If you want to see live airplane traffic check this out http://www.radarvirtuel.com
It shows the current position and status of planes over Europe. You can also add labels, see the current position of the volcanix ash cloud, and filter out any of the aircraft based on many parameters.
I regularly fly to Northern Ireland so I use it to check what it happening to those flight paths only, useful to see if the incoming plane is on time.
Sat on plane waiting to take off from Belfast city, all was going well until the despatchers and the crew could not agree on numbers.
In the end we the ground crew had to go to each passenger in turn and mark us all off the list of passengers thay had. As I write this we are 15 minutes delayed.
In the end a gentleman was taken off the plane. It was not clear if he was on the wrong plane or not. The attendent would not tell me, but I got the impression that he was and the despatchers were embarassed that they had allowed him through.
One of the pilots of the plane is female, I don’t think I have ever noticed a female airline pilot.
Back to Luton airport for a trip to Belfast. Thought I would have breakfast at the airport, this time, as I noticed that Pret does porridge. Turns out to be good porridge, I guess because it has been on the heat for a while the oats really get a chance to expand, so the whole thing is much more creamy. I opted for a dollop of honey for £1.99, which means they are making big margins on materials. I get a kg of Tesco value oats for less than a pound, and all you need for a portion of porridge is half a mug full. A bag lasts me a couple of months.
On the way in I stopped off in W H Smiths to get a paper, and noticed that the advertising screen above the tills was showing and error message, as I like to collect public error messages I thought I would share it with you all. It is an AVG anti virus message complaining that the license had run out.
Anyway the plane is about to push off and so am I.
Travelling again to Belfast, different this time though I am flying in and out of Belfast City (George Best) Airport rather Belfast international. City (as the locals call it) is right in the heart of the city of Belfast situated in I guess what would have been Harland and Wolf docks, I think they built the Titanic here. It is smaller than International with less gates. They give you plastic bags in security rather than charging a pound. I arrived early and took the opportunity for a bite to eat from Harvest Market. The fish pie and mushy peas is to be recommended. When I arrived in the departure lounge it was quite crowded but a couple of flights left and it emptied out.
You may have read my posts about the quiet lounge at Luton Airport that is near the gates used by EasyJet. Well today it all went wrong. I was in the lounge waiting for the 7sm flight to Belfast City (George Best) airport never been there before) when the flight was called at gate 21.
Gate 21 is all the way back to the main area and turn right not left. So I had to get a shift on to stand any chance of getting near the front of the queue. A fellow traveller had also made the same mistake and for a while was a head of me, but my stamina got the better of his quick off the mark speed. I managed to beat him to the gate, you have to make your own fun when you are travelling on your own. Anyway things did not turn out too bad, I was 6 in the queue at the exit, so should guarantee a place on the front row.
Update got my usual seat in the end, window seat next to left front door, for a quick get away at the other end. Apologies for the picture.
You don’t see this very often. As it happens my flight was the next to be called.
Thought I would give you all an update on my walk to work routine. Things are going well I have not missed a day yet, in the three weeks I have been walking.
I am getting to know the wildlife that is about on the route, and this morning I thought may be there was an ark nearby, as all the birds seem to come in two’s. First I saw a Grey Heron fly along the canal, and later another one fly the other direction. In a regular spot I saw two Bull Finches (male and female), they seem to always been in the same short section of the canal, and I suspect that are always there unless someone has passed before me and scared them off. Then I saw a Kingfisher fly past twice, it was a bright iridescent blue because it was flying away with the sun behind it. It may have been the same bird twice, but I am claiming it as two different birds!
Other stuff that is often out there are Hares in the fields adjacent to the Buckland Road, as well as an elusive warblerish bird that I have yet to get in the binoculars.
Thought I would time my walk home and get some timings for a few landmarks on the way. My previous times have been arounf 35 minutes.
Work 0:00 28:50 Canal bridge 1 4:30 24:20 Canal bridge 2 11:00 17:50 A41 bridge 30 16:30 12:20 Queens Mead 21:37 7:13 Village Hall 24:14 4:36 Home 28:50 0:00
I found a village called Barley and headed out towards the hill and it became obvious that I would get nowhere near enough to get to the top of the hill in the time I had available to me. So I took some pictures and headed down to Clitheroe where the meeting would be.
I had an opportunity to take a walk round the town, which seemed to the thriving properties prices were high and the shops seemed to independent. I chanced upon a gallery at the station I liked the art branded “Particle article” the objects were little creatures made of wire and things found in nature ones and pine cones and old leaves. Each figure had a great name and a story, for example see the link to Note Nibbler.
Needed to catch the 8:35 left the house at 6:40. Had plenty of time to make my way through the airport and down to the quiet lounge and get an espresso without rushing. The was very little queue at the security hall so fast track security was not necessary, but it is useful to know it is there if needed.
Weather really nice here but forecast is for rain in Belfast! Should I have bought a coat or umbrella with me? In the new Oracle have bought Sun, this could be really good for mySQL, and gives Oracle an operating system, Solaris is well respected.
Someone laid me down a challenge to get my http://neilbaldwin.net/rssblog/ up the ranking in Google searches. I think that may be getting it noticed by aggregators my do the trick? Need to get the Google Hacks book out again. I will keep you posted with any progress I manage to make. Perhaps I should try to promote books by adding a feed for Neil Baldwin news?
No photo yet but I do have the Ricoh with me perhaps a picture from the window?
