Attention Passengers...

Snow. Isn't it wonderful? So pretty. So serene. So annoying!

I should be in Helsinki, Finland right now visiting a friend. I should have arrived there on Friday evening and be leaving to go back home tomorrow evening. Unfortunately, I am still in England. I made it as far as the plane...

Arrived at the airport at 4.30am. Went through security at just after 5am. Boarded the plane at just after 6am. Then... nothing. Everyone was sitting in their seats, the air hostess where bringing round drinks and biscuits, but the plane wasn't moving.

After 30 minutes there's an announcement from the pilot informing us there's a problem at Amsterdam airport (I'm taking a connecting flight via Asmterdam) due to snow. We have to sit on the plane for another hour. So we're all twiddling our thumbs. Eventually the hour passes. Only another announcement informs us we have to wait for another 30 minutes.

So after 30 minutes there's another announcement. Only I can't quite hear it. But everyone on the plane groans. I'm thinking; 'uhoh, this can't be good.'

I ask the woman sitting behind me what was just said - she informs me that in 10 minutes we're going to disembark the plane because for the next 3 hours it doesn't look like the snow is going to lift.

It's now a little after 8am. I'm fed up. And really, really wanting to get to Helsinki.

I go for a (non-alcoholic) drink in a bar and stand outside smoking. (Yes, this is after security - it's awesome, there's an outside smoking area past security!)

A woman comes up to me and asks me something. I don't hear her - too much background noise. She asks me something again, and again I don't hear her. She's getting frustrated and looks at me like I'm stupid. Asks me a question again. I tell her that I'm sorry, but I'm deaf and I can't hear her. She mumbles something and leaves.

I then wander around the shops for about an hour. Eventually I find myself at the information desk, but there's no one there. Get chatting to a guy that was on my flight. He offers for me to sit with him and his friends, as I'm there alone. I gladly take him up on his offer.

We all sit and chat for a bit, then suddenly everyone gets up. I ask what's going on. Turns out there had just been an announcement that the plane to Amsterdam is boarding again, which I hadn't heard. I'm thinking - it's a good thing this guy had offered for me to sit with them, as I hadn't heard the announcement and would have just been wondering aimlessly around the shops.

It's now almost 10am. We're sitting on the plane. Another 30 minutes goes by. Another announcement - more delays. We'll update you in an hour.

I manage to nap for a bit. When I woke up it was about 11.20. Still no news. Then there's another announcement, which again, I don't quite catch. So I ask an air hostess what's going on - she informs me that Amsterdam airport has closed due to snow. I'm having to lip-read what she's saying as there's so much noise from the other passengers that I can't hear anything.

So 20 minutes later we're all disembarking again and waiting for our luggage. That takes quite a while.

Finally, at 12.30 I have my luggage, my Dad has arrived to pick me up, and I'm heading back home.

Not the way I had envisioned spending 8 hours of my time on a Friday morning!

Deaf Girl