Latest posts by Martin Moodie (see all)
“Come over here Sir please.”
Oh, oh, I was clearly in trouble again for taking photographs at London Heathrow Airport…
The scene is Heathrow Airport Terminal 1 last Friday and I am making my way from the formal opening of Aelia’s impressive new Longchamp boutique to the Tin Goose bar at the other end of the terminal where the celebratory Champagne is about to be broken open.
As I make the short walk, I spot a stunning Johnnie Walker Black Label promotion (below) featuring a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 car previously driven by British racing ace Lewis Hamilton.
It’s exactly the sort of high profile campaign that gets airport travellers interested in shopping and I take the opportunity to snap a few shots.
That’s when the rather stern looking gentleman alongside the car calls me over.
Now you have to understand that I’ve got ‘previous’ at Heathrow – on one occasion, believe it or not, I was warned at T5 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for taking live (and complimentary) footage of the beauty shop. So I’ve learned the knack of pretending I am a tourist, snapping my shots faster than the world’s quickest shutter speed and moving on.
I stroll over to the Johnnie Walker attendant, expecting a stern rebuke.
“Stand there Sir,” he says. “Give me the camera.”
But he’s not seizing it; he’s offering to take a picture of me by the car.
“Do you work for Diageo?” I ask.
“No, World Duty Free,” he replies cheerfully.
I explain what I do for a living, compliment him on the great display and tell him to watch out for his picture on The Moodie Blog. We have, I think, just made each other’s day.
Wow that’s a fantastic looking car Martin. Nice article and really wish i could drive one of those..:) We had met in the DIAL T3 conference…
-Ritesh.
I do indeed see you driving that car. The same time I see you flying through the air, having sprouted wings! But damn, you do look good standing next to it.
All best regards,
David