So I know it hasn’t been long since I last wrote but I need to have a rant!  I have just returned from Buxton and Berlin.  Both trips involved flying and I have to say I am starting to find the whole business of airport security a real pain!

Now before I go off on one I have to clarify that I of course understand why there is the need for the increased security and that all the airport staff do a great job putting up with the extra work and confused passengers!

However!  I had to fly up to Manchester on Friday and Berlin on Monday.  Both trips were very short so I didn’t want to take any hold luggage.  This meant that I had to put any liquids in my hand luggage which I duly put in clear plastic bags.  Having checked in with no problems I headed to the security gate.  Now this was never a particularly exciting part of any journey but now it is the most ridiculous and the most stressful! Everywhere you look there are people emptying their bags trying to work out what they can put where, others carrying their most personal items in a clear plastic bag for all to see and most annoying of all airport staff shouting ‘ANY LIQUIDS, GELS, CREAMS!  ONLY ONE PIECE OF HAND LUGGAGE!’.  The scene is one of complete chaos!  Once you get through to the x-ray machines there are then people taking off belts and wandering around in their socks!  Where has all the dignity gone?!  Business men and women, senior citizens and young children - no one escapes the confusion of wondering ‘Do I keep my shoes on? Have I put my toiletries in a plastic bag? Are my keys in my pocket?’! My own personal dilemma is about my contact lens solution.  I have one bottle that I take - it was too big!  So it got taken away.  So I then have to buy one in the airport, but the only size they do in the airport is also too big to take so I have to buy a new one which then gets conviscated on the way back!  I know there is a solution to this - buy a smaller bottle in the first place - however that is not the point!

Having said all this. Travelling around is part of our job and I love it!  Nothing beats the buzz of arriving at the airport and watching the people from every corner of the globe preparing to go home or go off on an adventure.  People watching heaven!

So I’ll grin and bear the security staff ‘patting me down’ and carrying on enjoying the experience that is air travel (whilst offsetting my carbon emissions of course (http://www.carbonneutral.com).

Sarah

PS Look out for the sequel to this blog - ‘The Trials of House-hunting’ - I have my first day of viewings in Brighton tomorrow.  Wish me luck!