18 May 2013

European Vacation One - Red Stewardesses


At the airport. It’s about 30 minutes before boarding. I’ve loved airports since I was child. They are glamorous. People are going far away. To exotic locales. No one is flying to Cleveland. They’re going to Tahiti or Paris or Buenos Aires. I used to get dressed up when I flew before I realized that comfort was more important on a long flight as evidenced by the causal attire of most of my fellow passengers. I love going anywhere that requires a passport and now I have two. One U.S. and the other a European Union passport which I have as a consequence of my Finnish citizenship.

Went through security which is a bit of bother. When I was 19 and had shoulder length hair I got a thorough searching at Heathrow in London. I must have looked like a drug mule or someone stupid enough to be carrying a bag of dope. I was always variously smart enough or lucky enough to never get busted despite all manner of chicanery on my part.

Having gotten to the last checkpoint I was searched. The young man had looked at my passport and made a bad attempt to pronounce my last name. However he finished by saying “kiitos palio,” to which I replied “ole hyvaa.” The Finnish thanks very much and your welcome, respectively.

SItting here watching the stewardesses for my flight walk by. There is a constant and very loud and very annoying intercom announcement for some guy named Lee offered in two languages both of which seem to be the official language of Gibberish Island although I think one is supposed to be English.

My god the stewardesses keep coming. It’s Virgin Atlantic and none of them are. Okay that’s a cheap shot. They’re pretty young women in bright red suits and way too much make up. Living in Berkeley and working in San Francisco I don’t see a lot of make up. My wife and older daughter both eschew it and young daughter is adroit at using it in moderation. Likewise the cat.

The wife is taking a walk something that’ll be a bit difficult once we take off. This trip is our 25th wedding anniversary gift to one another. That occasion was actually last June so we’re a better late than never 11 months behind. Oh for the love of god Mr. Lee is being paged again. 

Twenty minutes until boarding. I’m going to try avoid watching an in flight movie. The screens are like matchbooks. I’ve got a book of course and sleep would be a good idea. We arrive in London at 2:00 pm tomorrow local time. Was watching the rain in London earlier today live on the telly as I took in Arsenal (my favorite soccer team) beat Wigan 4-1. Wish I was there for the match despite the rain. 

Okay put away laptop. Hard to write when Mr. Lee is forever and constantly being paged. Oh and here’s the wife....

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