Arrival

The sun rose to my right this morning. The sunrise from eight miles up is not terribly dramatic; the horizon turns into a red-orange line and then to yellow-gold, and finally, green-blue. The sun then appears.

I was able to see it because I was awake. Grrr!

I don’t sleep well on planes. Even though I was in a half-empty plane, it was not possible for me to get to sleep. I tried for a couple hours and then gave-up and read. But, getting through passport control and customs was a breeze.

I got off the plane behind what looked like a garage rock band. (All of them wearing cliché black tee-shirts and dark glasses and carrying guitar cases.) Once the passage way opened to a point I could walk at a normal pace, I passed them. As I did, I heard one of them say (and yes, they were Americans) "I guess he is in more of a hurry than the rest of us."

I made no comment though there was plenty I could have said: "In which issue of The Michelin Guide did you find sauntering through Gatwick arrivals listed?" or "No, it's just uncomfortable to shuffle along at that pace." or even "Apparently so!"

My response was to just ignore it and keep walking at a pace that kept me passing people right and left. I was glad that I did because I was fifth in line when I arrived at passport control. The rockers were, when they entered the queue, about six stanchions over. I never saw them again. My bags were on the carousel when I was waived through and the whole process took me less then half an hour.

I've now schlepped my bags to my room in The Villa and am getting a quick bite before heading into the office. It will be a short day. I'm knackered!

I hope wherever you are, you're able to breeze through your day today!

Don Bergquist - 06 December 2006 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK