got on the plane still feeling weird.
it sat there and sat there, finally we were told to put on our seatbelts, but those of us sitting on the left hand side were alarmed to see a stream of fuel pouring out of the wing, and a couple of fire engines and emergency trucks spraying foam.

One woman started shouting that she knew she was going to die, and she was only eighteen and had no insurance. They gave her some orange juice.

3 hours later after a lot of airport officials had shone small scout torches vaguely up at the wing, and when everyone was standing in the cabin talking about getting off, we taxied onto the runway accompanied by all the fire engines and emergency trucks. The only plane taking off as heathrow had officially closed.

a long unrelaxed night, followed by a 5 hr drive through rush hour traffic to a wonderful peaceful beach side hotel , chirping crickets, rice and curry and beer and bed....