Well not for the first time did I find myself working up a sweat before 6am. I was off to Tim and Joy’s wedding in Switzerland (I’m there now actually, apologies for pants photo…bit of ‘phone-tography for ya)… Anyway, as though carrying my camera gear wasn’t enough (’tis quite heavy), add a bag for a few days away, including suit and smart shoes, couple of tidy shirts, the rest of camera gear (charger, extra batteries etc) and well protected tripod and it starts to add up somewhat. What makes it worse is the fact that – despite their efforts I’m sure – walking onto the underground even before 6am was like walking into a sauna fully dressed. Wafts of warm, muggy air did nothing to cool me down after the walk to the station, not entirely pleasant. I love London, I was born here and enjoy returning every so often for the hustle and bustle and all it has to offer but I’m so glad I don’t live there for extended periods though, am I countrified?! Maybe its my desire for fresh air…
My trans-London adventure lay ahead of me; west to east and ending up at London city airport….I took two different trains, one of which had no driver (it’s ok it’s meant to be that way) and passed on my way canary wharf, the Thames barrier and the royal albert docks, east London’s answer to a 2km rowing lake. It actually runs adjacent to the airport, again nothing amazing about it, in fact it’s not the nicest place to row as the sides are concrete walls; the slightest puff of wind and it’s bouncy as hell and keeps on bouncing as waves deflect back and forwards on the walls!
Once at the airport thinkgs progressed rapidly. In the time it takes to play faithless: insomnia and led zeplin: hats off to (Roy) Harper I was checked in and through security!
London city airport, where to begin. Perched on the east edge of London, a stones throw from canary wharf, the airport serves as a push off point into Europe for mainly business men and women with the occasional holiday maker thrown in. I’m one of maybe three in the lounge NOT wearing a suit… Maybe I shouldn’t have left mine in my checked bag on it’s way down conveyor belts and destined to be flung into the belly on the plane beneath all the other bags! Actually I flew through here on the way to geneva last year – along with mountain bike, now that really was a fun challenge but everything arrived safely so I know my bags are safe. It’s not terminal 5 afterall…!

I wonder what it is about air hostesses, they’re great. Maybe it’s the rarefied air, the early start or just me but it does seem they play their part really rather well. And that’s not a bad thing, especially when the plane bumps around a fair bit! Do they give the same great smile to all their passengers or was I just lucky to receive that particular look? Well, I figured nothing to it but return the charm in similar fashion…ahem

Once touched down in Zurich it’s clear someone thought very carefully about what needs to happen at an airport. People arrive and people depart. There are excellent links in and out via tram, train and bus. I caught a train to Lucerne, very clean, very pleasant and the whole Swiss travel experience was undeniably, well, Swiss! Clean and efficient and everything running exactly on time. Even the ticket conductor was nice – where has our little (relatively flat) island gone wrong?! I passed wide inviting lakes leading up to towering peaks. Full and fast flowing rivers and green, lust open meadows, all interspersed by dark pine woods their shadows warm and inviting than harsh and cold. All too soon I’m in Lucerne and Tim is arrives to pick me up. So, I’m in their great flat, everything is go go go and Tim’s just gone out again to pick up chocolate…he may not return for some time…