Dilmun Loung e Sri lankan Air Lines

Pra compensar os possiveis aborrecimentos com o nosso voo da Sri Lankan Airlines ( o mais barato que nos encontramos), a nossa familia resolveu se meter numa luxuosa ( e carissima) sala de esperas no aeroporto.
Aqui voce nao precisa ser VIP ( very important person), voce simplesmente COMPRA o privilegio de ir parar na sala VIP. Muito mais facil.
Pois nos achamos que mereciamos o paparico depois de termos sido destratados por sermos pacientes particulares no hospital que engessou o pe quebrado da Lia ontem.Nao sabe nada sobre isso? DA uma lida aqui
Jeca visitando sala VIP e aquela coisa ne...
Primeiro eu nem sabia o que esperar. Uns jornais, revistas, internet de gratis ( depois de vc pagar uma fortuna pra estar la), um suquinho, uma aguinha...


To offset the possible hassles we may encounter with our Sri Lankan Airlines flight (the cheapest we found), our family decided to go to a luxurious (and expensive) lounge at the Bahrain Airport.

Here you do not need to be a VIP (very important person), you simply BUY the privilege of ending up in the VIP room. Much easier.
Because we thought we deserved some pampering, after having been insulted for being private patients at the hospital that took care of Lia's broken foot yesterday. You don't  know anything about it?  Read here
First I did not know what to expect. Some newspapers, magazines, free internet (after you pay a fortune to be in that room), juice, water ...

 

Imagine a minha surpresa quando eu descobri que tinha buffet com sopa, saladas, sanduiches, quibes, rolinho primavera e varias outras guloseimas alem de um bar com sucos frescos variados, e todo tipo de alcool que voce possa imaginar. Na sala VIP do aeroporto num pais muculmano. Ne?
Comi uma saladinha, tomei champagne por que eu sou deslumbrada chic, e muita agua com gas, pra nao apanhar da ressaca logo na chegada do hotel no Sri Lanka.
Depois de ter sido chiquerrima e me controlado no buffet, caminhei graciosamente para a maquina de cafe e fiz um super cappuccino espumante ( se tudo der errado na minha vida, posso ser barista). De repente, uma forca maior tomou conta de mim, nao sei o que aconteceu, meus dedinos se abriram e a xicara se espatifou no chao.
Ah... os holofotes da fama me perseguem! Mas quando eu pedi pra chamar a atencao toda vez que eu entrasse num lugar, eu nao pedi pra ser tao desastrada que a atencao ia ser sempre por que eu tinha quebrado alguma coisa. Entenderam tudo errado.
Antes de eu conseguir falar puta-que-o-pariu, alguem limpou os cacos do chao e eu pude fazer outro super cappuccino. Delicioso por sinal!
Fiquei arrasada quando soube que eu poderia ter tomado banho no banheiro chiqueterrimo do salao VIP. Com aqueles chuveirinhos que massageiam o seu corpo todo. E poderia ter usado o sabonete perfumaderrimo de grapefruit rosa, seguido do crème da mesma marca e perfume. Nao tive tempo pro banho e para as toalhas felpudas. Mas lavei a mao pelo menos tres vezes, so pra descontar o azar do nao-banho.
Quando deu a hora do nosso embarque, tive que ser arrastada pra fora do saguao VIP. Por mim, ficaria ali mesmo os 8 dias de ferias ( tomando banho no chuveiro massageador).
Do nada surgiu um funcionario ( nao sei se do aeroporto ou da Cia Aerea) pra empurrar a cadeira de rodas da Lia. Nao contei: A Lili esta doida para “investir”numa cadeira de rodas propria. Anda ate treinando para participar dos jogos olimpicos para deficientes fisicos...
Furamos as filas- vergonha das vergonhas - e fomos levados para um cantinho de espera longe de todos os outros passageiros. Sera que as pessoas acham que a gente ta com sarampo?


Imagine my surprise when I discovered there was a full on buffet with soups, salads, sandwiches, meatballs, spring rolls and various other goodies besides a bar with a variety of fresh juices, and all kinds of alcohol that you can imagine. In the VIP lounge of an airport in a Muslim country. Don't forget THAT.
I ate a salad, I had champagne because I am greedy sofisticated, and a lot of sparkling water , to avoid a hungover on arrival.
After attacking, enjoying the  buffet, I gracefully walked towards the coffee machine and made myslef a super frothy cappuccino (if everything goes wrong in my life, I can be a barista). Suddenly, a force majeure took over me, I do not know what happened, my hand opened and the cup shattered on the floor.
Ah ... the spotlight haunt me! But when I asked to be the centre of attention everywhere I went, I was not calling for catastrophe every time I did something in a new place. Someone got it all wrong.
Before I could say fucking-cow-in the desert, someone cleared the debris from the floor and I could calmly make myself another super cappuccino. It was delicious by the way!
I was devastated when I learned I could also have taken a shower in the VIP lounge. With those showera that massage your whole body. I could have used the  pink grapefruit shower gel, followed by the crème of the same brand and scent. I bet they also had the shampoo. As luck would have it, I did not have time for the bath and fluffy towels. But I made sure I washed my hands at least three times. And used the pink grapefruit stuff.
Whenthe time of our departure came, I had to be dragged out of the VIP lounge. For me, there would great to just stay there all our 8 day vacation (enjoying the darn shower).
Out of nowhere came a man in uniform (I do not know if  he works for the airport or Airline) to push Lia's wheelchair . Did I mention Lili is eager to "invest" in a wheelchair of her own .She is even training to participate in theOlympic Games for handicapped ...
We jumped all queues - shame of all shames - and were taken to a corner away from all the waiting passengers. Probably people misunderstood us and  think we are infected with measles?

Na hora do embarque, o nosso ajudante super fofo nos levou para um caminhaozinho com elevador, que nos transportou pela pista do aeroporto e depois nos catapultou para dentro do aviao, por uma porta secreta destinada a deficientes ( e pelo jeito familias de deficientes e adolescentes com o pe quebrado).
So depois dessa odisseia eu entendi por que o pessoal do check in estava tao preocupado por nos nao termos pedido a cadeira de rodas para a Lia na chegada no Sri lanka.
Eles falavam e repetiam que a gente tinha que ter avisado com antecedencia. Mas ela acabou de quebrar o pe, a gente nao sabia ( sera que eles foram treinados pelo Hospital Alemao? Naon sabe da historia? Leia aqui)

Entramos pela porta lateral do aviao ( oposta aquela que nos sempre usamos) e assim que todo mundo estava a bordo, a Lia foi imediatamente acomodada numa fileira de assentos vazia, a aeromoca trouxe travesseiros para ela ficar com a patinha levantada e cobertor para ela nao passar frio.
Vc se lembra que nos estavamos um tanto preocupados com o atendimento de bordo da Sri lankan airlines? Pois foi tudo perfeito. Desde o embarque, passando pelo cuidado dos comissarios, ate o capricho do menu e a delicia da comida.
Sri lankan Airways? Eu recomendo... ( mas nao use o banheiro - como 90% dos passageiros eram homens e o banheiro estava impossivel de ser usado, cheguei a conclusao que o "passarinho" do sri Lanko vem com um motorzinho giratorio. Juro. Tinha xixi no chao, nas paredes, na tampa do vaso, e pelo que eu vi ate no espelho...)
Nos eramos os unicos “ brancos”do voo todo. Com tantos turistas visitando o Sri lanka, fomos parar num aviao 100% local. Otimo pra gente ir se acostumando...

When the aircraft arrived, our super efficient helper took us to a truck equipped with a wheelchair lift.We were drove around in this futuristic truck and then catapulted straight into the plane, through a secret door designed for the handicapped (and obviously for families of disabled and/or teenagers with a broken foot).

Only after this odyssey I understood why the check-in staff were so worried we haven't requested wheelchair support for Lia on arrival in Sri Lanka.
They mentioned and repeated a hundred times that they had to be warned in advance, to organise help. It was hard for me to understand how difficult could it be to get a darn wheelchair...and  she just broke her foot a day ago, how could I let them know in advance? (were they trained by the German Hospital? You don't know the story? Read here)
We got onboard through a secret side door of the plane (opposite to the one we always use) and when everyone was on board, Lia was immediately accommodated in a row of empty seats, the flight attendant brought pillows to keep her ​​foot up and blankets so she would not get cold.
Do you remember  we were somewhat concerned about the service on board the Sri lankan airlines? Nothing to worry there, because everything was perfect. From boarding, through the flight attendants care, up to the gorgeous menu and the delicious food.
Sri lankan Airways? I recommend ... (But do not use the bathroom - as 90% of the passengers were male and the bathroom was impossible to use, it was so filthy,I came to the conclusion that the "Sri Lankan penis " comes equipped with a  little engine that rotates the "equipment.Ï swear. There was pee on the floor, walls, on the toilet seat, and from what I saw up there was some in the mirror too ...)
We were the only "white people" in that aircraft. With so many tourists visiting Sri Lanka, we ended up in a plane 100% filled by locals. Great opportunity for us to get used to it ...