Aladdin's adventure on board KLM flight KL 758 and KL 875 from Panama City to Bangkok

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Sunday 12 ^th of November 2023 and we take of quarter to 9 in the evening. I climb down to the service launch and the OS send down my luggage and the deck hand on the service launch take care of my luggage.

We were soon on the way towards Balboa leaving Nord Supreme behind.

My luggage coming down to the service launch

Leaving Nord Supreme behind

Leaving Nord Supreme behind

Took around 15 to 20 minutes to come ashore and the Agent was waiting for me in the marina. I had cancelled my idea to go to have my dinner at Os Segredos Da Carne but now the idea sprung in to life again. A quick stop at the immigration and off to Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district, Panama City.

Coming to the immigration and I spotted my first ever raccoons, two of them when I got out of the car. I tried to get pictures but they were scared of a cat and they took off.

Well, they did not have my paperwork at the immigration so we had to wait for a couple of minutes before we could continue to the hotel

We stop to look for MAX but they only have Coca Cola products so this was a disappointment.

Turns out that Marinn Place Hotel is just a couple of minutes’ walk from Os Segredos Da Carne but it was 10 thirty in the evening when I reached the hotel so I cancelled my dinner plan.

My room at Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district

My room at Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district

My room at Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district

My room at Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district

I was happy with my room, except for the tea selection. I was told that there was a convenient store a couple of minutes away and I went to buy tea bags and I found some cheese that I will enjoy in my room.

No breakfast at the hotel as I have planned for lunch at Os Segredos Da Carne. So, a little bit of cheese with my tea in the room and I will leave for the Os Segredos Da Carne to have my lunch tomorrow, something I am looking forward to.

Marinn Place Hotel in the financial district

Walking to the convenient store

+++++++++++++++
Monday 13 ^th of November 2023 and I am dead tired when I wake up a couple of minutes before my alarm is going off at 6 o'clock. I suspect that it is because I am excited that prevents me from falling asleep.

I start the day by taking some pictures from my window before I move over to the tea machine to make me a cup of morning tea. The tea I bought yesterday was very good so I am looking forward to the first cup of the day.

Looking out my window 6 o'clock in the morning

Looking out my window 6 o'clock in the morning

I leave my hotel 10 minutes after 11 o'clock. They had called the restaurant from the reception and they were open. I took a taxi and I was soon to discover that the restaurant was closed and it looked to have been closed for a long time.

Chain and pad lock on the door and a note on the door in Spanish. I suspect that they had moved and I walked back to my hotel. I passed a protest on the way to the hotel.

Well, it was a 5 minutes’ walk back to my hotel so they were just on the avenue next to the hotel. Not so much people, but it looked like they were just starting the protest so it might be much people later on.

And this is the reason for the Agent to come to pick me up at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We don't want to end up in the protest missing my flight.

Protest is about to take off

Protest is about to take off

Protest is about to take off

I am back at my hotel

Back at the hotel and they called the restaurant again. Yes, they had moved to World Trade Center Plaza and I was soon in a taxi on my way to World Trade Center Plaza. Heavy traffic and it took us about 10 minutes to reach the place.

We turned in to the parking and I could see the restaurant, or at least the restaurant sign. I went inside and I discovered that the restaurant was located on the second floor.

I find the restaurant

I get out of the taxi

I get a table close to the salads buffet and I am the only guest so I went to get some pictures of the buffet. I discover potato gratin and I take a plate that I enjoy with a cup of tea while waiting for the BBQ to come to my table.

By now there were more guests coming for lunch and it looked to be a popular restaurant. They brought chicken as the first item and it was maybe the best chicken I have ever had. Very juicy and tender meat.

They kept on bringing meat to my table and it was very tasty and I was soon full and I asked them to remove my plate. I asked for two more cups of tea and I asked for chocolate cake with whipped cream to finish my meal.

Salad at Os Segredos Da Carne

Salad at Os Segredos Da Carne

Salad at Os Segredos Da Carne

Salad at Os Segredos Da Carne

Salad at Os Segredos Da Carne

Pasta

Potato Gratin

Potato Gratin and tea while waiting for the meat

The best chicken I ever had

BBQ meat

More chicken

BBQ meat

Sausage

BBQ meat

BBQ meat

BBQ meat

Complete my lunch with chocolate

The restaurant was almost full by the time I left. I asked the waiter if there was any barber shop nearby and there was one along the road. I asked the valet parking guys when I left the building and they told me that there was a barber shop around the corner.

I walked down the street and I could see the barber shop sign or whatever they call the special turning light you can see outside barber shops all over the world. I step inside and there is only one customer and I got a seat.

I ask for a machine cut, ZERO and I am about to lose some weight again.

Walking down the street towards the barber shop

I reach the barber shop

Getting a haircut in Panama

Getting a haircut in Panama

I found a taxi outside the barber shop and we were soon on the way. The driver had programmed his GPS with the address from my hotel card and I was soon realising that he had got it all wrong.

We stopped at Marina Plaza but I wanted to go to Marinn Place.

And the roads were blocked when we approached the hotel as there were protesters marching on the street. We had to make a U-turn and come back from the other direction.

And I had to walk the last 20 meters and I could hear the protesters when I got out of the taxi. They are marching on the other side of the hotel and they use the same stuff as they use in Thailand. Whistles, horns and clappers

Protesters marching along

Protesters marching along

KLM flight KL 758 to Amsterdam departs at 18:45 and it would have been plenty enough to leave at 4 o'clock. But my driver suggested that we should take off at 3 o'clock due to the protest to reach the airport in time.

I was in the reception but no sign of any car and driver. 20 minutes past 3 o'clock and I took the hotel car as I did not want to miss my flight.

