Off to Heathrow!
Amazingly, I have friends. I know this may shock and horror people but I have friends. After spending the morning being evil on my network, whilst lambasting BT and Virgin Media (and why they can’t run a 2Mb leased line without it going bang every four days or so is still beyond me), I locked my office computer, went home and picked up my trash and grabbed a cab to the first point of the trip. A friends.
The trash ready to rock...Pay attention to this image to one you'll see at the end of this report....
Birmingham Moor Street to High Wycombe
Chiltern Trains, Class 165
SuperSaver Return ticket portion held (£19.50)
Yes, I know. No National Express Coaches. You may well gawp in shock. As I’m not going all the way to London, and going against the flow of peak time traffic, it’s a short hour and a bit to High Wycombe.
Alas, Chiltern Railways stuck a “Commuter” style train on and not a “Intercity” style train - in a 3 x 2 seating formation. Whilst this provides a few more seats, it is akin to being seated on padded rock.
The train was slightly late as it was picking up people along the route as there was an England Football (spherical balls... not the odd rugby or American style football) Match at Wembley Stadium.
After meeting my friend, it was time for a night of discussing things, setting the world to rights, Chinese food and pondering how long it would take the CSI’s to work out that Rita Von Squeeze was the killer....
Nighttime fell, and soon enough, 5am reared it’s ugly head - time to haul backside to LHR. A short drive, and I was sent on my way with shopping requests by the fist-full....
Heathrow T3
The Pictures
Terminal 3 is one of those odd places in the world in which if you look to your left, it looks shining and modern, and if you look to your right - it’s a complete and utter dump. And alas, Air Canada check-in is located in the “dump” side of Terminal 3.
And the many people there - It actually made me yearn for the quietness of T1 in many respects.
After wheeling my crap in and successfully negating the automatic check-in machines (I prefer people), I was greeted, and checked in - with my seat reservations held for both flights of the day. My tripod bag was taken off me and given to a nice man waiting, whilst my Rucksack was sent down the cute.
Now that’s a first for Heathrow Airport.
A quick wander upstairs and I went through the joys of security. Whilst it was morning-time, it wasn’t exactly busy in the security area, and I was directed to an empty queue where I was send through, and allowed on my way.
However, it seems LHR Security were more interested in me than usual this morning and did a wipe with my a rag and put it through the detection machine. After seeing I was clean, I let on my way.
As it was still early, I fought through Duty Free, and made my way to the SilverKris lounge to find it shut. Therefore I was relegated back to The London Lounge.
Lounge Stop: The London Lounge
A show of my Diamond Club card, and a boarding pass and I was welcomed in. As I seem to always do, I headed for the top deck of the lounge, but the window looking out out on the runway.
Now whilst this lounge in terms of environment is much better than the Star Alliance Lounge in T1, it lacks severely in catering terms, with mostly cold breakfast options (with porridge finally making it’s way out at 7am). Call me a traditionalist, but if there’s one thing the T1 lounge manges right - it’s hot food first thing in the morning.
"Breakfast"
However, the ambiance makes up for it. All swings and roundabouts.
As 7:45 ticked over, I gathered up my trash, and begun the hike over to the Gate 29 where my chariot was waiting.
Rushing to the gate
After being security checked again, Business had started boarding. As the first call for economy came out I went forward as a Star Gold (and the person was enforcing boarding order) to be paused and then sent on my way after my Gold was acknowledged.