On route to the midlands after the disaster of my van being bugged and constantly
being put in limp mode whenever I tried to leave Swansea over the previous
week’s, it seemed I was not destined to get my break in the sun … So, I had an
idea to switch vehicles on a common road that takes you across 2 areas, I pulled
in put the bonnet up and a car pulled in front to see if I wanted help and that’s
when the switch happened… I jumped in the Merc and left Matthew with the van
so he could take it back to the caravan while I was away having a break in
Croatia… I was up by Cardiff by the time he went back as he reluctantly stayed at
the caravan after me talking him into it .. he didn’t want to as the spooky goings on
fried his head as well as mine ..
While on the phone to my mate Luke up the midlands who I was going to stop and
have a pint with the that day before my flight from Manchester airport, I noticed the
Bluetooth connection went active on my phone and all of a sudden the
conversation through my head set filled the Merc internal speakers on hands free ,
I turned the phone off as I knew how to get to Luke’s from the south west and
couldn’t be arsed to think about all the technology being hacked .. all that was in
my mind was sitting in that department lounge having a pint of cider!!
Me and Luke and his family had a great catch up and it was refreshing not to have
all the strange goings on and a hug and a pint was well over due with him .. I didn’t
go into much and he didn’t ask as he knew what had gone on in my messy split
up..
After an hour he said he’ll show me the way to the motorway so I could head to the
hotel I had booked for that night .
Getting to the hotel felt like an achievement in itself my Maps would reroute over
and over but I knew the direction I was going so I just cracked on turning the
phone on and off with the odd reset .. but nonetheless I was nearly away, a feeling
of isolation come over me on the journey up but I was fine with it .. it was better
than feeling anxious and worried!
Getting to Manchester airport area I could see the planes arriving into the area
over the city buildings, but I couldn’t work out how the hell to get to the carpark for
departures… I went around and around so I eventually turned the phone on for
maps help .. bloody useless as it was sending me to Birmingham airport… I called
Luke and explained that my phone was playing up once again and I’d wrote his
number down and I would call him from a payphone at the airport so if I was quiet
that was the reason!
Eventually I got to the airport after asking so many people on the side of the
road… I flew into the carpark grabbed my bags and ran into the departure gate at
the airport… I was only 10mins from not being able to check in .. lucky enough for
me and a stroke of luck was that they opened another gate, and I made the check
in… I was over the moon .. I called Luke and said that I was waiting in the bar and
I had plenty of time for a meal and a pint .. and I thanked him for the help and also
seeing him and his family… he stressed and I listened that I needed this break to
concentrate on relaxing and using it as a restart to try and forgot my troubled mind
.. I agreed with everything he said and made a mental note in my mind to listen to
his wise words and advise…
Sitting there all happy in a daze watching the other travellers around me all excited
to go to wherever they were all going a staff member walking up to me and said
are you traveling with Swiss port .. I replied no sorry I’m with Ryanair, he explained
that there were passengers missing from a check in desk. I gave my name, and he

said it wasn’t me he was looking for… I thought can you imagine after all the erratic
behaviour getting to that gate and I missed the last call and indeed the flight to my
break alone.
So I sat there thinking about how Croatia would be, what the accommodation
would be like and most importantly what the people were like ..
All of a sudden it felt empty where I was sitting, everyone around me had gone .. I
wandered around and the lounge seemed empty… I turned my phone on and a
message came through from Luke wishing me a safe flight and he was glad I was
up in the air and probably all settled on the plane!
I thought what the fuck.I checked my ticket and the time was 29mins past the
boarding time .. I scrambled around asking anyone who worked there about my
flight .. a woman said after looking at my boarding pass that that flight got changed
to a Swiss port flight and it was announced, and they looked for the passengers
and I explained that I had been asked but I was a Ryanair passenger and why the
hell didn’t that check ask me where the hell I was flying too as I would have clicked
on.
So that was the end of that flight .. I had missed it .. nightmare!
I called Luke and explained that I had fucked up and he didn’t lose his patients…
he got the laptop on and looked for the next flight to Croatia while being calm and
reassuring me it was ok that it happens… I felt like I let him down and was now
even more stressed out about the situation!!
So after paying £100 to get my car out of the carpark I sat outside the airport and
waited for Luke to call to come back with a plan… the feeling of isolation I had
liked now turned to a fear that made my eyes sore and head aching with my hands
trembling and shaking uncontrollable.
The phone rang and my eyes were all blurred so I struggled to make out who was
calling .. to my relief on swipe to answer it was Luke .. I was so relieved to hear his
voice… he had found me another flight, but it was leaving in the morning and was
from London Stansted… I promised him I would head down and not let him down
and I would head down there by driving through the night as it was a morning
flight. I said go to bed mate you’ve helped me a lot and now it’s late… go mate get
some rest and I’ll message you from Stansted airport in the morning…
I fuelled up at a nearby garage and headed to the motorway to head south… I was
exhausted and fucked off mainly with myself. it was dark and I was hungry… so
McDonalds it was on the way down at a services stop, once i ate I headed south
full of optimising thoughts about the fuck up that just happened… it was a long
drive down and in the dark .. keeping my composure on the task ahead that was to
actually get on the flight .. I drifted into a daze singing to myself, being exhausted I
turned the radio on to help me stay awake and I said to myself I’ll sleep on the
plane .. getting near the next airport the sun was coming up and I knew I would be
on that flight in no time.
Getting near Stansted airport I ended up in road works .. there was big rolling
machines and diggers pulling up the road so I sat at the temporary traffic lights
that were set up on the workers night shift .. as they were taking ages to switch the
green I wound down my window and asked the worker how long it would be to
change .. he said there was a shift change happening and they sort of blocked me
in with the machines and plant on their job .. I sat and sat do me a favour will you
call me as soon as I can go and I he agreed… I laid back in my seat and relaxed
and fell asleep as I was so tired .. I woke up … Shit shit … !!! I looked at the time
and it was 10am .. my flight was at 0900 .. I’d missed another flight .. I reluctantly
called Luke and gave him the bad news .. I couldn’t see him but I knew he was
pissed off with me missing the flight .. I heard him sigh and he said .. right mate!

