Welcome to my “Learn typing and blog about…” series. This is the first of hopefully many articles where I have the opportunity to write about a whole range of things.
Of course, being able to type makes this task a simple one for me. My hope is that if you can’t already type correctly you will endeavour to do so soon. Click on the About page to find out more about how to learn typing – but remember to come back and read about… no drinking water at Manchester airport.
Can you believe it?
I have just returned from a wonderful family holiday in the north west of England – walking in the Lake District. I loved every single day. We flew from Australia to Manchester (via Dubai) with Emirates (who, by the way, were fabulous).
On our arrival at Manchester airport we were to be met by a courier bus/driver who would take us to our destination, some 2 hours drive away.
It was a glorious day (I mean it – it was sunny and hot in the north of England) so we all decided we should fill up our water bottles for the drive. No sign of any bubblers, so we headed to the girls and boys rooms.
Only hot water? I thought I’d check to see how the boys got on. Alas, it was the same. A cleaner just happened to be going by so I asked her where I could get some cold water to fill up our bottles. “You want water, you buy it” was her reply. I really couldn’t believe it.
Badly done Manchester airport
Reluctantly I bought water, at airport prices, and we survived the English heatwave.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a ‘thing’ about buying water in a country where the water is perfectly good to drink. I’m from the north of England originally, so I know the water there is good quality – you don’t even have to filter it (which I do in Sydney by the way).
I can’t remember being at any airport where drinking water was not freely available. Can you? I’ve flown into London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports many times and, unless things have changed, they have free cold water. Dubai certainly did – and it was chilled.
Surely on the way home?
Manchester airport’s arrival area is very small so I guessed things would be better for the return journey some three weeks later. But alas no. We went through security check with high hopes and empty bottles in hand – only to find hot water on the other side.
All that plastic!
Back in Sydney where I live, my local beach at Manly has actually installed filtered water dispensers along the beach front, encouraging drinkers to fill up their existing bottles, rather than buying more and more plastic. You can read all about it. All that plastic is really not good for the environment after all – and Manly Council were getting fed up of continually clearing away all those discarded plastic bottles.
Hear what CBS News has to say about all that plastic waste:-
Talking about Plastic Bottles – Plastiki has just arrived in Sydney
If you haven’t yet heard about Plastiki I suggest you check it out. 8,ooo nautical miles over more than 130 days – floating on plastic! Well done Plastiki.
What do you think?
So what do you think? Should airports provide drinking water?
And Don’t forget to Learn Typing
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Looking forward to reading your comments on… no drinking water at Manchester airport.
Until next time – stay healthy and drink plenty of water.
Jan Littlehales
Hi Jan,
Great read, I agree it’s crazy how much bottled water is pushed. What a lot of people done realize as well is that the plastic used (PET) isn’t that safe really, which is why they recommend NOT to reuse these bottles – makes you wonder why since the water you buy is sitting there in them.
This is why I like plastic water bottles so much, the sports refillable kind which are made from LDPE, a completely different type of plastic which doesn’t have these same leaching problems. The only issue then is to find good water to put in it, which can be difficult as you found!
Matt
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Hi Jan,
I have to say I wholeheartedly endorse your attitude to water supplies and purity; plastic and it’s problems/issues; and I haven’t been to Manchester Airport – but now they have a blog about them! Hmmm, maybe I should forward this to them? 🙂 I do hope your trip there was otherwise enjoyable.
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England seems to be quicly becoming a third world country – as far as potable drinking water is concerned. Gatwick airport does not have drinking water available either- even in the restaurants! Surely don’t buy tea or coffee that is made from undrinkable water and slightly boiled for only a short time. At Gatwick, there are drinking fountains at the boading gate areas but they don’t work. Management likely has a side deal with the food outlets who sell plastic water. I even wonder what they wash their dishes and hands in at the food outlets? Like I said: Third world standards are better.
Thanks for dropping by Tom,
I published this post quite a while ago, but your comment has reminded me about how disappointed and surprised I was to discover Manchester airport had no available drinking water. Sounds like things haven’t changed!