Easter Monday and I'm waiting patently for flight V109 coming in from New Deli.
It's
always tricky timing your arrival at any airport trying to estimate how
long it will take for custom clearance and the time it takes to pick up
baggage. Most busy airports have to allow for stacking the incoming
planes and another delay but you would hate to be late to meet who ever
is flying in so you err on the side of extra time rather than not be
there when they walk through.
The parking went well, I was close to the bridge that carries pedestrians over the busy road and emerged not more than 20yds from Arrivals.
Usually Heathrow is a frenetic place with people rushing around like stressed, headless chickens.
In Departures there is the anticipation of a long, often uncomfortable flight, (gone the days when you searched for your cabin to settle down to a three week voyage). The strain of saying goodby and remaining stoic whilst knowing your relationship may never be the same again as perhaps a family member goes off to make a new life on the other side of the world. In Arrivals on the other hand, there is the happy anticipation of a reunion as people scan the incoming passengers for friend or family (not I hasten to add exclusive). There is the tension burst when the friend is seen and they rush forward to hug and welcome them back. How was the flight, are you tired, shall we eat.
Airports tend to reflect the country they are in despite the attempt to internationalise them. Some like Heathrow are usually frenetic and a bit jaded others like The ones in the Emirates are a huge sprawling concourse build on the open desert, space no problem.
Johannesburg is quite modern but in an African way as the posh shops compete with the 'hustlers' selling a ride into town or the must have local sim card. It's a mixture of a need to trade to exist, the entrepreneurial energy to make a sale against the iconic top end goods that a man or a women with a few bob in their pocket might need.
The Indian subcontinent struggles with the disparity between the cultural and social clash when East meets West. The heat and the disconnect between offering a service and scoring an advantage is always present in this land of the ragged but alert entrepreneur. A land of massive disparity. A huge democracy where nothing gets done to meet the needs of the electorate and the bribe is the only route to 'quick service'.
Sydney is at its interrogatory best as it scours the luggage for bugs. The laconic, semi friendly semi "your in Aussie now mate and I'm King here" official wants to know what's in that package? People outside in Arrivals fretting, "will they let him in" and, armed with a rule book as large as an encyclopaedia the official face of Australia scrutinises every incomer.
Today Heathrow was at its best, not snowed under with business traffic, the Arrival hall is polished and clean, the shops and the passenger service providers are alert and willing, the mechanism which drives this place has everything under control and, for a change I'm quite proud to be British !!
The parking went well, I was close to the bridge that carries pedestrians over the busy road and emerged not more than 20yds from Arrivals.
Usually Heathrow is a frenetic place with people rushing around like stressed, headless chickens.
In Departures there is the anticipation of a long, often uncomfortable flight, (gone the days when you searched for your cabin to settle down to a three week voyage). The strain of saying goodby and remaining stoic whilst knowing your relationship may never be the same again as perhaps a family member goes off to make a new life on the other side of the world. In Arrivals on the other hand, there is the happy anticipation of a reunion as people scan the incoming passengers for friend or family (not I hasten to add exclusive). There is the tension burst when the friend is seen and they rush forward to hug and welcome them back. How was the flight, are you tired, shall we eat.
Airports tend to reflect the country they are in despite the attempt to internationalise them. Some like Heathrow are usually frenetic and a bit jaded others like The ones in the Emirates are a huge sprawling concourse build on the open desert, space no problem.
Johannesburg is quite modern but in an African way as the posh shops compete with the 'hustlers' selling a ride into town or the must have local sim card. It's a mixture of a need to trade to exist, the entrepreneurial energy to make a sale against the iconic top end goods that a man or a women with a few bob in their pocket might need.
The Indian subcontinent struggles with the disparity between the cultural and social clash when East meets West. The heat and the disconnect between offering a service and scoring an advantage is always present in this land of the ragged but alert entrepreneur. A land of massive disparity. A huge democracy where nothing gets done to meet the needs of the electorate and the bribe is the only route to 'quick service'.
Sydney is at its interrogatory best as it scours the luggage for bugs. The laconic, semi friendly semi "your in Aussie now mate and I'm King here" official wants to know what's in that package? People outside in Arrivals fretting, "will they let him in" and, armed with a rule book as large as an encyclopaedia the official face of Australia scrutinises every incomer.
Today Heathrow was at its best, not snowed under with business traffic, the Arrival hall is polished and clean, the shops and the passenger service providers are alert and willing, the mechanism which drives this place has everything under control and, for a change I'm quite proud to be British !!
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