You’re in London. there will be a flight to Croatia at one of the major airports
there… give me 20 mins and I’ll look .. and by chance there was one leaving
Heathrow in a few hours .. I sucked it up and apologized for another fuck up and in
true best mate style he said don’t worry about it…
I left where I was and headed straight to Heathrow airport… I pulled in fast to the
nearest carpark and headed straight to the departure gate I was on .. I made it to
the check in desk to my relief .. no more problems now and it was full steam
ahead to get on the flight. With the fuck up on the first flight where I missed the
gate time .. this time I was going to sit at the gate door to the flight! The women on
the desk explained that my COVID test that was 48hour was 10 mins over the
flight limit. and she was going to call head office to see if I could fly .. I was
devastated to say the least… after much deliberation from British airways and me
pleading and basically begging telling them about the disaster on the 2 previous
flights they agreed to let me fly .. so my case was checked in and I headed to the
departure lounge after security check .. I waited patiently for the gate to be
announced and told Luke I had made it .. to which he said .. please mate .. please
make this flight as there is no longer any available in London today .. I was so
relieved that he was ok as I was being a hindrance to him .. although he never
said it I sensed it …
The gate was announced and I sat there first in line waiting at the door to board
the plane like I imagined.
Then one thing hit me like lightning!!!
There was a bag of cocaine in my case!! With all the stress and panic I forgot to
take it out in a rush and leave it in the car .. it was about half ounce of pure that I
didn’t want to leave in the caravan. And to be honest when I found it I didn’t know
that it was there. I presumed that I had hid it and forgot about it .. but it was in a
different clear sandwich bag that I hadn’t seen but I presumed it was mine as I
would hide some (but not that much) when I had a tickle around the caravan as at
this point I was using daily.. the past pain would be subdued by it as in a sense I
had built up a barrier, a wall around me .. I shut myself off from the so called world
and it was all because I was basically scared of the present and future!
What if they had found it on the suitcase scan while loading the plane .. my
excitement turned to extreme fear!
I was so on edge I didn’t even look up and kept my eyes on my phone pretending
to be busy while listening intently to the tannoy announcements that would
possibly call my name out to go to security!!
The gate opened and I boarded the plane!! It was half empty so all passengers
were spread out .. I sat there on the outside seat near the back .. then a women
came next to me and said her seat was by the window. I got my shaking body up
and smiled politely while getting out of my seat to let her pass me to get to her
seat.
With all passengers on the half-filled plane .. the doors shut and the staff
proceeded to do the usual safety speech on the aisles .. I had made it and thought
if they found my cocaine crutch I would be pulled off the other end and thrown into
a Croatian jail… and that terrified me so much .. I thought what have you done
Craig .. you are going to banged up abroad and you have no one to help ..
especially over there!!!
The plane took off and I went to the toilet and stared at the toilet mirror.
I looked like shit, and I was physically looked like I had done 3-night shifts in a row
with no sleep! I washed my face and tried to pull it together. in my mind I was
going to jail in the searched the passengers at the other end and as the flight was
half empty the likelihood was high!
I sat back in my seat and thought if I’m Going to jail the other end, I’m going to get

pissed one last time as i didn’t know what would happen when the customs and
Croatian police would get me!
I pulled the lever on my seat and pushed it back to give me some body and leg
space ..
I closed my eyes to rest and thought what’s done is done I’ll just listen for the
drinks trolly and once pissed I would come up with a plan!
With my eyes closed I heard a voice ..
” You look like you’ve had a hard night ? Penny for your thoughts? “
I opened my eyes and looked at the passenger that was sat in the window seat,
the lady I let past to get to her seat. She looked all fresh and had a slight spring in
her conversation starter .. I reluctantly replied… you wouldn’t believe the hassle I
had just to get to this point… she nodded .. ” wanna talk about it? ” I said the flight
is only 4 hours and not a long haul .. there isn’t enough time and I giggled to
myself. she replied… go on try me?
The drinks trolly was next to me at that point and I said ” wanna get drunk? I’ll
pay? Although you normally have to re-mortgage your house to get pissed on a
plane as the prices are so high ..
Her reply was ” why not? “
So I ordered two straight vodkas and 3 cans of lager for me and she put her order
in of 2 gin and apple juice .. which to that point I’d never heard someone order
something like that .. gin and apple juice… strange but that’s what she wanted ..
With drinks in hand, she asked again… go in hit me with it? Now this was a
statement that I would normally now think something was up. But what the hell .. I
was probably going to jail the other end so I took a deep breath and said .. it’s
crazy you know .. brace yourself ha ha !