What are you doing right now..? (Threads Merged)

[Phantom51red]

Having a tea break on the boat ,enjoying the morning sun just 25klm outside tarragona.

[Horizondave]

12 hours ago, Krapow said:

I enjoyed my trip so much, i gonna go back in Feb, but this time much more further north, to the proper arctic wilderness.

I found it like diving, theraputic, at peace, the silence, the at one with nature, really really enjoyed it. 

Gonna stay here, with the guide who does trips here as his fun, he says Saariskelaa where i was is like a city compared to where we'll be going now  -

https://www.giellajohka.com/en/winter

https://www.giellajohka.com/

Have to fly Finn Air to Helsinki, then transfer to Ivalo flight.

There's 2 flights when i arrive at Helsinki from London. 

One has a transfer time of 1 hour.

The other has a transfer time of 2 and half hours.

Obviously i'd like the shorter 1 hour transfer one, and i assume luggage stays in transit. But would that be doable, all flights are Finn Air? I done the live chat bot thing on Finn Air, it said Helsinki is just 1 terminal, give yourself at least 30 mins. But as far as i'm aware all gates close 30mins before take off.

I vaguely remember this being talked about before from either @Horizondave and/or @john luke

Any advice guys?

Thinking it'll have to be the later one, it's only an extra 1 and a half hour, and for peace of mind, but what's your thoughts please? 

The actual connecting times are shown below. The main thing for me is Finnair will not allow you to book flights on their system unless the MCT (minimum connecting time) is adhered to.  So, if booking with them, you can be assured the flights offered, are acceptable for transfers.

The airport is easy to get around and it never gets too busy. The thing is if I was going Finland to London, an hour would be fine; my concern is would your flight from London land on time and allow enough time to transit if delayed. Heathrow is a bitch to get an on time departure, also with the long trek out to the runway where you may have 4 or 5 flights ahead of you in the queue on the taxi way.

If it a bona-fide transit time, then Finnair would be responsible for your onward journey, but possibly you will make it but your baggage may not. Normally off international flights (non Schengen) to a domestic flight, I would assume your checked baggage would need to be landed in Finland before checking in again but these days, many different baggage schemes exist. I would check whether your bags are delivered to your destination from London without the need to pick up, before you make a booking.

Just some info from the Finnair website in regard to transit, certainly looks like you need to go through passport control even if your bags are sent direct.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

We want you to transfer to your next destination smoothly and conveniently. At Helsinki Airport, all gates are located in one terminal building, along the same short walkway. This means you can be confident that you'll reach your connecting flight fast and hassle-free. At best, changing flights takes just 35 minutes!

• The gate number of your connecting flight will be displayed in Finnair mobile app or on the airport monitors, but you can also ask at the Transfer Service desk for further assistance.
• At Helsinki Airport, the Transfer Service desks are located near gates 29 and 52.
• If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, the Transfer Service can issue one to you.
• If you have not checked in your baggage for your entire journey, you must collect your baggage from the baggage carousel in the baggage claim area. You should then check your baggage in for your connecting flight – you may also have to go through customs.
• If you are arriving from or travelling to a non-Schengen country, you need to go through passport control. Citizens of the EU, Scandinavia and Switzerland holding biometric passports can skip lines by using the airport's fast and convenient automatic border control machines. Nationals of Japan and South Korea may use these gates during afternoon hours when leaving to non-Schengen destinations.

 

 

[galenkia]

Just booked an appointment with a pension advisor to look at drawing money from my pension. Fucking thing is losing money so I would rather just have it in the bank.

January 4th, so no need to hurry.

Jan gave me her bank cards and PIN numbers for her accounts. She is fucking minted lol, she already gave me £138k in cash and has loads more in her other accounts.

[andyajn]

6 minutes ago, galenkia said:

Just booked an appointment with a pension advisor to look at drawing money from my pension. Fucking thing is losing money so I would rather just have it in the bank.

January 4th, so no need to hurry.

Jan gave me her bank cards and PIN numbers for her accounts. She is fucking minted lol, she already gave me £138k in cash and has loads more in her other accounts.

G mate, I know we are a community on here but I would be very careful about posting too much financial info on any forum. Better to be safe than sorry.

