Bad end, to a good week

The week started off well. We delayed our return to Gran Canaria to stay and help Animal with their product launch. Mainly our job was to model the clothes which was a terrifying prospect, especially when you know Timo is in the audience waiting to take the piss. Turned out pretty good though, and was actually really fun. Plus we met all the UK sales guys and international importers. Unfortunately it all went wrong when we tried to leave. We were flying from Gatwick which was closed all week. Luckily it opened 24 hours before we were due to take off and following a very early 2am start, plus a nice smooth check in with 10 bags, we boarded the plane and set off for the Canaries. Nayra even commented how easy it had all been..... That was when it all went wrong. An hour into the flight, the pilot announced that the Spanish air traffic controllers had gone on strike and we had to return to the UK. So after 2.5 hours of travelling we arrived back where we had started at Gatwick. Initially they told us we would be getting off the plane, then as we taxied off the runway they told us the strike was off and we could fly again in 1 hour. 1.5 hours later having been stuck on the plane, they then announced the strike was back on and we had to finally go back into the airport. So we eventually disembarked the plane at Gatwick, at almost the same time as we should have been getting off in Gran Canaria. We were then told to wait until the afternoon for announcement which when it finally came, was the bad news that the flight was cancelled and we had to collect our bags. That meant the 10 bags we had smoothly checked in, now had to be dragged back out again! Back on the wrong side of check in, we were told to come back tomorrow afternoon for the flight.... only problem was what to do with the 10 bags. So after another few hours trying to sort that out we eventually had to pay £64 to leave most of them in left luggage, before trying to find a hotel. Even that went wrong as the taxi the hotel ordered never came, and the new taxi we paid for took us to the wrong hotel.... Eventually however we got a room and could lie down, 20 hours after waking up and a lot out of pocket! Now today we have to do the whole thing again, but hopefully this time we make it!