Distance walked: lots (Heathrow is huge!), Time taken: too long
I managed to get to the airport in time for my flight. This is more of an achievement than it sounds, given that up until the previous Thursday I was convinced I was leaving 24 hours later than I actually was.
The leg from Melbourne to Singapore was in cattle class. On the plus side I got an empty seat next to me so no banging of elbows with my neighbour. On the minus side the person behind me was well over 6 feet tall. Even if I was a heartless bitch who cared nothing for the state of his kneecaps, I physically couldn't recline my seat. I did get to watch 2 movies I'd missed at the cinema and all (2 episodes) of season 4 of Luther as I can't sleep sitting bolt upright. The only eventful part of this leg of the trip was getting trampled by a trio of Buddhist monks on arrival. They were seated down the very back but were too pushy and downright impatient to wait until everyone else had left before they disembarked. Getting elbowed out of the way by a monk in saffron robes rather did my head in.
The leg from Singapore to London was in business class as I'd upgraded with points. So much more civilised. I also got use of the lounge in Singapore so I used their help desk to make one last ditch attempt to upgrade my return flight. No luck there but I did find out why the price I'd been quoted was so eye-wateringly expensive. Business class is all sold out, they only have first class seats left.
This part of the trip was much better. Being able to lie down turns a long journey from unpleasant into merely tedious. I slept most of the way. The only downside is that when the seat is folded down into a bed it is rather firm so I have bruises on my hips. I can feel the waves of sympathy from here.
I'm now safely ensconced in my London hotel. I must say I do feel holidaying in the UK is a bit of a cheat. You stagger off the plane jet-lagged and with your brain in a fog, but you can read all the signs, ask questions (and understand the answers) and you don't to worry about which way to look when crossing the road. It is all feels a bit too easy.
I'm staying in the same hotel as I did last time I was in London. I even have the very same room, with the very same awkward arrangement of fire doors that make getting in and out of the room so challenging. I just hope there isn't a fire. I'm sure the doors would prevent the spread of fire, but I suspect they'd also prevent the spread of guests out of the building.
After unpacking and washing, I tottered out for a quick meal. Not because I'm hungry but just to get on local time as quickly as possible. I chose a local Italian family run place (Il Gusto) and had a plate of pasta with hot salami and a glass of the house red, which was perfectly adequate. Their tiramisu (my standard test dessert) is meant to be decent but I was too tired to face trying it. I chatted with my suitably flirty Italian waiter. He had applied to the Uni of Sydney but decided not to accept the place. His family (i.e. his mother) thought it was too far from home and the airfare was too expensive. He thought I was brave to have made the journey all the way from Oz to here!
The weather here is also quite decent. It is about 16 degrees, overcast and occasionally drizzling. A typical English summer's day.
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