Thursday, July 19, 2012 – Heathrow Airport to Salisbury

London is hosting the 2012 summer Olympics, so we fully expected a long delay through immigration upon arriving at London’s Heathrow Airport.  After disembarking the aircraft at the terminal’s gate, Janet and I took the customary long hike to the immigration area.  To our great surprise, it was empty, except for immigration officials.  We had some difficulty finding the shortest line, because there were no lines.  Zero.

As a result, we passed through customs, with passports stamped, in fewer than three minutes.  It could have been faster, but the immigration official looked so lonely that I couldn’t help engaging him in conversation.  After all, Janet and I had just completed a long hike from the terminal’s gate, and it’s my custom to talk with folks while hiking.

We waited no more than five minutes at baggage claim, scooped up our bags, and made our way to the car rental counter.  The agent turned pale as he read through the paperwork.  Nigel Smythe had apparently left some comments in the rental record (see my first posting, “Gearing Up”).  A forced smile returned to the agent’s face as he commented, “Oh.  I see you are entitled to an express rental,” whereupon he directed me to a small television and adjacent telephone, with instructions for me to deal with a remote agent. 

I’m not sure where the remote agent was actually located, but I suspect India.  Despite all the difficulties you would expect when dealing with a remote agent, we eventually completed the rental agreement and I got the car.  I couldn’t help notice, however, that customers who weren’t entitled to an express rental kept flowing past, rental agreements in hand, while I was glued to the telephone trying to decipher the agent’s words.

Stonehenge

But fewer than two hours later, Janet and I had navigated our way to Salisbury, where we toured Stonehenge and the medieval walled city in which the Salisbury Cathedral is located.  It’s amazing how much people can accomplish with stacked rocks.  Stonehenge has been in its present location for more than 5,000 years.  The cathedral is much younger, dating only from 1315 AD.  Because it is much newer, the cathedral is still in use today.  I doubt either was constructed remotely.

Salisbury Cathedral

(c) 2012 Ken Klug