Saturday 18th May 2013

You would have thought I would have learned by now. What, I hear you ask?

Well, I was about to climb on the plane back to Blighty, I looked at the sky, it was dull and overcast, so I thought I would not bother taking the camera with me, as I am seeing the same things flight after flight.

All was well, as we flew over the Channel, below was a complete blanket of cloud; I thought smugly, good decision, Ian. Then, as we approached the Essex coast, the clouds began to clear and I saw the familiar sight of Shoebreness, Southend and the Thames estuary. However, the plane banked left and so we flew over South London, I got fine views over to the City and the River again. We turned north and turned onto our final approach with a steep turn above London Bridge station, and looking to my right I looked at the top of The Shard about 500 feet away, and all the way down the skyscraper to the station below. It would have made a stunning shot, alas, my camera was in the hold.

Oh, well, never again, I will carry my camera at all times.

On the way to the airport, I went to another local church, St Darum, which I had spotted the other week. It was another finely carved and painted inside, and well worth a visit. The weather was fine, the clouds cleared for a few minutes. Having got my shots, I climbed back in the car and drove to the airport. As I did not have the golden ticket to get in the business lounge, so I sat downstairs in the arrivals hall and had a burger whilst reading my book.

I went through security and waited for the flight to be called. There was little to do other than people watch, with the usual eclectic mix of people waiting to get out of Denmark, so heading to the Med, others just going to London. I was happy enough going home.

As seems to be usual, there was an almighty queue at immigration at the airport, and I waited in line for 20 minutes to get through, grab my case, run through the arrivals hall, get to the DLR station, I had just under half an hour to get to Stratford to get the 19:17 train to Dover. Would I make it? I had to wait four minutes for the drain to arrive, then just sit there and hope we got to Stratford in time. At each station, the train seems to wait for ages before the doors closed, and we moved off to the next station.

We got to Stratford International: I looked at my watch, 19:17, maybe if I ran I could get the train. So, I ran, as best I can into the station, I saw a group of staff waiting at the turnstiles; Dover train I shouted. Oh, just missed it one said. Bugger.

So, there was little else to do that just make the most of the 35 minute wait, go to the coffee shop, grab an iced tea and try not to watch the second hand creep round the face of my watch. In a surprise move, I got a seat to Ashford, then changed at Ashford, with plenty of trains to watch coming and going, and Eurostars screaming by in the twilight heading to France.

And that was your working week...... Almost.