Monsters on a plane

2nd November 2018

The pink fluffy horns bounce down the narrow aisle as one by one the drunken middle-aged hen party trip over my crutches bellowing loudly out of tune.

As I’m typing this a prosessco bottle hovers inches from my nose as it drifts past to my neighbour. She grabs it and mummers ‘sorry’ – thankfully she is a little more sober.

 

Visitors squeal as they visit for updates on where other members are planted around the plane. Mandy is apparently 4 bottles of wine down. All I can smell is the rancid zapped cheese Paninis

“Ogggi oggie oggie oi oi !!!! …. Jennies getting married in the mornnnin…c’mon everyone!!”

 

Despite broken feet I’m heading to Barcelona to spend some time with travelling light and I am excited for some distraction with some warm strangers.

https://travelinglight.eu/workshops/

Last weekend I decided on a last minute fleeting trip back to Brum. It wasn’t good for my foot but it really was both a nightmare and a dream. With my absence felt I wondered if the kids would commit. I was lucky. After a mega shop at one of the many giant Tesco’s I was laden with sweets and Halloween outfits. I headed to the lawns to meet an excited group of kids with a few new faces in company.

I was excited; the light was perfect as the sky boasted a vivid neon navy and the hazy winter sun began to set. Everyone began painting their faces and in no time at all I saw pictures emerging.

NOTHING.

The focus ring was stubbornly jammed. What?? You’re kidding me???

I removed the lens, manually went through my entire problem solving Hasselblad operations from the many times the baby has been sick.

Nothing.

I tweet.

I Facebook.

I surrender.

I call Gio and ask for help tomorrow. He saves the day and I head back empty handed but hoping that the kids will be just as excited if I return tomorrow.

We arrive back after another Tesco rampage and fortunately the high is still there. I shoot with my fingers crossed hoping that they images will be in focus but feel a frustration that maybe I’m not getting the best I can.  After nipping to meet some other kids we return at sunset and grab a few last shots.

Now with the results I can see the mistakes vividly… will my feet heal to take me back soon? Will this winter sun last? Stay positive.

 

OAO