Broon's Ramblings

I don’t wish to proselytise but on a trip like this it is worth playing the points game. On the flight front I should end up with a BA gold card which in my case means access to free fizz and less queueing when on low cost flights to London.

I really can’t recommend headforpoints.com highly enough. I have no real idea what’s going on – the guy who runs it does!

This showed last night as I stumbled into LAX after twenty four hours travel. I followed his advice and now have an IHG credit card. I signed up to at the right time and got top tier. Which I’ve since kept by everyday card spend. That all meant my hotel room was paid for with points, I was upgraded to the top floor with lounge access – free breakfast – and most importantly of all got a $10 beer for free on arrival which I was sorely needing!!

Blissful eh? Almost! All the swanky hotels are by the airport which never sleeps so a silent night it is not. However, continuing with the unguents voyage of exploration I also plastered “relaxing” cream over my face. It assured me of restfulness but lied. More entertainingly I found a little bag of earplugs, which contained a single example. Are they worried if you have two you might sleep through your flight and sue them?

Anyway, now at LAX and almost ready for last phase outbound. Hurrah! Even I am beginning to flag. Though surrounded by thousands of people the world is still small – blethering with a couple who raved about their stay in Scotland at a funny sounding place. Muckrach lodge!

It has also been gloriously long- fortunately travel stamina, as opposed to anything else, has always been good! Up at 4 am UK time to fly (breakfast one and lovely early morning views of dutch towns gleaming under low cloud)

to Heathrow for the second breakfast of the day

in the Concorde Room, followed by the first fizz of the day at 9.30 which was ninety minutes later than it could have been!

For all the hype CR is overrated tbh. Yes, an oasis of calm with art work on the way to the toilets, Concorde seats in the working area, and good views of planes, but ultimately more style than substance. There weren’t even any celebs to spot – though that’s not to say they weren’t there of course!

Onto a “Dream Flight Back massage” in the Elemis Spa, which was really quite good save for the cold ridden girl sniffing continuously. Hot stones and inhaling some rose gunk was better than I would’ve imagined.

The real fun began on the aircraft to Toronto as it was very good indeed. Turning left on entry is a pleasure, and the champagne flowed immediately and often. My two windows were above the R and the I!

Really good crew – including a couple of chatty Scots  –  and service. Genuinely tasty meal and the first two white wines on the list were excellent!

Couple of hours recharge with the seat in bed mode and then afternoon tea pre landing in Toronto where it’s been snowing and is just above freezing.

So now 11.30 UK time and about to head for LAX. Border control for US done here and without any issue happily – no sense of any of the tensions in the news. My border security guard was more concerned that he hadn’t had his lunch break, not due to numbers it appeared but a bad supervisor! More food drink required for me now I’m afraid, this time courtesy of American Airlines.