There were massive queues at Heathrow immigration with two different crushes, one less worse than the other. Ah, we can go in the British queue along with any other country who uses electronic passports and is listed. I felt terrible for those in the other queue, maybe 150 people and it did not seem to be moving at all. After landing at Heathrow's Terminal 3 we soon found a phone shop to buy SIM cards. £40 is not cheap but it was with 3, one of prime phone companies and unlimited data. After a long flight and it being around 10pm, we weren't going to search around for a better deal.
We caught a train to Terminal 4, using a fee ticket as trips between terminals are free. From there we walked a good distance to the Holiday Inn Express where we stayed for a few hours.
The wayfinding signage at Heathrow is just brilliant, as it was to use trains between the terminals. I expect it might be gold standard.
The hotel was nice enough but we were given a room a long way from the lifts. It would be nice if hotels looked at the age of guests and give them a room close to the lifts. Breakfast was included but we didn't eat too much, though not with the expectation that BA would serve us breakfast. More like some pretzels and a juice drink.
We had booked an early afternoon flight to Newcastle with the marvellous British Airways.It was cancelled well in advance so we had to rebook a much earlier flight, about 8.30 I think. You would think it was simple to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 5. Nah, you have to catch the train back to Terminal 3 and then catch another train to Terminal 5. Never try to understand Heathrow.
A quick call to Sister 1 and she and her partner picked us up at the airport. We and they needed a couple of things from a supermarket, so Tescos it was, where we also had brunch.
We settled into Sister 1's place, got sorted and went for dinner to The Denton, my favourite Newcastle pub. There we met Sister 2 and her husband and Sister 3. We went back to Sister 3's high rise apartment and I had forgotten how stunning the views are. Unlike at home where you may say hello to someone in the lift if they meet your eyes, everyone in her building were amazingly friendly and ready for a joke.
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Tescos for brunch.
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Dinner at The Denton Hotel.
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The Tyne River features in all the photos of the view. There aren't any other hig hrise buildings nearby so the building is visible from far and wide.
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The Tyne is tidal here.
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A lovely Rover P5 parked outside and although it moved around, it was clearly owned by a local.
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I am glad that you could avoid the slow queue. It sounds like a busy and tiring day.
ReplyDeleteThose views are spectacular.
EC, yes it was and we were glad to stay overnight at Heathrow.
DeleteI try to avoid flying from Heathrow if at all possible. An Inter terminal transfer once took us round in circles for an hour with that darned train when they were doing maintenance work.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great view from that apartment.
JayCee, that happened to us before the railway was built, I believe.
DeleteI did a diploma on urodynamic studies in Newcastle upon Tyne 9 years ago. I recalled the city was a university town.
ReplyDeleteWell Roentare, after my surgery I know a bit about urodynamics. It does have a popular and respected university, which is evident by students on the street.
DeleteWhat amazing views. I have yet to hear anyone's travel experiences that make we want to follow suit!
ReplyDeleteCaro, the memory becomes selective and I have some terrific travel memories. Even this one for all the accommodation issues, nothing really went wrong.
DeleteDid you notice that Newcastle has enjoyed a population boom and an urban renaissance?
ReplyDeleteHels, the population boom on the outskirts is very obvious, with lots of new housing developments. But the areas are kept constrained with lots of green space in between.
DeleteI often think I would love to visit England and your latest experience just confirms it. Those views are wonderful. Good to know about the trains only fanning out from terminal 3.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I was glad I checked that in advance, although I could of course asked someone, but I am a man.
Deletegreat views indeed!
ReplyDeleteThey were Ian, and seeing the river mud flats go under and then rise again with the tides.
DeleteThat would be just awful to have to wait in that slow que especially for those who couldn't stand for a long time.
ReplyDeleteThe views are lovely, strange seeing houses all the same yet it's nice to me to see.
Margaret, I am sure this day was not exceptional. Such absurd queues for 'others' are cruel. Houses all the same as you can see are not so interesting to view when out for a walk.
DeleteWhat a busy time you had. Northerners are famously friendlier than southerners.
ReplyDeleteJabblog, I think they are from my experience. I will mention the north/south divide at some point.
DeleteUnless you are in business or first class, no one serves real food on domestic flights anymore.
ReplyDeleteTP, I think at best you might get a sandwich if flying for a few hours across Australia.
DeleteI hope you slept well the night at Heathrow because you are tiring me out just thinking all the trains to catch here or there. what a view though. The row houses from the view are something I've seen before, somewhere, but I'd thought it was in Manchester.
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