The Worst Journey in the WorldAspley Cherry Garrard was the youngest member of the Scott Polar Expedition when he and two others lost their tent to the winds of a night-time snowstorm. They spent hours in temperatures below -70°F stumbling about the ice floes hoping they'd bump into it as it was their only hope of survival.
OK, so that was bad, but we reckon you've had worse. We know how hard you lot are.
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chthonic, Thu 7 Sep 2006, 12:40)
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BrazilWhilst in Brazil with my mate Debs on a working* holiday, we had a large number of plane trips. Virtually all were fine: on time, clean and punctual. I suppose when a country is so fucking vast it could fit mainland US in it 1.5 times, then you need to rely on planes.
When we were in Manaus (a really, really odd city, but that's another story) we were due to catch a flight with TAM (Brazil equivalent of BMI I suppose) to Salvador. On arrival at the airport, we noticed a large number of police and other vehicles with flashing red lights on the roof. Knowing that security can be a bit tight, we thought nothing more of it. We went to check in, to be told "your flight will be delayed by a couple of hours. There has been an incident just outside the airport." OK, we think, and make ourselves comfortable in the airport bar. At this stage we notice:
1: there are very few people here.
2: everyone seems a bit subdued.
3: there is a bit of a bushfire near the airport.
We assume that the fire is causing the delays. I am aware that landing planes in smoke is a bad thing, so we order some more cheap Skol.
About an hour later, the smoke clears and we board our aircraft. On a 737, there were about 20 of us.
It is at this stage that we are told the fire is due to the fact that a TAM aircraft had crashed on arrival at Manaus and killed everyone on board. Fucksocks. Still, never mind. We're here now, so let's get on with it.
Anyway, flights in Brazil are like buses, and land at every small town to pick up passangers. We're happy, as this means more outings for the drinkie trolley, and we top ourselves off.
On arrival to Sao Luis (one of our stops) the weather decides that a thunderstorm would be in order. As we approach on finals, a downdraft drops the aircraft about 50 foot in ten seconds. At this stage, the oxygen masks drop and I hear shouted Brazilian from the cockpit, which I assume meant "brace." I decided to start praying instead. We then made a perfect landing in Sao Luis. I got off the aircraft and started kissing the tarmac.
We completed the journey by coarch.
*drinking and smoking weed
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Undercovercarrot got done for gross misconduct on..., Sun 10 Sep 2006, 22:46,
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