Home sweet home

Posted by Helen Whitaker at 21:04 on 12 Jan 2010

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Happy New Year! After a trip back to Blighty, I am back in Los Angeles and despite how brilliant it was to see friends and family, I am relieved to be able to leave the house without a) wearing every item of clothing in my suitcase for warmth, or b) falling arse over t*t on some ice (both tragically true of my stay in England). Yes, I have become one of those annoying smug people who hark the joys of living in a temperate climate - until, say, June when it becomes ‘too hot' for my British sensibilities and the whinging starts.

I am pretty used to the long-haul thing now as I come back two or three times a year but as we flew on 28th December, the extra security measures were in full force. After being delayed for three hours we were then told that the movies ‘on demand' feature wasn't going to be available on the in-flight entertainment system (I know, seems petulant to moan but is a total lifesaver on an eleven hour flight). Apparently  they had to disable the flight status map (as a security measure) and in doing so had to turn off the films too.

Now, my nervous flying disposition is all for whatever measures are needed to stop people igniting their underpants mid-flight, but it's hard to believe that Richard Branson can send an aircraft into space, but hasn't got an IT man who can disable the flight status map without turning off all the films at the same time. Moan moan and all that. Thankfully, after that it was plain sailing and family catchups, roast dinners and decent curries all the way, before we were back at Heathrow again for the return flight.

Generally between LHR and LAX there will be someone famous to gawp at (although not actually on the plane; they tend not to be wedged in economy), which makes the trip more entertaining (though thankfully the films were now back on). This time we saw Rufus Sewell and Cameron Diaz‘s ex, Paul Sculfor. How do celebs know each other? I always wonder, but anyway, they were chatting to each other in the queue for immigration before Rufus got taken off to a little room for secondary questioning - I know this because I was obviously spying on them and he shouted to Paul that it was happening. For all I know, he's still in there.

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