She went and bought some this afternoon. That's the problem with not having a rep available, they don't know about these things. My sister's a panicker. She will have assumed the only solution was to buy them, so she did. I assume they can claim it back off their insurance anyway..?

They still haven't been contacted, which is annoying. I'm to call back after 17.00 unless I hear otherwise. It's pretty slack of Cosmos all round IMO.

Oh and further news, Mum & Laura aren't talking. Apparently Gary wound Laura up and in turn she then tried to wind Mum up. What that could refer to is anyone's guess. Still, she hasn't moaned about Dad yet, so it sounds like he's off the hook for this holiday.

I'm so glad I'm not there.
I'm so glad I'm not there.
I'm so glad I'm not there.

take your pick from here

Can't they get a train?

Well ... trains would have to go through France and then through the Channel Tunnel. The train operators are warning people not to come to the Tunnel expecting to be able to get a train: they're all booked up. They've closed the ticket offices and are suggesting people book seats online...but not to expect to be able to book anything immediate.

Eyjafjallajökull! This is going to upset someone's balance of cap-and-trade.

Same with the ferries - they're fully booked for foot passengers until at least Monday.

Poor Shel. :p:

Kidding, I kid!

The latest news is that the suspension of flights in English/Welsh airspace is extended until 0700 tomorrow (Saturday).
There is some easing of the situation in Scotland however.

Latest BBC report.

STILL no contact from the travel company directly to my parents in resort.
Brits - do not book any holidays via Cosmos. They are completely useless in an emergency. This situation is not their fault. They cannot provide flights at present and they cannot provide information on flights. I understand that.

But the Duty Office assured me that someone would call my parents today. The Emergency Helpline ALSO assured me that my parents would hear from someone from either the Flight Team or the Area Manager today. Nothing. Not a peep. Nearly 48 hours and they've basically felt they were stranded in a foreign country.

If I haven't been here and compos mentis enough to make phone calls on their behalf they would not know that they are entitled to stay at the hotel. The hotel informed them this morning that they have to pay for their rooms and the cost would be 800 euros a night. That's more than they paid for their 5 day break!

I'm calling Cosmos again tomorrow.
I know my family are in no physical danger. As far as natural disasters go, this does not even rate. But I'm pissed off that Cosmos are doing nothing to help or reassure their customers in resort.

Argh. This might end up being my Dr Kenneth Siegel thread.

Fuck Cosmos.

Sorry to hear that SG. I know you are worried. Hang in there. Good thoughts your way.

Huge wads of tickets were snapped up by French and Spanish ticket touts (scalpers U.S ?) so as usual someone's making money.

Our much talked about extra EXTRA spectacular sunsets really were a flop but partly because all of our sunsets here are always pretty wild and I'll post a pic soon as I find my camera.. Duh.

And Marks and Spencer are officially out of green beans from Kenya, and South African grapes, as are Tescos also plus all their fresh flowers from East Africa. Bring on the spirit of the blitz, we can take it!

The 'rents (et al) are on their way home.
Thomas Cook (another travel company with tourists at the same hotel) started bussing their people home two days ago. Cosmos - spit on their name - didn't start til today at 14.00 CET. The first contact Mum has had from them since this all started on Thursday. Rubbish.

Anyway, they are going from Benidorm to Salou, to Barcelona and then to Calais. They are apparently going as foot passengers and being met at Dover to be decanted onto separate coaches for their airport destinations. The journey is expected to be anything from 24-36 hours. Niiiiiiiiice.

Apparently my sis is very unhappy about having to go by coach. Yet she's the one who's been kicking off the most about getting back. TBH she has a job and her children need to get to school, but it turns out that "home at any cost" does not include travelling across Europe by coach. She should get over herself - she's the only member of my immediate family who's never had to do it in order to afford a holiday.

I'm more worried about Dad; he's 70 in two weeks with bad circulation. Still, at least he can sleep for England - Mum will be say bolt upright with her eyes open the whole way, worrying about everyone and everything, or at least kept awake by Dad's snoring :)

Anyway, they're on their way back.
I'm so glad I didn't go.
I know I've said that before, but I really am.
I'd have been tempted to wallop my sis if half the things Mum says are true... Aye, there's the rub. Mum doesn't necessarily mean to lie. But having stumbled across things she's said or written about me, I know she doesn't always let the truth, or good intentions, get in the way of a good moan.

Thorough house cleaning again tomorrow.
Second time in a week! It's a record!

TAIL POST:

Hi, I haven't been following this story too closely, but aren't these no-fly zones obvioulsy just the result of the huge ƒucking UFO that was sited recently? Link to Pete Zicato's thread here. They're telling us there is a "cloud of volcanic gas" ...riiight.

I agree. My brother was all "it was a meteor." Surrrrrrrrrrrre, that's what they're telling us. How long did it take to get their stories straight? Or is that in the Alien Denier Handbook: it's ALWAYS meteors.

*snort*

I know you said that before, and I'd certainly agree with you, but the comment caught me off guard in this post. :lol: