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#883207 by NV43
17 Sep 2014, 14:45
One glass of Champagne down and it's almost time for a light lunch.

Unfortunately, this is the second attempt at posting a 'greetings from the ClubHouse'; the first attempt ended in failure as the HP Notebook trashed the message which was difficult enough to compose as the touchpad right click was only working intermittently.

So, relocated to a new terminal and we're off.

Check-in was a breeze as I was the only passenger in the UC check-in area and had eight desks to choose from. The whole process took no more than 4 - 5 minutes, and my two suitcases had a combined weight of just over 21 kg; possibly the lightest I have traveled for ages (excluding EasyJet). Given that approximately 50% of the weight was English tea and Scottish biscuits for the hotel housekeepers, I think that's a record minimalist loading.

Up in the lift to the first floor, where the DTCI appears to be closed and boarded off for refurbishment, and it's now a temporary turn right to get to the far left of the boarding card check. The Virgin security lane is reached by backtracking left once ito the screening area.

As usual the nails in my boots set off the alarm in the metal detector, so it was boots off, watch off and through for a very thorough pat down and hand-held metal detection.

My watch received quite a lot of attention from the security staff and there was an almost teenager enthusiasm to see how it worked.

Selected for a bag swab before entering the Duty Free area, I sprayed on some Hermes Orange Vert and then headed for the zone of tranquility that is the Heathrow ClubHouse.

A second glass of Champagne to hand, I have just ordered a ClubHouse burger and aim to enjoy a small plate of salad from the deli as a starter.

Then, a steam shower before boarding.

Au revoir.

Tonight, I sleep in Ink48.
#883209 by joeyc
17 Sep 2014, 14:49
Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D
#883212 by gfonk
17 Sep 2014, 15:10
why were they so interested in your watch? lol is it a cartier mystery watch or something? LOL

Ah the CH, I have no idea when I will next get to visit :-(

hope you have a great trip though.
#883215 by pjh
17 Sep 2014, 16:01
Have the best of times.

NV43 wrote:Up in the lift to the first floor, where the DTCI appears to be closed and boarded off for refurbishment


Can we just trim off the "and boarded off for refurbishment" and start a new rumour.... :w
#883218 by buns
17 Sep 2014, 16:48
Gald you got the message through from the Clubhouse.

Not good news about DTCI though n( Will let V Flyers know how it is currently working tomorrow

buns
#883229 by Blacky1
17 Sep 2014, 18:30
buns wrote:Gald you got the message through from the Clubhouse.

Not good news about DTCI though n( Will let V Flyers know how it is currently working tomorrow

buns


And where might you be off to buns ?? :P
#883232 by Blacky1
17 Sep 2014, 18:37
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D


Dec joey ?????? ):
#883243 by Hull
17 Sep 2014, 20:03
Have a great trip, I hope the DTCI is back in time for my trip to JNB in November.


Blacky1 wrote:
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D


Dec joey ?????? ):


Shame I won't be in the CH in December, you'll have to drink some Woodford Reserve for me, pretty sure they won't have any in the shared lounge in DUB, see you in the Delano :D

Black can you get a pass for a week in Vegas? make it a real party ):
#883244 by Blacky1
17 Sep 2014, 20:06
Hull wrote:Have a great trip, I hope the DTCI is back in time for my trip to JNB in November.


Blacky1 wrote:
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D


Dec joey ?????? ):


Shame I won't be in the CH in December, you'll have to drink some Woodford Reserve for me, pretty sure they won't have any in the shared lounge in DUB, see you in the Delano :D

Black can you get a pass for a week in Vegas? make it a real party ):


Might struggle on that one mate , haven't told mrs B about Boston yet :P
#883247 by Hull
17 Sep 2014, 20:12
Blacky1 wrote:
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D


Dec joey ?????? ):


Shame I won't be in the CH in December, you'll have to drink some Woodford Reserve for me, pretty sure they won't have any in the shared lounge in DUB, see you in the Delano :D

Blacky can you get a pass for a week in Vegas? make it a real party ):[/quote]

Might struggle on that one mate , haven't told mrs B about Boston yet :P[/quote]

Oh dear, at least I'm taking Mrs Hull on this trip.
#883250 by Bretty
17 Sep 2014, 20:22
Blacky1 wrote:
Hull wrote:Have a great trip, I hope the DTCI is back in time for my trip to JNB in November.


