Unrude awakening, too many flights, too little sleep

I awoke to banging on my door that felt like banging on my head. I shouted something at the noise and heard the response "I'mma don't speak Chinese!". It took me a full 20 seconds to realise where I was and that this was the Italian bloke Stefano waking me up. And not a moment too soon. It was 9.20am and I had said we'd take the 9am shuttle. Well sod that. I told him I'd be 20 minutes and grabbed a shower and did a quick pack. I stopped to breathe and realised that although I thought he was pretty dim, I did owe him a favour for waking me up after four hours sleep. I dread to think what would have happened otherwise.

I grabbed a few glasses of water from the bar, but no breakfast, as I checked out, and we got the 10am shuttle for our 12.15pm flight. Apparently he was on the same flight but had a connection to Rome instead of London. As soon as I had checked in my suitcase I went through security and found a lounge, and felt a little rude not waiting for him. It was busy in the lounge but I grabbed some stuff to recompense for no breakfast, before going to the gate, as usual one of the last people.

I was right at the back, which I don't like as it exacerbates turbulence to my mind. But after a glass or two I did manage a couple of hours shuteye, thanks mainly to the awful film "Insurgent". After that I managed to stay awake for the infinitely better film "American Hustle", and nearly managed to get back to sleep after that except I started to have a hangover from last night's whisky episode that will not be repeated.

I contacted Mat from Frankfurt, or Hamburg, wherever I was, and arranged to meet somewhere in London in a bit. Luckily the flight left and arrived early, though I had little interest in boozing now. But that didn't apply to Mat. I took the underground rather than Heathrow Express as in my experience it's actually quicker. No waiting for a train from T4 to Ts 1,2,3, only to wait another 15 mins for a train that takes 15 mins to get to Paddington, from where it takes another 20 mins to get to Charing Cross. I got to meet Mat at Charing Cross soon after 10pm and we managed to get the 22.22 to Lee.

I didn't think I'd make it to Lee such was my fatigue, but knew I couldn't let down Mat. Plus, during the journey Awl changed his mind and decided to come around. So we got vodka and whisky, but I managed only two cans of Carlsberg 3.8% in four hours, almost China style, before falling upstairs to bed at 2.30am after a good chat, leaving Mat and Awl for heaven knows how much longer. Shattered.