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CAMERON'S FULL EXPLANATION OF LATVIA NIGHTMARE. |
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Sun 6 Sep 2009
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Jenni |
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No one could be more upset about the outcome then I and no one worked harder then myself and my Family-Friends to try and get me to the meeting on time.
This has been a financial, physical and mental nightmare.
I would like to make a huge apology to the Stal Rzeszow Club and Fans for not being at the most important meeting of the season so far.
No one could be more upset about the outcome then I and no one worked harder then myself and my Family-Friends to try and get to the meeting on time.
The following is how my nightmare went;
I set off for the meeting Saturday 1pm from Gatwick to make sure I had plenty of time if things went wrong. But as we all no everything went wrong.
As I got on the flight I sat my passport down on a seat to allow free hands to put my bag in the overhead storage space. As I had finished a lady further down was struggling so I lent a hand placing here luggage overhead.
I left my passport on someone else's seat. I sat down in my seat and started reading a book. My passport was picked up by a fellow traveller and handed to an airhostess. The hostess assumed it was from the last flight. Not asking anyone if they were missing their passport over the PA system or looking through the onboard traveller list, she give it to ground staff at Gatwick on departure. I didn't realise it was missing until I grabbed my bag and check for it.
I reported it missing on the aeroplane and it was there she admitted to me she had left it in Gatwick.
On landing I then was taken to the passport control were they sat me down and told me I was going no-where.
I rang Darick our team manager immediately to tell him of my situation and he just said get out we need you. He did ring me several times with suggestions but he was the only contact I had with the club.
I rang my mother who drove to Gatwick and found my passport was with Immigration who had written to my Website to inform me they had it in their control and offered to help me in anyway to return it to me. When my mother informed them where I was and what had happened they made contact immediately with Latvia Passport control who refused to listen to the English Immigration. They offered to Fax, Email all the info and copies they wanted to allow me entry for the Race meeting but they wouldn't listen. They even advised them I had Motel booking etc in Riga and a return ticket booked for Monday but they refused to listen. They also refused to let me fly home to get passport and come back. I then tried to fly a friend from England to Latvia with my passport but Latvia have a law that doesn't allow people to book flights from the UK to Latvia in under 7 days. My friend could make it on RyanAir from Stansted to Riga and we were going to hire a car and make the meeting by 3pm. But we couldn't. The very helpful staff at Gatwick then made contact with Ryanair management in Stansted asking for the Passport to be flown over on their flight but they said no sorry due to security. We tried every avenue but the Latvian man in Passport Control was definite that I was not going anywhere.
I was locked in the airport in departure at midnight to sleep on the tiled floor with no food or water until 11am the following day.
I was told by the Latvian Passport Control that all flights on Sunday out of Latvia were booked out and I could not leave without my passport-my mother booked me a flight on the internet at midnight with the airlines help to get me home! They eventually and reluctantly gave me a seat allocation and I left Latvia feeling very ill.
I was met at Gatwick by two Airport-Immigration representatives and given my passport immediately. I cannot thank them enough for there efforts to help myself and my mother.
I believe it wasn’t my own fault for missing the Daugvipils Meeting. I did my best to get to the meeting but one hostess's mistake of not checking onboard passenger list and the Latvian law caused my absent.
I once again apologise for not making the meeting in Daugvipils and wish the team the best of luck in getting the points we need to take on Tarnow.
Thankyou to the club for giving me the opportunities and meetings I have had this year. I have enjoyed the meetings I have competed in.
Thankyou Cameron
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