Peebo.net

October 1, 2006
Noon (GMT)
Heathrow Airport

I’m drinking an expensive cup of coffee (£1.79) waiting for Katy to arrive on a 1pm flight and trying not to think about how little sleep I got on my flight last night. . . this morning. . . yesterday. . . whatever.

Katy had to go to London for work and I’m tagging along for the free hotel and concierge services. Her flight was booked on British Airways through her work. I found a considerably cheaper ticket on Virgin Atlantic—hence the different flights and arrival times. Virgin Atlantic is known (by me at least) for its state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system: seat back screens, scores of on-demand movies, television programming and music–very cool stuff. On my flight, however, there was a “server problem” and after an hour of watching various booting screens the crew managed to get it running in a sort of safe mode with two channels playing the same thing on all the screens. Of course they had to pick only the most innocuous and inoffensive programming (i.e. crappy) so as not to offend.

It’s just as well, though. I had a lot of reading to do (Lonely Planet London, An Inebriated History of Britain, the Sunday Paper) and had the system worked as designed I would have been seduced by films and stayed up all night. Instead, I read and tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to sleep; I probably got two hours.

As I exited the plan I got a glimpse of the first class cabin (cheekily called “Upper Class” on Virgin). The seats up there. . . well, I wouldn’t really call them seats. . . more like private pods. . . have fold out desks and collapse into a completely flat bed. There’s also a full, standup bar. Of course all the Upper Class folks had deplaned by the time I made it the front of the aircraft from seat 43C, but I suspect they are rather more well rested than I.

I’m slightly sore (seats were a bit cramped), weirdly awake (excitement plus caffeine) and waiting for Katy. When she arrives we’ll take a Taxi to the hotel and see what happens next.

* * *

This is my first trip to London, by the way. A layover in Heathrow is the closest I’ve ever been. I’m excited to see the place. I’ve been boning up on my British History. In addition to the aforementioned books, Katy and I are 12 hours into a 15 hour documentary series called “The History of Britain”—good stuff, available on Netflix—and I’ve yet to crack the 800 page tome entitled London: The Biography recommended by Lonely Planet. Thus, I feel well armed to see the sites with at least some context. (The succession of royalty is the most confusing to me—so many Charleses and Richards and Edwards to keep up with.)

* * *

4:20pm
Langhom Hotel, London

Katy made it safe and sound and only 20 minutes late. A half-hour cab ride later (£60 – yikes… thank god for expense accounts) and we made it to the hotel. Very nice place. Swank. We have a “club room” which means we have access to the er. . . “club room.” This is a smallish room with tables, couches and comfy chairs. Along the wall is a bar and snack buffet available (gratis!) from 6am to 10pm. We just went down and had a coffee and little finger sandwiches. There’s also a desert tray, beer, wine, champagne, and a full bar. You just walk up and help yourself. I could get used to this.

I’m starting to feel exhausted, but we’re resisting the (strong) urge to nap and pushing on through. We’re going to explore the neighborhood now and then maybe find a pub.

Cheerio.
peebo

posted by peebo on Monday, October 2nd, 2006 at 8:45 am
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