The exciting build up to our big holiday is over, we’re finally on the move. The journey to Heathrow was smooth and uneventful – a train from Bristol to Paddington, then a quick transfer to the Heathrow Express. Michael did manage to give me some anxiety by deciding to disappear across the station for a pee just minutes before our train to Heathrow was due to depart Paddington (this was after spending and hour and a half on a train with loos a plenty). He reappeared just in the nick of time thankfully (with two vegan pasties, too).

At Heathrow we navigated the self-serve check-in with assistance from the BA staff, since we were defeated by the self-serve terminals. I explained to the man from BA that we don’t fly much, which is true – in my effort to reduce flights (to help fight global heating), I haven’t taken a flight for over three years. Not flying hasn’t stop me travelling, though, I’ve been letting the train take the strain. I’ve travelled to Amsterdam and Hamburg by train. We took trains and ferries to Dublin, and in June we’re going to Glasgow on the Caledonian sleeper. I think trains are much more civilised!

The experience of taking a plane is quite a novelty after such a long time. After our bags were checked in, Mike decided to wander off again – this time in the direction of a post office – I followed, deciding not to risk letting him out of my sight again. After discovering that it seemed all the ATMs at Heathrow were going to charge him £2.50 for the privilege of taking out his own money, he decided to see if he could get his money out of the post office instead! As a First Direct customer I regularly use the local post office to deposit cash because the alternative is a trek into town to the nearest post HSBC. It turns out that it’s easy to withdraw money via the post office, too! And for free!!

Next stop, security. There was a bit of a do when one of us accidentally scanned the wrong boarding card. It was probably me, as I was the one sent back to a BA desk for a quick passport/visa check. Once that was done it was back to the security x-rays. You know the routine – belts and jackets off, pockets emptied, liquids in bags, electrics in a separate tray – it’s quite reassuring to know they do it so thoroughly (hopefully better than the old days when my dad managed to get his penknife through airport security!).

I walked through the metal detector and inevitably set the alarms off (probably the nipple piercings), so I was ushered into the full body x-ray machine where you have to hold your hands above your head before they use the wonder of technology to undress you virtually (someone was in for a treat 🤣). Next a gentle ‘feel up’ from the security man, then I was on my way. Meanwhile, Mike sailed through security without any incidents.

We didn’t have long to wait before the plane departed, so we grabbed some sandwiches from Pret and took the shuttle train to our departure gate, where there was just time to sort out an Indian e-sim for my phone so I can ‘roam’ while we’re there. Michael was very excited to see the planes taking off, but not quite as excited as he was when he saw a robot cleaning machine doing its thing! Sigh – that man likes gadgets. Thankfully robot vacuum cleaners weren’t available to buy in duty free! 

On to the plane we go – and next stop Chennai!