And I’ve not been sleeping for too long, either! It seems the opposition to this Cali trip is going on right up to the point of departure! It’s normally then, when the opposition knows that he isn’t going to stop me – or my friends – going, he tends to back off. Causing me to fall and smash my knees on hard floor, and then killing off the hard drive on my computer, were, hopefully, the enemy’s last throw of his dice! I’m praying that the knees will recover a bit – a lot! – by Thursday morning, when I head to Heathrow at about 0545 am. for the delightful prospect of about 25 hours in the air or in airports! One of the frustrations for me is that I’ve been in Barajas Airport, Madrid, many times: but I’ve never been in Madrid! As things are, mobility-wise today, I might well avail myself of ‘assistance’ in Madrid airport, as it’s a hack of a long way from where British Airways land and Avianca (the Colombian national airline) take off. The riotous time, in November ’13, when my friend Brian (who’s going this time, but not until the week after me) and I just happened to find a wheelchair, lost and lonely, at which point I jumped in, all of our hand luggage on my lap, and Brian going as fast as he could push me – when we already thought we’d missed the connection! We hadn’t: it was delayed. Thank you, Lord (sometimes) for delayed flights…
Seriously, though, I really would value your prayers for these knees: the fall on Friday has done what feels like significant (but I’m not receiving it) damage. At the moment, I can actually move my kneecap with my hands and make it click, on my right leg! So… I’m believing that the ultimate miracle is on its way, and it’d be wonderful to walk through airports – and anywhere, come to that – without a rolling, limping gait, and extreme pain! I feel like an old man…. but only in my legs!
The hard drive on my laptop dying was a real problem – I was in the middle of using it, when with no warning, it stopped… no chance to save anything, back it up (I’m the world’s worst at backing up!). Thankfully, with the help of some kind people, I’m hoping to get another one tomorrow, which my friend Lee will ‘commandeer’ from his home and install at least some software that I need, and more importantly, set up my mail information. What it is to be the Rodney Trotter of computers – moi!! I’ve still got a little way to go on the finance front, for the laptop, but then I don’t need the money until mid-day tomorrow! And as for the expenses for Cali… well, I don’t need that money for a few days either…
I’m just grateful to have one to take away with me. Cali, of all the places I go, is the one I love to report on the blog about, and I’ve got a lovely feeling that the onslaught ahead of the trip is going to mean it’s going to be, as always after trip, the ‘best one yet’!! And this will be my 66th time in Colombia, and 59th in Cali: I’ve got some catching up to do as, of course, I missed the trip in November…
