Compliments of William we made it to T1 Heathrow in one piece, and then the panic set in once again. I had tried to check in online but the system would not let me so it was back into a queue, waiting for bags to be weighed by a little man with a clipboard, then to get our tickets from a machine which scanned the passports - and eventually to the BMIBABY desk to get our suitcase away onto the plane. By this stage the clock was ticking and I thought we were going to be late - so on to security , where, having kept my boots on the metal detector must have picked up on the buckles, so it was back to the smelly socks and the boots went through the scanner again. But the folks must do their job and do it properly.
Short walk through the quiet terminal and we stopped for a coffee at "Costa Coffee", where it was the usual airport rip off charges, but a reasonable cuppa. Excellent views of the runway and as you see a big JAL Jet arrived from Japan , no doubt full to the brim with camera toting tourists ready to capture our every site.
Called to the plane, and once aboard it took 15 minutes to taxi out to the take off poit with was at the furthest away point from where we were. Take off was from beside the new T5 where they have a Concorde parked outside. We were sitting near the back and this time unfortunate enough to be landed beside six "young males" whose language throughout the flight was appalling and one in particular was obviously not present when basic social graces were being handed out. He just kept on opening his big mouth and talking a load of utter drivel all the way home.
Anyway , it was a spotless plane again, good flight, and we came in over Soutra Isle wind farm; Tranent, and then westwards along the River Forth into Edinburgh Airport. There were super views of The Bass Rock, May Isle, and the Inchcolme Priory.
Graham was waiting for us, but called to say he was still in The Mercat, so just as I was going back into orbit he appeared from his hiding place.
Home, bits of mail to read and some catching up on the computer - very nice E mail from Carol Summors now living in Wales, daughter of the Late George Summors, my former Sergeant at Penicuik and Dalkeith. It was good to hear from her as we have not seen her or her sister Karen for years. George was a well known piper and pipe band adjudicator who in his heyday flew all over the World to judge the many major pipe band championships. His brother Norman, who was the former Pipe major of the Woolmet Pipe band collapsed and went into a coma when playing at a football match and never ever came out the coma before dying in hospital. I once took some French visitors ( Antoine and Francoise from L'Isle Sur La Sorgue) over to Danderhall Miners Club to watch them practice and they were playing the Dark Isle, the hairs on my neck were standing on end.
Enough for tonight.
Short walk through the quiet terminal and we stopped for a coffee at "Costa Coffee", where it was the usual airport rip off charges, but a reasonable cuppa. Excellent views of the runway and as you see a big JAL Jet arrived from Japan , no doubt full to the brim with camera toting tourists ready to capture our every site.
Called to the plane, and once aboard it took 15 minutes to taxi out to the take off poit with was at the furthest away point from where we were. Take off was from beside the new T5 where they have a Concorde parked outside. We were sitting near the back and this time unfortunate enough to be landed beside six "young males" whose language throughout the flight was appalling and one in particular was obviously not present when basic social graces were being handed out. He just kept on opening his big mouth and talking a load of utter drivel all the way home.
Anyway , it was a spotless plane again, good flight, and we came in over Soutra Isle wind farm; Tranent, and then westwards along the River Forth into Edinburgh Airport. There were super views of The Bass Rock, May Isle, and the Inchcolme Priory.
Graham was waiting for us, but called to say he was still in The Mercat, so just as I was going back into orbit he appeared from his hiding place.
Home, bits of mail to read and some catching up on the computer - very nice E mail from Carol Summors now living in Wales, daughter of the Late George Summors, my former Sergeant at Penicuik and Dalkeith. It was good to hear from her as we have not seen her or her sister Karen for years. George was a well known piper and pipe band adjudicator who in his heyday flew all over the World to judge the many major pipe band championships. His brother Norman, who was the former Pipe major of the Woolmet Pipe band collapsed and went into a coma when playing at a football match and never ever came out the coma before dying in hospital. I once took some French visitors ( Antoine and Francoise from L'Isle Sur La Sorgue) over to Danderhall Miners Club to watch them practice and they were playing the Dark Isle, the hairs on my neck were standing on end.
Enough for tonight.
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