Ash Over the UK

Well it's been five days now that UK airspace has been almost completely shut down and Heathrow airport has been closed. Some flights supposedly were able to fly in/out of Scotland. I have colleagues stuck in NYC, San Francisco, Hong Kong and Germany. Loads of Oxford students and professors are unable to make it make for the start of term soon. Brian starts his new job this week, and will already be jumping right into new responsiblities - the Senior Tutor in Physics is stuck in Singapore, so Brian will have to pick up some of the student meetings and give exams this week and next. Thank goodness we weren't on holiday (well being stuck in Singapore would have been great) but it sounds like a nightmare to get home to the UK. While other countries in Europe also have closed airports, the ground transport can still get everyone somewhere (great train system, bus systems and cars). But as the UK is a island, it's much more difficult. Brits are having to get to continental Europe first, and then try to get the Eurostar train (which travels from Paris/Brussels under the English Channel to London) or take a Ferry across the Channel. The trains and ferries are fully booked for weeks and sounds like the UK navy is heading to Spain to pick up stranded Brits and bring them home. What a mess!