Ok, here is where I must come clean.

The original plan was to go to Frankfurt and spend a night and annoy a wonderful snob and wein connaisseur there. Big smile He pampered me well last time in November. Was very nice. From a German beerhall to Jimmy's Cigar bar. Lesen sie es, mein herr?

However, in doing trip planning, I could get nothing in FRA via Priceline and the hotel prices via every possible medium were out of this world. Here at home I freaked. I would be sleeping in the airport. Someday I may try that. Have given it thought, but not now. smile Our Novotel at 50 euros last November was close to 200. I called hotels direct, it was nasty. Anything near Frankfurt. Even the small Mercures when I called Accor, I was aghast.

So to play it safe I booked a Priceline for Gatwick, whewww, a roof over my head, and then did some research for what would happen if I were to 'miss the flight.' oops

We had a fantastic Thai food dinner (Siam, near LAX), one of our favorite haunts, prior to the LA regional airline show earlier this year. I had some of the greatest minds representing various airlines (i.e. Air France, Delta, ATA) and fellow travelers like myself. It is like a dentist going to another dentist. We need someone else to see the position clearly.

They all agreed over wonderful beef and pork(no one keeps kosher here) satay that as long as I am checked in and happened to miss the flight, I should be ok. So, that worked for me.

Hence, for the first time in my life, and hopefully the last, as it is nerve wracking, I needed to miss the flight.

Back to Gatwick.

Several options lay before me. My first was to go down to the shuttle, go to the hotel and get some shuteye.

Gatwick is a pain and needs to invent the elevator, as one refers to as the LIFT in these parts. Fair word. The Germans use it, too. Instead, you push your cart and Heaven help you if you are laden with bags, as I later was at Heathrow, down several flights of ramps. (bloody insane)

Then when you get to the bottom, not above, they tell the poor souls (suckers) that the coach station down below has been closed and you must go up one floor. Major, major sadists running this airport, and even more so Heathrow. For shame Britain. smile

The hotels 'courtesy' ha ha ha coaches do leave from this level, thankfully.

I phoned the hotel, checked the time, shared info with 2 lovely fellow Yank(British and Canadian slang for American) travelers who were appreciative. As it was biting cold out there I went inside and read the paper.

First, I had missed the shuttle that I thought was right as it is a generic white bus and it certainly didn't come when it was supposed to. So much for English efficiency LOL.

Then turns it out it was the wrong (bloody) shuttle which I found out later. Which worked out all the same.

There was another option, skip the hotel, wasn't that tired, had to pay for the shuttle, and plenty to do at North Terminal, so up the many ramps to departures and into the terminal.

You take a long moving sidewalk to/from the terminal. One could qualify for the Olympics by making basic rounds at this airport, won't even mention Heathrow for now, thanks.

Took the train which I do like to North Termnial. North Terminal is BA-British Airways' home at Gatwick and is a different world from the South Terminal, much more efficient and modern.

I also realized that I would no matter what from now on catch a Hotel COURTESY coach from the North Terminal, a millenia easier. By the way, they charge you to go to/from the hotel and the Britts are just about the only people tacky enough on this planet to do such a thing. Why more and more I just want to change and go on to the Continent. A couple of hotels at CDG, sadly, charge you, but it is free to the hotel then double back. But if you have a wonderful Parisian who can drive you over, save that as well. BAA bites!

Well, what do I do. I don't want to drag bertha airside, it ain't going to Frankfurt today, and
I need to stash it someplace, where the hotel would have come in handy and I would have broken even on the hotel shuttle fare. I went to the handy left luggage area, friendly chaps there, they x-ray the bag and give you a coupon which I like a good yutz misplaced.

Then went to BA First Check in. I had technically already checked in at Miami but wanted BA to know I was there, plus the extra freebie boarding pass makes for a nice gift as well, though it is AA(that I kept).

Did the check in, very friendly, and not too long of a wait. Made a quick cursory round of the North Terminal landside and then went through security. Sadly they had those queue thingies, what we call lines, and they weren't short.

Security in Britain is more efficient than in the US, but they have had the IRA and other troublemakers to deal with, we have only recently learned about terrorism on our own doorstep, Heaven Forbid.

Passed the security check with a B+ and everything in the bag. Now I hit one of the tables to put everything back.

Head for the wonderful and Heavenly BA Terraces Lounges for some nice rest, internet, drinks, sandwhiches, and a shower.