The driver arrived when I got in to the hotel car and I was not happy. I told him that it was very poor service and I suspect that he wanted to stay home with his family. I was his only task for today. Well, anyway, poor performance.

My wheeled units in the reception

My wheeled units in the receptions

And I think his boss will be happy when they receive a bill for transportation to the airport. And the hotel car was much comfier than the Agent's car.

We got out of Panama City in a jiff, the protest was on the other side of the hotel and we were soon heading north on the highway north of Panama City.

We reached terminal 2 and I had checked in 5 minutes later and it took about 5 minutes to pass the security. I walked to Gate 130 at terminal 1. The lounge was located just next to the gate and I went for a glass of water killing some time.

The lounge really did not have anything to offer but water and I spend some time updating my web page until my battery was flat, yes, no international sockets in the lounge so battery power only.

KLM's Dreamliner waiting for us to board

Boarding flight KL 758

My home for the next 10 hours

My seat

They brought me a cup of tea as soon as we were airborne, the smallest cup of tea I have had in a flight for many many years. I had to ask them to bring me 3 cups at the time.

But it was OK and we were soon time for dinner. I tried to sleep but it was impossible to fall asleep and it was 3 o'clock in the morning (European time) before I could sleep and I woke up at 7. I went to the galley and I got a bottle of water and some chocolate.

I was soon asleep again and I woke up at 8 thirty.

The smallest cup of tea I have had on a flight for many many years

I had to have 3 cups at the time

We landed 30 minutes before schedule time but we had to wait a little because our gate was occupied. I will have to kill about 5 hours before KLM's flight KL 875 departs for Bangkok and I found KLM's Crown Lounge.

I bought an inflatable neck pillow on the way to the lounge. Business is over booked, same with monkey class so I will have to spend 11 hours in the back, it is for sure nothing I am looking forward to. 11 hours of hell!

I would not mind spend a night in a hotel on KLM's expenses so I hope they give me an offer to give my seat to someone else. I am very tired as there have been next to no sleep on the flight from Panama.

KLM Crown Lounge

KLM Crown Lounge

KLM Crown Lounge

I left the lounge 2 hours before boarding time. I don't like to sit in the lounge, unless I have something to do with my computer. Of course, if there is a lot of time, I go to the lounge but I am getting restless and bored very quickly.

I walked around looking for a belt pouch and I was looking to buy some cheese to bring back home. I looked at some Gouda cheese, there was a cheese, 5 kg and I brought the cheese to the Cashier. But I changed my mind and I put it back in the cooler again.

What the duck shall I do with 5kg cheese?

I found a lot of “Bum belts” but no belt pouch. I walked around for a bit before I walked to Gate F6. There were not many people at the gate and I had expected more people at the gate even though I was early.

Boarding KLM flight KL 875

Boarding KLM flight KL 875

Boarding KLM flight KL 875

Boarding KLM flight KL 875

But by the time boarding started there were many people and as I have chosen to sit in the last row, I was in ZONE 5, last group to board. And there was a lot of people, and of course, there was never any offer for hotel room and money to give up my seat.

There is a line all the way down to the airplane entrance but it is quite quick to get on board and to get all the way back to the last row.

I am lucky and there is one empty overhead bin for my “carry on” The overhead bin is why I want to board as early as possible, I have been on enough flight with full overhead bins. And to have my “carry on” under the seat in front of me is the worst.

I am in my seat

In my seat with my new neck pillow

Time for take-off

Taking my seat and I was surprised; this flight will pass like a breeze. It was comfy and I was pleasantly surprised. I inflated my new neck pillow that I bought killing time waiting for my flight.And with two blow in my pillow and my monkey class seat turned in to a comfy business seat.

Well, I never learn, it was pure pain and agony before we even had pulled out from the jet bridge.

I was suffering every minute of the flight and my stupid inflatable neck pillow took off and landed in the lap of a surprised passenger a couple of seats away.

I was dead tired but it was impossible to sleep. I watched a movie and I turned off the movie several times as I was about tofall asleep. But as soon as I turned off the movie I could not sleep.

Time passed, well, not quickly, but the time passed and it was time for breakfast and that means that we will soon land in Bangkok.

Time for breakfast

Finally, time to get off the flight

It had been a terrible fight, but I think it was a little better than the Panama to Amsterdam leg even though I was flying in Biz. I was suffering from a terrible “restless leg” and it was not a nice experience. So I am really looking forward to get off the plane in Bangkok.

We arrived 10 minutes late and it was a 10 minutes’ walk to the immigration and there were plenty people at the immigration as several flights had arrived. But it was very quick to pass the immigration and I was soon at the luggage claim.

My bags arrived after a few minutes and next stop was AOT's desk to book a car back home. Passing the custom and I went to AOT's desk to get a car. One guy took my luggage and we made a stop at 7-Eleven to buy some refreshments.

7-Eleven at Suvarnabhumi

7-Eleven at Suvarnabhumi

Enjoying a refreshment in the taxi

I ordered groceries online in the taxi going back home. And the food was delivered when I had been home for an hour. Dead tired and I went to bed to have a quick power nap, did not wanted tosleep too long as it would be impossible to sleep during the night.

BOOM! And it was 10 o'clock in the evening, I had been sleeping for 7 hours. So mynight was destroyed, and not only my night, the full day tomorrow as well. And I will go to see ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์ (Red Devil) at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.

So I dropped two sleeping pills and I was soon a sleep again and I woke up at 3 thirty, 30 minutes before my alarm was set to go off.

I have booked a car to come pick me up Sunday morning at 6 o'clock in the morning and I will go to look for Black Kites. Click HERE to find out of I see any Black Kites.

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