Until about 10 minutes ago it's been a dreary day. Just now the Sun has come out and made it look almost like summer outside. I am not holding my breath for it to be warmer. I will just wish.
I found myself thinking about Ireland a lot today. It's almost been a full year since we were there. Last year we left on Canada Day, July 1st, on a transcontinental trip to Dublin, Ireland. Interesting that we were leaving Canada on Canada Day on Philip's first Canada Day as a Canadian.
One thing that I've learned is that I will NEVER willingly go through Heathrow Airport again. If there is any other way I will avoid that airport like the plague. It didn't help that I was still smoking back then and that I had just flown 10 hrs without smoking. Then we get to the Airport and there isn't anywhere I can smoke. At least that I could find. So, we go through customs in a post 9/11 world. What a change! Could it be any more of a hassle? When I went to The Netherlands in 1999 it was relatively easy. In fact, I enjoyed my time at Heathrow. Last year though? No way. After customs, we had to walk through a labyrinth, take a bus to another city (no, in the same airport but it took forever), then run a marathon, then..guess what? GO THROUGH CUSTOMS again before we caught the 1 hour flight to Dublin.
Waiting to catch that plane was pleasant. That area of the airport was air conditioned on a very hot muggy day. The accents were lovely and calm and people were polite. Whereas, they were not very nice before that.
Once we got to Dublin, we had to go through Customs once again. Philip bypassed the long slow lines as he is a citizen but we had to wait behind some Eastern European folks that after about half an hour of questioning may not have been granted access to the country. Then there were their friends in the line just ahead of us and it happened again. Okay, you get the picture. I was absolutely bat shit crazy by then.
Luckily, after Philip had breezed through the line he had picked up the luggage and found his brother Luke and sister-in-law Veronica.
I was finally able to light up and return to my sunshiney self.
Maybe that's it. Maybe I just have to light up a cigarette and I won't be so grumpy anymore.
NOT
First comment! Woot!
ReplyDeleteYeah, customs clearance is a real bear in the post-9/11 world. Perhaps a direct flight next time you're crossing the pond.
Funny story time: a friend of mine flew to Australia a few years ago. When he got to the customs line, the officer asked him the standard questions. When he came to the one, "Do you have a criminal record," my friend replied, "Why? Is one still required?"
I suspect that he would have run into trouble if he hadn't been an Anglican bishop wearing his clerical shirt and collar.
Anyway, good for you for resisting the temptation to light up a ciggie. Perhaps you might have a special brownie instead.
Wow! Quite the experience! Next time, you won't be craving that cig so much, so IF you go through Heathrow, it'll be a tiny but less harrowing. LOL! Hope the sunshine helped your tum feel better.
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