Friday, January 15, 2010

A senior moment.



Back from London to be met by two very happy and enthusiastic boyz. From the back flips and pirouettes you'd think I'd been away for a month not a day. The two of them have now positioned themselves in the kitchen and are trying to shame me into giving them a biscuit with their ' how could you leave us?' routine.

What should have been a simple 24 hour return trip turned into a travelling nightmare. Heathrow was closed by snow for much of Thursday so the first flight of the day from London into Toulouse simply didn't arrive. Thankfully,there was a substitute British Airways aircraft that had been stranded in France overnight and we were all loaded onto that. With two loads of passengers it became very,very full which was just as well as it was very,very cold having been parked on the sub-zero apron for twelve hours. Goodness me! How the French passengers gave loud and sustained expression to their joy at discovering that there was a total lack of catering on board . The captain hoped we would get away with a two or three hours weather delay but what no one had counted on was the decision by the French air traffic controllers to chose this particular moment go on strike . We eventually got a take off slot at three and arrived into London in pitch darkness to be met by a lack of buses to deplane us. The atmosphere had turned distinctly revolutionary by the time the steps were wheeled up. So much for getting into town for lunch!

Up at four this morning to head off in a cab to the airport for the first flight back. Twenty years ago I used to be able to bounce on and off planes all day,every day with the nonchalance and vigour of youth. These days I'm ready for a nap by the time I've responded to the whimsical charms of the gauleiters at the security gate.





9 comments:

  1. Well you know, now that I am an old chap, and also prone to senior moments, I do find that the best thing is to stay a home, nice and warm by the fire...
    Cheers, H.
    PS From Gail: Heathrow is EVIL!

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  2. I don't consider myself old, but I'm tired just reading about your whole debacle! Yikes!

    At least the boyz were happy to see you when you got back!

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  3. Hamish - You are quite right. Travel is vastly over rated - better to curl up for a wee nap. Yes, Heathrow is evil. The word brisque fails to do justice to the wonderful experience.

    Houndstooth - From the look of some of the 20 year olds ahead of me in the security line I wasn't the only one feeling jaded!

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  4. Remember when air travel was — dare I say? — glamourous and one used to dress up for a flight? I have many memories of my Dad putting on a coat and tie for a Sunday evening flight to some business destination. And Mom and I changing into nice dresses to take or pick him up from the airport.

    I swear I don't need to cross a timezone to get jetlagged these days. I now tend to suffer from vertical jetlag if a flight is longer than an hour!

    Petey, on the other hand, is the best air passenger ever. I whine more than he does! He curls up in his Sherpa bag and there is never a peep, just a Jack-in-the-box departure from his bag to go through Security, tail a-wagging. Wish he could earn airmiles...

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  5. Sounds as if you need a wee dram (glad to see you're draping France in tartan!)

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  6. I am eternally grateful that my occupation does not require air travel. The only flights I take are the ones whisking me to a holiday, and fortunately, those seem to always perform efficiently.

    Edward and Apple are over enthusiastic greeters. Whether I've been gone a week or five minutes. It's really quite lovely.

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  7. Petey - if we had to go to an airport with Wilf and Digby sanity and reason would be the first victims.

    WW - a WEE dram?

    Max - Something no self respecting dog (or owner) should know about!

    PT&E - Wild rejoicing must be a PON thing.

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  8. I have not been on a plane for a long time - I don't mind plane travel but hate to leave my pack for very long. Case in point - I took a dog from Silverwalk in Cape Girardeau, MO to Memphis, TN to catch her ride to a new rescue in ME. I was gone 8 hours - I have 15 dogs at home; I could not move for a bit after coming in the door and letting everyone out - literally caught in a mahlstrom of barking dogs all wanting to be petted at the same time. Puts a smile on your face, doesn't it? Glad you are back safe and sound, roundly welcomed by greedy beasts.

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