The Peter Bond Travels Films - Part 1

Here is the first in a series of films detailing my travels through England and Europe. I hope you enjoy it.




My trip began with the Vancouver airport, as they tend to do, with a flight to London Gatwick with Zoom Airlines. I brought with me two suitcases and a backpack, containing everything I will need to live for the next year. Laptop, camera, clothes, suits, shoes, etc. Unfortunately, Zoom only allows 20 kg check-in baggage in two bags together, so needless to say I ended up being overweight. Instead of sending me packing (or re-packing, wink wink!), the check-in lady offers that I can pay $50 for the extra weight. I smile and accept, as I have a flight waiting to take me overseas for my year-long adventure into the English Life.

After having a relaxing snack with my good friends Warren and Leah (who randomly happend to also be at the airport seeing off Leah's Mom on a stop-over), I ventured through check-in which does not allow anyone to bring liquids past. After chugging down the last of my water, I slipped through the pat-down and proceded to my gate, D66. The flight itself proceded as it does in the film, although we did get 4 movies on the flight. I unfortunately watched that movie where Lindsey Lohan gets her luck switched with some guy when they kiss...ugh. I can't believe I just wrote that. It didn't get much better with Robin William's filmed-in-BC slosh RV. After, in case anyone was still alive...I mean awake, they played two more movies I can't remember the names of, due to the fact that I was asleep.

I arrived in London and was picked up by my friend Duncan (see film). We drove from Gatwick to Stansted airport direct on the M25, where we encountered a freak rain storm causing the speed limit and the visibility to drop. Upon a safe arrival to Stansted, we realized we had a few hours to kill. So we went to the pub! (Where else?) After a good pint of Guiness, I left Duncan and got in the check-in line-up for easyJet Airline. Interestingly, and unfortunately for me, easyJet has a "stricter" size restriction for their carry-on baggage, i.e. mine didn't fit. Thus I had to check my carry-on (I left the rest of my luggage with Duncan - Thanks, Dunk!) and carry-on my fragile laptop and camera. Picture a man carrying a laptop going through the metal detector and having to take off his belt after another quick but surprisingly thourough pat-down. That was me! I love airports...

So onwards onto another plane, but this time I got the rare experience of walking onto the plane from the tarmac (tarmack?). This plane was going to Munich, Germany where I was going to stay with friends and experience Oktoberfest. The guy I was stuffed into beside was from Edmonton, so we talked hockey for the hour and a half. After, we shoke hands and he tells me the reason he wears gloves was to cover very bad exeema. My friend Marianne (see film) met me at the Munich Airport and, after walking the entire length and breadth of the airport, we drove back to her family's house, where we had another beer. Two beers on two hours sleep and 25 hours awake killed me and I crashed.

Soon we would be joined by more friends and we would partake in the Traditional German Drinking Experience, a.k.a Oktoberfest.... Stay tuned.

But that is a story for another blog entry.
Until then, I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your lack of Lindsy Lohan movies!