When did England become so efficient?

I apologize in advance for any fat fingered typing on my iPad but I am ensconced in my room at London airport ahead of my flight tomorrow to Greece.

Everything went so smoothly getting to Geneva today for my flight except .... I planned to park at work for free then catch the bus to the airport. I had looked up the bus timetable and planned it with Swiss precision until I was almost at work when the pillock in front of me slammed his brakes on to get a parking place. Thank god I didn't hit him - but then he changed his mind, pulled out and turned up towards our underground staff parking lot. Pulled into the entrance and then obviously realized it was private parking and 10 cars had to reverse back up the ramp to let him out. I know it could happen to anyone but the net result was that I made it out of the parking lot just in time to see the exhaust smoke of my bus as it pulled out and left. I think I said something like "oh dear" (or words to that effect) and had to wait in the glaring sun for another 30 minutes for the next bus. I can't stay mad for long thankfully and tend to be so clinically early that it wasn't a problem really and I was at the airport in good time. I guess it has now become one of my holiday treats to have a wonderfully fresh shrimp and salmon salad while waiting for the flight to be called. Wonderfully tasty but by gosh you almost have to sell a kidney to pay for it. Still, like I said, just consider it part of the holiday I say.

While we were waiting to board a couple behind me asked their young son - who was, I would guess, about six - where his jacket was. Of course the answer was "errrr I don't know"! Long and short of it was the lad had lost two jackets in two days. Dad gave him a "stern talking to about taking responsibilty" but mom frankly went ballistic. I know it's frustrating but I had one of those kids and I think at that age you just have to watch 'em like a hawk. I understand her frustration but in the end what can you do except stop at the lost and found on the way back. As I say, I'm laid back but in the end they grow up and either deal with their own lack of responsibilty (it's called growing up) or ya marry em off to someone who'll take over where you left off! That's what I did (just kidding Lily)!

Getting through passport control to leave Geneva now takes longer because Schengen states are being more thorough but the flight was perfect and passport control in London just made me realize I was chez moi or "home" again. Crowds of people were flooding to the passport controls and there were people there to direct you if you had non-EU passports, non-electronic passports or e-passports. A couple of French people came through the passport lane with just their French ID cards and were very efficiently whisked off to another lane. Then there was the chap guiding people into the correct lanes but admonishing people to "stop smiling cos your holidays are over and it's back to work on Monday"! It was, as I say, very efficient and very good natured and I had forgotten how charming that could be when dealing with masses of people.  To top it all off my bag was first off the carousel so I would guess I was done and dusted in all of 10 minutes!

Just a 400 metre walk and I was at my hotel and I would say I was checked in in under five minutes. I've just had a rather good dinner and off to my room to read. But my original point was, I would say 80 per cent of the workers at the hotel are Eastern European and they hustle (as do the Brits here but they are in the minority)! So I just hope the powers that be negotiatiating Brexit realize this (they will) and how much the hotel and agriculture industry rely on them. Of course I'm not a disinterested party either being a Brit living in France - I don't think the egghead negotiators can afford to get this wrong! I pray I'm right.

Anyway I'm looking forward to what must be my idea of heaven that is a full English breakfast tomorrow and probably another exorbitant shrimp salad while waiting for my flight out of London! Oh my poor diet - looks like it just got shot to pieces!