May 18
MUC-LHR
BA 949
CE
Seat 1D
Scheduled: 10:30 - 11:20
Actual: 10:30 - 12:28
My friends were nice enough to drop me off at the München airport, and after checking in I found a couple of German snacks and then the basic BA lounge. Check-in, passport check, and security were all fast (less than five minutes total). Frankly this lounge has seen much better days, and was very crowded other than these sofas in the middle:
The food selection was fairly poor (I'm not sure how a lounge in Bavaria cannot have pretzels!).
The flight boarded on-time, but we were informed that due to rain and wind at LHR, that ATC was limiting traffic flow into LHR and that our take-off slot was delayed by 30 minutes. So we pulled back from the gate as it was needed for another aircraft, and then waited. BA cabin crew brought snacks around (some nuts typically found on longhaul flights) and some still water. The cabin temperature was a touch too warm.
We departed, and during the flight, lunch was served. It was a very basic combo of meat and mozzarella, bread, etc.
As we approached London, we were further delayed by ATC. We landed about an hour late, and then arrived at a bus gate right next to the high number A gates.
After all of the CE passengers were onboard, we were quickly bussed to the arrivals and flight connections area. Looking at the queues again, fast track again appeared slower than the normal queue, so this time I conducted an experiment and took the normal non-EU passport queue. I observed that the people at the end of the fast track queue when I arrived were only 50% of the way through the queue when I was finished after about fifteen minutes.
I was quickly through the terminal and on the Heathrow Express. I'm pleasantly surprised with how much the wifi on the hex train has improved to become mostly usable.
Upon arrival at Paddington, I fetched my extra luggage, and then took a taxi to the Royal Horseguards hotel. I was pleasantly surprised with this hotel, other than my room having a musty scent to it. The wifi was possibly the fastest and most reliable I've experienced in a hotel (and offered at no additional charge), and overall the service was stellar.
I did not have time to try the flat screen tv set built into the wall of the shower.
There was a protest outside the Sri Lanka embassy which made for an interesting arrival.
After a quick shower and some work, I took the tube to the Shoreditch area for a dinner at HIX at the Tramshed. They make a nice steak, and I had an enjoyable meal and nice conversation with some people organizing and speaking at the conference I would attend the following day.
I returned to my hotel via tube around 10:30pm, and finished my day with some FaceTime, a short bit of fitness, and a bit more work, before falling asleep around 1:00am.