Who is tired from London that one is tired of life ...
I would like to be in London for last 3 years, especially when our airline Rossiya ceased to fly there and particularly strong when we began to fly there again . Earlier, we landed at Gatwick 3-4 times. The first time when we flew there, the camera was taken with me in the event of a long stop there but we took passengers and flew away on the east. In general, I did not see anything except of the airport and foreign aircraft, especially the first jet passenger plane as well as commissions from EASA. Then, when I was written off, I thought that I would be send to study in London, but alas - I was sick.
The courses on Flight Dispatch (Controllers of briefing) were organized here in St. Petersburg, and we had to visit it in a free from work time.
We do not sleep well, but we visited because it was important and interesting. The flight is lasted!
There, in the classroom, I met and got acquainted with Lucy, who lectured us . Then I did not know that she loves aviation and had over of 1000 hours flying! Sergei helped her. He translated what had said Lucy.
There was no special need, because Sergey already knew all very good! But it was necessary.
Sergey graduated from the Moscow Institute of Civil Aviation. He could not fly for health reasons. He learned English and one of the first went to Miami to take exams and get a new profession Flight Dispatch.There were 25 people in the group . The courses were very expensive.
In the group was a black man right out of "Uncle Tom's hut." He was engaged in some trifling work at the airport does not require mental effort, other than the work of people's deputy in Russia. The relatives picked up money for his studying and sent him to study in Miami. The rules of studying were severe. After passing the half of the studying period the money was not returned, however, teachers are usually reported for whom no sense to study. "Tom" knew that it would be very hard, but Serge helped him. Classes lasted eight hours with a lunch break. After lunch, usually had about fifteen minutes. Of these fifteen minutes, five ore ten were spent on the sleeping! And it was lasted for three months!
Finally, the new Flight Dispatcher training courses completed. Sergei was the first! "Tom" also finished. Training courses were completed by six people. The rest had been gone, or "left." Sergey received a diploma, and for one confirmed his old one from Fort Lauderdale. It is located 150 miles north of Miami.
The school, where he had been studying called as a "School of Aeronautics Sheffield."
"Tom" received a diploma too. The first man to whom he approached was Sergey, He simply said to him thank you !.
And Sergey started with my friend Jane. I wrote about him a lot in my book. The very same Jane, who had been flying the whole Europe to the age of 30 , but he diseased him from flying work ...
Then, when I did not fly, but I started working in the briefing and wrote my book. That was amazing that Sergei had it on flash drive! I did not know where was a book downloaded from the Internet and how Sergei learned about it. Maybe Jane said about the book to him. (Eugene, in my opinion, gave one of the best estimates of the book - "It's funny, sad, but great!") But the fact remains.
Lucy and Sergei came to teach us a new topic in November 2007. At the same moment the book was printed, and I gave one to Sergei. Then we chatted with Lucy, and in conversation with her, I said that the concentration of good people the most of all in Aviation. Lucy was very surprised. Lucy started to learn the Russian language, and I presented her the book, in which both confirmed my conclusion. Lucy is study Russian language, where the reading of my book is not the last!
So, Lucy made me an invitation and we got visa about three weeks. We (with Luda) quickly gathered, and a day later after obtaining a visa. We flew on the A-319 to the west by the plane of our air company. I did not recognize England. It had changed. Somehow I remembered the rocky shores of Albion! And then there was the rocky coast, may be had fallen, but most likely we just flew another approach. It is not possible to drop in the cockpit now. Even if the crew your comrades!
We landed with the course 83 . We landed with the same course as always, but while taxiing, I looked out the window, but that Comet 4 (earlier in 2002, the first jet airliner) was not there.
So we are in London better to say at Gatwick Airport.
I had already walked with a cane. Of course, we had made the feat, but I really wanted to see London. I had to go and I held a cane, trying not to touch Luda, which rolled our suitcase (suitcase was on wheels) Suddenly, a British employee of the airport, dealing with people with disabilities rolled the wheelchair up to me and said: "Sir, seat down. Please " I used to rely on my selves and Luda. Hold on! However, the British airport worker almost sat me in a chair and then quickly drove me to the bus stop telling me under way the path of valuable information. We had to go to Heathrow, because our hotel was booked there.
