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Thread: One Man's Origins - Day 5

  1. #1

    Default One Man's Origins - Day 5

    My last day, Keith and I up early and drive out to the USAF Museum where we meet up with Ken (The Cowman), Todd (Pseudotheist) and Tom (Cappy Tom). A quick gallop around the sections I missed the day before, an even quicker gallop around the gift shop and Keith and I are back on the road headed for the airport.

    We say our farewells at the check-in desks and I head for security. Having divested myself of my shoes and everything metal including my belt and sent them through the X-ray machine with my carry-on bag, I then go through the scanner which beeps, so I ‘assume the position’ in front of the X-Ray machine. While standing there with my arms up and legs spread I feel the waist of my jeans heading south. Fortunately the process finishes just in time for me to grab my jeans and shuffle through to retrieve my belt and what dignity I have left.

    I grab my bag and other bits and walk the 400 yards to the gate, only to be paged to return to the check-in desk. The security chappies have taken an interest in my suitcase and want to have a rummage through it, and want the combination of my padlock. I have to say that Security did a better job of re-packing my suitcase than I did originally, so well done lads!

    Having given the combination, I then have to repeat the security checks and X-rays, getting the same X-Ray operator as before with whom I had attempted some witty banter previously (Note for future reference: U.S. security bods have no sense of humour). She obviously recognises me (the curling lip gives it away) and I feel I was kept assuming the position a little longer than necessary just to see if my jeans would hit the floor. I disappoint her – just. Having again made the 400 yard trek to the gate, I find that my connecting flight to Toronto has been delayed by an hour. I calculate that I will still have sufficient time to get my onward flight, and sit back to watch panic setting in amongst those who obviously have earlier connecting flight times. I was perhaps a bit too blasé about the situation as, on reaching Toronto I had just enough time to get through customs and join the back-end of the queue which was disappearing down the walkway to the plane. I’d like to say it was perfectly timed, although to be honest luck might have had something to do with it.

    An uneventful flight back to Blighty fuelled with G&T, met at Heathrow by Mrs Guntruck, who’s countenance suggested she may just have forgiven me for phoning her at 2 in the morning earlier in the trip (I was wrong about that one!) and home for a couple of hours kip.

    The Origins Oscar speech
    And now my tale is told, permit me to slip into Kate Winslett mode, for not to do so would be to greatly disrespect the guys and gals I met over at Origins who did so much to make my visit such a blast.

    I cannot thank all of you enough, for the friendship and generousity that you showed this old fart, and the spirit that makes the WoG Aerodrome such a fantastic community to be part of.

    I won’t attempt to name you all individually, for I am bound to forget one or two of you which I don’t think would be right and proper, but a big thanks goes out to you all. It was great to put faces to names at last, and I am honoured to have been chosen for this opportunity of a lifetime. I hope that the Lend Lease plan can continue and I will certainly be supporting it, if only so other lucky people can sample the friendship and hospitality that I was shown by a great bunch of flyers.

    Over and out.

  2. #2

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    Thank you Steve for this interesting Origins diary.

    It was fun to ready, I like the AARs and the reports about activities around the event. I'm glad, you had a great time over there.

  3. #3

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    You are more then welcome Steve and once again, it was a pleasure having you over! In only a couple more months, we'll have to start planning for the next Lend-Lease!

  4. #4

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    To Steve, and all those other members who helped to make the Lease Lend possible, and carried out the planning for the event, made my Squadron Leader feel welcome, and gave him an overall good time at Origins.
    Rob.



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