Part Two

I would love to be able to change its name to Camaley. A place where all could find love, hope, truth and peace.

Today is Tuesday the 30^th of January 2001 and here I am in the home of Mrs. M.

I have arrived. I will be sleeping overnight so that I am on hand to help with packing and whatever (but really I am sure she was worried I would miss the flight, we are to leave at 5.30am).

I was instructed to leave my cases in the rotunda and then asked to lock all the doors, turn off the lights and she would see me in the morning at 4.30am. No problem.

Mrs. M was already upstairs having retired for the night so having done all I was asked to do I bid her goodnight.

The interior of the house is rather daunting at first because of the number of floors or levels and wings.

Having entered the door, if you gaze straight ahead you see the staircase, very wide and on the wall to my right is the most interesting wall tapestry. It is immense. Walking straight ahead will lead you to the rest of the ground floor it is a living museum. With the stairs to my right I find to my left, a drawing room of the same proportions as the reception area and then on my left opposite the door is the entrance to the kitchen, servant’s quarters and the East Wing (I believe its East).

In total I believe there to be approximately 8/10 bedrooms, three libraries and of course all the other areas a house this size would require for it to be run correctly and in the manner to which I am sure it must have become accustomed.

You may think I speak of ‘The Hall’ as though it actually lives! I believe the “Hall” is alive, vibrant in its diversity of contents from across the globe. Yes, it is old and most likely the ultimate aspiration of its creator and builder. I do not know exactly how old but I will attempt to find out.

I am to retire this night to the third floor, what used to be the servants quarters and I am quite looking forward to see how the ‘other half’ lived. One never knows, I might meet or see a few!

There are books, books, books and how I would love to catalogue them, perhaps on our return Mrs. M may allow me to do so.

My bed has been made and the room is spotlessly clean, with all the necessary requirements to hand. The TV works and it is a peaceful room with a serene and visually perfect view when gazing out of the window across the lawns and trees. It is impossible to see the lake and the Chinese Bridges that connect island to island, during the summer I imagine it would be an idyllic place to meditate, and as for the walled garden, this is another tale.

This has always been a peaceful and happy room, it speaks to me. No I am not going round the bend, it really is taking me into its heart and confidence.

7pm

Ready for bed, watched the telly for an hour and then tried to go to sleep. You notice I said tried.

I began thinking about what the history and incidents in the house ‘might have been’ and I kept seeing flashes of different faces and I thought to hell with this, if I carry on down that road it might give encouragement to any unhappy little spirit who might like to chat, even though I would love to meet some of them. I am tired, it has been a long day for me and the time for awakening was changed to 3am.

Travel details: A 1hour flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick on the shuttle transferred to the BA Lounge for a 3 hour wait for our 8/9 hour flight to Orlando Florida where we shall be met by a limousine to take us to Vero beach. Florida here I come, are you ready for me!

I know I am here for a reason and I will be told and shown when Spirit decides it is time.

Is it really 3am! I feel as though I have just closed my eyes. Excited? Yes.

Up, washed and dressed then downstairs to unlock and open the doors, so that David will have access. Poor soul he has had to get up to drive us to the airport. Bags all downstairs and David, dutifully loading the car and listening to, the instructions being given him by Mrs.M.

Mrs. M. wants to be away by 4.15. Well 4.20 wasn’t bad. I sat in the front with David and Mrs. M. was in the back completing her instructions for work to be done whilst we were away.

The drive to the Airport at Edinburgh was very pleasant, even though it was still dark outside and we passed through some very pretty towns and villages that I will pay a visit to after our return.

A month in the sun! I can hardly wait.

On our arrival at the airport, David located the BA desk and had a porter arrive with a wheelchair; Mrs. M. had requested this service when she booked the tickets. David lifted the bags out of the boot and then went for a trolley, I was left to carry the walking sticks, handbags and other light travel needs. Booking in was quite an experience to say the least.

Everything was going fine, the cases all checked in and then it came to the seat allocation. I had already been told by Mrs. M. I would be traveling tourist class but she would be in Business class, rightly so. However the row and seat she wanted had been allocated to an earlier arrival. Sparks flew.

