…that’s how many frequent-flyer miles I got flying business class to the UK.

Harlan picked me up on Thursday morning and took me to the airport. Thanks Harlan! Checking in, I found out that both of my checked bags were overweight. They charge $50 per bag that is overweight, which I think is ridiculous. Fortunately, I just slammed it on my American Express corporate card which I’ll get reimbursed for. Still, it kinda sucks.

Security was a breeze, and since we got to the airport so early, I had a ton of time before the first leg of my flight. Corey sang praises about the “Admiral’s Club” lounge, so I decided to check it out for myself. I think it’s only worth the money if you’re going to be waiting around the airport for a long time. Something I didn’t know: it works for the whole day, so it works for all of your connections if you aren’t flying direct. So, yeah…the A.C. rocks socks. Every chair has electric outlets next to it, so you can charge all your gadgets and surf the internet on your laptop at the same time without running down the battery. Hungry? Thirsty? Just walk up to the bar and order whatever you want…even booze. It was early and I wasn’t really wasn’t in the mood for beer, but I did have some breakfast cakes and juice.

The flight from DFW to Toronto was pretty uneventful. Business class is nice on AA, but it’s nothing compared to my next flight. Before I could board my flight in Toronto, however, I did have a little adventure. I only had about an hour and a half of a layover, and for some reason they can’t check your bags all the way through. I had to go through customs, collect my luggage, and then re-check my bags at the British Air terminal. I nearly missed it. Once I notified an attendant that I was indeed in the airport, they held the freakin plane for me. It was a mess, but I got on board. And it turned out they didn’t hold the <i>plane</i> for me, but rather the luggage cart they use to take the luggage to the plane. whatever.

If you ever fly trans-Atlantic, fly business class on British Air! I know they have 1st class, but I can’t imagine how it can be nicer than business class. Your “chair” is more like a recliner, and yes, it folds completely flat into a bed just like the commercials say. Very comfy. The attendants pamper you as well, bringing you anything you want - so long as they have it. That was the shortest 8-hour flight I’ve ever been on.

Once I arrived in London, a driver picked me up and drove me to Nottingham. It was a long (2.5 hr) drive, so I tried to strike up conversation with the guy. Unfortunately, he was kinda dull and not very talkative. When we got to my apartment building, we ran into a whole new problem. The front door was locked, and the office was closed. Nobody had provided me with any information on how to get into my apartment, so the driver and I just stood there until someone came home. Some lady showed up about 5 minutes later, and I asked her if she knew how to get a hold of the building manager. She came back a few minutes later with another lady, who gave me the number of the agency who arranged the apartment for me. They gave me the code to get into the building and into my apartment, which thankfully worked.

I took a nap as soon as I got in the front door.

Edit: sorry for the poor sentence structure and run-ons. It’s late, and I’m tired.

Filed under: Nottingham, Travel by Travis