Waiting at airports

Waiting for the future but remembering the past.

"So what are you going to do with all that stuff you spend your time writing down?"

It was a reasonable question, but the following comment was somewhat jarring, not to say disappointing.
"Because you know what will happen to it all when you pass on."

But I had to agree there was an element of truth in what Jill (my wife) was saying. She had been watching it accumulate throughout the many years of our married life. And probably much of what I was writing was merely for my own benefit: It kept my mind active, and there is personal enjoyment in reliving memorable, happy occasions. But I must hasten to add that most of those memorable, happy occasions included her!

And I do spend many long hours researching what I wish to write down. At times this does become tiring but I get help and carry on regardless.

"Maybe the kids, and later even the grandchildren would be interested in some of their grandfather's thoughts?" This suggestion prompted a non-committal shrug.

Undeterred, I continued, "There might even be others out there who would relate to my memories." And then it struck me. "I'm going to blog them! And include some of my photographs as well. (Yes, I am well aware of what would happen to them too, when I 'pass on'.) I will notify my friends and relations so that if they have an idle moment, feel that the time is dragging, they could log on and join me in my reminiscing. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to blog everything!"

All this discussion on the fate of the bits and pieces of my writings and my photographs - remembering that this is my past, my memories we are talking about- coincided with an e-mail from the tour leader of a trip to the Holy Land and Jordan for which I had signed up. Jill was prophesising (ops! I mean imagining) further streams of travel memoirs. But that is in October.

I am indeed looking forward and waiting expectantly for that trip.

Talking about waiting ......

How many puzzles does one really have to do before boarding time arrives?

I had to go to Launceston at short notice recently. The flight leaving that evening was booked out and I had to wait till next day and travel by the rival carrier. Which was good for I later heard that the previous evening's flight was delayed for six hours. Six hours! How can a domestic flight be delayed for six hours? Imagine sitting and waiting for six hours for a plane.

Now I am not a world traveller, always in the air, with millions of frequent flier points. I was practically middle-aged when I first flew in an aeroplane and since then have been in the air only infrequently. Hardly a frequent flier. But even so, it hasn't always been smooth flying. And delays? Yes!! I've had a couple of good ones.

Was booked on Air India to fly out of Sydney to London some years back. I was scheduled to land in London in the morning in time for an appointment later that day. It was important that I be there on time. I arrived in Sydney to be told there would be a delay. “A delay!! How long a delay?” “That's hard to say,” was the reply, “the plane's still in Bombay!” I was able to transfer to a Qantas flight and got to London just in time.

I suppose it is some consolation that the planes have to wait as well. Maybe they create the puzzles rather than solving them!

Once while waiting in Dublin, Ireland, I noticed the man next to me continually looking at his watch and seeming disturbed. “Worried about waiting?” I asked him. “Not really,” he replied, “I'm waiting for my brother to come from Sydney. He's been out of the country for thirty years and I mightn't recognize him.” “He probably won't recognize you either,” I suggested. “No worries there,” he assured me, “I've not been out of the country at all.”

More recently, son Peter and I had completed a 10 day holiday in China and shortly after breakfast were waiting at the hotel for the bus to take the group to Beijing airport for the flight home. Our tour leader appeared with the message, “There's been a delay!” Our plane was still in Sydney. It had missed the curfew the night before and it (and its passengers ) had to wait till next morning before being allowed to take off. I could imagine the disappointment of those passengers. At least we had an extra day in Beijing.

Maybe when we have fully automatic, computerized planes, waiting will be a thing of the past. Passengers will be automatically called to board – on time. The plane will taxi automatically to its start point and then take off on time at the say-so of a computer somewhere. When in the air a voice will come over the PA system: “Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome on board this fully automatic flight where everything is controlled by computer. Sit back and relax. Nothing can go wrong....go wrong....go wrong....go wrong.....