My Flight Home...
All packed and ready to go home yesterday, I awoke, switched on the TV for some UK news and watched with interest the complete mayhem at the airports and terrorist warnings for the day I am set to fly home from my 7 day break!! Would I be stranded in Portugal and if so for how long, the news changing every minute with what you not allowed to take on the plane how would I cope?

I took off to the poolside hoping things would be clearer as 5.00pm approached (the time my coach was set to collect me for the airport) and if I was going to be here a few days longer I had better start making the most of it.

It was no use me sitting around in the hotel room as they had to be vacated by 11.00am and I thought it would be nice to get a few last day pictures to share on the blog should I make it home without being blown up!!

As the time approached 3.00pm a now hot, sweaty and in need of a shower Tina found out that there were no courtesy rooms as promised the previous day, great, just some shower cubicles down by the swimming pool but they do give you some complimentary towels to dry yourself... Big Deal...

I managed to take a reasonable shower, dry myself and get dressed, a few strange looks but I just smiled knowing that the new arrivals would be going through the same thing next week should they have a late afternoon flight home, that was a point, new arrivals maybe there were no delays ahead?

I grabbed some late lunch, put the last few items in my case (I had already heard that no hand luggage was allowed) and sat down waiting for the coach transfer. The coach arrived on time, the rep told me there was nothing to worry about and that Faro airport in Portugal was only running an hour behind.

Sure enough on entering the airport, the board displayed that my flight was set to leave just 75 minutes later than was planned, I proceeded to the check in desk surprised to see people going through with hand luggage? I questioned the staff and they said mobile phones, gameboys and everything I had heard was banned was fine apart from anything liquid, damn, I had already packed everything into the suitcase but I was not going to start re-packing now.

Through I went, no search, just asked to hand over any liquids, into departures and greeted by duty free shopping... Mmmm hang on, no liquids allowed so what about bottles of spirits and perfume from the duty free? "They are fine, they are already secure and sealed" commented the sales lady, "What if I open and use them before my plane takes off?" I questioned, "No problem, you purchased them here" she replied...

My plane did take off just 75 minutes late, people were taking duty free perfume and spirits on board (liquids) and I landed safely. Just like everyone else, we get shown a picture that governments want us to see, things would be a whole lot clearer if we knew exactly what was going on but then would that create even more wide spread panic. I have some very strong political views and if I started on about them now I would probably still be writing this in 12 hours time... So for now, home safely, problems to sort out this end and further updates shortly.

Tina x