Tuesday, November 07, 2006
6/11/2006 Birmingham Airport
In the queue I was behind the Ukranian International Arm Wrestling team.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
24/10/06 Heathrow, Security.
The queues for security check at terminal 2:
Apparently the queue was because not all the lanes were open.
As I was going through I heard one of the staff mention he had 5.5 hours overtime up to yet. 8+5.5+ at least 0.5 break makes 14hr day up to that point. The impression was he would be there a lot longer yet.
24/10/06 Heathrow
The bus to the Hertz rental cars.
Me, a South African bloke (maybe permanently resident in UK) and the driver.
The driver and the bloke are continuing their conversation.
Story 1. Bus driver relates how his 'daughter in law's fiance' came over from ZA and was refused entry at LHR and had to return on the next flight. Reason: He had already applied for a fiance's visa. Cos of delay he had been told to get a letter from her as an extended visitor. He would have been allowed thru cos of the letter, but because there was already an application in progress he was turned back.
ZA bloke relates out of 20 people on a plane from ZA into LHR, only 1 was allowed entry.
ZA guy says 'bet she's an exotic.'
Me, a South African bloke (maybe permanently resident in UK) and the driver.
The driver and the bloke are continuing their conversation.
Story 1. Bus driver relates how his 'daughter in law's fiance' came over from ZA and was refused entry at LHR and had to return on the next flight. Reason: He had already applied for a fiance's visa. Cos of delay he had been told to get a letter from her as an extended visitor. He would have been allowed thru cos of the letter, but because there was already an application in progress he was turned back.
ZA bloke relates out of 20 people on a plane from ZA into LHR, only 1 was allowed entry.
ZA guy says 'bet she's an exotic.'
31/12/04 Edinburgh
Café Nero Morningside
Middle class dressed bloke. Early 50s. Well spoken English accent.
But stands too close to me in the queue. He invades my space. He's muttering to himself loudly. He asks what he can buy for £1.50. Orders coffee.
He shakes as if laughing or sobbing - but no sound. He finds an extra 20p & insists on changing to a chocolate. This means slowing the queue & throwing away his coffee. He drinks quickly & leaves. (Not lingering in the warmth.)
Talking to himself always. He thanks the cup collector politely.
03/01/05 Edinburgh
Café in Playfair extension to the National Gallery. Woman breastfeeding. She cowers behind the table glaring at everyone to make them uncomfortable. Perhaps she's had a bad experience?
Saturday, September 30, 2006
The Red-Eye
The Red-Eye
4am: The birds are out.
- And the early businessmen.
Check-in: We jostle in lines like wind blown suits
Flapping to beat each other at queuing.
Caffeine: A dose I hope will kick me up
Before I meet the client's dream team.
Sunrise: Spreads red light like a sore
And rubs the blood specks in my eyes.
I have a set of documents that I should read
But can't face. Failure presses against my brow
Like a car crash in waiting.
But once, alone in a car park at Heathrow,
A silent 747 strummed the fences like guitar strings
And threw down at me a whirlwind
Like the breath of another world.
Oct 03
4am: The birds are out.
- And the early businessmen.
Check-in: We jostle in lines like wind blown suits
Flapping to beat each other at queuing.
Caffeine: A dose I hope will kick me up
Before I meet the client's dream team.
Sunrise: Spreads red light like a sore
And rubs the blood specks in my eyes.
I have a set of documents that I should read
But can't face. Failure presses against my brow
Like a car crash in waiting.
But once, alone in a car park at Heathrow,
A silent 747 strummed the fences like guitar strings
And threw down at me a whirlwind
Like the breath of another world.
Oct 03
Friday, September 29, 2006
September 2006. London
I caught a black taxi from the city airport. I was struggling with the stupid seatbelt which kept locking on the reel.
'Get your fingers on the slit and push it in gently. Pretend she's an 18 year old,' said the taxi driver.
'Get your fingers on the slit and push it in gently. Pretend she's an 18 year old,' said the taxi driver.
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Saturday, April 01, 2006
ZA in Reading
I had reason to catch the free bus from Reading (Berkshire) railway station to TVP (the huge business park) after 5pm. Apart from me, everyone on the bus was black african. The vast majority were women. Only two or three (black african) men. We arrived at the business park and they all set off to the different offices. The cleaning shift.
I had reason to catch the free bus from Reading (Berkshire) railway station to TVP (the huge business park) after 5pm. Apart from me, everyone on the bus was black african. The vast majority were women. Only two or three (black african) men. We arrived at the business park and they all set off to the different offices. The cleaning shift.
Aggresively Timid
In the airport I try a pay-as-you-go internet terminal. My blog sidebar 'Collateral Damaged' is blocked. Apparently there are too many 'inappropriate phrases'! How fearful we have become. Aggresive timidity making legally obsessed business scared that anything could be a threat to the bottom line. A shame we are worrying about the wrong things. People complain about China's censorship but we are oblivious to our own. Governments should be protecting businesses from this sort of nonesense. Unlikely I realise. It seems we are all delinquents now.
In the airport I try a pay-as-you-go internet terminal. My blog sidebar 'Collateral Damaged' is blocked. Apparently there are too many 'inappropriate phrases'! How fearful we have become. Aggresive timidity making legally obsessed business scared that anything could be a threat to the bottom line. A shame we are worrying about the wrong things. People complain about China's censorship but we are oblivious to our own. Governments should be protecting businesses from this sort of nonesense. Unlikely I realise. It seems we are all delinquents now.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
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