Stupid travel agent of doom...

I got to Madrid airport all ready to check in to come home. I queue up. I get to the check in desk. The man scratches his head in a perturbed fashion. When did I book the flight he asks? What is my booking reference? These are questions one doesn't normally get asked at an Easyjet desk.

I fish out my reference, and only then notice that the date of my return flight was Wednesday. Today is Thursday. I curse the travel agent that booked my flights using a vast array of swear words. I then think I did ought to just check my emails that I asked them to book the right day before I get toooooo cross with them. I boot up my computer, and go back to cursing the travel agent.

As my laptop takes 3 years to boot I'd in the meantime gone to the sales desk to buy a ticket for today. "Oh dear" says the man, "today's flight is full..."

They won't know if there's a no show until the check in desk closes in 40 minutes, and being Easyjet there's no standby list to get your name on. I also phone to the (retarded) travel agent and see how else I can get from Madrid to Manchester at 5pm on a Thursday evening.

The check in for the Liverpool flight closes and (apparently) everyone turned up. But there is a flight to Gatwick leaving in 40 minutes and I can buy a seat on that. I check that I can get on the BA Gatwick - Manchester shuttle, and buy my new ticket, which being a last minute Easyjet purchase is about the same cost as a flight to the moon.

I go to check in, and there is a group 4 of irate people wanting to know why there wasn't an announcement that the Liverpool flight check in was closing as they were in the line. Grrr I think - thieving Esayjet and their lying ways of doom - why couldn't I have had one of their seats?

So, I get through security etc, the flight is due to leave in 15 mins. The incoming flight is yet to arrive so we've no plane. I start to panic as I have a relatively short connection in Gatwick, especially as my bag isn't checked right through and I have to change terminal... We eventually depart for Gatwick an hour late. Marvellous I think, I'll be in an airport hotel for the night.

As it happens we made up a lot of time on the flight, and my bag is one of the first off, so I get checked in for the next flight with enough time to grab some dinner, and keep one eye on the screen for my gate number. That's weird I think - we are due to take off in 30 mins and still no gate... Hmmm. Eventually a notice comes up - delayed by 90 mins. Nice.

Again we make up some time on the flight. The pilot announces this as we get to the gate at Manchester in a very chuffed fashion. Then 2 mins later announces that any time we gained we will now lose as they can't find steps to fit the plane...

It's only taken 10 hours to get home. I'm really looking forward to my trip to Barcelona next week. (Although I have already double checked I'm booked on the right flights!)