My ride to the airport took almost an hour with traffic as insane as always. My timing was good as the Etihad counter had just opened and I was able to check in. The lounge in Kathmandu is “run by the Radisson” I would recommend running – far away and fast. It wasn’t that the carpet needed cleaning or the food looked a bit strange. It was the bright shiny carapace on the 5 cm long cockroaches that convinced me there were better places to wait in the airport.
The flight itself was lovely with excellent food and the lounges here in Abu Dhabi are amazing. They include a huge range of food available 24 hours as well as some free spa treatments.
Yes, you heard me – 15 minutes of bliss with a choice of foot, head, back, shoulders….. and like everyone else in the airport – they are guest workers from somewhere else. In this case the Philippines.
So here I am, sleepy somewhere around 0400 in the morning with my next flight about 1000.
Oh, and thank Australia for me! Unlike in other countries, I can’t check my luggage through to my final destination. I have to claim it in Melbourne and then go check in and drop it off. Again. This is unlike the US where you claim luggage but drop it right back off as it was ticketed all the way through.
I am hoping my three hours between flights is enough…
