Aug 7 London Heathrow Airport

Ten days earlier, when we were coming back from Leeds, we saw on the other side of M25, a huge traffic jam because a trailer jack-knifed. I was getting worried over being caught in a jam the day we were supposed to be on our way to Heathrow airport. I even considered staying with my nephew in Wood Green, which is on the Piccadilly line, which runs direct to Heathrow. But Alex insisted that he had taken leave on the Monday to send us there. I joked that he wanted to make sure we really got on the plane!

Alex related to us of how years ago when he first took a flight from UK, he and friends managed to catch it even though they reached the airport past flight time! It seems they took a wrong turn and was heading towards Slough instead of Heathrow. Not one to give up, they parked the car and found that the plane was delayed and had only minutes to board. Then they had to return the hired car first before doing so. Amazing determination, indeed.

All of our three children were with us the night before so that they could see us off. As parents, we felt glad that they are independent and capable of looking after themselves. Alex and Clem seem to take on the role of foster parents well and I can only hope that our children’s presence in their home, off and on, can make their lives more interesting and enjoyable too, though bit heavy on their pockets. I feel it is up to them to strike a balance somewhere.

We were glad Beng managed to get an offer, subject to Criminal Record Bureau clearance, from his first job interview with Lewisham College, as Marketing Assistant. He had just realized that fortunately he had cleared his traffic summons before he went over. For someone who has just been in UK for only two and a half months, it is considered good, unless one is being posted there by the same company, or one of those who works in a restaurant and can actually start work without even having to know English! But if without work permits, some were earning as low as 1.50 an hour instead of minimum wage of 5. 50.

He spent at least a month traveling about to familiarize with traveling within London, and other cities and had been to Paris a few times before he started applying. With his previous experience as a Marketing Manager in a university college, they could use his experience in their planned expansion and upgrading as well as recruiting students from Malaysia.

Beng explained to us his rationale of being in UK as with his “right of abode”, if he did not make use of the opportunity while young, he might live to regret when old. Very clearly, it is to earn and save the pounds to bring back to Malaysia!

Well, he had to eat humble pie first, leaving a job, house and car to start from scratch – without house and car and yet to rent a place for himself. He still could not get used to the 36-hour per week expected of his new job! He might have time to work at a football club for the fun of it.

Cheng was so excited when her fellow Rotary International exchange student, Adeline Choo was chosen as the new Miss Malaysia/World. She had been in touch with her during a period when she was undecided as to her options. Taking part in beauty contests seemed a good challenge. As destined, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for her.
Cheng is looking forward, if time permits for both, to meet in Poland when she takes part in the Miss World contest. Congratulations Adeline!

I met Adeline at a Rotary meeting at the Titiwangsa Golf Club. Cheng was away then, and I was asked to give a speech on how I felt as a father who has a daughter on an international student exchange programme. Adeline’s parents were there too.

When Alex mentioned over the phone about strict rules on hand luggage, we thought he was joking until we read in the newspapers the next morning about the havoc at Heathrow airport after the discovery of plans to bomb planes from London to New York. We consider ourselves very lucky indeed to have left 2 days earlier, without even having our heavy hand luggage weighed– one with a mantelpiece clock which got them suspicious when scanned but they did not even bother to open it, another with a crystal glass decanter and 4 glasses and a few mugs!

Nee’s housemate, Kak Jas was one of those affected when she went to the airport and found that her flight was cancelled. Over the weekend, she had yet to book her flight, as the ones for Monday were fully booked. I wish her luck.

For one who prefers to travel light, the new requirements on hand luggage actually suit me. Very soon, enterprising manufacturers will be producing transparent hand luggage bags!