THE JOYS OF FLIGHT!! (Out of date order … sorry!)
I don’t think I’ve ever sat on such hard aeroplane seats before. 25 hours total flying made even the (provided) undersized cushion next to useless. And I was glad I had decided on my thick jersey plus polo neck as travelling attire because the (also provided) see-through blanket didn’t raise the temperature by much.
But the very best thing DID occur - Karen G had let me know that her grandson, Corey, was on the same flight with his mum. They were en route to Copenhagen. I did accost a wrong, “qualifying” lad at Christchurch airport, but after we landed in Singapore (with a 5 hour - for me - and 6 hour (for them) layover) who should be standing at the end of my row, but Kelly and Corey. So we (well, at least I did) had a lovely 4+ hours together exploring the overground train and a couple of other terminals, and the disappointing butterfly house, a coffee bar plus three or four different toilets. It’s something I never would have done alone - and it was so good to see what a lovely young man Corey is turning into. And best of all, they saw me to my next departure room before they went to find theirs and the whole experience was great.
Another 13 hours later I, with attractively puffy feet and ankles, the plane and I landed in London and I was met by Steph and Ray’s son Richard plus his wife, Sarah, who brought me back to Ray’s. Sarah got my UK phone card in preparation for my arrival, but sadly we haven’t found a suitable 2nd phone to put it in, so tomorrow we will go and check out the local Vodafone shop and look for a suitably cheap phone for while I am here.
SO MEANWHILE, DONT USE THE UK PHONE NUMBER (see an earlier blog) - but I have managed to log into Ray’s internet - so WhatsApp and emails are still suitable. I’ll update this as soon as possible.
However, all that falls into insignificance after checking whether (Godsons - Les and Philly’s No 4 and 5 sons - Sam and Will and partners, had arrived safely - as anticipated, 40 minutes after my arrival at Heathrow. Unfortunately, their travel has been held up after Mr Trump sought retribution in the Middle East yesterday - hopefully they’ll get here soon. I’ll try to enclose a couple of photos tomorrow but now aged 79, at 12.17 am and after only a couple of hours of sleep since arriving, I’m thinking perhaps it isn’t the time to be trying that sort of brilliance.
P.S. I’d forgotten how hot and stingy flight endured puffy feet are. There will NOT be a photo of the evidence.