[galenkia]

1 hour ago, andyajn said:

G mate, I know we are a community on here but I would be very careful about posting too much financial info on any forum. Better to be safe than sorry.

That’s what comes with being bipolar, it makes you very impulsive, you don’t think about things, you just do it.

[Horizondave]

Just been to Peacocks today to buy an outfit for Kataleya (8 years) to wear to a Michael Jackson tribute act tonight in Neath.

Was at the counter waiting in line and the lady in front was having a right old natter with the staff. Started getting a bit annoying as a queue was forming. Anyhow after deciding they had nothing else to chat about I got to the front. 

Pair of gloves and a dress with a t-shirt inside was all I had. Gloves £6, dress £15 and t shirt £4.50.

The label for the t-shirt was showing while the label for the dress was tucked inside. Bill came and I realised they had not charged me for the dress, only charged for the gloves and t shirt. The counter staff was nattering now to her colleague and just going through the motions of dealing with me, not even looking at me,

Did I tell her the mistake she made, did I fcuk. Pay more attention, be more professional and deal with me in a friendly manner and I may have said something but thanks for the free £15 dress

[Derek Dangleberries]

8 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

Not really free as you're paying 300B/year for ATM card access to your account.

Of course you are correct (again) !

[Krapow]

19 hours ago, boydeste said:

My thoughts are:-

Whether you can make the change or not, flights are typically delayed, why give yourself the unnecessary stress at the start of your holiday. 

 

16 hours ago, KWA said:

They offer even shorter connections but I would always go for the longer one as I wnt to get my moneys worth of food and drink in the lounge.  It is a really small and easy to get around airport, although you would be entering Schengen which my transits haven't done so there's some formalities there I expect.

 

 

9 hours ago, Horizondave said:

The actual connecting times are shown below. The main thing for me is Finnair will not allow you to book flights on their system unless the MCT (minimum connecting time) is adhered to.  So, if booking with them, you can be assured the flights offered, are acceptable for transfers.

The airport is easy to get around and it never gets too busy. The thing is if I was going Finland to London, an hour would be fine; my concern is would your flight from London land on time and allow enough time to transit if delayed. Heathrow is a bitch to get an on time departure, also with the long trek out to the runway where you may have 4 or 5 flights ahead of you in the queue on the taxi way.

If it a bona-fide transit time, then Finnair would be responsible for your onward journey, but possibly you will make it but your baggage may not. Normally off international flights (non Schengen) to a domestic flight, I would assume your checked baggage would need to be landed in Finland before checking in again but these days, many different baggage schemes exist. I would check whether your bags are delivered to your destination from London without the need to pick up, before you make a booking.

Just some info from the Finnair website in regard to transit, certainly looks like you need to go through passport control even if your bags are sent direct.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

We want you to transfer to your next destination smoothly and conveniently. At Helsinki Airport, all gates are located in one terminal building, along the same short walkway. This means you can be confident that you'll reach your connecting flight fast and hassle-free. At best, changing flights takes just 35 minutes!

• The gate number of your connecting flight will be displayed in Finnair mobile app or on the airport monitors, but you can also ask at the Transfer Service desk for further assistance.
• At Helsinki Airport, the Transfer Service desks are located near gates 29 and 52.
• If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, the Transfer Service can issue one to you.
• If you have not checked in your baggage for your entire journey, you must collect your baggage from the baggage carousel in the baggage claim area. You should then check your baggage in for your connecting flight – you may also have to go through customs.
• If you are arriving from or travelling to a non-Schengen country, you need to go through passport control. Citizens of the EU, Scandinavia and Switzerland holding biometric passports can skip lines by using the airport's fast and convenient automatic border control machines. Nationals of Japan and South Korea may use these gates during afternoon hours when leaving to non-Schengen destinations.

 

 

Booked!

Went with the 2h 30min stop over at Helsinki, instead of the stress of taking a chance with the 1 hour one considering Heathrow! Only 1h 30mins more anyway, and won't be doing anything first evening except exploring the hotel and what's on offer, and stepping outside to look up for the Aurora.

Coming back the options were either 35mins or 4h 30mins stopover. So again, went for the longer. Yea it's a bit lumpy, over 4 hours, but 35mins was too short to chance. Have internet connection and power banks so to not be too bored, and hopefully sitting sorting through loads of class pics and videos taken.