While airport worker bought bus tickets with Luda. I was alone on the bus stop and the tears began to roll. I have not felt to Britain's great love, I refused from the Green Card in the United States, I just remembered how one woman had behaved in a minibus forward me. (I'd better go to a crowded bus, than to stand at the bus stop. My head starts whirl. I say this is a punishment for my joke in the Academy on the Mathematics course when I had hang the paper to the back of our chief: "I am changing the vestibular apparatus on the moonshine." That woman, was very feeble, in spite of its impressive size. Try to reach the bus stop through snow and ice! The hysteria happened with her!
We with Luda rolled into the international airport Heathrow in 1 hour and 40 pounds on the bus.
There we drank coffee and ate a sandwich. When our meal was over, we moved on. It was near a bus stop when Luda discovered that she had forgotten her purse in the bistro. We did not have the purse for about 10 minutes The bag was lying on the same spot, and saved by the worker of bistro. It looked that the worker was more happy to discover Luda than Luda her bag!
Perhaps in intensity, it was more tense than Gatwick.
A lot of planes flies to Gatwick and even, under certain conditions, the dispatcher may allow landing on the run way when another plane runs on of the runway and there is only 1 mile! I can not understand that . Do you know what slipstream? It is better to know that it is - in theory. Slipstream is the vortices air from overflying aircraft. The poor excuse of this is a blow that will get your motor boat, going at full speed on calm water and hit a trail barges. But this track can be seen, and slipstream can only anticipate.
Luda saw it and she could not understand it. The Woe from the Wit begins when you see it! You understand that, but the mind refuses to understand.
Finally, we got to the hotel Ibis There was a discount. since we were invited . We took a room with breakfast for five days. It is a pleasure cost us nearly 60 British Pound per day. We decided not to go any where on this day. The room was small, two-stars. The main place was occupied by a huge bed that area was slightly smaller than the room and if the bed was an inflatable, it could even inflate it so that it would become more air volume in all rooms.
The time difference with Moscow for three hours and only started to get dark, we went to bed.
Early to bed, early to rise
Make man healthy, wealthy and wise!
Lift- language lab (who said what to do and what he is doing. Choose the floor! Going down! IT etc. ..)
Breakfast consist of apple juice, banana, orange halves and omelette with ham, and Luda had the same thing, but without the omelet. I drank tea with croissant and Luda coffee with milk and cheese sandwich. Surprisingly, it was not oatmeal, which I used to have in the morning!
In five minutes the bus with us was on the bus stop underground. The underground, Metro was the oldest in the Europe, and does not represent anything special. In my opinion, our metro is better. The wagons were smaller then ours, but the noise produced the same as in Petersburg or in Moscow Metro. However, people dressed completely usually and to go to the subway without any problem. The travel on the subway, if you buy a one-time ticket, cost five pounds. (In S.P. people are prefer private cars))
We spent this amount from Heathrow Terminal 1 to Piccadilly. And here we are on Piccadilly. It was cool, but we were dressed for the season. We made pictures and have gone further. Then we had to Trafalgar Square, with a column of Admiral Nelson. I remember how on the exam of English, one companion got a question. He had to tell about the modern labor movement. And what about it you can tell? Well, the first economic crisis in 1825 about Ludd. And what is else?
The guy found a way out. He said that the labor movement has been gaining momentum, and workers gathered in central London to express their dissatisfaction with the British Parliament and the in personly to Queen . Speaking about of central London, one can not talk about its attractions, etc.
We wanted to find a tour bus, but tired and got into the first bus .. We bought a ticket for 10 pounds, which allowed us to explore the southern part of London. Ride on it for about an hour, we went to an ordinary cafe snack. The walls were decorated with posters cafes old movies with Audrey Hepburn and Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady and others.
