*AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE*
** THIRTEEN **
** I RIDE MARGRET TO LONDON **
On arrival at seat 20A (a non-smoker) I settled in comfortably to the MARGRET
VIKING's amenities. As we taxied out towards the runway, it became clear that an inch or
so layer of snow covered the grass of the airport. Our `driver' used his de-icer spray to de-ice
the wings (more likely, to prevent icing later!), but it was achieved by an easier method than
on a car. I've not taken off in snow before! Too late to back-out now, even if one wanted to!!
This MD-87 aircraft was of the same family as the one that brought me to Bergen via
Stavanger. Whilst on the launch-pad, it revved up its engines to full power with the rattling
and shaking movements threatening to blow the `craft apart. It didn't stroll along the runway,
but applied considerable acceleration and, after a 23 second run, reached take-off speed at
17.51 hours. Goodbye, Bergen !! I need to put my watch back an hour now - so the digits
will be put forward 23 hours (without a date-change).
The MD-87 is a 110 seater with a maximum takeoff weight of 61 tons, is 39.8 metres
long with a wingspan of 33 metres and will cruise at 505 mph guzzling 3600 litres an hour
of our precious fuel in its JT8D-217C Pratt & Whitney engines. For our high-powered take-
off run, it will have been drinking much faster than that.
When up to a reasonable altitude, clear of the take-off phase, our meals arrived.
Great!! I have a cold yellow fish with Salad items which include asparagus. A roll
accompanies the meal, as does an orange drink, a lovely dessert - plus coffee afterwards. This
coffee was DIFFERENT - and a beautiful taste and presentation befitting the Norwegians.
I took my newspaper delivery ( the INDEPENDENT) and settled down for a pleasant
flight. It is, of course, too dark to see any scenery - so the newspaper was welcome. In
lighter conditions, I still always prefer to see as much of the scenery as possible - whatever
the altitude.
The `Approach' to Heathrow was uneventful for a passenger, but the pilot's use of the
throttle indicated multiple changes, probably dealing with changes in both cross-track and
along-track winds, together with variations in angle-of-attack, - and anything else that seemed
appropriate !! Touchdown was at 6.38pm (London Time) and the pilot was also `playful' with
his throttle on the ground during the taxying phase to Terminal 3. We had to queue, with
about a dozen aircraft, to wait our turn to cross a taxiway. Multiple decelerations as well as
accelerations to high speed made me think that the pilot was doing a `lap of honour' at racing-
speed!! During this complementary tour of the Heathrow tarmac and, for all I know, the
whole of the west side of London - I spotted a Concorde doing an even higher-speed pass in
the opposite direction but parallel to our course. I believe it to have been either taking-off or
landing - but it wasn't in view long enough to establish which!
We arrive at the "aircraft park". Then we accelerate yet again. By the time we've
finished `playing about' (11 minutes after touchdown) we come to a stop.
I undid my seatbelt at 19.17 hours, deplaned, recovered my luggage and made my way
with others to the Underground system that links the Airport with Central London.
The arrival at the Tregaron Hotel (I'll actually be in the `Ashley Hotel' part) was at
20.20 hours. Here, in Norfolk Square, three formerly independently-owned hotels have been
joined together into ONE. The breakfast area for the three is in the basement of the Oasis
Hotel.
Because of the weight of all my luggage, I made two trips up the multiple floors to
my room. That was certainly easier than the `single trip' that I made whilst on the way to
Norway earlier in the month!
I turned the oppressive `Central Heating' OFF between the loads. This place is always
over-heated!! Now I'm in my own room, settled, I lap up a TV comedy and some news
broadcasts. I follow a discussion programme once relaxed. For a break from TV, I visit a
"Hole in the Wall" machine near Paddington Station (just a walk around the corner) - these
being called "Mini-banks" in Norway. This Paddington MiniBank didn't give me a statement
after the transaction, but an electronic message prior to the request DID warn me!! Whilst out
there, I call at my `usual' fish & chip shop and take mine back to the Hotel room to eat in
comfort.
.. Not only in comfort, but in a quieter environment than this same hotel in Norfolk
Square provided on the way-out on 3rd November.
The next day arrived for me at 7 a.m. on the 17th November when I got up and ready
for the last leg of the journey home. There was no en-suite facility here in England at this
hotel, so it's an "upstairs & downstairs" expedition. I opened the curtains at 7.22 a.m. before
breakfast, the view already revealing a cloudy, dismal day - but much brighter than midday
was at North Cape about a week earlier. Radio 2 broadcast some icy-road warnings -
(hazardous!!) - the sort of every-day driving conditions for motoring in Norway.
At breakfast time, I chose the opposite side of the table that I'd had earlier in the
month. This was for the express purpose of not having to look at the steam & heat each time
someone emerged from the kitchen. I was three rows from this `inferno' - but, unfortunately,
the temperature burned my back!
Paying my bill at reception, I was told that it is "cold & icy outside" - to which I
commented "Thank Goodness" - and then explained my remark in terms of the Arctic visit
just completed. It certainly looked warm enough, outside, from my 3rd Floor window - and
it proved to be OK when I got outside as well.
I was clad in an open-necked shirt, because case-carrying would provide an internal
heating mechanism. I was more than warm-enough, too hot in fact. If I hadn't been carrying
cases it would have been cool and pleasant enough. It was just a few minutes walk to the
Paddington Main-line Station.
As if under computer control, the train accelerated out of Paddington - being not as
smooth, laterally, as an aircraft. This motion made it impossible to write despite the
longitudinal smoothness. However, it was a very small smart-looking "Thames Express". Just
before Oxford, the digital notice in the carriage now changed its mind about the train,
thereafter calling us the "Cotswold Express". New sequences of messages then appeared on
its display.
Arrival at Malvern Link Station was 11.24am, my taxi getting me home at 11.31am.
I then did the "appliance of science" and launched the Zanussi (automatic washing machine)
at 11.39am. on its first mission after my arrival. [That must have given it a shock, less than
8 minutes after my stepping inside the door!!]
NOW I realise that I'm home and the expedition is OVER. The next one will be to
Iceland in June/July '94. I can't wait!!
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This page is dated 24 March 2001.