Airport

Saturday continued and JR and I flee the V&A, jump a cab and make our way to theatre land's Drury Lane and 'War Horse.'  Since JR told me she had tickets for us, I have avoided, on purpose, the story, yes, I know it's a famous book and film but I have avoided, I didn't want to spoil the theatrical experience when I was 'this' close.  I didn't know any of the actors but they were all brilliant.  The set was amazing, the depiction, so poetic and fitting, elegantly and respectfully portrayed.  I kept thinking of my Grandad who was in France in WWI, at the same time as the setting of the play, you can't help but imagine.  I had been warned to have tissues at the ready but apart from one scene, were I almost wobbled, I was good.  A brilliant performance, I really need to see the film now or read the book.

H&M had to flee from the theatre as soon as possible to get home for an evening out, JR and I wandered leisurely around a bustling Covent Garden in the rain then headed for 'Byrons' on Wellington Street for a burger to die for.  I am very picky with my burgers, this was perfection.

Sunday was a leisurely walk, a swift one I should say before the weather changed, followed by a coffee, followed by lunch at the Churchillian pub with H&M, it was lovely, after being cold for hours, I sat next to a roaring log fire, it was gorgeous.  Great friends, great meal, great pub.

M and JR deposited me at the airport, H stays at home to hopefully have a snooze after a busy few days.  I'm in the airport, checked in and I'm now sitting at the bar, I've never sat at the bar here before but my usual table is taken and I don't like anywhere else that I can see.  At the bar, I sit on one stool, have my bag on the stool next to me and my carry on parked on the opposite side, next to the next stool.  A man is immediately behind me playing on the, I don't know what it's called, some kind of game which flashes lights and makes noises?  He is there when I park myself and he is still there when I leave, over an hour later.

So I've just ordered my second Pinot Grigio and soda after my flight was delayed, the Asian waitress brings over my drink and I pay her for the drink, plus £1 tip.  Her huge smile is instantly lit, you would think I'd tipped £100, not £1, 'I'll put the lottery on!'  I think I just made her day.  So I'm sitting at the bar, not too uncomfortably, flipping through my US Elle magazine with SJP on the cover, when a rugged, handsome and extremely well built man waiting for his flight to his next job, (I got that from the phone call, I wasn't listening in exactly but couldn't help overhearing.)  I offer him the stool with my bag on for him to use for his stuff, I decided I was being greedy commandeering three bar stools at the same time. 

Handsome man is some kind of carpenter, joiner, builder, from what I can gather, after lengthy phone call, he gets out his iPad, I continue flipping through Elle, call me old fashioned but I love print, I love the sound of pages flipping, the smell of ink, the irony is not wasted on me as I type.

Handsome man and I are now sharing a bar stool, lady from airport approaches both of us and asks us to complete a survey as, my, our flight is delayed.  'Mind completing a survey, sir?  Madam?'  I quickly decide this is a rouse, surveys are quickly handed out to delayed passengers to ask questions about their delay, when in actual fact, the time it takes to complete said survey actually fills some of the time you're delayed... clever huh? 

We're delayed about an hour but flight is eventually called and we take a bus to a runway.  Last to board the bus is a woman with a tiny baby in a buggy.  It's standing room only,  I have my arm looped around a pole to steady myself, woman locks on the brakes and holds on to a pole herself.  A couple of minutes later and we leave the bus and step onto a windy and rainy runway.  I've asked woman if she needs a hand with one of the two enormous baby bags she is toting but she says she is okay and instantly a female airline person arrives to assist.

Everyone slowly makes their way to the steps of the plane in a pretty orderly fashion, I'm next to board when airline person asks me if I can wait until she carries baby on board and then gets back off.  I don't mind at all and so a few minutes later, after standing in gale force winds and rain, I board. I'm in my 3C when 3D approaches and I get up to let him in.  I accidental brush my arm against 3D's arm, 'sorry,' 'no worries' says 3D.  Why is he pretending to be a lovely Australian? He's not Australian and only Australian's are allowed to use 'no worries.'  Pretend Aussie gets out his iPad, does everyone in the world have an iPad?  He's looking at manuals for light aircraft, airport performance and accident ratio.  Is he kidding me?  Why doesn't he just watch 'Final Destination' and be done with it?