There's no such thing as free cash

Hello peeps!

I am now officially a backpacker - or more like a suitpacker! Last Friday was my last day in the office and since Tuesday, I am in the Caribbean living out of a suitcase :)

My last few days in the UK have been rather hectic with sorting out storage for my car and belongings, but I managed most of it and the rest I left to the good hands of a couple of friends.

I began my journey around the globe at 6.50am on Tuesday 4th Dec, and I will not be putting my bags down for another 15months. I will be back in the UK for a few weeks to exchange my suitcase for a proper backpack then I am off again, only to come back in Heathrow in March 2014.

My first flight London-Paris was rather uneventful. After the 4am wake up call, I was glad to nod off for a bit. In Paris I had to get a connecting flight to Martinique, then off on the beach.

This is where things started to go a little bit off track... 

When I got to the check in desk, the lovely Air France lady - a touch surprising to see somebody from AIR FRANCE in such a good mood so early in the morning - so, the lovely lady asked me if I would be up for being bumped onto another flight, in exchange for €150 cash. Instead of my initial direct flight, I would need to get to another island, then catch another connecting flight before finally arriving in Martinique, a mere 45min later than initially planned.

At €50 the 15min, I said yes please, gimme the cash! But there is no such thing as free cash, oh no...

To start, we left with 1hr delay for the Paris to Pointe a Pitre flight. That meant I missed my connecting flight to Martinique as I only had 45min between the too. Fair play to Air France though, they got me a seat onto another flight later that day, without me having to yell at anybody. It was actually rather funny to see all the other passengers in the same situation getting all worked up and stressed out, while I couldn't have been less bothered - I am off traveling, so who cares 1.5hrs delay?

I finally got to my final destination only to realise that my bag didn't quite follow the same itinerary! You know that feeling when you are the last one standing by the luggage belt, looking at the same abandoned bag turning round and round and round, hoping that yours will be there in just a second...

Still, it was with the same good humored mind set I had all day that I went to the customer service lady to explain my case and confirm that my suitcase would be arriving on the last flight of the day. The other guy in the same situation was completely losing it! By the way, no one I knew, but he had the same name, traveling on the same flight - how random??

All in all, the journey from wake up call to bed time was a long 22hrs, as opposed to the usual 13hrs. BUT - I learned a few things:

1. It is all about perspective: I didn't let the little things get to me and kept smiling and having a good time - despite the long delays, the bag going missing, the aisle seats, being tired - while others where losing it around me. Why? Because I choose to keep my cool. Simple.

2. The way you approach people will determine how they react to you. Go in there all guns blazing and you are less likely to find an understanding ear, as one my fellow delayees found out. Smiles, positivity and a cool head will get you a lot farther and open a lot more doors than yelling at someone!

3. Just C.H.I.L.L.A.X man and enjoy the ride, you will get there eventually!

4. There is no such thing as free cash - but if you follow pt.3, you can come pretty close to it :)

That's it for now peeps - I am off to eat some pineapple :)