We are at Kennedy Airport

Thursday Evening (28 October)

We are at Kennedy Airport, as I type this. We have a couple of hours wait, as true to the Swiss Family Hawker habits, we have arrived early. We left Natalie and Wayne’s (in Upper West Side) at 4.10 p.m. and took just over one hour to get to the airport. I am told that as it gets to 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm, the traffic gets worse. Hardly seems possible. We were at the airport even earlier than I had expected. The plane’s scheduled departure time is 8.55 pm and not 7.55 pm, as I had thought. (“Why is there no one else at this departure gate, yet?”)

By the time that this blog is published, we shall be back in Zurich. However, at the time of writing this, I have no idea when that will be, as our modem and router were put out of action, when our Thalwil electricity decided to show its sorrow at our temporary absence, by sending a surge through the apartment, thus fusing or destroying various pieces of electrical equipment. As Captain Kirk said, having been hit by a Klingon missile “Damage Report!”.

Enough moaning. We have had a great time. Thank you Natalie and Wayne for putting us up in Upper West Side.

We now need to plan our re-entry back into real life. If the re-entry is too shallow, we shoot off into outer space, never to be seen again and too steep, we burn up in the thick atmosphere of Thalwil. So the plan is to take it easy. Really easy!! As you know, taking it easy is not exactly a core competence of the Hawkers. (Perhaps “Decompression is a better methaphor”)

In thinking back over the blogs, I realise that I have left so much out. For New York alone, I could fill three more Blogs, full of places which Natalie and Wayne pointed out to us. I know that you all eagerly awaiting the full details. In this case, there is only one thing for us. I shall organise a six hour slide and video show (plus Pauses for ice cream). Don’t be too impatient for this exciting event. I have to organise all my slides, and you know that this will take some weeks. (“Take your time; we wouldn’t you to miss anything”, I hear my dad say).

Don’t worry if you are overseas. Jim Ellerbee tells me that it is possible to organise conference calls, with video over Skype, so there is no excuse for not joining in. And for those of you who miss it first time around, I could record it and put it on YouTube.

I will keep you updated on this exciting event. Don’t book anything for the next five weeks.

(p.s. back on real time, we are online again. Normal service to be resumed)