My only complaint is with the one free checked bag policy that my airline has implemented over the past year. Previously, I was allowed two free bags at 23 kilos apiece. As I found out to my detriment, had I paid for an extra bag at the time that I checked in on-line, it would have cost me much less for another 23 kilos of weight than the surcharge that I had to pay at the counter because my "free" bag was three+ kilos overweight. Ah well, live and learn!
The flight was not full. That was great for me and the rest of the passengers in "steerage," but perhaps not so good for the airline's bottom line. We had unaccustomed and much appreciated luxury as a result. I had two window seats to myself and was able to relax quite comfortably for the longest leg of the trip. Even my headphones worked - this has not always been the case - but the "moving map" that I always enjoy was on the fritz. I really wanted to sleep so didn't watch more than one film among those offered. I selected "Secretariat," which turned out to be not bad at all. Having been a fan of the US Triple Crown races, indeed almost anything to do with horses since I can remember, I remember the great events of 1973, when the great Secretariat won all three of those races, setting track records in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes that have never been broken. Although his Preakness race time was not considered the official one, his unofficial time has since been equalled. Secretariat (aka "Big Red") ended a 25-year dearth of Triple Crown winners. In fact, he was the first of three Triple Crown winners of the 1970s, the other two being Seattle Slew - the only horse ever to win the Triple Crown without having lost a race beforehand - and Affirmed. Since then, however, this feat has not been duplicated. In 2007, HWMBO and I visited Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, where Secretariat is buried.
What I hadn't realized in those pre-Google days was that Penny Tweedy, referred to generally in the press at the time by her maiden name "Penny Chenery," was a housewife with four children who returned to manage the failing family breeding and racing business after her father fell ill in 1968. It was her astute management that turned the situation around. It was also the luck of a coin toss that determined that she would ultimately receive the young colt, later to be known as Secretariat. That situation and the attendant male attitudes of the late 60s-early 70s were portrayed fairly accurately in the film, although the film implied that her father had bred Secretariat, when Ms Tweedy had actually done that. Otherwise, the film was pretty good. All that it had to do, for the most part, was to duplicate the events themselves, which were exceptionally thrilling. I remember them well - especially the 31-length victory in the Belmont! Even Disney would have trouble selling such a fictional scenario. But this was real!
Our arrival in London, although timely, was not auspicious. We were greeted by a real pea-souper, with cold rain beating down. This continued all day, but didn't seem to be affecting flight schedules unduly. My own continuing flight to Geneva boarded on time, although we actually left about 40 minutes late. The pilot made up the flight time en route for the most part, so we arrived only 15 minutes after the scheduled arrival time.
The visibility got clearer as we approached Switzerland. I was able to see splotches of snow in the Jura. The white crowns of the Alps, including the spectacularly beautiful Mont Blanc, were glorious sights to see. As I had hoped, the flight trajectory took us along the Lake Geneva coastline as we approached Cointrin airport, so that I was able to view the lakeside towns, and even spot the notable topography and layout of the residential development where I live.
Best of all, when I arrived at the airport, not only had my overweight bag arrived safely and intact, but I had a small - and totally unexpected - welcoming "committee" to spare me having to pay the not insignificant taxi fare to my destination!
So now I'm back - still a bit jet-lagged. I woke at 4:30 this am, then returned to bed around 10 am and slept like a log until 2:30 pm. Everything in the apartment appears to be working well; the car started up nicely; and I now have some groceries. Hopefully, I'll be getting back to normal - more or less anyway - soon. I miss HWMBO, but am looking forward to seeing him in May and we have Skype in the meantime.
Right now, all is well with my world. I am also closely following the very gratifying events in Egypt right now! I'm celebrating right along with the Egyptians! I just hope that this "stepping down" isn't a ruse on Mubarak's part.
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