The checking in girls looked dazed, I felt awkward and other passengers waiting to book in looked gob smacked. The first signs of things to come!

Once we had overcome this situation things began to settle down. I had been allowed to accompany Mrs. M. into the Business Lounge and I was most grateful for this privilege.

The lounge on the 4^th floor was most spacious and well laid out, everything within easy reach, papers, food and public services. Needless to say all the food, liquid refreshments as well as all related items were free courtesy of BA. The Cappuccino was delicious.

The porter or steward who was in charge of transporting Mrs. M. in the wheelchair was most courteous and pleasant; he was handsomely rewarded for his efforts. On his departure he advised us we would be collected at 10.30am to board our plane for Gatwick.

Things had been going really well and we were enjoying the view from the windows, planes arriving and departing for places unknown.

10:25am escorted to the plane, seated, take-off, breakfast and then it was time to land. What a pleasant flight. We had to allow the other passengers off first and then our escort was there with a wheelchair. But it wasn’t ours. What awaited us was the dreaded “airport buggy” I knew I shouldn’t have spoken so soon. Oh Boy, was this to be the start of something BIG. After many words, loud voices, threats and you name it, it happened a wheelchair was eventually duly produced.

Due to the delay with the wheelchair we were rushed through and into the Business Lounge with about an hour and a half to wait for our connection. There was a sweet elderly gentleman walking with me, he was deaf almost and the steward was escorting him as well as us. Such a pleasant soul, he too was going on holiday and would be returning the same date we were.

It was time to board our plane for Orlando. The same steward came to collect us and deliver us to the booking in desk in the departure lounge. We were duly asked for our tickets and guess what? I didn’t have one for the London –Orlando flight. I had the Orlando-London one but alas the porter told me I wouldn’t be allowed on the plane without this ticket.

Mrs. M didn’t get a chance to say a word because I said enough for both of us. I was in no mood to put up with this situation and asked them how they thought I had managed to get this far if I didn’t have a valid ticket and these were the politest words I had uttered at this point.

It must have been the first time in Mrs. M life she hadn’t got a word in a conversation. As I am actually writing this on the plane you may deduce that I was allowed on. Talk about Déjà vu (read our Egyptian Journal). The departure desk in Edinburgh had taken all the tickets out and had not replaced the ticket for this flight.

I was allocated seat number 40c, as stated I was in the Tourist class and Mrs. M was in Business Class. 40C was the first row in the fourth compartment or section of a Boeing 747-400. It consists of an Upper deck and 4 compartments. In the row were 3 seats, how lucky, I was allocated the middle one while a man sat on my right and his wife and baby were on my left and to my far right were 3 children who didn’t really want to be on the flight at all.

An angel appeared from nowhere in the form of the cabin stewardess and asked me if I would care to be relocated at the rear of the plane.

Would I, but of course not wishing to cause offence to anyone, I suggested to the family along side of me that they could then let the baby sleep in the seat I was occupying. They were overjoyed, whereas I was just relieved. It isn’t that I don’t like children, it’s just I don’t like screaming ones.

The row of seats at the back was empty, fantastic, and the whole row to myself so I was now on row 55 settled in seats CDEFG. My everlasting gratitude will be given to the beautiful Sharon and Alex. All aboard, everyone fastened down and it’s up, up and away.

1.30pm and we have just been served drinks by the stewardesses and I have told myself no booze while I am here. Two cans of mineral water before lunch and the menu for lunch have just been given out. I have chosen Chicken with vegetables, potatoes and side salad, followed by Caramel custard with a glass of white wine. Come on now you can’t have Chicken without White wine can you and it is only a little bottle.

The on-board movie has just begun. Walt Disney’s ‘The Titans’ it is a superb film and John and Phil would love it.

All the dishes removed and Sharon is sat down on her seat just across the isle from me. We appear to have many things in common and guess what the subject has just come around to! That’s right Spirituality.

Beryl