He went back to LA? Why? All will be revealed… (more dusty notes from the Moleskine)
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It seems weird to travel during early rush hour through London to get to an airport. I’m used to driving, or getting lifts, or a taxi. But here I am in London City Airport, out in the marshes, near the Tate & Lyle factory. The journey out on the DLR was quite interesting. At Pontoon Dock there’s a bizarre white stepped apartment complex, with its own nicely-tended strolling garden, girded round by a hedge so the residents can’t see the surrounding scrapyards and terrifying scenes of many a desolate Dockland crime. Add to that the flyover, and the DLR itself swooping down over it all, and JG Ballard would have a field day.
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The Fokker 50 was a bit late. I like prop planes – they’re a throwback to a classier age of aviation I’m pretty sure never existed, no matter what Brabazon thought.
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Somewhere over the North Atlantic. Well, I’m glad for a bit of a sit down! Because the Fokker was late (stupid Fokker), I had to literally run to the LA flight gate through the huge Amsterdam Airport, overtaking several beeping carts on the way. As a result I got that lovely ragged asthmatic breathing/teeth aching thing I get. Another result is that my case is not on this plane, so I’ll be relying on Cassie’s hospitality. In fact I was offered business class tomorrow, with my case, but I wanted to see her today. I’m sure she will provide me with executive service, so I’m not missing out.
I should probably clarify things here. When I went to LA before, in March, it was to visit Cassie as a friend. But over the course of the week, and in the time since then thanks to email, AIM (or Pidgin in my case) and Skype, we came to realise that it would be very nice if we could spend lots more time together, and in close proximity. I hope you understand what I’m saying. Basically, I’m going back to LA now because I desperately want to see Cassie again, and sort out a way in which the Company can find work for me in the LA office, so that I can spend an extended period of months in LA, in close proximity with Cassie Destino. That’s basically what I’m saying. So.
Anyway, I hope KLM give me one of those emergency washbags with toothpaste and a t-shirt like they did that time they forgot to load my luggage on the flight to Germany when I was working in Braunschweig in 1998. That was a miserable time. But the t-shirt has lasted really well.
Note to self: when checking in online next time, don’t book seat 21K in a Jumbo. It may be on an exit row, so you think it will have extra legroom, but in fact it’s right by the door, so the big door bulge containing the inflatable slide/life raft gives you less legroom than you would have had. Plus there was a little ice-cold draft blowing right on my ankle. I had to steal the guy next to me’s pillow to plug it. Time to eat.
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Well that was rank. “Always ask for the veggie option” should be up there with “Never get out of the boat”.