Book a flight for 04:40!

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

This wasn’t the best flight, nor was it the cheapest or most time efficient but it is definitely scheduled for the appropriate time!

Furthermore, I was able to use the whole of a voucher I was credited when a flight I had booked was cancelled by the operator due to more strict Corona restrictions coming into force at the end of 2020 so that’s good.

I guess me making this booking is only the first stage so I will update this post with my ticketing, departure and flight experience… until then, I’ll look forward to seeing my Mother on her Birthday!

I love you, Mum! x

Update:

Two days after I booked this flight, I got an email to tell me that the 04:40 departure time of the first flight has been updated to 05:10. Right now I’m content because I bagged the challenge and get to set off at a more reasonable time and have a shorter connection time but am just hoping that this is not the start of more messing around with flights being delayed and even cancelled – that’s how I ended up with this voucher in the first place!!!

Thankfully post -booking but pre-flight the realisation set in that Qatar is still on the UK’s ‘Red List’ and so this would mean I had to stay in a Government-backed quarantine hotel for my entire stay – utterly pointless!

I took the opportunity to move this Qatar flight to later in the year and re-booked with Saudia direct to London Heathrow. This allowed me to use a credit voucher for another flight that was cancelled back in 2020.

Somewhat disappointingly, the flight is not at 04:40. Nonetheless, it sets off a day earlier so I gain an additional day in the UK and will be travelling in seat number 40!

The original flight may have been cancelled but I sat in seat 40 on the one I replaced it with!
Post arrival; so it continues…

Stay awake for 40 hours (& climb Jabal Sawda)

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

As one of the Forties for 40 challenges, I stayed awake for over 40 hours and climbed Jabal Sawda plus lots of other things.

Jabal Sawda is (at least officially) the highest mountain in Saudi Arabia at over 3,000 metres and the highest point on the Asir mountain range, located approximately 20 km away from the city of Abha.

The Asir mountain range is covered green forests of juniper trees and all different kinds of flora and fauna can be found there. It rains in the Asir more than anywhere else in the Kingdom and people holiday there in summer to enjoy the cooler weather.

I do not recommend staying awake for 40 hours to anyone but made a video log of how I felt and what I did over the whole period:

Some pictures of the incredible landscape:

Ultimately, because I was in good company and kept moving through very stimulating environments and circumstances, it was fairly easy to stay awake. That said, after being awake for around 24 hours, any time I stopped (for example when as a passenger in a vehicle or after taking a shower) the desire to lie down and let the wave of slumber wash over me started to influence my thoughts and behaviour.

Thankfully, I was able to ignore it and carry on. I found moving and talking helped. Not sure everyone else would agree… 😉

Twenty first of 40 donations

posted in: Uncategorized | 0

My twenty first donation goes to the Saudi Arabian National Donation Platform to buy Ramadan breakfasts for people who cannot afford to feed themselves.

£40 converted into approximately 208 Saudi Arabian Riyals and I was able to purchase 5 Ramadan breakfasts for SAR 210. I hope the people enjoy eating them as much as I did purchasing them.

This purchase was made even more fun because the National Donation Platform is 100% in Arabic so my friend and colleague Nouf translated for me (actually remotely) so this was a very memorable transaction for us both 🙂