Wednesday 8th August 2018

I was awake at half four, half three UK time, waiting for dawn to arrive. My phone was connected to the laptop, charging, on the other side of the room, so I guess it was getting near to getting up time.

I get up and switch the computer one, and once my poor red eyes had adjusted tot eh bright light, I saw it was nearly five, and indeed, outside the clear sky was already getting brighter.

So, I mess around online, shower and get dressed, so I am ready to go to breakfast dead on the stroke of half six, taking the lift down and filling up on fruit, yoghurt and a nutella filled roll. And coffee. I have a whole pot to myself, because I do.

Back upstairs to pack, one last check of the room, and tome to go. Checking out in lobby and then call the waiting taxi over for the short run to the Hauptbahnhof. He says it is already 31 degrees, but there is a change in the weather coming, which will be nice. Still hot though.

I get out at the station, go through to the S Bahn platforms and buy a ticket, then walk down to the platform where a train for the airport was due in two minutes.

Still hot.

Hotter on the train.

But better once it starts moving.

At the airport it is all undercover and fully air conditioned, so I can quickly go up to departures, flash by electronic boarding pass, go through security and am on my way down to the international gates all before half seven, some three hours before my flight, but then I like to be early and not be stressed.

I even get the airport wifi to work, and so can rattle of a few mails as I wait.

And wait.

I sit where I can watch planes take off and landing, then taxi to the terminal, and then the normally unseen army of crew get to work, turning round the aircraft so tha it can leave with new passengers half an hour or so later.

By the time the planes arrives from London, there is little space around the gate, but once we are allowed to board, the flight is less than full, especially near the bqack where I have three seats to myself, so I stretch out and sleep for an hour once we had taken off.

I look out of the window and see the Essex coast passing below us, or inbetween the white clouds.

We circle once, then turn to swoop low along the river, just to the south of Tower Bridge and The City. I am taking pictures all the time.

Shots of Westminster, Buckingham Palace before we are lower over west London, and on final approach.

We are down, and back in England, and once allowed off, I quick march as fast as my fat little legs can carry me to immigration, through baggage reclaim, where I have nothing to collect, out into the arrivals hall and down to the parking garage, a lift to the 4th floor, I flash my preferred membership card at the Avis desk, they hand be keys to a Ford Focus, and I am on the road a couple of minutes later.

It was all going well. Too well. Because as soon as I was on the M25, I am stuck in traffic, and so crawl along for two hours until I get into Kent.

But once in Kent, I can put my foot down, have the radio on and enjoy the final part of the trip.

Back home just after three, and once inside I realise how tired I am, I had already been up for 12 hours. So, I do what all Brits do, make a brew, have a sarnie and review the shots I had taken over the past few days.

One by one the cats come in, Molly last, now with her right eye closed and is also timid. But she is pleased to see me, and climbs on my lap for a cuddle, and after a while I carry her into the kitchen for her dinner.

We have warmed up home made pasta left from last week, defrosted anyway. I also make easy garlic bread with the leftover cornbread, which altogether is rather wonderful, and better for being home with Jools.