After a long long time, i put myself to a test of not sleeping for an entire 26 hours and i was going gaga. It started the night before at about 8pm where i was drove to the Beirut airport, preparing myself to check in and to fly to Algeria.
I was taking the Air Algeria flight and was told scary stories of how departing on time is rare for the airline. So when i sat at the terminal 30 minutes after what was written in my itinerary, i almost gave up hope. But then lucky me that the flight was only delayed for 30 minutes and we all board happily. Throughout the flight, i tried hard to force myself to sleep but cant. So at the end i ended up not catching any nap during the flight and was at Algers at 2am in the morning.
Algers airport is big and nice, to my surprise. The only thing that i did not anticipate was it was dead and deserted, everything is closed! To my horror, since Algeria prohibits the removing of Dinar outside the country, and since the money changer was closed, even when i have US Dollar with me, the only coffee shop that was still operating in the hour could not sell me anything at all. And i was having a 6 hours transit at the airport! So there i was, alone, with all my luggages, without Dinar, and could not even get myself a good cup of coffee or even water.Sitting at the deserted airport, thirsty and at the same time having the urge to go to the washroom but couldnt because of the luggages, i thought i have turned into a Zombie. I cant recall how i have spent the 6 hours. I think i read a book where half way through it my brain was not functining anymore and only my eyes were reading the lines but my brain wasnt comprehensing them. I was on my ipod too but as time went, the music began to sound nothing to me. I remember looking at the coffee and was wishing over it. Of course out of boredom i also snapped some pictures.
Then when the counter opened for check in, i realised i was in the wrong terminal. I was in the international terminal still! Darn me for being a fool to think that Algeria has only one terminal. Anyway i hurried to the domestic terminal to get myself checked in and then waiting again at the gate for the next 2 hours plus hoping to board the flight soon. By then i almost dropped death! Of course the flight was delayed again. Since they speak no English in Algers and i dont do French or Arabic as well, i thought i might be left there while the plane jets off! Thank goodness to some nice fellow who knows English, some of them will translate for me whenever there is an announcement coming. By the time i boarded to plane, all i could think of is one more stop to go and i could sleep in a bed.
The domestic airport from Algers to Oran is similiar to our LCCT. Slight differences are that all passangers will be tranfer to the plan via a bus where LCCT encourages we to walk and walk a long way. Due to recent terrisom attacks globally, Algers airport also take the liberty to have all passangers to identify thier luggages again before they board, and passengers will have to carry the luggages to the work crew for them to load into the plan. Image me carrying luggages that weighted 36kg! My poor arms!
Finally reaching Oran, the first thing i did was to get myself a bottle of water and Coffee at the same time! Never ever water tasted as good after the 8 hours drough! By the time i reached home in Oran, it was already 24 hours from my last nap, and couldnt bothered to freshen up or change. All i wanted was the bed.
Ahhh.........what a sweet 3 hours nap!
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