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Old Jul 16, 2012, 9:36 pm
  #2  
Zoui21
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO-JFK
Programs: AA PLT; SPG GLD; HLT GLD
Posts: 87
Part 1.Getting to Heathrow in style without going bankrupt
July 3rd, 2012
Cambridge-London Heathrow
National Express Bus 797


I find that normal people do anything to avoid waking up at 2.00 in the morning to go the airport. I’m not normal.

I stumbled out of my bed amid the of dozens of alarms to make sure that I didn’t sleep through the bus like last time. I ran through everything in my head and made sure that I didn’t forget anything for this 2 month-long trip back to the States.

The cab was early as usual, so I got in without any breakfast in me, knowing there would be something at the lounge or in the plane.

I arrived at the Cambridge National Express Bus Station 20 minutes early. As I thought, I was the first one there and there was obviously no necessity to leave as early as I did. At the same time.

The National Express Busses are an easy and cheap option of getting to and from Heathrow, or any of the major airports for that matter. For a <16 ticket it comes out to around £16 depending on the time of day you leave. Although the bus journey takes 2.5 hours from Cambridge, it require no changeovers (unlike the trains) and it costs pennies compared to the £110 cab ride from there.


The view from my seat for the next 2.5 hours

Having the long journey was no issue for me, I handed my luggage to the surprisingly enthusiastic bus driver and took my seat. I For some reason, when you tilt the coach seats back, they slowly return to their upright position. But.. after all.. it was a bus.

Other than the restless seat, the quality of the bus was surprising. The hardwood floor made the bus more extravagant, but I can see some people getting irritated with the sounds of heel-on-hardwood during night trips. The black leather seats managed to uphold this feeling of luxury within the bus.

I plopped down in my seat, quite pleased with my purchase just a few hours ago. When I checked in, with fingers crossed, I saw the superb 4 words: “Buy up to BusinessFirst”. As someone who was thrilled just to be on the plane in the first place, the thought of actually sitting up front with the “big-boys” brought a grin from ear-to-ear to my face.

The bus stopped at Stansted Airport, at which point I stopped drooling about my flight-to-be and decided to catch some Zzz’s before my arrival to Heathrow, after-all I wanted to look my best.
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