Leaving Las Leeds, Part Five

So up and out early again, But this time to tackle rush hour on the underground with my massive bags. Before I even got to the tube station I was already fed up of travelling. It wasn't a good sign with another 20+ hours ahead of me. I got through the underground all right but it wasn't fun. I was sweating like a pig hauling around what felt like a body bag. But I made it to Gatwick so it was only a quick train ride until I could check my bags and have some one else man handle them around. I didn't bother getting the Gatwick express since its about three times the regular price but after sitting on the slow train watching the minutes go by I was thinking that maybe it would have been worth it.

I actually got to Gatwick two hours before my flight. I was very tired and still feeling rough. The line at the check-in desk wrapped around the terminal about three times and I thought there was no way I was getting on the flight. But it turned out that everyone inthe line was for the same flight so we were all in the same boat (or plane if you want to be up to date and topical). They somehow managed to get me through with a half hour to spare but since I had an over weight bag I needed to pay for it and get both my bags over to the oversize baggage check-in. Another delay. I managed to pay the excess and run over to the security check, which was another line that snaked around the terminal. It was going to be much more than the 30 minutes I had. I managed to be a bit checky and move up the line quite well but the real winner came when an airline rep was escorting a late passenger through the line. I managed to tag on the back of him and get through to the metal detectors in no time. So after I'd stripped my self of all metal, took my shoes off (bent over backwards) I was zipping through the machine only for the inevitable "Would you step this way, we just have to look through your bag." Lovely, just what I needed. Another five minutes of a lady unpacking my whole bag and wipping everything down to test for a bomb. So they realised I wasn't a terrorist and let me go. I sprinted off down to the gate, and yes, it was the furthest on away. They plane was still there, I'd made my flight, and with five minutes to spare. My bags, well lets say the baggage handlers at the oversize check-in didn't look like they were going to set any records so I wasn't sure about them.

It turns out that all my efforts to jump through the security line and get on the plane were completely unneccesary. We waited on the ground for another hour while everyone else got on board. Well at least my bags should make it right.