Face from the past

I had a most odd moment yesterday when watching the six o'clock BBC News. I wasn't watching intently, just sort of seeing what was going on in the world; when I suddenly realised that I used to go to school with the person that was currently speaking on television!!!

It was quite strange as it took me a few moments to realise that I actually knew this person sometime ago!! She is one of the Heathrow protesters and was giving a short interview on the news about her thoughts on the protest. That sense of dislocation when I realised that I recognised that face was most bizarre - almost a sense of "I know you, but what are you doing on television?!". Of course, I should not have been surprised really as the news that I hear from other friends is that she is heavily into that kind of thing - climate change and eco-warrior stuff.

It is raining at the moment, so I am sure that the Heathrow protesters are not very comfortable in their tents. I am not certain what I feel about this protest...personally I actually prefer to holiday in places like Devon or Cornwall, but as one sunshine bound traveller said, and I paraphrase, "as long as flying is cheap, I don't see why I shouldn't take advantage" - which I can quite understand. As long as there is no disincentive to fly, I think that people will always fly off for holidays in the South of France or Spain or some such warm place (which is a lot more appealing that the United Kingdom at the moment!!).

There are always ways around flying, but it takes sooo much longer (unless you factor in checking in time and the inevitable delays in the airport!). I have heard that there is a woman who was invited to a wedding in Australia and she has determined to make the trip from the UK without flying!! I think that it is going to take her a few months to even get there and would it actually be more carbon-negative? With all those buses, cars, trains, boats, etc, etc, I can't help wondering that it wouldn't actually save anything.

Anyway, I try to do my bit - recycling and turning lights off and other small things that will help, but if I wanted a holiday in France what would I do? I would probably want to take my car anyway, so would take the ferry - even then, I would think about flying and hiring a car, but if I wanted to go to Australia? There is just no way that I am not flying, but then again, I think that the point of the protesters is all those short-haul flights that are perhaps not quite so necessary. Especially if air companies are flying planes of missing luggage on to the passengers - yes, you read that right - missing baggage gets sent on in planes of their own!!! I think that BA is a culprit, but I am not certain as I cannot remember where I read this.

Hmmm - enough waffle for now!