Leaving for Malaga

With an evening flight booked yesterday from Bristol to Malaga, an unusually relaxed morning was possible, packing and visiting the bank. By the time Clare took me to catch my train, the city centre area next to the MIllennium Stadium had gone into crowd control mode, with Westgate and other streets blocked off, and pedestrian access only to Central Square in front of the station. Tonight is the opening night of the UK tour of pop star Rihanna. Clare had to drop me off in front of the bus station entrance, leaving me to walk the last 150 metres to the ticket office, slowed by a growing tide of mostly women, overdressed or under-dressed, depending on age or taste, heading out of the station to the Stadium in a mood of high excitement. Thankfully there was no queue at the booking office, and after battling the tide of concert goers to get up the steps on to the platform, I arrived with a couple of minutes to spare.

The airport bus from Temple Meads arrived a couple of minutes after I reached to stop. It was delayed, by a couple of minutes by two private cars parking opportunistically in the reserved bus space to drop off passengers, ad because the bus couldn't park, it blocked the passage of other vehicles around the station one way traffic system. No police officer or traffic warden to be seen when needed, as ever. Although it was rush hour the bus sped through the most congested inner city streets and was ten minutes ahead of schedule arriving. With only hand baggage, getting through security took just ten minutes, despite the huge number of holiday makers also departing on evening flights. So I had a good two hours to relax and eat something before boarding. 

The southbound flight sped high above an unbroken layer of grey cloud, that not only produced amazing sunset effects, but also huge patches of diffuse red-orange glow in the cloud when we passed close to urban street lit areas. It was like looking down into a volcanic fissure or a steel furnace. I don't use my Samsung Galaxy Ace II phone camera much, but on this occasion it was less hassle than retrieving the camera from my case in the overhead locker, and risk losing this other-wordly phenomenon. Despite the ice crystals on the inside of the double glazing, and the cabin light reflections, one of ten photos well conveys the scene, also capturing the thin sliver of a new moon.

 

The 'plane arrived a good twenty minutes early. The pilot announced it was time saved on this route as the flight was directed to Malaga's runway two, the shortest approach from our flight corridor. Geoff and Carole were waiting at the arrivals gate, and just after midnight we arrived at Church House. The night time temperature is pleasantly warm, not too humid, just right for a short night's sleep before I return to the airport with Geoff and Carole, on their way to start their holiday back in the UK. It's good to be back.