Bucharest Trip Day 0 : Getting to the Airport

The journey to Bucharest started with a Greggs, a policy that I have with road trips that it feels appropriate to extend to plane trips. This was a thrifty option as well given that it was a free chicken bake from the Greggs loyalty scheme. What a time to be alive and all that.

Then it was time to meander to Norwich bus station and look at how they’ve been getting on with the recent renovations which saw it closed for a couple of weeks. I’m not sure what has happened here at the bus stop, but it’s a bit sub-optimal if you ask me as a non transport expert.

The National Express coach, which started its journey to London from Great Yarmouth, was on time and there was a friendly driver. I was pleased to board first and be able to get the emergency exit row seat. It’s a bit more space for the journey, although  it wasn’t a particularly busy service. I pretended not to be annoyed at the person nearby who had their phone on without headphones, just to show how tolerant and laidback I am. As I’m well behaved, I was the only passenger in sight who was wearing a seat-belt but I decided against asking the driver for a little badge or similar for following all the rules.

The journey was smooth and trouble free, although high levels of traffic in London meant that we got in around twenty minutes later than expected. I had got the coach as it cost just over £10, which was cheaper than the railways, even though it’s not really my desired form of travel. But, the power worked, the coach was clean and everything went as expected. No cause for complaint. Well, apart from that passenger with the loud phone, but of course, I didn’t let that annoy me.

After a quick burger, which was conveniently free of charge so another thrifty option. London seemed relatively quiet and everything seemed at peace, I had a brief walk around near St. Paul’s but decided against going to a pub as I had a long journey without access to toilets ahead. I’m very good at this forward planning……

Onto the underground and a quick change at the packed South Kensington underground station.

My bag, still in a nearly new state.

I got off at Hatton Cross underground station, which was a slightly cheaper option. I’ve written about the quirky situation with pricing at Hatton Cross before (although  can’t find where, so I’ll link this in later), although I needed to get off here anyway.

I’ve never done this walk before along the Perimeter Road. It’s two miles and quite an intriguing walk given that it is around the boundary of Heathrow Airport and its maintenance facilities. There is actually a bus service who goes along this route, but I’m all for saving money and a bit of fresh air (I accept perhaps polluted just slightly by the airport) is good for the soul.

After 40 minutes of walking, the delights of the Ibis Heathrow came into view (apologies, yet again for the poor quality photo). I had only booked this hotel earlier on in the day as it was cheap, it’s one that I’ve stayed at before on numerous occasions and a reliable option. During my 40 minute walk, Steve updated us that he had arrived in Bucharest as he likes to get there earlier to ready himself for coping with Bev.