The Wanderer Returns...

I arrived home a short while ago. Now, having greeted (and, more importantly, fed) Furretti and Miaowrini, and having unpacked the suitcase, I am just checking a few blogs before crawling, exhausted, into bed.

But I just want to have a little smirk...

...Just a little one...

I made disparaging remarks in a previous post that cast aspersions on the apparently "non-bio" biometric passport I had to pay an exorbitant amount for last Saturday.

I have completely changed my views.

I arrived at Passport Control at Heathrow Terminal Five this evening, feeling rather tired and irritable, and observed the hordes queuing. I then spotted a small sign which suggested that anyone with a certain chip-type symbol on the front of their passport could go through the automatic scanner.

There wasn't a queue for this scanner.

I checked my passport. It had the chip-type symbol on the front. I gleefully marched to the completely queue-less empty booth, stood on the yellow feet marked on the floor, pushed my passport through a slot and stared at the camera. That camera was a lot more friendly than the official who had originally checked my ear-less photo. The message came up that I passed muster, and I was through.

I'm afraid that I couldn't resist waving at some of my fellow pilgrims who were still queuing...