Blacky1 wrote:
Shame I won't be in the CH in December, you'll have to drink some Woodford Reserve for me, pretty sure they won't have any in the shared lounge in DUB, see you in the Delano :D

Black can you get a pass for a week in Vegas? make it a real party ):


Might struggle on that one mate , haven't told mrs B about Boston yet :P

Oh no you haven't done it again have you? You'll get strung up!
#883255 by Blacky1
17 Sep 2014, 20:33
Oh no you haven't done it again have you? You'll get strung up!

Fraid so john ,to be fair though I've got loads of time to tell her about this one !
#883274 by joeyc
17 Sep 2014, 22:04
Blacky1 wrote:
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.

Ahh the haven of calm that is the LHR CH, I do miss it. Can't wait for december when I will next climb that staircase...

Enjoy 8D


Dec joey ?????? ):


Boston at the start, NYC in the middle and off to Vegas at the end.... depending on routing for the LAS trip I should just live at LHR for the whole of dec, shouldn't I ii)
#883286 by spacedog
17 Sep 2014, 23:04
NV43 wrote:Given that approximately 50% of the weight was English tea and Scottish biscuits for the hotel housekeepers, I think that's a record minimalist loading.


What a lovely idea! :) We always leave tips for housekeeping, but I think this is a really thoughtful gesture.

Have a wonderful trip.
#883463 by NV43
19 Sep 2014, 02:21
joeyc wrote:Hope you have a good trip stateside Huw.
Enjoy 8D


It's bl**dy brilliant, so far!

I'm several trip reports in arrears, but they all exist, albeit, in note form.

This one will contain an enormous amount of detail, including the most fantastic Thai lunch for approximately £5.00, how to get lost in your hotel room, why scribble translates as 'oh, that means you can have a free mini-bar', are we ripped off in the UK (possibly, now, England, Northern Ireland and Wales) when two, really excellent, coffees cost just US$1.00, and why Lauren is missing on this trip.

NV
#883464 by NV43
19 Sep 2014, 02:27
gfonk wrote:why were they so interested in your watch? lol is it a cartier mystery watch or something?


No, not a Cartier; I'm much more into very interesting, very limited or complicated watches.

You receive no clues on this, other than Apple; and it is not an Apple Watch.

NV
#883465 by NV43
19 Sep 2014, 02:32
starquake wrote:NV43 - apple watch perchance?


No; I much prefer watches that you are unlikely to see on the wrist of anyone else, ever.

Not unique items, as they are way beyond my wallet, but produced in sufficiently limited numbers that the worlds population dilutes them.

They also, never go down in value.
#883466 by NV43
19 Sep 2014, 02:53
spacedog wrote:What a lovely idea! :) We always leave tips for housekeeping, but I think this is a really thoughtful gesture.
Have a wonderful trip.


spacedog

I am!

Very few people leave anything for the house keepers who, in most countries, earn comparatively little.

Leaving cash is a great gesture of gratitude for the effort that they put into returning your room to a pristine state, everyday, but a couple of years ago, on a trip to Hong Kong, I thought that it might be more interesting to leave something that wasn't expected.

So, Earl Grey tea, Yorkshire tea, Lancashire tea, Border Biscuits and Tunnock's wafer biscuits fill, at least, half of one of my / our suitcases on departure from Heathrow.

I / we are extraordinarily restrained in hotel rooms and there is, probably, minimal work for house keeping but the pay-pack is extra-ordinary; ink pen written notes explaining that 'x has noticed that my iPad screen is dusty, please accept these screen wipes' and ' I'm sorry that I snapped one of your shoe laces when I polished your shoes, I hope that the replacement leather laces meet your requirements'.

It's all about give and take, and I think that house keeping really appreciate small gestures of appreciation.

NV

Post script: I also give biscuits to the Concierges, they have managed to get us into so many restaurants!
#883467 by NV43
19 Sep 2014, 03:03
pjh wrote:Can we just trim off the "and boarded off for refurbishment" and start a new rumour.... :w


I'm coming clean on this; a man with very impressive buttocks became stuck in the corridor between the DTCI and the security channel.

He did not, apparently, get as far as the boarding pass check, and the contractors are continuing in their attempts to free him.

He remains well, and is being fed liquidised UC meals via a curly plastic straw as both of his arms remain trapped.

Apparently, it will 'all be over by Christmas'.

NV
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