If seemed an inopportune time for the front door knob to come off on the inside as I opened the front door, particular as there were ma y more trips needed across the driveway to the Parish Office before I left. However I managed to fix it (had to exit through the back door and push the remnant of the handle back through the door). Note to self: advise my housekeeper not to yank it too hand. [Denise if you are reading this, the screwdriver is near the front door.]
I had earlier delivered Duchess to Jill’s so I had to spendthrift last night alone. Poor dog wouldn’t have understood a 4am start anyway.
My driver arrived very punctually and we set off to the airport at 4.50am. Who knew such a time existed?
All the check-in things went well until the security screening when I learnt that hosties get priority and we had to wait whilst a crew from an unknown airline pushed in front of us and, one by one (not all at once) put their many bags and their jackets through security. Boring. I just wanted to get to breakfast in the Cathay lounge. And what a petit lounge it was but there was food and somewhere to sit, so that made finding it worthwhile.
I had a very comfortable trip to Hong Kong but we had to stay in a holding pattern for ten minutes and then when the place got to the gate, there was no one to meet us, so we had to wait ages on the plane before someone came to operate the airbridge so we could disembark. Consequently my 50 minute transit time became 15 and it seemed ever unlikely that I would make my connection. So many hurdles to go through to get the connection. You have to go through the security check again, this time amount mainland locals drinking from thermoses and carrying fishing rods. Then at the gate I had to show them my hotel booking in New York – some new Trumpian requirement.
Of course I was majorly late for my connecting flight but they held the plane for me for 20 minutes after the departure time – the power of seat 1A!
Father M 