Sidney wins!

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Geo: 51.4725, -0.491332

It's 1632 and we are reclining in Room 1317 at the Sofitel Hotel T5. This hotel exudes discrete opulence. No great views of Runway 27 Right like the Marriott but it makes up for it.......as soon as you waive goodby to your Egyptian cab driver (who's mildewy little cab was totally steamed up all the way from Epsom by the way) you enter a new world.......a world inhabited by Ethiad cabin crew, Eastern European check in staff called Irtza or Yanna and those white flimsy complimentary slippers that are made for Lepricorns with two left feet....

Above the low "whoosh" of the slightly over specified air con system in our room, I can make out the familiar low engine rumble of aircraft engines on full thrust only a few hundred yards away. Anticipation gathers.....Flight EK2 to Dubai is tomorrow lunchtime and I can already feel the pull of the giant Heathrow travel vortex drawing us closer to its core.....

Let's Check in on line! Ah yes no more bits of paper in the post.! Why not check in on line and save the airline all the hassle of entering your data by letting you do it for them! A bit like that misleading scam called "Fast Bag Drop". After you have filled in your own data.... for the 40th time....downloaded your own boarding pass (and by the way I could have knitted mine quicker) .....you arrive at "fast bag drop"...eeeer ..... spot the difference between normal check and fast bag drop.....in my opinion none!!!.....except you do all the admin for them.....clever stuff!!

An early repast! The large but well appointed Vivre restaurant beckons. Staffed by over trained waiters from the sub-continent eager to sell extra side orders and fizzy water. Cathy opts for Hounslow "tap". I am concerned my request for a medium rare burger had fallen on deaf ears.......

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