Monday 6 June

Left Stornoway at 7.30 on Monday morning to catch the 8.30 plane to Glasgow. This left in good time and touched down in Glasgow at 9.30. The sun was trying to come through, but did not quite succeed. Had to wait for the 1.25pm flight down to London Gatwick. It was not busy at the airport, and it was a tad boring there. I was called forward to have my passport rechecked.

Once on board the plane, a baggage handler came to my seat to tell me that my bag had actually made it onto the flight. Thanks very much, that was a great relief to hear. Using the GPS, I was able to note that the plane took off as it was going down the runway at 135 mph. Once up in the air, speed increased until we were cruising along at up to 495 mph at an altitude of 35,000 feet. I could see the Ayrshire coastline stretching down to Stranraer, as well as the southern coast of Galloway and the Isle of Man in the distance. Northern England was also more or less clear, but once past Liverpool it was cloud all the way.

We landed at Gatwick at 2.45pm, on schedule. Cue a very long wait. I cannot properly focus on a book when I'm sitting at an airport. My flight was due off at 6.45pm, but I had had a text from the travel agent's to say it was delayed by more than an hour - something already known at midday! Droves of people passed through the departure lounge, heading for their holidays in the sun around the Med. I had something to eat by about 6pm. Looked at the Internet for about 15 minutes, but towards 7pm I stood by the departures board until flight 8119 to Amsterdam was called to gate 53. Well, got to gate 53, but then it was suddenly changed to 54. Even as we were called forward to embark, the stewardess was still talking about gate 53. Until somebody mentioned something. We took off at 8pm, into more cloud.

Moving the clock forward an hour, we landed at Amsterdam just after 10pm. Luggage materialised at 10.20, and I was able to get to my train on time. It left at 10.44, and with a change at Utrecht, I got into Arnhem at midnight. From there, a taxi took me home.