Sunday 22nd July
We gratefully accepted some small gifts – olive oil for me, Whisky for Mike and an apron with the statue of David (naked as a jaybird) on front for Andrew.
During the course of breakfast my mobile rang, although it being such an unusual event it took another guest to point it out to me. I missed the call, which was from Mike's brother Chris. Worrying, since we were shortly to depart for a holiday on his yacht! Calling him back worries were allayed. It was to give notification that he was now officially 'Grandpa Shea'. It took a few moments and a furrowed brow but then the penny dropped. His adn Susan's oldest son Marc, a mere babe in arms at our own wedding 29 years ago, and his Columbian wife Jenny were delivered of a baby daughter some time early that morning. Cheers!
We dash home to lock up, pack car
and head towards Edinburgh airport, arriving nice and early - depositing bags
for the first step to Gatwick where we will overnight. We spot Ali a couple of places ahead in the
bag drop queue and so we are united.
Some browsing but no suitable duty free for EU. Dash it.
Andrew is hungry so we take a seat in a Wetherspoons where he downs a
portion of Fish and Chips. Hollow legs
that one! We have purchased some sushi and a crayfish salad to consume on plane
or in Premier Inn Gatwick.
Plane was on time and off we set,
Ali having booked separately was at the back (his safety choice) whilst we were
mid plane and I bagged window seat. Our
hotel was located within the perimeters of the airport, just two minutes walk
from the arrivals exit but check in, two floors up, was heaving. Much of this because a whole party of 4, 5,
6, 8, 20 feel the need to hover by the desks rather than clear the way and
leave one person to do the bookings.
Human herding at its worst.
At least one of the parcels of
parts (for broken heat exchanger on boat) had been delivered and being light
and small was slipped into main bags before they were taken back across the
road and checked in for next morning’s early flight to Split. Mission accomplished.
The lifts to rooms provide an adventure of
their own. Somewhere on a sign inside the
lift door it tells you to flash your room key card in front of a sensor before
pressing required floor. If you don’t do
this it does not recognise the request.
Which is fine unless the panel with sensor and sign are obscured by
people and bags!!! Several trips up and
down 7 floors later...
Although we had requested 2 twin
rooms both were doubles so another trip to do battle in reception to request spare
linen for the couch bed. This was
easier than expected and delivered while we repaired to the bar.
Settled in we headed down to bar
for drink and Ali ordered a Pizza.
Something like one hour later none had appeared. Bit overstressed in the kitchen apparently because
of a full restaurant. So what happened
to a bit of communication to keep the customer informed? Or even stopping taking orders they could not
fulfil? Grrr. Anyway, an early night is called for; the
alarm set at 04:00. Aaargh.
Pleasantly surprised that despite being under flight path and next to major roads, nose disturbance was minimal.
Of course as is too often the
case, when morning timings are critical, sleep does not come easy or stay for
long. I was in the shower by 03:45. And
we were at the airport at 05:00. All
smooth apart from Mike forgetting his phone in breast pocket of shirt. He got frisked as punishment (ooh err Mrs).
No time for breakfast and all
venues already heaving. You have to
wonder what time those who got places arrived at the airport. No time either for duty free browsing as
flight was called much earlier than expected.
All good as we got off on time and had a really nice (fresh) crew and
chatty captain and first mate. Next
stop – Split, Croatia and the beautiful Oyster Yacht Magrathea and her crew.
***** *****
