GIBRALTAR TO READING.

Thursday 2nd.July 2009.

Mano and Anna are looking after the villa along with the dogs and cats whilst we are away for the wedding in Reading!Mano came across early and took us to the airport at Gibraltar so as we could take Joan to the departure entrance where the wheel chair was waiting to get Joan onto the flight which needs a hoist truck and ramp; we were taken out to the plane first and took up the reserved seats at the front with lots of leg room. As we arrived at Gatwick the air bridge came over and a wheel chair was waiting to take us to the customs and baggage claim but around the first corner we were transferred to an electric buggy as Gate 110 is nearly two miles from the start of the airport proper and you have to cross a huge enclosed bridge to get to the main North Terminal !! Thank god for the buggy as you have to walk and take lifts for ever !! Gatwick is the biggest airport that we have ever seen and our troubles were not yet over. After collecting the baggage, Joan was transferred to another wheel chair and the gentleman looking after us took us across the road and up five floors to the car hire
people; all six major companies did not have any cars to rent and one of them was very rude to me as well! We then had to come all the way back and get a taxi to Reading as by now Joan was starting to get a little weary, she is 91 years old after all!!
I called the hotel and asked them to get a list of the hire car companies in Reading for me when we arrived, twelve calls later and still no luck, on the next call I found the Ford Tourneo,nine seater mini bus available and grabbed it without thinking !!The next port of call was a stiff drink in the piano bar!! After unpacking we went down to dinner and had an excellent meal in the restaurant which over the next four nights only went better and on Monday evening a new a la carte menu appeared and Brenda had Glazed Scallops with a Lobster Tagliatelle on the side which was very good! The pictures below will give you a little idea of our travels around Reading.I have typed this blog in date order for a change.

PS; As I have been putting this page together Brenda came running in to say that another large liner was passing,the P/O OCEANA was on its way from Barcelona to Southampton and looked magnificent in the late afternoon sunshine as the white glimmered!!