V-Flyer

Sitting up in bed wide awake at 4am GMT, trying to get rid of the throbbing headache[:$] Just returned from Delhi. Here goes the report for the outward leg, the return trip was much more exciting!

Dropped the excitable dog with a colleague on the 12th evening. Got most of the packing done at night. went to work as usual on the 13th; finally got through a busy outpatient clinic by 1300hr and rushed home. Set out at 1500 for LHR, a 2 hour journey at speeds just above the legal limits[:w]. Luckily, no major delays on the M25, just the usual evening crawl. Had booked the long stay car park (aka Parking Express)this time, as it was somewhat cheaper than Business Parking (Pink Elephant). The in-car GPS turned really erratic on the perimeter roads to Heathrow, pointing to non-existent turnings. Stuck to the stored mental picture of the map, and found it eventually, after a few wrong turns. Back to Business Parking next time[n]. Very few places to park; buffetted by the wind and rain. Luckily, the coach was not long in coming.

Arrived at T3 by 1800 and headed for the UC bag drop. Must just be my luck, got stuck behind the one person who had problems which the girl at the counter couldn't solve by herself. After what seemed like an eternity, moved over to the queue for the next counter. Poor chap was still stuck at the first one while we speedily finished our formalities, tucked in our invite for CH, up the lift to the empty corridor, and then onwards to our own security channel. Then it was onto the shoe parade (I still haven't worked out how some of you avoid this). Free at last!

Some browsing at the cosmetic counter for the dear wife, and then onto CH for rest and recuperation. Finally got to try the CH burger, definitely lived up to its reputation[y]. wife had some veggie stuff followed by apple crumble, which she recommends highly.

Generally whiled away the time till the facial[:I]at the cowshed, which was a series of alternating hot and cold stuff; very rejuvenating; must have taken a few years off[:p]

Got in and found our seats, had made the mistake of thinking that 6A was opposite 6D; it is actually opposite 7D (as most of you were already aware, I know). After some complicated rearrangements, got instead. Time for a glass of bubbly, and chill out. Cap'n announced that we were ready to go; then we were not; for a further 30 mins.

Couldn't bring ourselves to eat another meal, just had the nearly-thawed rasberry ice cream. Watched 'Atonement'(not bad, not exceptional either) slept at 2am for a few hours. Got up to use the loo in peace before the crowds woke up, and the crossed-leg queues began[:#]

Landed smoothly at Delhi, felt uncomfortably hot as soon as we left the plane, not surprising: outside temp. 30 degrees! Got through the smile-free zone[:(] aka immigration, luggage arrived promptly at the carousal (must say this has improved considerably in the past 2 years), and out into the strong sun.

Feels nice to be met by a uniformed chauffer with a placard with your name on it, in stark contrast to one's return to DIY Heathrow. Whizzed off in aircionditioned comfort to the Imperial Hotel (which IMHO is the best 5* in Delhi, would strongly recommend it). Good hotels in Delhi tend to be very expensive, but definitely worth spending a day or two in this calm oasis in the middle of the noise,heat and dust outside.

Spent 8 days in Delhi, with the mercury touching 37c, high at this time of the year. Shall do the return trip report soon.

God-willing, its London-Singapore-Delhi in October[8D]
Happy Easter everybody
Raj

Thanks for the TR. I hope the colleague coped with the excitable dog. [:0]

To avoid the shoe carnival merely show the stamp that they put on your boarding pass when you go to through the UC channel to the guys manning the shoe lines. They should then wave you through at the side

Originally posted by honey lamb
Thanks for the TR. I hope the colleague coped with the excitable dog. [:0]

To avoid the shoe carnival merely show the stamp that they put on your boarding pass when you go to through the UC channel to the guys manning the shoe lines. They should then wave you through at the side

[?] I've read this before, but whenever I go through UC channel they haven't checked my shoes - does that still allow me to escape the 'shoe carnival' on the other side?

Originally posted by Jacki

Originally posted by honey lamb
Thanks for the TR. I hope the colleague coped with the excitable dog. [:0]

To avoid the shoe carnival merely show the stamp that they put on your boarding pass when you go to through the UC channel to the guys manning the shoe lines. They should then wave you through at the side

[?] I've read this before, but whenever I go through UC channel they haven't checked my shoes - does that still allow me to escape the 'shoe carnival' on the other side?

Yep!

Thanks honey lamb - don't know why I didn't ask earlier!

Smile free zone [:D]

Glad you had a good Clubhouse experience and good flight over to DEL.

Thanks,
Sarah

Is it only UC channel that gets the shoe carnival[?], In PE or Eco I've never managed to encounter a shoe spot. Its been passports/BP, security baggage and duty free. This is both LGW and LHR. Am I missing something here or is it just the UC travel experiences[:D]

In LGW the shoe carnival seems to depend on which line you are in when in the security area. In LHR when you have gone through the ordinary security channels you are then funnelled into an area where they used to do a final passport check (before releasing you to the delights of the duty-free area) and there is a separate area where shoes are screened. For most of the time it appears to be mandatory but occasionally it can be by-passed

Originally posted by honey lamb
In LGW the shoe carnival seems to depend on which line you are in when in the security area. In LHR when you have gone through the ordinary security channels you are then funnelled into an area where they used to do a final passport check (before releasing you to the delights of the duty-free area) and there is a separate area where shoes are screened. For most of the time it appears to be mandatory but occasionally it can be by-passed

Cant agree more - although I have done numerous UCS flightd this year and not been stopped once at LHR - just shown/flashed my Upper Class Purple boarding pass and waved through.

Thanks for the TR, glad the CH Burger lived up to it's rep! [y]

DMB