The last night began with cocktails at 6pm with Kathy & Jim, our neighbours. We then enjoyed an excellent dinner with them and finally made a tour of the lounge and bar to say goodbye to the bartenders and the band.
We left the ship and 10 am and were in Marco Polo Airport 30 minutes later. It's a small airport and there were two cruise ships disembarking passengers. Ours was small but the other was HUGE, so the airport was crowded. And they don't let you check in until two hours before your flight. So we milled around for over an hour before heading to check-in, where the luggage belt stopped working. All we can say is thank goodness we took up the offer of business class flights. Fast track check-in makes life so much easier when you travel with a wheelchair.
Poor Wizzy, Marie’s wheelchair was festooned with five labels. A normal baggage label, a “transfer at terminal five” label, a priority label because we were business, a special assistance label and a large label that said “return to aircraft door”. You heard earlier how this worked at Barcelona. It nearly didn't at Heathrow, until the aircraft Captain, no less went rummaging in the hold, returning triumphantly with Wizzy.
The BA staff told us that they are dreading the Para-Olympics because Heathrow are so poor at getting wheelchairs out of aircraft. I also wish someone would train them in the right way to pick up a wheelchair without pulling it apart.
No matter we had Wizzy but had to dash because we were late leaving Venice, a knock on effect of early morning fog. We made the flight and when we got to Newcastle, there was Wizzy, waiting for us. Some airports get it right, in particular Newcastle and Barcelona, so why can't Heathrow.
Anyway, we arrived home at about 7pm, tired but in one piece, and with all our luggage. SO would be do it again. We've already paid the deposit ...
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