Month: January 2024

Thanks to Tref for the lift and for his patience over my last minute panic due to the bike-box being 11kg over the prescribed British Airways quote of 23kg. My fault for not weighing it earlier. Those items I could hopefully get in VN were discarded (chain-oil etc); carry-on suitcase (BA: small but can be up to 25kg) & Easyjet carry-on bag (BA: fit under your seat size and up to 25kg) both discarded in favour of my two indestructible Ortlieb panniers formerly in the box.

We set off some 90 sweaty minutes later than planned & got to Man T2 six hours before takeoff to DOHA. Being well victualled with Aldi sarnies & two cans of high-octane beer I was ready to sit and wait. T2 has recently been nicely revamped and each airline allotted specific, well designated check-in areas – so no need to guess where to checkin.

FYI BA delegate the Hanoi flight to Qatar Airlines. QA have different weight and size of luggage rules to those of BA. This would obviously have been explained to me at time of booking. Sorry guys but it wasn’t. Why am I saying sorry? I will be writing to the toe-rags at BA in due course.

After putting most of the pannier bags’ contents into the box and retaping it shut (QA: its a special item so it can be 32kg not 23kg), overdressed & with pockets crammed plus my 7kg checkin (QA) pannier, laptop, bag of sarnies and fruit plus the resilient re-taped & by now rather bloated 37 kg bike box were allowed to board. The kind lady at the adjacent oversize drop-off counter had witnessed the hassle I’d been put though and waved it on despite the global 32kg max luggage limit. How the f will I get home?

Enjoyable and well victualled flights. One hour up and one back down with 4 hours in between sums up both flights. FYI Travel Tip: I try to ablute just before the breakfast/arrival food trolleys and the resultant traffic jams occur. I sat next to a very young couple heading to Australia, it’s so funny watching someone clutch anothers arm in turbulence or when landing. You’ll rarely see Arab flights employing any of their home-bred women as flight attendants. I remember my daughter being terified once at an Arab stop-over, she thought that the burkered up women were suicide bombers.

Doha airport Hamad, was fairly large, bright and gleaming but seemingly 75% more is yet to be built based on the all night construction crews and the number of cranes. The aim is for 58m passengers a year. Presumably if the planes arrive from Europe the passengers will be powering the propellors rather like slaves on a galley-ship as batteries wont work, you cant even place them in checked luggage for fear of fires. OMG – plants thrive on Co2? What rubbish.

The terminal wing open already is of course a long walk from one end to the HUB. Several watch shops to spend some time in, occasionally there’s someone who’s genuinely interested in horology, its a joy to hear their passion.

Hamad sports a ‘jungle’ area called The Orchard, a bit centre-parc but refreshingly humid and a pleasant break!! Its roof structure was impressive, it filters sunlight and is free standing. I still had an Aldi butty plus Qatar Air had fed us well before landing so I could forego the normal 20 quid for almost nothing (HK is an exception).

At the gate for the Hanoi flight I asked the all important question “Is my checked baggage with me?” Tap tap on the keyboard, “Yes sir your item is on the plane”. Yippee well done Qatar Air. So far, so good.

Hanoi airport Noi Bai is growing used to an increasing number of tourists so it’s immigration and visa process is evolving well with 45 day single entry visas being issued on arrival. I’d opted for a 90 day multi entry/exit evisa. Due to my incompetence and lack of awareness of the date, this cost me more than it should have done. I had a birds=eye view of the military style shift hand-over ceremony. The staff wear green uniforms with well-starched Red Epaulets and enormous hats also in Red. There is a lot of red in Vietnam, they are also proud to display their flag, unlike the gormless Brits who seemingly cant tell when they have a good, relatively free life.

I wonder where me bike will emerge, Wide Guage Luggage area was the answer. Sure enough the box appeared and was hoisted onto the free trolley. Customs were busy making locals empty their luggage, presumably, like India, searching for imported booze and fags. Why anyone would is beyond me given how cheap booze is in VN. They looked at my enormous package and waved me through out into the sub-tropical 10 yes 10C outside. My friend Miss Giang from Vinh Yen arrived shortly afterwards in a large taxi and the first travel hurdle was completed. 🙂

lovely ride out but big brass Monkeys in the headwind. Plus I fell off bike and landed on my back exactly where I didn’t need to.

First ride out after forks etc fitted. Lovely ride to work in the weak sunshine, a change from the perpetual rain we’ve had. Great Sunday lunch shift, team performed well and lots of dogs to feed.

At last all the components are ready & hopefully the right way up!, Thanks to Charlotte of PEAKLAND BIKES, BAKEWELL. First test upload from phone

Welcome to my first ever blog.

This is the delicious Christmas lunch given to me by friends and family of the Druid Inn, Birchover. Thank you Hannah for inviting me again, it’s much appreciated