Terminal observations

 GATWICK AIRPORT

You see humanity at its best and worst at airports in holiday times. Gatwick is such a place in August. Queues for everything but the stolid English acceptance of crowdiness means patience is needed. No shouting, jumping queues even when they exceed the tramlines put down for such an event. No, all nationalities seem to take on that English attitude of of resignation as they join those neverending queues.

All nationalities are here and in all shapes and sizes as I found out when a rather large lady sat down on one of those linked seating arrangements. All though she was three seats from me I was catapultged into the air and returned with a thud. Good job I was not drinking tea!

Another thing, everyone is using their mobiles. With faces glued to their minature screens they provide translations, directions and even security clearance and boarding tickets  for aircraft and trains. Thank goodness I bought an "eticket" for the  train and avoided a somewhat long physical queue for paper tickets.

READING TRAIN STATION

Sat down to wait with a "Starbucks" coffee. Opposite were a young couple. The girl, dressed in a beige "jumpsuit" had red nails, long eyelashes and never stopped looking at herself in, yes you guessed it, her mobile. Reckon she is one of those "influencers" who try to advise us on everything under the sun and for which they earn a commission! Suddenly, she started to make a video with her mobile with all sorts of different facial expressions. Weird! Then she reached into her jumpsuit pocket extracted something and put it to her mouth and then exhaled and a stream of smoke issued from her nostrils! Must have been "vaping", the modern form of smoking. Alongside was an expensive set of suitcases adorned by a large teddy bear. All of this oblivious of things around her.

In contrast, a lone females backpacker looking dishevelled, tired and muddy smiles at me as she sits down at the next table, extracts her mobile and has a telephone conversation.

What a contrast.

Suddenly an employee of Starbucks tells an abusive customer to leave and such is the explosive nature of it that I spill my latte down my shirt!

A mother with two young girls in straw hats with roses in them pick up sandwiches  and drinks "to go". A tired looking grandmother tags on behind. Wonder where they are going as Reading station is a crossover for many lines. Cardiff, Camarthon, Penzance, Bristol, Birmingham, Cheltenhap Spa. Who knows.

Two elderly sisters in white summer dresses eat chocolate biscuits wrapped in gold wrappers whilst intermittently chatting and checking their mobiles.

Have we lost the art of non digital communication!