May 10-11: Travelling

Thursday morning was bright in Edmonton and he timing for the day allowed me one last leisurely cooked canadian breakfast before packing up and checking out. The hotel had been pretty good and the airport shuttle arrived on time. The drive back to Edmonton International was out across those same flat prairies but now with a few storm clouds gathering. It seems spring has not quite settled in in Alberta just yet!

the check in went Ok and then the usual charming experience with the US Homeland Security people - where do they choose them from? This time the guy was going on about what souvenirs had I bought in  Canada and where was I going in London. All very tedious and bizzare.  Still soon enoough I was boarding the Horizon/Alaska Airways  DHC Q 400 flight to Seattle. Over  the Rockies again, still snow covered but a lot cloudier than the trip last saturday.

 Afer 90 minutes we landed in a sunny but cool Seattle and then it was off to find  a boarding  pass for the leg to London.  I found my way to the British Airways lounge and found  that the BA lady would not arrive for another 2 hours and that the plane could be late. Still, I was shown to the First Class lounge and  sat there in solitary splendour  for a few minutes looking out onto the runway.  I was even able to see my DHC8-400Q take off on another flight. 

Then a steward appeared and began a long trail of Bloody Marys  to keep me refreshed until the BA lady came.

Slowly over the next couple of hours  a few more people started to arrive until the small lounge was finally full!  The plane was not as late as they thought and so we  finally got away less than 30 minutes behind schedule ,  Another elderly B747-400 with those funny alternating BA business class seats where the window passengers sit facing backwards - I had an aisle seat which is not my preference but it was OK.
A long night  with 9+ hours flying and arrival at Heathrow Terminal 5 at 1200 midday.

Expecting the worst after the tales of  the long queues etc over the past few days I was surprised when it all went reasonably smoothly  and only 20 minutes wait for the passport check and the baggage arrived soon after that. Then the oyster card  and the tube train arrived as I reached the platform; and an hour or so later I was trundling my bag through the crowds of tourists on Westminster Bridge and reaching the apartment of my sister Soo and her husband Mike at County Hall.  It was good to see them and they made  me very welcome.  A lot of family chat and then it was time for dinner and an early night as the jet lag started to catch up with me.