Contacted Finn Air who said bags stay in transit as all flights are with Finn Air.

I can use my Irish Passport so although not technically in Schengen, it is in the EU, and less hassle if i want, no stamp etc. But with timings, UK Passport would also be fine, no biggee either way.

Proper wilderness place, at one with nature, and something that makes me happy, decluttering my head from my job and the big dirty city. Something i want to do more and more alongside diving.

Check this short video of where i'll be staying and things i'll be doing, magical -

 

[Krapow]

^^^^^^^^^

@maipenrai is that anything like where you live?

Check this for Auroras -

 

[maipenrai]

22 hours ago, Krapow said:

I enjoyed my trip so much, i gonna go back in Feb, but this time much more further north, to the proper arctic wilderness.

I found it like diving, theraputic, at peace, the silence, the at one with nature, really really enjoyed it. 

Gonna stay here, with the guide who does trips here as his fun, he says Saariskelaa where i was is like a city compared to where we'll be going now  -

https://www.giellajohka.com/en/winter

https://www.giellajohka.com/

Have to fly Finn Air to Helsinki, then transfer to Ivalo flight.

There's 2 flights when i arrive at Helsinki from London. 

One has a transfer time of 1 hour.

The other has a transfer time of 2 and half hours.

Obviously i'd like the shorter 1 hour transfer one, and i assume luggage stays in transit. But would that be doable, all flights are Finn Air? I done the live chat bot thing on Finn Air, it said Helsinki is just 1 terminal, give yourself at least 30 mins. But as far as i'm aware all gates close 30mins before take off.

I vaguely remember this being talked about before from either @Horizondave and/or @john luke

Any advice guys?

Thinking it'll have to be the later one, it's only an extra 1 and a half hour, and for peace of mind, but what's your thoughts please? 

Proper Arctic? Hell, they've still got real trees there! Here's a photo from my first visit to Sachs Harbour, on Banks Island, in May (!) of 1980 (and yes, that's the frozen ocean in the background):

Seriously, I'm glad you're enjoying the experience - so much different going as a tourist for a short time; mine were all work trips and often under hideous weather conditions so I have no overwhelming urge to return.

 

[Krapow]

12 minutes ago, maipenrai said:

Proper Arctic? Hell, they've still got real trees there! Here's a photo from my first visit to Sachs Harbour, on Banks Island, in May (!) of 1980 (and yes, that's the frozen ocean in the background):

Seriously, I'm glad you're enjoying the experience - so much different going as a tourist for a short time; mine were all work trips and often under hideous weather conditions so I have no overwhelming urge to return.

f**k sake there's hardly even any snow there, i'd be wearing shorts and a t-shirt  

By the way, is that a Polar bear hide in the background? 

[Golfingboy]

So fortunate to make it to another 1st of the month and a paltry donation from my government……bring in the whiskey whores and poker! 

[Golfingboy]

10 hours ago, galenkia said:

That’s what comes with being bipolar, it makes you very impulsive, you don’t think about things, you just do it.

I spent more time shopping for $20 cufflinks than the $300,000 shite built condo they got sent to

[Golfingboy]

12 hours ago, galenkia said:

Just booked an appointment with a pension advisor to look at drawing money from my pension. Fucking thing is losing money so I would rather just have it in the bank.

January 4th, so no need to hurry.

Jan gave me her bank cards and PIN numbers for her accounts. She is fucking minted lol, she already gave me £138k in cash and has loads more in her other accounts.

I don’t know what dividend yields are like for Euro market blue-chips Allan & how favourably they are taxed vs interest income……but as long as the company is a going concern, with a nice sum like you’re getting, you should be able to retire now or close to it if it’s somewhere cheap….When the stock price has a nice yearly gain, you take that and buy your Ducati….

Many banks here paying 6% and not taxed at all, and when they raise it, some people I know are getting 13-20% dividends compared to the purchase price years ago…..patience is a virtue which I never had. The stock rising is just gravy 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Golfingboy

[boydeste]

Gone fishing 🎣 

[boydeste]

[maipenrai]

7 hours ago, Krapow said:

^^^^^^^^^

@maipenrai is that anything like where you live?

Check this for Auroras -

 

No, this landscape looks more like the Northwest Territories - my home in the Yukon Territory is much more hilly and mountainous whereas most of the NWT is pretty flat like this. 

