5am start to meet a 7.45am Keflavik airport departure to Gatwick. I could hear the wind hitting the side of the Hotel Berg during the night, and it’s still howling at 5.45am. By the time I drop the car off, pick up the airport shuttle (a 2 minute ride out of the wind), and stand in the bag drop line for Icelandair for 30 minutes, I have 10 mins for a quick breakfast and am one of the last onto the flight. It’s still raining 🙂
Happily the middle seat is free, and dozing for most of the 2 hour 40 minute flight means that we are landing in Gatwick in no time at all. First time on the Gatwick express, which is a pretty good service if you buy a first class ticket (carriage is practically empty), and a standing room only one if you buy a standard ticket.
Finally, a hotel room with a view….I picked up a great deal months ago for the Pullman St Pancras, bed and breakfast, large, renovated room and free high speed wi-fi for 6 nights in London. The view extends straight across the forecourt of the British Library to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, sprinting distance with luggage to St Pancras International for the Eurostar to Paris :-). My bag is now 7kg lighter after 2 trips to the post office to send my cold weather gear home, and I’m £189 lighter for it. Who said the mail services are struggling for revenue???
My London urban disguise seems to be working…so far I’ve been accosted by the Red Cross, and as it’s getting dark, a woman wanting directions to the nearest bus stop. She doesn’t want to go to Kings Cross, so the nearest alternative I can think of is Russell Square. I remember back in 1999, an apartment block in Bloomsbury looked like a good location for a riot, but 15 years later, the apartments still look tatty, but the open space square on the ground floor has been transformed with boutiques, restaurants and cafes, and a large Waitrose supermarket.
