Manchester to Dumfries, 07 Sep11

It's a long haul from Singapore to Manchester, about 13 hours direct, but we had a one hour stopover in Munich so by the time we touched down at Manchester on time at about 7:30 am on Wednesday morning we'd been inside the Airbus for about 15 hours. As usual, everybody stands up as soon as the giant aircraft comes to a halt. Twenty minutes later we're still standing there, carry on baggage in hand. The doors are still closed. We're due to disembark by push-up stairs but Manchester airport services has somehow neglected to organize said stairs. At last the doors open and we file out like sheep to the slaughter, for worse is yet to come for all who don't hold a British or EU passport.

It's Manchester and, true to its reputation, it's raining as we emerge from the aircraft (I should point out that this airport does have the usual air bridges and gates, but not always enough for the traffic). Buses eventually shuttle us from the aircraft to the terminal where we follow the Arrivals signs, passports clutched in tired hands, to the next stage, the Immigration entry ordeal. Two immigration officers are on duty for what seems like two thousand non-Brit and non-EU hopefuls. Right next to our shuffling line people with EU and UK passports are cleared within a few minutes for they have about six or seven gates available. For Mary and me it takes two hours from touchdown until we clear Immigration. A bloody disgrace, and a planning and management failure which leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of all who shared the long wait in the queue with us. Why would we ever use Manchester Airport again? But is Heathrow any better? "Britain, bad weather, bad service" -- actual quote to me from a British airport services employee standing next to us in the queue (she was escorting some Asian people through Immigration).

But even though we're late our hire car pick up from Green Motion goes well and smoothly. By 10:45 we're on the M56 heading west toward the junction with the main north-south road, the M6, a full tank of dieso on board the black Hyundai.

Initially the M6 is very busy but as we get further north the traffic lessens and the weather also improves. Well, the rain stops, anyway. Just north of Carlisle we see the Welcome to Scotland sign and shortly afterward we exit the motorway toward our overnight refuge, Dumfries. With a little help from a friendly local our B&B, Rivendell, is found and so ends this stage of the trip.


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