Backpacking was a big step for me – I had never thought about it before. Once we began looking into it, it sounded A-mazing!
See as many places as possible in a prolonged amount of time in one place? Sold!!
Read all about our planning process here ->
10 Important Things to Arrange Before Backpacking.
We had spent SO long going over a map, our guide books finding exciting things we could plan during our five week adventure!
Number one had to be island hopping of course which believe me isn’t to be missed! The Thai islands are truly incredible.
Read – Five week Itinerary
The days leading up to going had been chaos, everyone was sooo busy! Everyone trying to get all of our last minute bits together and finishing up with uni and getting packed. See my packing list here – Packing List for Asia
On Our Way
The day had come for us four explorers to fly from Manchester with Emirates (flight comparison here- SkyScanner, with two friends meeting us there 12 hours later (they had to work– boo).
Initially we were meant to fly at 9am.. This was changed a couple of days before our flight (but it just so happens that my friend didn’t check her emails until the night before… nightmare).
We arrived at Manchester for our flight, gone through the bag checks and securities and we’re ready for our flight. Sooo excited!
However….. Only to then find out our flight was delayed, first an hour, then another, and then another two… This ended up being 5 hours in total stuck in Manchester (not to mention we were meant to fly at 9am).
At this point we had already missed our connecting flight in Dubai!!!
our inflight meal optionssss…
Waiting in Dubai
Arriving in Dubai airport in the middle of the night there was chaos! There were people running for their next flights, us on the other had had missed ours hours ago and had to wait in line to be given a new flight.
… 9 HOURS! I repeat a whole 9 hours we had to wait …. cry.
We made the most of it Emirates give you food vouchers to spend when you are delayed. So we walked up and down the ginormous airport to stretch our legs and got ourselves our first Thai meal – delicious! how annoying through – if only we were delayed 10 hours so they would have given us a bed to sleep in!!
We spent the nine hours walking, looking in shops and playing cards on the airport floor.
9 hours delayed and still smiling
Flight Two – Dubai – Bangkok
Finally ready to board our next flight, check in staff were scanning tickets and of course the scanner goes red on mine and luckily one of my friends too (I was nearly having a melt down thinking I was stuck on my own). Our seats had been double booked… Of course!!
Issured with new tickets and walking to meet our friends a slow realisation hit us that…. our tickets at the top read… BUSINESS CLASS!!!!!!!! Our other two friends were separated and on their own so we couldn’t gloat in front of them..) too much!
Business class get on first along with first class passengers and shown to our seats! We had to take a moment to believe it was actually happening. The size of the seat, the massaging chair, the huge TV, refills of bully and leg room (big enough to lyie flat) was amazing- not that I need it being five foot one!!
Once seated we were brought a couple of glass of Moët and some warm nuts whilst we waited for the other passengers to be seated.
Me and my friend Kate were over the moon with this.
Once we had taken off we settled down for the flight with our blankets, brushed our teeth and watched a film.
We were given menu’s to order our food and wine… Just wow!!
On offer for lunch there was smoked salmon, mezze platter, lamb and stir fried lobster.
There were FIVE courses and obviously I ordered lobster and fresh fruit and gourmet chocolates.
After that ginormous five course feed for the rest of the flight I had my chair lay flat with my back massager on.
I had THE best sleep and apparently missing all of the bad turbulence – perfect!!
Kate enjoying her reclining seat
I will stop going on now and get to the good stuff… Read all about Bangkok→ here
Thanks for reading
Bethan
xox
I can spend that amount of hours getting to Europe too if transits were long, it was painful! But wow! You got a Business Class upgrade for the trauma, a blessing in disguise for what you went through!
Author
I know it’s a nightmare isn’t it! We did and it was brilliant if I could afford it would fly business every time xx