Finland - Espoo

My trip started well, it didnt rain when I walked to the bus stop, the bus arrived after 30 sec wait and I got a seat! Mind you, not so difficult at 06.00. Managed to get to Wimbledon in under 10 min and when I got to the station the District Line train was there ready and waiting. Same thing happened when I got to Earl's Court and had to change to Piccadilly Line train which arrived as I was dragging my suit case along the underground platform.

Got to Heathrow terminal 3 in good time and thought this is going well. Wrong! The checking in system was shambles as a very large group(40 or something!) of Japanese tourists tried to get checked in at the Finnair desk with just one translator. Normally the process takes 5 min tops and that includes waiting in a queque, but not this time. 25 min and few deep sighs later I got my turn and my checking in happened in 1 min 32 sec (yes I timed it

I left the hoardes of Japanese behind me and headed to the security checks which I cleared in most agreable time of 10 min, including standing in the queque. Straight to Duty Free shop to purchase my favorite fraquarance Tommy Girl and few large Toblerones.

Then I headed to the bar and thought 08.40 is acceptable time to have a drink as it must be 12.00 somewhere in the world. I ordered half a cider and a croissant and sat on a table with this chap who was on his way to Dallas to see his grand daughter. We chatted until he got up to go to his gate and I buried my head in a book about espionage called The Manhunt by James Barrington.

Boarding happened on time and in orderly fashion. But would you believe it...I was seated in the middle of the Japanese hoardes....Then Captain Ari announced that because of congestion in Helsinki airport we would have to postpone our take off for a half an hour but assured that he would get us there faster in 2 hours 20 min, which he did I am happy to report!


Finally we took off and the drinks service started and I enjoyed a nice airplane size bottle of red vino and cranked up my MP3 player and rest of the flight was quiet and relaxing as the Japanese are well behaved and not loud like some other people from that corner of the world.

Heavy met me at the airport with a can of ice cold Lonkero and we proceeded to have fun and dinner at Mrs Mum's house.

So here I am in Espoo Finland slightly hungover and life is good ;)