from copenhagen to london

flying on a budget airline has its ups and downs
easyjet insisted on charging us for a 1kg excess
their check-in counter at one end of a large terminal
their plane sitting at a gate at the opposite end
so the longest walk known from check-in to check-out
flight - tight but mercifully brief and to the point
the uk's reputation upheld and a long wait at customs
an hour's wait for the pleasure of an officer's interrogation
rapid-fire questions and a deliberate attempt to trip us up
but we hold our resolve and she almost reluctantly waves us through
bags retrieved but alas past the bedtime for the car rental people
service - what service - but all is not lost - more walking
we are guided to their other office in the other terminal
more long corridors, travelators and a monorail train
and true to form another queue awaits our participation
fortunately the friendly assistant knows how to assist
mixed in with late night banter about the joys of travel in nz
just give us the keys dude - but car rental is universally tedious
questions, forms, documents, proof, upgrades, insurance
hundreds of keystrokes into some badly designed system
our resolve is weakened and we agree to a car upgrade
and so eventually we settle into the new peugeot 2008
a 6 speed manual diesel mini-suv with the odour of new
no gps so smartphone, local sim and google to the rescue
set the controls for the heart of london and off we go
4 days of almost constant activity in copenhagen has caught up
tiredness has settled in so a hit of coke is required
and about 3 hours after landing we get to our digs
the god of car-spaces smiling on us as we park the car
and into the comfort of our hosts 3rd floor unit
phew - that bit of travel was a bit of a struggle
pay it forward - done - let's enjoy london...