Airplane!

Apart from cars, tractors and trains Number One Son loves airplanes. Living reasonably close to the East Midlands airport and an ambulance helicopter service a large amount of planes crosses the skies above. Almost every time Number One Son sees or hears a plane or helicopter he shouts ‘Airplane!’. This is relatively recent development and he was not this encaged with the planes during the summer.

Thus, he could hardly have been more excited than being at Heathrow and Helsinki-Vantaa during our visit in Finland over a long weekend this December. The planes are not as visible at Heathrow unless taking the airport bus to access the plane – which we did. However, at Helsinki-Vantaa he could see the planes below his feet from the terminal through the rain in the dark winter afternoon. He really treasured this moment before dragged away towards the non-Schengen passport check by his parents.

Not only were the planes a joy for him, so was the airports. All those wide and long corridors joining the terminal buildings made him run joyfully. The archaeological eye spotted the differences in the use of space at Heathrow Terminal 3 and Helsinki-Vantaa: the difference between denser and spacier possibilities for building and the different take to the need to engage the travellers with shopping in order to get revenues. Heathrow 3 truly is an arena for shopping! However, the real use of space for our son was taking a stroller trolley meant for carting tired children provided at Helsinki-Vantaa and enjoying a ride provided by his mother along the corridor during a quieter moment when waiting for our delayed flight.