Friday 10th October 2014

Thursday.

As I have remarked in the past, the world looks a far better and more agreeable place after a decent night's sleep. Even more so when the sleep amounts to something close to ten hours. Of course, waking up at dawn, it would have been easy to spring out of bed with all the joys of spring. Therefore I laid in bed for at least another half hour, thinking about getting up, but deciding that laying be bed, waiting for dawn to creep round the edge of the curtains.

I get up, shower, get dressed, and pack before heading down to check out and have breakfast. And just when you think the Danish chef could not cook the bacon to be any crispier, he surpasses himself in making it so crispy, merely touching another rasher makes it shatter into dozens of pieces. Despite looking like a broken bacon mirror, it tastes fine in a fresh roll and with a cup of what the hotel likes to think of as coffee.

I drive to work in the peak of rush hour and so finds that a five minute drive now takes twenty, but then I don't have to check in, and so arrive at ten past eight and head straight for the coffee machine for more caffeine, YAY! Somehow infused with the spirit of productive work, I fill the day with writing e mails and generally being productive, which means that by half one I can switch the computer off and head to the airport heading out of the city and down the motorway in the light traffic and enjoying the bright sunshine in the car. I drop the car off, check in and am given a ticket of the business loubge, though still not sure if this is due to me having joined and qualified for the frequent flyers scheme, or it is just luck with the ticket booked.

Whatever the reason, I have free beer and snacks, and am able to catch up on my magazine reading, have another coffee before heading to the gate to get on the flight. Theusual suspects are at the gate, I nod to those I know and wait, patiently, laughing at those who crowd round when the gate opens knowing that we all have reserved seating and the flight cannot take off without us. I am last one, and the fligth attendant flashes a smile of recognition and asks how I am as I take my seat, next to last row right at the back next to the kitchen and toilet.

We are late taking off, and then take two hours to make our way to blighty, the head wind being so strong. As we are on fonal approach, the sun sets in the west, and the rain falls steadily onto the windows of the plane. The late evening rush is still on as we skim over the roofs of East London. I realise I am going to miss the ten past seven train, so I relax and wait until everyone else files off. I collect my bag, and use the new e scan passpoert control thing, thus jumping the queue, and am on my way to the DLR station.

At Stratford I have 25 minutes to wait, so I people watch, especially the guy trying to persuade the staff to let him pas the barrier without paying. They don't. It is time to head onto the platform ready for the train to Ashford, now checking the scores of the England game as they take on the might of San Marino. And so passes the trip to Ashord, when I can get a signal, and again on the slow train to Dover, arriving back at Priory ten minutes before time with England finally 5-0 up.

Almost another week over with and the weekend just around the corner.