Sliding Doors ...

I remember watching the film Sliding Doors when I was in my early twenties (some time ago now!) and being hugely impacted by the fact that a few minutes of time passing in our lives can mean that the actions and decisons we make in a split second can have a have a massive impact on our futures, both individually, relationally and globally.

Last Thursday I found myself trying to check in at Marrakech's Menara Airport for a return flight to the UK with a friend of mine after spending some time supporting some friends in Morroco. Strolling into the airport we glanced at the check-in board, and confirmed verbally between us the number of the check-in desk we needed to head to, only to turn around to see a gentleman looking at us in a particularly perplexed way. That was not something new we had witnessed in Morocco, so we made our way to the desk anyway.

On arrival we were were greeted with a smile (I am a big fan of good customer service!) and it was explained that our flight was cancelled. The only thing we were able to be deduce from the conversation held in broken English was that there was something about ice and land. We thought about this for a while and concluded that the weather back home must have taken at severe turn for the worse, and that that was why we could not fly. Afterall, it was only two years ago that Heathrow Airport's runway was choked full of ice and snow at Easter. I know this as I was trying to make my way to Nepal!

It was only when the airline representative explained further that we realised the enormity of the problem we faced. A volcano had erupted in Iceland and therefore had interrupted our travel plans somewhat significantly. We spent the next few hours in snaking queues which at each turn revealed different information about our possible exit or not back to the UK.
Then we were allocated a flight a week away from our departure date, and I did one of those things I said I would never do after watching passengers travelling on a certain airline also broadcasted on TV, but I couldn't stop it happening! As our very helpful customer services representative offered us our rescheduled flight I felt the tears welling up and beading on my lower-lids. Before I knew it my eyes were watering profusely, and I was breathing rather deeply to compensate (Must have been the onions!) I joined the third queue of the day!

At this point in time it was not clear of the way forward, and my travelling companion and I were unsure of what to do. We wondered whether we should return to friends in the north of Morocco and sit it out there, or whether to sit it out in Marrakech. Both of us had visited before and as we piled onto the bus with other stranded tourists we weren't overly optimistic about the provision of our lodgings. At least we thought, we could hold in for the night and head North the next day if needs must!

On arrival at our hotel however we were somewhat pleasantly surprised, and also suspicious about whether the airline were actually footing the bill for our stay. I would struggle to pay to stay a weekend here, nevermind the airline providing complimentary full-board accommodation for a week.

So this is where we stayed .... An amazing place way beyond what we could ever afford... But it was provided ...

We spent a lot of time over the next few days with new friends trying to work things out and to come up with our own plan of how to get out of this place, like it was the last thing we might ever do, but it wouldn't work...

Then we gave up ... and let go!

On April 22nd we boarded our flight to the UK, just as UK airspace opened. Our seat allocation, row 22.

Those who know me well will know the significance of the above ...

More to follow on Europe and on Life Through the Lens over the next few weeks