On time, but still late!!

I wake in a somewhat suspicious frame of mind, feeling that I've missed something, knowing that my catching the plane from Athens depends on my not having missed something.

I've heard the faint echo of a message in Greek from the loudspeaker in the corridor, it didn't at all sound like "Hi there, everybody, here we are in pulsating Piraeus", it sounded more like "Will Fitter Georgious Kalizakrios please attend to the leak in cabin 306" or something similar: but it's too important to take a chance. I don shirt and trousers and go walkabout, within minutes I've found a cabin attendant and asked the time, sure enough it is 5.30, and to my question "Piraeus?" I get an affirmative nod ...

After rushing back to the cabin, throwing together my things, and risking a heart attack by galloping up two flights of stairs, I'm met by the sight of the whole reception area filled with waiting people and their baggage ... after another Greek loudspeaker message I'm able to establish that we are indeed in Piraeus, on time despite storms and fears of storms, but that the port authorities won't let us berth because "there's too much traffic" ...

What do you mean, "too much traffic"?! We're on time! Doesn't the port run to a timetable like anyone else?!

A frustrating half-hour later the great steel doors of our prison clanged open and the lemmings rush down any gangway they can find onto terra firma. Many of them actually seem to know where they're going, I've had a tip about a harbour bus which will take me to the airport bus ... the art in all these things is not how to get enough information, but to work out how to filter it so as to leave yourself with the reliable bits and allow the rest to slip away into the great ... well you know what I mean ...