We ate and continued our route in the center of Trafalgar Square in the same number of the bus that had brought us. Now, we did not buy the tickets because their duration was not over yet
There was the National Museum on the Trafalgar Square.
The Entrance was free in the National Museum. We wandered through the halls of the museum and admire works of the art. The works of the art not yet ended, and I was tired. I sat down. I decided that sitting and looking on the paintings was better.
Luda went forward a little. Sitting admire paintings I liked more than on the legs. Interestingly, driving by taxi past the streets Antonenko and Brinko, I asked if they know who is Antonenko and Brinko. No one knew.
I went to the caretaker of the hall, a woman in years, probably even catch the Battle of Britain.
xcuse me, do you know who the Douglas Bader?
No, Sir, excuse me, please.
I had to tell her about the second official ace of the Royal Air Force, flying without legs.
After a couple of hours we visited most of the National Museum and stood in Trafalgar Square. Finally, I saw Big Ben! In Ulyanovsk, when I was in a retraining school we met with my future wife at the Big Ben, the clock on the tower similar to Big Ban in London, but on the street Goncharova.
Surprisingly, I have not met in London no pay toilets! Throughout the world, I have seen pay toilets in Russia and Yugoslavia only!
Luda worried, because she had been waiting the call from Jane, because new SIM card did not allow us to call anywhere! I was not fun, but I knew that Jane necessarily call tomorrow. But Jane phoned today! It happened at Trafalgar Square. He told us some very important information, as well as Sergey knew about us. And knowing everything about it getting very pleasant. I was proud of my friends!
We even walked around Trafalgar Square and turned into the street nearby, and finally saw the tour bus stop and a few minutes later, double-decker bus transportation company Big Bus took us on the tour route of the city of London.
Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and other attractions majestically floated by. Moreover, Luda knew everything better than me. But sitting next to her, and stuck the headphones, out of which came the sound of Russian speech, the difference was not felt. We made a full turn and from the abundance of impressions even so tired and decided to come back. The ticket for the Big Bus was in the force until 15.00 tomorrow. It was about 16 and we went to the hotel. Traveling by subway took us more than an hour. Tired but happy we got to the hotel. In the restaurant of the hotel we ate and went to the room. Luda engaged with SIM card, and I watched on a TV program . BBC I liked more because the news came in very good English. We went to bed. It was dark as we were sleeping.
We went to the station Green Park the next day . We went to Westminster Abbey. I can not say that it made a great impression on me. Monarchs buried there I did not like them, but the graves of Isaac Newton, Robert Burns and William Shakespeare I touched me. It even detained me. Tombstones were right on the floor. People went to the line directly to these graves, which were on the floor. Personally, I could not. I went around them. People after me became bypass too. It was Interesting!
We came out of the Abbey and went to the Tourist Bus Company Big Bus, to continue our tour.
The bus was older than yesterday. The tour was conducted elderly Englishman. The bus was staying about 15 minutes, during which our guide acquainted with us.
-Where Are you from?
-From Russia.
-And You?
It turned out that we were present, Americans and Germans.
All the World War II, he said. But the war did not begun.
Everyone listened the guide. I did not understand everything he said, especially when he climbed to the second floor of the bus, but Luda the translated it for me, when required. We rode a couple times and the sequence became remembered. We went out briefly at Parliament Bridge, to admire the Big Ben.
As usual, we were back at 18 o'clock in the hotel.
We received a message from Sergei on the Reception. He was waiting for us in a certain room. We immediately went to him. Knowing that we had come Sergey had stopped it in the same hotel! It was more than touching!
He said that the company has already ordered a car to take us to Duxford on the day when we were leaving! I did not expect that it took such a turn. He said that we had not reached Duxford ourselves and I could not survive!
When we did a visa, and we just thought to be in time and not to let problems to Lucy! In general, Sergei took up the mess ticket for two days, connecting Gane, my superiors in St. Petersburg and Aeroflot representative office in London. We are a subsidiary of Aeroflot.
Looking ahead to say that the problem was solved in a day!
