"Gee, but it's great to be back home....."
Simon and Garfunkel said it so well - but it is really great to be back home - especially after being stranded in Canada for almost two weeks - as a result of the volcanic ash cloud.
While the wonders of modern technology the blog site kept going - things were only prevented from turning into a complete nightmare with the help of family and friends.
So hats off to my brother Brian, and sister-in-law Jane, for riding to the rescue in our hour of need - without their help things looked bleak indeed.
And this was in stark contrast to the UK government - which had about as much purpose or common sense - as an ashtray on a motorbike.
For many people outside Europe - the only source of reliable news was the BBC's World News programme.
Yet not one UK government minister appeared on this news channel until Day 6 of the crisis - long after people were in really desperate straits.
Politicians normally fond of the limelight were suddenly nowhere to be seen - no one offered practical help and support - people were just left to their own devices.
Meanwhile some of the airlines were busy exploiting the situation - demanding three and four times the normal economy fares, or business and first-class fares - to get the stranded travellers home, some of them with young children.
Incredibly many flights came back to the UK with empty seats - but without an angry word from the politicians.
The motto of the story is that when the banking system faced a crisis - the government threw huge amounts of public money at the problem - no effort was too great, no cost too much.
Yet when tens of thousands of ordinary UK citizens were stranded abroad - ministers just looked the other way.
The government should hang its head in shame.
While the wonders of modern technology the blog site kept going - things were only prevented from turning into a complete nightmare with the help of family and friends.
So hats off to my brother Brian, and sister-in-law Jane, for riding to the rescue in our hour of need - without their help things looked bleak indeed.
And this was in stark contrast to the UK government - which had about as much purpose or common sense - as an ashtray on a motorbike.
For many people outside Europe - the only source of reliable news was the BBC's World News programme.
Yet not one UK government minister appeared on this news channel until Day 6 of the crisis - long after people were in really desperate straits.
Politicians normally fond of the limelight were suddenly nowhere to be seen - no one offered practical help and support - people were just left to their own devices.
Meanwhile some of the airlines were busy exploiting the situation - demanding three and four times the normal economy fares, or business and first-class fares - to get the stranded travellers home, some of them with young children.
Incredibly many flights came back to the UK with empty seats - but without an angry word from the politicians.
The motto of the story is that when the banking system faced a crisis - the government threw huge amounts of public money at the problem - no effort was too great, no cost too much.
Yet when tens of thousands of ordinary UK citizens were stranded abroad - ministers just looked the other way.
The government should hang its head in shame.
