Again Indonesia calls.

 

James and Tom this time, to check over the vast production for one of our customers and look at some exciting new samples and developments we have been working on.

 

48 hours before departure, James and I clamoring at the laptop trying to secure our favorite seats on the “big bird” A380; only to find that due to the current situation of elections and volcanoes that we had pick of the plane (only 150 seats taken from a 400 seat plane). WONDERFUL a four seat 1st class bed in economy!
 

All was well until James had decided to book the next two flights with ‘Lion Air’ I think he must have been thinking of his “Lion House” when he booked them. They are by no means “king of the skies” and make ‘Easy Jet’ look like ‘Qatar Airlines’ in comparison!

The flight and terminal were completely packed to the point that you could not walk in any direction, and I was expecting when boarding to be sat next to a bloke holding a chicken one side of me and a guy with a goat on his lap on the other!


But the landing was the cream of the cake as we came in so fast and steep that the plane actually bounced back into the air upon landing.
 

Finally, after our normal 27 hour door to door journey, we got to our accommodation where the normal jockeying for the room with the view happens; James immediately pulling rank due to age, (well they do say age before beauty). Just as well, as that night flames started licking out from the kitchenette extractor, only James' army training and quick thinking was he able to combat the flames with a damp sock. Next morning he was immediately upgraded and being brave I moved in, not needing a kitchen, but got my view.
 

We worked in the factories for a few days; normal stuff, deflated one minute finding specification changes and mix-ups in production and putting them right, and pure enlightenment the next when seeing finished prototypes and new exciting products for our retailers.
 

Saturday and another long day, but time to relax and spend the evening with friends at a local bar and onward to their house for a night cap (or two). It was after this that I decided to lean against a tree outside my apartment to discuss Sunday’s plans with James little knowing it was the M25 of giant ant world and munched upon accordingly.
 

Ah Sunday, a lie-in till 8.30, and after attending to last nights wounds met our friend Martin, a local furniture maker and owner of a wonderful wet bike, who took us around the coast and to “bird island”(feathered variety) then around the bay for lunch. On the way back, within minutees the weather changed, the skies turned black, and a tropical storm charged through; thunderous rain and gales whipping the sea into a frenzy. Now that's what you need to have real fun on a wet bike!

 

Later, we went for coffee, but the storm had stirred up the mozzies more than ever. Only the English could get away with standing neck deep in a swimming pool in the pouring rain drinking coffee...

That evening James came down heavily with a fever, and was checked out at the local hospital. It seems the mozzie attack could have been worse than first thought, but in true bulldog spirit was not going to stop him continuing on with our purpose here, albeit now equipped with a full Indonesian medical kit.
 

This did nothing to tame his sense of humour and in Semarang airport café asked if I was enjoying my coffee; “why yes” I replied “unusual taste though”. It was only then that he pointed to a poster of a monkey “and” I said, James replied “read closely”, oh nice one bruv, turns out it is made from the droppings of the Lewark monkey; always time to have one over your little brother even when he's feeling ill.

 

Our second flight was delayed, this was a big worry as we had only one hour between landing and our flight home on the “big bird” taking off for London; this was not helped by the fact we were seated the furthest back on the plane as possible. The other passengers were really understanding and parted in the tight walkway to let us pass to the front of the plane. Our hearts pounding at the thought of missing our connecting flight, only to be met by two charming girls holding a poster with our names on and an airport lounge car, “get on quick Mr James and Mr Tom”.

What a highlight flying through Singapore airport like something from Starsky and Hutch, blue light flashing and two girls shouting “out of the way” to pedestrians.
 

Full credit to Singapore airlines for making sure I was officially the last passenger to board the largest passenger plane in the world. Great big bonus, being the last passenger; I was able to walk straight to the only row of four seats unoccupied knowing full well that they had my name all over it, a few funny green eyed looks at the guy last to board, with the bed home.

 

Well another whirlwind trip to Asia wrapped up, good work done, sense of achievement at what we have managed to do in the factories in such a short space of time, and the longing to get back to wives and family and my two very young daughters.

 

Until the next time…

 

But first we have the Minerva show starting tomorrow and our new head office and showroom launch in the next few days.

 

You don't stand still for a second in the furniture business......