And so we went to the airport in Carcassonne yesterday to collect our six visitors for the Christmas- we have hired an extra car for the occasion. Now Carcassonne airport is very small and the area next to the luggage turntable is immediatly accessible to the outside- covered with warnings about how NO WAY one is allowed access. But as always the minute the first person passes through we all crowd in to greet the arrivals. We can then see them through a window queueing up at the immigration counter. As soon as our lot rounded the counter we spotted them, they were holding the two small lads aloft and they spotted us, I could see (but not hear) them shreiking our names. Síle took one look at me “Don’t you dare cry” she hissed.I tried hard not to.
And then they were through and Fionn the four year old leaped up on me and hugged.
My eye was cought by a French man just next to us staring unashamedly, a beatific beam on his face and his eyes full of tears.