookin fa.
But anyways all dat drama out de way an I get pun the plane now.
First ting now de people plane ram off, not a seat vacant an dem juss happen to put me in a seat dat faulty. I feel is the same igrant woman dat did wanta quarrel bout de baggage dat had it in fa muh an gi me the worse-est seat on de plane she cud find cause everytime I put the seat in the upright position an lean back the seat sliding backwards gradually. Nuh big issue but then on takeoff one hardface stewardess come to quarrel wid me bout why I aint got my seat in the upright position? I had to let she know plainly and loudly that the seat dun brek an um wun stan upright an ask wha exacty she want me to do bout that cause um was brek before i sit down in um. chupse! See dese igrant people, when dem get a lil position wid some power duz always wanta try an mek ya look small if dem can, like ya aint got nuh sense, dat is why ya duz gotta carry dem on juss as scruffy as them trying to carry you on.
Oh and then we aint leff til an hour later than we was supposed to leff. chupse!
But anyways what really took the cake for the flight was my seating companion and I cudda write a whole blog bout she.
So I sitting down deyso in my seat on the end and a ol lady on the odda end and in walks this nice looking twenty something young girl all pretty up an ting to occupy the seat between we. So at first I look at she an say to myself is how come when I was single I couldnt get a seat next to nuhbody dat was under 300lbs or sweating like dem juss run a marathon but now I well and truly married dem wait to put pretty young girls next to me. dat aint fair at all den. chupse!
But I shoulda known ya cant judge a book by its cover. From the time the young girl sit down next to me on the plane is one whole heap a sneezing and sniffling she start up wid an she head all in she hands bow down like she ketchin bad feels. So I sitting down dey thinking boy ya in some trouble cause we already know the air circulation on dem planes doan be the best and here you is sitting next to Typhoid Mary so ya gine gotta try ya best not to ketch wha she got.
So I feeling a way and praying that I doan get sick from all dem sniffles.
Well I had hope that I cud get way and come out the end a de flight widout ketchin dis girl flu cause thinking positively I was hoping she din too bad off wid de cold. Maybe dem was juss travel sniffles and coughing.
Well people wunnah wud know that that thought flee my head one time and I had to raise the white flag soon soon after that when the young girl reach in she purse an pull out a big able jar a Vicks and start to rub down sheself from head to toe! From then I knew I was a goner cause if a put together young girl like she, ona dem types dat looking posh an ting so gine reach fa Vicks and rub down ya dun know she got to got SARs or at least H1N1 to be resorting to dem sorta measures.
Wunnah feel I duz mek dese tings up nuh? No man I got imagination but I couldn't mek dat wun up. Is true man, true true true.
And after that well 5 hours later wid de chair still not in the upright position, I get off the plane feeling sick muhself and when ya hear the shout I was sick in bed the first 6 days I did in Barbados. Did even sick Christmas marnin an couldnt get out to 5 o clock service or enjoy my ham and Jug Jug. Cuhdear!
So neva neva again, me an dem charters boy. Nevers!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Airline meals
Remember one time we used to laff at those people who walked on the airplane with big set a food in their carry on?
Look at dem people though! Walking around with big, big, heavy bag of roti and rice n peas and meat and whatsnot. They aint have no culture or class though? They dont know the plane duz provide meals included in ya fare? Man duh mek muh shame!
Secretly I think we were jealous though. How dare them people come on the plane with the mouth watering, sweet smelling food. Their home cooked meal vs we with what the airplane people tried to pass off as a proper meal which was usually some mis-identified thing in a plastic plate that they claim is chicken or beef somebody or the other and we sitting there wondering if one of them CSI fellas could do a few tests to confirm if it is what de air hostess say it is before we eat any of it.
Yea boy those were the days. Free drinks and chips and peanuts and thing so too. Well not free cause it was in the price of the ticket but is free cause ya din have to pull out nuh extra money out ya pocket and well ya already pay for it so might as well eat it and enjoy amm I mean experience it.
Not so anymore is it? Now its every manjack bring his own food or pay an arm and a leg for a dry up sandwich on Air Canada and some of them other planes (i believe you still get food provided on transatlantic flights by the British carriers).
Is cheaper to buy at the airport or bring in if ya allowed than spending 6 or 7 dollars on the plane for something that should only cost about $2.50 when it was fresh 5 hours ago.
So now everybody walking with food in dey bag or hand. Even at the airport in Barbados, I went to buy food to eat there in the departure lounge and the fellas wrap it up nice and special like I was taking it on the plane. Dey catering to we needs.
Is a new day boy, new day, new things. Cant laff at nobody carrying food onto the plane no more. Rather they can laff at you.
Wait you aint bring nuh food on this flight and had to buy a 6 dollar dry up sandwich on the plane? whaaaaa, ha ha ha. Boy wha wrong wid you? You aint have no class or culture or common sense? You dont know ya duz pay extra for the plane food? Man ya mek muh shame!
Look at dem people though! Walking around with big, big, heavy bag of roti and rice n peas and meat and whatsnot. They aint have no culture or class though? They dont know the plane duz provide meals included in ya fare? Man duh mek muh shame!
Secretly I think we were jealous though. How dare them people come on the plane with the mouth watering, sweet smelling food. Their home cooked meal vs we with what the airplane people tried to pass off as a proper meal which was usually some mis-identified thing in a plastic plate that they claim is chicken or beef somebody or the other and we sitting there wondering if one of them CSI fellas could do a few tests to confirm if it is what de air hostess say it is before we eat any of it.
Yea boy those were the days. Free drinks and chips and peanuts and thing so too. Well not free cause it was in the price of the ticket but is free cause ya din have to pull out nuh extra money out ya pocket and well ya already pay for it so might as well eat it and enjoy amm I mean experience it.
Not so anymore is it? Now its every manjack bring his own food or pay an arm and a leg for a dry up sandwich on Air Canada and some of them other planes (i believe you still get food provided on transatlantic flights by the British carriers).
Is cheaper to buy at the airport or bring in if ya allowed than spending 6 or 7 dollars on the plane for something that should only cost about $2.50 when it was fresh 5 hours ago.
So now everybody walking with food in dey bag or hand. Even at the airport in Barbados, I went to buy food to eat there in the departure lounge and the fellas wrap it up nice and special like I was taking it on the plane. Dey catering to we needs.
Is a new day boy, new day, new things. Cant laff at nobody carrying food onto the plane no more. Rather they can laff at you.
Wait you aint bring nuh food on this flight and had to buy a 6 dollar dry up sandwich on the plane? whaaaaa, ha ha ha. Boy wha wrong wid you? You aint have no class or culture or common sense? You dont know ya duz pay extra for the plane food? Man ya mek muh shame!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)