Image: View from the plane window over mainland USA

 

 

31.03.24 – 21) Up and ready in time to see

Taxi arrive at half past three

Departure day we’re om our way

Motorway clear, Manchester airport I’m here

Book in and customs soon through, no todo

Breakfast, Full English not much to brag about

Better to use KFC or Costa that’s no doubt

But now it’s done, it’s coffee and wait until I know the departure gate

 

22) Found a waiting area that took some beating

Extra space and comfy seating

Panoramic windows, I’m snapping away pictures of the runway

And the Pennines behind then the notice board tells me

I need to be at Gate 143

 

23) Boarded the plane, plenty of seats to spare

News a bit dour we leave at five past the hour

We should have been away at seven fifty

Let’s hope at Heathrow they’re a bit nifty

Should be okay no need to get in a state

At Heathrow it’s over a two hour wait

And with there not being many on board

Not much luggage to get to the next flight and stored

 

24) Safety checks done, forward we run

End of runway, full power that’s it we’re away

And so, begins my poetry tour of Texas 2024

 

25) Southward bound complimentary refreshments come round

Looking out of the window thinking was it really a year ago

Not quite to the day I flew the same way

On the way to flight two, yes, the year really flew

 

26) Seen another plane in flight, over to our right

Going down, Pilot’s just announced to our understanding

Ten minutes and we’ll be landing

Banking to our right downward bound, soon we’ll be on the ground

 

27) Landed at Heathrow to find, we’re only six minutes behind

No fuss, get the airport shuttle bus

To where we need to be, Terminal 3

Once there through security again

I’m thinking what a pain, now for the plane

But we’ve still a wait till they post the departure gate

 

28) The information board came alive, it’s gate 35

Get there and wait once more

For my group to be called, it’s number four

So, I should be boarding after Priority

 

29) Things weren’t looking clever, boarding seemed to take forever

They were late starting, leading to us being late departing

I look and find we’re 30 minutes behind

Then the flight info comes alive

Saying we’re still estimated to land at 15:55

 

30) Flight out, as yet nothing much to write about

ETA the same as if we’d set off on time and this travelling lad

Is thinking would it have been different if we had

Inflight entertainment keeps going down, making him frown

It comes back but all in vain, nodded of, and woke to find it gone again

Knowing we’d come far but not where we are

Now it’s back and lets him know there’s still over five hours to go

 

31) Still in the air, flight map showing over halfway there

Canada below still over 2,000 miles to go

Well on our way, over the great lakes then over the USA

Flight seems to be dragging, concentration lagging

Be glad when we arrive and the flight comes alive

Hope full when I get to where I collect my car it’s still there

Because it’ll be a disgrace if they don’t allow the period of grace

 

32) Two and a half hours more, ground speed slower than before

So were’ well on our way to arrive at the ETA

Hopefully not late, I can’t wait

To see what comes to hand when we land.