Well, I'm back in Ireland. I booked with (highly expensive) Aer Lingus again, for the sake of the later flight. But thank goodness it wasn't Stansted. Just a long slog over to Heathrow..
Now, the first palaver was online check-in with Aer Lingus. You see, they're signed up with this Verifly App, where you upload all the necessary documentation. Aer Lingus, in fact, won't let you check in until you've completed Verifly. Unfortunately, one of the things they want is the Passenger Locator Form - and one piece of information needed on the form is your seat number. Which you, eh, don't get until you've checked in.. So, all was fine once I, eh, made one up..
Anyway, dragged myself out of bed on the day, managed to dress and pack. And left when I meant to. But still - when I got to Liverpool Street, to take the Tube to Heathrow - I thought to myself, you know, this is going to be pretty tight. So maybe I'd better play by Plan B - head to Paddington instead, and take the Heathrow Express. And that's what I did, trying all the while, frantically, to book my train ticket online. Of course, being on the Tube meant the reception was dicey at best - however, I did get far enough to ascertain that I'd save £10 by booking it online. Which was what I did, having located the Heathrow Express platform in Paddington - with minutes to go until the train departed, I uttered some choice language as my phone tried to decide to load the Heathrow Express pages. Managed it in the end, got on the train. Had an unmerciful trek to the terminal from Heathrow Central Train Station, and made the bag drop with six minutes to spare. So yes, good decision!
And from then on, I have to say, it was pretty blissful. Firstly - amazingly, given my regular experiences at Stansted - NO QUEUES AT SECURITY! What a change. A couple of times, I was asked for documentation, but as soon as I informed them that I had Verifly, that was that. Ooh, and just like Shannon, you can leave everything in your bag - no removal of liquids or electronics. Another thing Stansted hasn't heard of. I arrived at the gate - after a short walk (unlike Stansted) - just before they started boarding, whereupon all I had to do was show my passport to the lady and scan my boarding pass. An airbridge to board (luxury!) and my seat was way more comfortable than Ryanair. And there was a charging point for my phone. And an individual telly - just a pity I didn't have my headphones! And better aircon. Ah yes, almost worth the eye-watering cost..
Well, cinemas in Ireland - like bars, restaurants and theatres - are subject to an 8pm curfew. But I was already subject to that, living with my mother - so today, I headed to the cinema. Two films on that I wanted to see - and the better-rated (by far, all of a sudden!) was House of Gucci, starring Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, an ambitious young Italian woman, Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci, with whom she falls in love and whom she marries, Jeremy Irons as his father, Rodolfo Gucci, Al Pacino as Rodolfo's brother, Aldo - they own the Gucci dynasty together, Jared Leto as his son, Camille Cottin as an old friend of Maurizio's, and Salma Hayek as Patrizia's astrologer, in a dramatisation of the life of the famous Gucci family, of fashion business fame. Directed by Ridley Scott, it was bound to be entertaining - and with a cast like that, how can you lose?! Now showing only in the Omniplex.
I made sure to avoid the city centre - as a radio dj remarked, today was the day when the lads all hurried to town for last-minute Christmas presents, and traffic was crazy! Was delighted, however, to discover that there was no trouble parking. And hey, for once, no Covid check at the door! So actually, I took my seat in good time. I tell you this though, I kept my coat on - it was freezing in the screen! If this is their idea of anti-Covid ventilation, I'm not keen..
Well, gotta say, this film is great fun. Stylish, OTT - the soundtrack is great. I never did like high fashion, so that part is lost on me - but it has plenty of humour. Lady Gaga gives it welly as the femme fatale - and really looks like the character she plays - and Jared Leto is absolutely hilarious as the cousin who fancies himself as a designer, but whom nobody rates. Fascinating story - which, of course, the family has rubbished - but certainly this is an entertaining watch. Despite being a little longer than I anticipated.
Nothing on tomorrow, of course - but for what the Irish call St. Stephen's Day (and most of the rest of the world call Boxing Day), I'm thinking of The King's Man. Set in the early years of the 20th century, this is the most stylish of spy dramas - a kind of early James Bond film - and I love the series. Stars Ralph Fiennes as the stylish spy, and Rhys Ifans as Rasputin. Should be great fun! The Omniplex, as usual, has the cheapest ticket prices.
Flying back to London on the 3rd. Unless.. I'm not. So I have my work laptop with me. Just in case. Already needed it to prove that I was telling the truth, against someone else's contradictions..
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