First Time In 2020

For the first time this year I was at the airport. I wasn't travelling myself, seeing I'm still in the UK, but I drove some family members to the airport. I wasn't actually allowed to enter the terminal myself, since I didn't have a flight booked, but I could get a good view of it from outside at the drop-off zone.

In hind sight, I could have entered the terminal. I reviewed the rules again and the wording said I "shouldn't" enter the terminal, so it is kind of a soft-ban. I think they have left it to each individual to chose to be responsible and help limit the number of bodies in the building.

You get a limited time in the drop off zone anyway - 10 minutes for £5. It's gone up from £4 since the last time I visited. COVID inflations I guess. I overstayed by one minute, which cost me another pound, bringing the grand total to £6.

Airport parking must be where they're making the most money. It can't be the flights themselves, considering all the fees and taxes they have to pay. The extras like parking, bottles of water and leg room, that's where the real money is.

Apparently it wasn't too packed and my family felt safe throughout the journey. I'm not waiting for the borders to open in some destination countries I've been eying up, and it's looking like September 1 is the day. Mind you, things may have changed drastically here by then. I saw today that France has been added to the quarantine list (for people returning from abroad). I also saw some bad news from Croatia. It seems the holiday destinations have been hit by COVID carrying travellers. I hope Greece is doing ok, they did such a stellar job during the lockdown. It would be a shame for it to all go to waste.

Danger! 🚘⛈

I was reminded today that the thing that posts the most grave danger to most individuals is driving - or cars in general. As devastating as the COVID-19 pandemic has been, you're still way more likely to be killed by a car, or in a car, than most things. Driving is the one most dangerous thing most people ever do.

Think about it, you're basically operating a very large explosive device, and are being propelled along at dizzying speeds. The only thing stopping you from ramming it into someone, or something, thereby killing yourself or someone else, is, well, nothing. Except, maybe, the fear of death - self preservation that is.

Talking of which, anything could take that away from you. Your fear of death can be removed by your mental state, drugs, intoxication, tiredness or distraction. In addition, we put a lot of faith in the mechanics of the vehicle, which also can fail at any time. The third factor is the environment; be it the road conditions, other entities appearing in your path or bad weather.

I experienced two of the above on the way back from the airport today. Just a few minutes on the motorway, I was hit with the largest downpour of rain I've ever driven in - and I've been driving for a long time. The spray from the trailers, and the position sun in the sky (albeit behind the clouds), turned everything blindingly white. Unfortunately I was on the fast lane when this happened, so I couldn't pull to the left to stop on the hard shoulder like many cars did. Thankfully my car is pretty solid, so I proceeded very slowly and with caution.

The weather eventually cleared, but then a Porsche 911 Turbo that was trying to overtake me blew a tyre as just as it went past me. I could hear the nose of the car scrape the road and give off sparks as smoke. It must have been going at about 90 mph (since I was doing the speed limit of 70 mph and it was zooming easily past me). I have to hand it to the driver though, he cut across in front of me (I was in the middle lane) and made it to the hard shoulder so I suppose he was ok. I also had to rely on some experience/instinct to avoid being clipped.

So, yea, it was a pretty dangerous drive back home from the airport. I was reminded of my mortality and how many things I do daily are probably more deadly than the Coronavirus.

Peace & Love,

Adé