7 hours ago, Krapow said:

f**k sake there's hardly even any snow there, i'd be wearing shorts and a t-shirt  

By the way, is that a Polar bear hide in the background? 

You wouldn't be wearing your shorts and t-shirt for long, lol - there's a reason my co-worker is wearing his parka, even in May it's a cold wind blowing off that ice; and yes, that is a polar bear - the village had just finished getting their annual quota of same before we arrived and there were several hides hanging here and there. I bought one myself on one of my later trips and had it mounted but sold it again years ago. 

[boydeste]

Just had an awesome scrap with this big red tail cat.

 

[Lemondropkid]

Been investigating other language school options as a back up. Might pass on this one🤔

Edited December 1, 2023 by Lemondropkid

[Derek Dangleberries]

On 11/30/2023 at 12:52 PM, boydeste said:

and secondly it's good you are taking better care of it. Lol.

 

23 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

Not really free as you're paying 300B/year for ATM card access to your account.

I had to go to the bank today .......

5 hours .... 5 fucking hours I kept it safe, then sometime after 3pm I lost the fucking thing...In fact I lost the whole bloody card holder including my Kasikorn card and my passport copy ... A trip into town again next week to renew my Kasikorn card then ....

 

Am I the stupidest drunken idiot on this forum ...????

[forcebwithu]

4 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

I had to go to the bank today .......

5 hours .... 5 fucking hours I kept it safe, then sometime after 3pm I lost the fucking thing...In fact I lost the whole bloody card holder including my Kasikorn card and my passport copy ... A trip into town again next week to renew my Kasikorn card then ....

Am I the stupidest drunken idiot on this forum ...????

That sucks. Do you think they fell out of your pocket while sitting, a pickpocket got it, or you forgot to put it back in your pocket after paying for something?

I've lost my wallet to pickpockets twice, but that was in my early years here. What I learned from that experience is to keep my cards, and most of the cash I carry in a 2nd wallet (actually a zippered nylon case made for a small camera) that is kept in one pocket. A small amount of spending cash, and nothing else is in a wallet that goes into another pocket.

I wear cargo shorts with deep pockets that can be buttoned shut, so no danger of anything falling out accidently. And if it should happen a pickpocket has eyes on my wallet, all they see and go for is the one with a small amount of cash.

[Derek Dangleberries]

10 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

That sucks. Do you think they fell out of your pocket while sitting, a pickpocket got it, or you forgot to put it back in your pocket after paying for something?

I decided not to take my bag with me to the hospital (more on hearing tests/aids later when I have calmed down) so I was shuffling everything around my pockets as and when they were required. I have revisited the last 5 bars from last night (not hab) so no idea really ....

EDIT = 100 Baht for a replacement card BTW !

Edited December 1, 2023 by Derek Dangleberries

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

 

I had to go to the bank today .......

5 hours .... 5 fucking hours I kept it safe, then sometime after 3pm I lost the fucking thing...In fact I lost the whole bloody card holder including my Kasikorn card and my passport copy ... A trip into town again next week to renew my Kasikorn card then ....

 

Am I the stupidest drunken idiot on this forum ...????

What do they say about tempting fate? 😃

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

I wear cargo shorts with deep pockets that can be buttoned shut, so no danger of anything falling out accidently. And if it should happen a pickpocket has eyes on my wallet, all they see and go for is the one with a small amount of cash.

I don't carry a wallet at all. My shorts either velcro close or have a zip.

Money and copy passport, insurance details etc go into one pocket and cash is split between 2 others.

Main risk for a pick pocket is my phone which goes into a normal side pocket. I try to put my hand on it in a crowd or being approached by lady boys etc, but it is venerable!

[richy65]

2 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

 

I had to go to the bank today .......

5 hours .... 5 fucking hours I kept it safe, then sometime after 3pm I lost the fucking thing...In fact I lost the whole bloody card holder including my Kasikorn card and my passport copy ... A trip into town again next week to renew my Kasikorn card then ....

 

Am I the stupidest drunken idiot on this forum ...????

I lost my credit card on Soi Cowboy once, was in a right old panic!

I was lying on my bed after being attended to by my new friend while I was on the phone to Barclays 😆