Ar Rāshidīyah

Dubai is a beautiful,exciting city but not today we are just in transit to Birmingham. I have never flown into Birmingham so this will be a first for me. Tabby has been before when she flew home for her reunion with YOG in 2015. This journey is another reunion but not of the show biz kind. Tabby is connecting with the people that were at Steve and Mandy’s wedding twenty five years ago. All the guests from their original wedding that are still around have been invited to their renewing of vows in Trevorn in Cornwall. It is to be families,friends and will be a ten day affair. Tabby will drive from Cornwall to London and meet up with Michael and I for five days of sightseeing.

We have made it through security once again and are now waiting to board our seven hour trip. I cannot believe that I have packed my cameras in the hold. I always have my camera,so will have to use my iPad until further notice.Tabby and I have sent messages to all our important people so it’s time to board,relax and sleep.

Well the sleep didn’t happen it was early morning and breakfast was served almost the minute we left the ground. Audrey was wide awake and filling her time in with a different activity every fifteen minutes while Ollie and I were playing games on the aircraft entertainment system ICE. Ollie I have discovered does not like losing to nanas. So the games did not last long. Tabby was trying desperately to sleep,but in the confined space of a seat that is not designed for spending twenty plus hours in,it was not happening. Eventually the announcement to fasten seatbelts for landing was announced and descended into a grey dismal rainy Birmingham. Birmingham airport was not originally designed for the amount of air traffic that now passes through its terminals. This is evident in the process of dispatching passengers, processing them through security and customs and the fact the arrival into Britain for foreigners is thrust upon you while waiting in a queue of two hundred people. You are literally filling out arrival information standing up while moving through the line. Birmingham is not a modern airport,it is tired and hungry for an update.

We found Ritchie almost immediately and before long we were driving happily to Coventry. Stacked to the roof with luggage. Sam had gone to great deal of trouble to accomodate us, our bedrooms were set up like a hotel,with fresh towels and a delicious seafood chowder cooking on the stove. It was great to catch up with news and stories and to feel comfortable and welcome. Katie,Joe and Layla were invited for dinner too,so it was a happy homecoming. I was finding it increasingly difficult to keep my eyes open so I excused myself and by nine o’clock I was dead to the world.

Audrey joined me and we slept like babies until 4pm when we were wide awake,due to the jet lag. Today is Monday and it is the start of our holiday,so cameras ready, car hire to sort out and we will be off and running. Goodnight diary.Read more