Volcanic Ash? Yes, we did get stuck. We'd been back for Jemma and Ben's wedding and then to our dismay discovered that our carefully laid plans to get back to Tokyo were absolutely snookered.
We'd planned to fly the day after the wedding and all our arrangements hinged on that. It was not to be. As Sunday 18th April neared it became very clear that the skies would not be open any time soon.
A quick email to a very good friend of ours was greeted with an absolute yes and we thank Ann hugely for allowing us to stay in her home - even when she wasn't there! Even now, looking at all the TV reports of the time, we thank our lucky stars (and Ann) for being so comfortable during the delay! The enforced downtime was good for the soul and we explored Reading as never before. (Recommend the Jamie's Italian just outside the Oracle!!)
We pretty much kept to our plans and I had to return the hire car to Healthrow on the Sunday as planned. I drove up an eerily quiet M4 heading to Heathrow with road signs saying "Heathrow Airport Closed" all the way. It was about 7pm and I did rather wonder if the Hire Car place would be open. The roads around the airport were amazingly easy to navigate - no one on them!
Herz was indeed open and the staff there could not have been more helpful. I returned the car and waited in line for a receipt. In front of me were two men - I thought they were friends but no, the first man had driven all the way from Madrid and to avoid paying the extortionate 3000 Euros that Herz were demanding to drop the car off in a different country, he had waited outside all day with a sign in Spanish saying "Please take this car back to Madrid". It had paid off. The second man was from Madrid and was looking for a car to take him there. We got chatting and he actually offered to take me to Madrid to catch a flight for Tokyo. I explained that my husband and luggage were in Reading so I was unable to go with him. He was so sweet and said that he had a Channel Tunnel Train booked and did not have time to go via Reading or he would have done so. It warmed my heart.
The elderly couple I met on the Herz bus were also very sweet - over from Canada, they had finished their visit with relatives in Wales and now could not get back. They were preparing to sleep on the bus station floor until things changed. I suggested going outside of Heathrow to get a hotel room and I really hope they did.
Now the volcano has started up again..... we have travel plans for the summer - most of which do not invlove going anywhere near the northern hemisphere but for just two and half weeks we will be in the UK. If you get a call from us saying we are stranded.... please take pity on us - your garden shed may come in handy!
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