Monday 30 April 2012

The trip stage - UK First Thoughts

Well can't fault Air India for service.  Left Bangkok on time.  Late into Mumbai, but as I had a 6 hour wait that didn't matter.

We were slightly late leaving Mumbai for London.  I put it down to the boarding procedures.  First your boarding pass is scanned.  Then security check you have security stamps on boarding pass and luggage tag.  But the is a bottle neck in waiting so they herd you onto the boarding bridge.

First they check your passport/visas.  Then your boarding card and detach the tag.  Then  your baording card again


When food came (breakfast and lunch between Mumbai and London)they barked 'veg or non veg'  A little more information would have helped, and if I wanted veg I'd have pre-ordered.

Twenty minutes late landing at Heathrow but we did seem to be the only arrival at T4.  I was 'encouraged' to use the automatic passport control.  It took the machine a lot longer than my usual experience at manual UK checks.  A lot longer than I observed it took Thai nationals at Bangkok - maybe because the Thais use fingerprints not facial recognition.

Baggage took an age.  I don't understand why the first bags were there by the time I was at baggage claim.  Bags arrived at irregular intervals and mine 30 minutes later.  Oh well straight to the underground to Kings Cross.

I've noticed some strange things being back in England.  Guess you become used to things.  No motor cycle drivers, or cars, driving the wrong way down the street.. And no toilet hose.... just a roll of that tissue we keep on the table at home.  What's that all about.

Now on the East Coast train, first class of course (Well my brother had free expiring tickets) enjoying my tumbler of red wine and afternoon tea.  Egg and Tomato sandwiches bring back memories, but we never had wine on Bamburgh beach.

Tomorrow the passport office!

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