Packed everything, made sure it was all neatly done and all into four bags. Checked in online for the flight. Checked out hotel, left luggage and headed over to Manhattan on the ferry. Caught bus to Skylight Diner. Had a very late breakfast or early lunch. We didn't have much planned, just killing time. The one thing we needed to do was go to Abracadabra Superstore. Ann had researched that they sold stage make up that the Ermington Players use but much cheaper than you can get it in the UK.
We left the diner and used the subway to get there. Found shop. They no longer stock it. Bugger.
Next went for a walk along the Highline Park. It is the park up on the old elevated metro line that we quickly visited the other day. Walked along a short section. Saw this mural.
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| Pretty Cool |
Walked into terminal. Saw biggest queue in the world to check baggage in. Got in line. Still had fair bit of time until flight left. Occasionally BA man would walk around asking for specific flights as they needed to beat the queue in order to make the flight. Thought he'll probably say ours in a minute. Queued for a while. Eventually said to another man 'Our flight is in forty minutes are we going to be called through'. Told him flight number. He said 'Oh that flight is already closed.' He said they had been calling out our flight number for ages to make sure anybody who needed to could check luggage in. I said we have been queuing up for ages, not once have we heard our flight number. Had long argument with him. He was not interested. Bearing in mind it was still forty minutes until it left the terminal and we had been there queueing, not like we turned up late at that moment, I felt it was a bit unhelpful.
Upshot was we had missed our flight. Feared the worst. Had to go to ticket desk to see if we could get on another flight. My language at this point my not have been the best of the Queen's English. Next two flights were full. Third one had space. He booked us on. Said very loudly to Ann 'Now we have to go and get in that bloody queue again, starting all the way at the back'. Man said 'Its ok, go and check in at the Club World desk, tell them I sent you. There were four people in that queue. Bit shorter.
A BA woman came over and asked if we were in the right queue. We explained, she said I just thought it would be quicker for you to use the First Class desk. Off we went. Checked our baggage at First Class. Shame we didn't get upgraded.
Next issue was when we would land at Heathrow. We had train booked at 9.35am. originally that would have given us three hours from landing to get to Reading. Unfortunately we were unlikely to get back.
Flight was fine, only about six hours.
Landed at 8.30am. Thought there may be a glimmer of hope of getting to Reading on time. Only glimmer as passport control is always very busy. Plane took ages to get to gate. Got off. Legged it to passport control. Empty. Got straight through. Ran to baggage conveyer. It was 8.55am. Forty minutes to train. Bus journey takes about 35mins. Still glimmer. Stood waiting at baggage conveyer for what seemed like an eternity before ours plopped out. By this time it was now 9.10am. Glimmer over. Got on bus that left Heathrow at 9.15am. Arrived Reading 9.55am. Twenty minutes after our First Class seats had left. No choice but to buy slum class on next train. Phoned mum to tell her the change of time and destination.
Good news was the discovery the Everton had beaten United.
Managed to fight scum off to get two decent unbooked seats next to each other. Sat on train. Went all the way to Plymouth. Got off. Found mum and car.
Got in.
Home finally.
Relieved.
Unpacked everything, try to file it all away neatly whilst trying to stay awake. Put new fridge magnets on the fridge.
Ann is now asleep. I have been up for 33 hours. Tired.
Last blog finished.
Bedtime.
Glad you got home in the end! Make sure you don't let the annoyance of the last day taint what looks to have been an amazing trip! I feel some kind of photofest coming on for this weekend!
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