Page 14 w The Top
A View From
Welcome to my monthly column “A view from the top”. Hopefully you will find my rambling readable (maybe even enjoyable). You may agree or you may disagree with my views, I care not. These are my views long held and forged over a life time of work, travel and experience. Now that’s over let’s have a look at what is really winding me up.
Into the eye of the storm. Just back from a trip back to blighty to visit friends and family. All went well as we set off for the short ride to Alicante Airport to board my flight to Gatwick. Having already done the on line check-in and with only a small cabin bag I sauntered through security and into the cavern that is Alicante departures. On checking the departures board I saw that my flight gate had been called and I set off to the specified gate. That's handy I thought to myself everything is running on time
...arrived at the gate and was immediately aware that either I was flying to Cardiff or was at the wrong gate. After being accused of queue jumping by an elderly Welsh gentleman and his entourage, it turned out that it was the Welsh who were in the wrong queue. Honour satisfied, I then spent another hour and a half waiting in a queue to board an aircraft that had not even arrived at the airport. No information was forthcoming and as the queue seethed and jostled... the true British capacity to stand in line came to the fore. It was a nice flight, eventually, to Gatwick and then came the several mile trek from aircraft to the chaos that is Gatwick border control. Waiting in the queue to approach passport checking I was instructed by a young chap to proceed to eye scanning as it appeared my passport has an eye scan logo and therefore I would be speedily allowed into the country of my birth in a "blink of my eye". Several attempts to pass through the automatic gate resulted in several sharp exchanges of words between myself and the passport stazi...eventually I was instructed to leave the automatic gate (in fact I was ordered) and proceed to a manned control where I was given several minutes of silent treatment until at last I was allowed to enter Britannia. Slightly annoyed I thought well at least the worst is behind me.... that of course was until I arrived at Gatwick train station to attempt to buy a ticket for my onward journey to Southwick (just outside Brighton). Now as Southwick is a small local station it is not shown on the automatic ticket machines that line the concourse of Gatwick train station.
QF Focus Magazine
These machines are emboldened with the sign "please use these machines to save time". They (the machines) are touch screen operated
...there the trouble begins as the touch screens are filthy to the extent that antiseptic hand wash should be used after you attempt to use them. They are so dirty that the screens do not respond when touched
...several more minutes wasted I found machine number four would work and a ticket was purchased for my onward journey. Again I thought what else could go wrong! Southwick and Brighton was lovely and my visit to daughter and other half was wonderful. Onward to spend a few days on Hayling Island (Hampshire) with a mate and his partner. Hayling island has a particular beauty as it is lashed by winter winds. A walk along the beach is an invigorating experience and is most enjoyable due to the fact that almost everyone who passes another person says "Good morning"
...all very civilised. After a few lovely days on Hayling my mate dropped me at Havant (Hampshire) station for me to catch the train to Southampton airport in time to catch my flight to Manchester so I could visit my eldest son and his family. Is everything OK? my mate asked as he turned to leave me at the station
...no problem says I ... I will call you. Ticket purchased I waited and waited for my train
...after sometime the station announcer declared that my train had been delayed for an undeclared time due to passengers fighting on the train...oh no thought I what next! Very soon the next announcement arrived in the form of "South West Trains are sorry to announce that due to an unexploded bomb being found in Portsmouth harbour, trains are cancelled for an unspecified time". Don't mention the war
...do not mention the war, was my thought as I pondered my next move. All was suddenly OK as the train arrived and I was off to Southampton airport....
Then along came
Doris. Now like most people, I understand that for convenience
and however like speed
flying is the preferred mode
of transport.... most
people, once on board I cannot wait
for the
plane to land.... What I did not count on was that storm Doris would arrive just as I was flying to Manchester.... All in all the flight was OK even as the pilot informed us, the terrified passengers, that we were outrunning Doris as we flew into Manchester. One step ahead of Doris I arrived to the safe care of my grandchildren. 'Oh dear grandad' said Yvie, 'you do look blown', and blown I was. Now back home in Spain with Spring having arrived and the sun shining, my travels are behind me.... roll on my next trip.
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