Off to Scilly

Richard picks myself & Badger up at 7.30 am. I surprised myself we only have one case between us. We are allowed 15k & my case weighs 14 kgs without our coats. As it says on the Sky-bus website two people sharing can take up to 20k so I’m well in. Google says the journey to Exeter will take 5 plus hours & taking into consideration the expected Easter traffic we allow more time. We need to check in at Exeter Airport at 3pm. Richard drives well and we comfortably do the journey by 2pm and that’s with a stop of about 45 minutes, a few slow parts and a few jams but this is the U.K. on a bank holiday.

We hear from Janet & Olly who have boarded the Scillonian and are on route from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly. Thank goodness they are on the way albeit a day late for the accommodation. At 12.30 Janet calls to say they have landed in St Marys, the weather looks great so we have high hopes our plane may well still fly! We get to Exeter Airport, rather similar to Norwich Airport with several flights a day to Scilly, also weekly flights to Majorca, Alacanti, Belfast, Corfu & Crete to name a few. Our check in is not open until 2.45 so we polish off the cheese & pickle sarnies I made and await further instructions. The airport staff are very friendly and multitask, our check in opens and we make our way through security to the departure lounge. This place is very quiet but plenty of staff standing around. I am suddenly aware of the size of our aircraft! I’m not sure why I hadn’t noticed this before, maybe I didn’t want to know but those who know me well know I am a very nervous passenger. After three large gin & tonics I relax and joke with the boys. Richard goes off and phones his lady love Sally and is gone for 45 minutes. The flight is called and a same lovely young lady instructs us to go to gate number 2. This is a short distance so we don’t hurry as we think our flight is delayed and we think we have plenty of time. However the flight is brought forwards and we are told to sit in rows and watch a safety briefing. There is only 12 of us, we do as instructed, usual safety instructions, we then board walk & board aircraft much like Norwich only this aircraft in very small. No trolly dolly on this flight as not any room. We board in numbers, row 1 first,etc, Roger, Richard and I are row 5. Usually we would be turning left if in row 5, indeed we did as right was the back of the aircraft. The seating was one seat on the left and two seat on the right. I have the window seat under the wing! I have rarely been on such a small aircraft and only thought these were private jets. Looking out of the window of the aircraft the was paintwork was immaculate and all looked new and well maintained. I felt quite safe. We were airboard quickly the views magnificent. Flying over Exmoore at no higher than 10,000 feet! I did not make my usual nail inprints on Rogers hands as I was busy taking photos. The cockpit was open the captain and his co pilot chatted , I could see the instruments and watched the sat nav. Because of the low altitude I guessed this was why the journey took an hour and 10 minutes which seemed a long while for such a short distance. We travelled along the south coast to Lands End and as we reached the sea I felt my ears start popping so gathered we were descending and sure enough we were on the ground at St Marys. It was one of the highlights of my life. Flying so close to the ground seeing our beautiful country.

We were off the aircraft at the same time as our luggage, no checks just straight out the door and to waiting mini bus taxis for the five minute ride to our accommodation. The minibus taxi driver, Stella, a female took £33 return for the three of us! Minutes later we were at our beautiful accommodation right on the seafront & there were our wonderful hosts Janet & Olly back from the supermarket just as we arrived. Inside our amazing accommodation we had very welcome gin & tonics and we all sat down and admired the views. Roger & Richard popped to the local supermarket to get ice and further supplies of wine whilst Janet then conjured up a magnificent supper. I retired to blog at 11pm not long after the others retired and the house fell silent. X