OVER THE ATLANTIC

As I write this I am now in the USA. Having just flown in on BA from Heathrow on one of my regular work trips. As I flew in I was reading "QE2: The Cunard Line Flagship" by Captain Ronald W Warwick. A book that I am enjoying and will write more about once I have finished it.

I was just reading the part about when the QE2 was requisitioned in 1982 by the UK government for the Falkland Island War with Argentina. The QE2 was transformed in a week into a ship ready to transport soldiers, ammunition and 2 large helicopters landing on the ship (by cutting off some of the deck it seems!).

Anyway, I am getting distracted. The thing I was thinking is that the flight takes over 7 hours - and so each hour and a bit on the plane will be one full day on the QE2. Plus instead of having to turn back the clocks by 5 hours, it means we have 25 hour days for 5 of the 6 days of the crossing - an hour longer each day to enjoy the QE2. And to not get jet lagged.

I come to the States about once every 5 - 6 weeks. This is the first time that I have been on since they started the fingerprint and photo taking at immigration - which as it only started on Friday that is about as close to the start as you can get I guess as today is Sunday! There was a problem with my fingerprints - possibly as I have a strange shaped left index finger after a horrible boil when a kid and I got bustled off to the clearing area to sit while they checked me out. All was fine of course and I was out in about 15 or 20 minutes before many other people sitting there. It was amazing how scary it was! I knew that it would be fine, but all these very stern men and women in their Department of Homeland Security uniforms was quite scary as everyone in the room looked quite spooked. I suspect it may be a settling in of new technology as there seemed to be a lot of people coming in.

I wonder how they handle it when you come off the QE2, or if they will do it on the ship? I will maybe post a message in one of the cruise message boards that I am addicted to!