So Cal Road Trip - Travel Day - 5th May 2016

[georgemac]

Travel Day - 5th May 2016

Well really quite an uneventful day, which is good.
We, well I always like to be on time, and plenty time to spare. Think we stopped packing around 11 pm last night. We have 4 cases, 1 inside another so 3 outbound, none of them full when we set off. Will we need all the space? hope not but we have an allowance of 3 cases each, so off we will go with 3/4. Pretty sure it will be 4 on way back and all probably full. First holiday without backpack for me, messenger bag only.
We were up shortly after 6, and ready with cases closed just after 8. Set off for Aberdeen about 8.20 and in airport, bags dropped (online check in yesterday) and through security just after 9.30 and settled in lounge with a coffee.
Met a work colleague in security, heading back to work, had a chat with him, and sitting on plane saw somebody else who has been working at our site on construction and commissioning get aboard, but could not catch his eye.
Flight on time into LHR, and had a chat with the work colleague leaving the plane, his last trip and heading home to Lebanon, so glad I had met him and say goodbye.
We browsed shops and Duty Free, bought nothing at all, my wife looked at Louis Vitton scarf, £330, I was glad she declined!
Headed to B gates and BA lounge there, very quiet, had some lunch, and I had a few wines, wife does not drink, and we just relaxed.
Left lounge at 15.30 to head for gate C63, again seems very quiet at this time, but gate jammed with people and flight delayed because of crew member illness. We boarded around 16.30 I would guess, and departed maybe 50 minutes late.
These were reward flights from my dwindling Avios accumulation, and a companion voucher, and at online check in, I changed from downstairs club cabin to upstairs rear cabin for row 58 window seats.
Flight was superb, food good, nice wine, I watched Star Wars and The Revenant, and probably slept for 3 or 4 hrs. Wife slept longer.
From plane to taxi rank with bags probably took 30 minutes, but only because we were amongst first off plane.
They have new scanners now, and if you are entering on ESTA with passport that you have previously entered US on, straight to scanner, but I had a new passport so normal procedure with desk visit for us.
Out to taxi rank, approached by Chinese appearance gent, and he offered me taxi to Manhattan Beach for $40, which I politely declined as I knew in advance fare should be around $25.
With the 3 cases we fitted in a small Honda Prius Hybrid, and in about 10 mins and $22 inc tip later, we were at the Belamar hotel in Manhattan Beach, but hard to see anything as dark.
Check in straight forward, nice enough room, wifi seems fine. We were in bed by 10 pm US, which was 6 am UK, and awake at 2.
So I checked Scottish election results and chatted to family on what's app, to learn we have a new MP in the family, and I never even knew he was standing.
I never really slept again, although my wife did in fits and starts.
We were on second floor, bit of noise from road, and air con unit in room, which I might turn off tonight. Nice TV, fridge and Keurig coffee maker.