Blog Zero – Edinburgh to Oporto
OK – I was going to start with Blog One, a few days into our time in Oporto. However, on the way to Oporto, we have been doing such a fabulous impression of two elderly people who are going abroad for the first time, that I’m actually starting at Blog Zero.
All was well when we left on time to pick up Kathleen and Lewis – Kathleen was taking custody of the car after dropping us at the airport. As Fiona drove us westwards, at Davidson’s Mains, I had the temerity to ask if Fiona was in the correct lane, to turn right along Queensferry Road. I was assured that she was, and that there was no way Fiona was going to get lost on the way to Edinburgh Airport. So I held ma wheesht a few moments later, when she drove past the turn off along by the Maybury Casino, and headed for the Forth Bridge. There are no further turns off after that, so we did a lovely tour with bridges view, before doubling back and eventually getting to the airport.
This did, however, serve the purpose of acquainting Lewis with the calm and reasoned way our family interacts in tense situations. Having managed to negotiate lunch without choking, we made our way to the appointed Gate for our flight. Just as we should have been boarding, the Gate sign changed to “Palma”, and a new planeload of people descended on the Gate.
At this point, things all become Ruth Paxton’s fault, or rather Carrie and Willie’s fault, for having conceived Ruth on the particular day that they did. As we sat at the Gate, I had been trying to wish Ruth a happy birthday on Facebook, but couldn’t get wifi or 4G. I was mid way through using Fi’s phone to do it, when the gate change happened. We got up and headed for the screens to find out our new Gate – I’d just manouevred past the oncoming crowd when I realised I didn’t have my phone. So I had to walk around the milling mass of people yelling “Has anyone found an iPhone?” A number of very helpful folk responded that a man had picked it up, one very nice lady pointed at a sheepish looking gentleman and shouted “He had it!”. More information rapidly followed, and I was reunited with my phone at the Gate desk.
Meanwhile, Fiona had discovered that she had a car key, meant to be left with Kathleen as a spare, in her pocket, so Kathleen better not lose the one she has – texts and phone calls followed to ensure that she knew she has the one and only key.
Thankfully after that, the flight was uneventful, Ryanair staff were very nice, and we were delivered to our flat at the promised cost by a very friendly taxi driver. Fiona described the neighbourhood as “up and coming” but it looks to me like it hasn’t come up very far from quite a low plateau. We are about to sally forth and explore, so later folks.
If anyone wants to leave any (nice, or at least funny!) comments, please knock yerself out below:
