We’ve just bidden a rather anxious farewell (and fare well), to our very precious bicycles. Hope that all that investment in costly new bicycle bags keeps them safe. At baggage drop-off we were redirected to ‘oversize baggage’. Mike doesn’t really like being parted from his beloved Condor titanium bicycle and was looking rather pained as the bag containing it was manhandled (literally) onto the conveyor belt and then disappearing behind a sliding door – the whole thing was all rather too reminiscent of a crematorium for his liking!

Heathrow Terminal 5 is huge – and a very impressive modern building with an enormous single-span curved roof. It also offers plenty of diversionary people-watching. Matthew’s gone off to explore the shops, Mike is sitting with a cup of green tea while watching all the planes parked and taxiing out on the apron and ruminating on what make and model of aeroplane we’ll be on to Vancouver. That pretty much sums us up really!