Duxford is an aviation museum in a UK. During the war there was an airfield with the Royal Air Force and 8 US Army Air based there. The B-17 of US AIR Force were flying to bomb Reich. And then from there made shuttle flights. Duxford - the bombing of the Reich, landing in Poltava. Poltava- bombing Reich - Italy, Rimini, landing. Takeoff, bombardment, landing in Poltava, takeoff, and landing in Duxford.
I've been in aviation museums in Russia (4 museums), I was in the museum of Amsterdam,
I was probably the only Russian on the centennial of the first flight of the Wright Brothers in the United States, the museum in Charlotte ... It was clear, as for me it was extremely important!
In the meantime, we went down to the restaurant and phoned to Lucy. It was decided that tomorrow Lucy and Sergey would lead us to the British pub. We sat in a restaurant and I realized that we are familiar with Sergey for a long time, but I saw him less than ten times!
Then, we came to the run way to see landing and taking off aircraft. By the way, the largest A-380 was flying at Heathrow for a long time!
Then, we received detailed instructions from Sergei and went to the bed.
Luda, though a bit worried because we did not fly at a set time, and I was happy and very proud of my friends!
The next day we went to visit the Green Park.We reached Buckingham Palace and watched from afar changing of the guard at the palace of Her Majesty. Then we went to the famous Hyde Park. I even wanted to make a speech, because it was not against the Queen and my height is more than152 cm ! I deceided that my speech about Valentina Matvienko would not be interesting ladies and gentlemen. So I changed my mind.
It was warm, and passed more than half of Hyde Park, we saw, to understand exactly what it was possible to rent bicycles. I love bikes.
I rode on bicycles in Amsterdam and Peter only. To ride in St. Petersburg very dangerous, because a lot of fools, and the rights of cyclists we are not protected. After going to the Corner of Speaker and after sitting there on the bench, we went to the subway.
Lyuda wanted to go to the store. We entered the store Top Shop. Luda went, but I stayed because I was not interested in shopping and spent my energy . Luda had gone, and I was sitting at the chair and waited. I watched. How goes there the people, how they dress and behave. And I realized the following items
-the behavior was the same as ours.
-The girls were nice. (My friend Scott said that the best girls live in Russia)
I decided to photograph the store, after waiting for about half an hour ,. As soon as I got the camera as a security guard said that I can not take pictures here. I had to apologize and explain that my wife went shopping. This guard told me: "I understand you, Sir"
Luda came back, nothing to buy but knowing how to do it,
a few days later she bought what she wanted. And in the "Top Shop " she chose what to buy for me and I had to agree. Then she went running around the store, and I was sitting in the armchair and munched a sandwich.
Sergey and Lucy will be waiting for us in a couple of hours.
Luda came as always in time. However, the entrance to the metro was closed, we had to go to another entrance. We had to overcome the extra distance, it was clear it was clear that we would be 10 min. late!
Train in the subway go wrong, as we have. Our train arrived yet after 10 minutes! Finally, after Acton Town train went not to the South but on the North, because there were some problems with Terminal1. We were very tired, and this change was seen when we have slipped 2 stations!
In general, we were late for an hour! Sergei waited Lucy offered to meet the next day.
Problems have been solved. We had dinner with Sergei. We drank ale with Sergei and Luda drank water.
The sun was already high and I watched London which lying at my feet with a height of the Ferris wheel. One look at all of London ! Beauty! I still sad that Luda did not want to get up. However, she saw it in the pictures, which had been done a lot. It seemed that Luda made pictures of me from the ground, and I had not even seen her. Then we even walked through the Westminster Bridge and listened to the game on the bagpipes Scotsman than we sat in a cafe, then we sat in Green Park and went "home" The mood was good, because we decided with leaving.
Luda decided not to go to Duxford. It was, of course, sad, but on the other hand we must understand that Luda was chained to me and I had to give it a bit of freedom. That was done by me. (No wonder I was interested in psychology!)
In addition, she had done a good deed -she gave the opportunity to someone to go to Duxford, who needed more!