All best laid plans and all went out of the window due to an impromptu work trip to the Czech Republic which meant I would be landing back in the UK Thursday night. The idea was to have a lazy Friday, driving down to the Park Inn where we were staying the night before flight on Saturday. Instead, we were rushing around the place getting ourselves packed and finishing any last details, we were finally ready 5ish pm. After a nice meal at a pub, we cruised down the M4 to our room for the night arriving around 9ish pm.
I was a bit apprehensive about staying at the Park Inn, as the last stay was a poor experience. This was misled as we had a great family room on the top floor looking towards the runways. I dont know who was the happiest, me or my Apprentice but it was great to relax with a beer watching the planes land in the dark.
Our human alarm clock woke us up around 6.30am and we plonked him on a seat and pointed him to the window so he could watch the planes. We got ourselves ready and left the hotel around 10.30 to take the bus to the airport. We had already checked in online the night before and went to the BMI bag drop. From talking to colleagues and from taking Mrs DA to T1 a year ago, I was expecting T1 to be in a state of repair. I was wrong as the check-in area was bright, clean and spacious. The bag drop was quick and we went to Passport Control. As we were on a domestic, we had our pictures taken for when we went to the domestic wing of T1. The Passport Control staff made my sons day by taking his favourite toys (Doggy) picture and put a sticker on his boarding pass for the Domestic Passport Control to look at this picture.
We went for a coffee and a little bit of window shopping before going down to the Domestic Passport Control, we were verified against the previously taken pictures and my Apprentice loved seeing Doggy on the monitor. We went down to the waiting area that BMI use. I must remember next time to go down a little bit earlier as you have a brilliant view of the north runway.
The flight was called on time and we ventured on the flight, with my Apprentice getting excited by the minute. I was chosen to sit next to him and to explain what was going on to him. The captain introduced him and started to introduce the co-pilot and he slowly started to say Dave and then he switched the intercom off, a couple of seconds later he came back on and apologise to the pax as he was trying to read the co-pilots name badge while he was talking. We pushed back a little bit early and I was telling my apprentice what was going on. With in no time at all, we were rolling on to the runway, and he was getting more excited. As the acceleration hit us and then the take off, he was laughing and giggling to himself. The both of us were looking out of the window as we went through the clouds and to blue sky.
We settled down and I read his Wall-E story book to him and as we were coming in to Scotland, the inevitable I need a wee came (even though he went while we were waiting at the gate.), we visited the toilet with moments before the seat belt sign came on. The Apprentice loved the approach and landing in to EDI, and was a little sad when we taxied on to the stand.
We had an hour before we get in to the holiday apartment so we went for a coffee after we collected the bags before taking a taxi to the city centre.
So it was a great start to my apprentices flying experience.
