Ryanair Gatwick to Cologne
Posted on September 3rd, 2006 in Travel
I was booked on a RyanAir flight from Gatwick to Cologne. That cost £69.00 GBP including taxe, so it’s a great deal.
Unfortunately, Gatwick airport is run like a British train terminal. I asked the RyanAir passenger wrangler if this was normal and she said they were short staffed. However the basic logistics of the airport are doomed, the heightened security process makes it worse. Also I am sure the counter staff check-in the fewest people per hour of any airline I’ve travelled with.
Gatwick Express
Posted on September 2nd, 2006 in Travel
I’m flying out of London Gatwick to Cologne Germany. My UK friends tell me to avoid Heathrow at all costs at the moment, the security is a nightmare. We’ll see how Gatwick is.
The best way to get to the airport is the Gatwick Express from Victoria Station, so I caught a cab, I could have caught the underground but I don’t want to navigate the tube with a big wheelie bag and a sore foot.
The strangest thing about the experience is the deja vu of traversing Victoria Station. I arrived in London yesterday at London Euston station. I’m leaving at Victoria station. The shops are identical fast food chains and I’m almost sure they are laid out in the same order.
One night in London
Posted on September 2nd, 2006 in Travel
I’m staying at the Grange City Hotel where I got a great deal, £85.00 for a five star room. I’m right next to Trinity House and a block from the Tower of London. For Sim’s review of broadband internet in hotels, I was disappointed to find their wifi service was expensive. So I didn’t bother connecting. It was actually more expensive than T-Mobile UK service which is available in most train stations and airports.
I have a blister on my foot from wandering the streets of London for 3 hours last night. I went out to look for an interesting place to eat. It started very promising, there was a 007 party at the Billingsgate Fish Market building. I crossed the Thames at London Bridge and passed many drunken and smokey pubs filled with Friday night drinkers. However two hours later I had not found a place that interesting and inviting enough to dine alone in.
VirginTrain Manchester to London
Posted on September 1st, 2006 in Travel
I caught a VirginTrain from Manchester to London. Technically it was from Stockport four miles out of Manchester. The trick for booking these fares online is you can’t book the day of your travel with any reliability. The phone support people said I could, but the ticket counter guy said I couldn’t.
Anyway I paid GBP 28.00 to travel first class from Manchester to London. The published fare is over 150.00. See Virgin Trains.
Beware that a ticket that heavily discounted has no refunds, so don’t miss the train. The guy selling me a coffee on the station was so chatty I almost missed the train.
