Hasty Valencia Visit: Tapas, Vermut, and the Joy of Impulse Adventures
Jul 19, 2024, 4:52 am
#1
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Location: Newcastle, UK
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Hasty Valencia Visit: Tapas, Vermut, and the Joy of Impulse Adventures
Good Morning from the Elizabeth line platform at Tottenham Court Road!
The thought of being squeezed into the cross-country train - where personal space is but a distant dream and sardines would feel cramped - was enough to make me bolt southward. A swift search uncovered some Avios flights to Valencia, a city I hadn't graced with my presence in what feels like a lifetime.
I quickly claimed the remaining business class seats for both flights. To complete this impromptu escapade, I’ve opted for the silly o’clock morning flight back to Newcastle on Monday and booked a couple of hotels. By 9am, I had cobbled together a half-baked plan that could generously be called "spontaneous."
The thought of being squeezed into the cross-country train - where personal space is but a distant dream and sardines would feel cramped - was enough to make me bolt southward. A swift search uncovered some Avios flights to Valencia, a city I hadn't graced with my presence in what feels like a lifetime.
I quickly claimed the remaining business class seats for both flights. To complete this impromptu escapade, I’ve opted for the silly o’clock morning flight back to Newcastle on Monday and booked a couple of hotels. By 9am, I had cobbled together a half-baked plan that could generously be called "spontaneous."
Jul 19, 2024, 5:12 am
#2
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Today’s ad-hoc and madcap adventure started at Birmingham International. The office I had been visiting is very close to the airport so it was only a short Uber ride to the station where there are fast trains to Euston.
The global IT outage is hitting all sorts of random things, including the ticket gates, it would seem.
The hour and a little bit on the train itself was very pleasant. The seats are comfortable, there are plenty of power options, and it was only around half full.
And soon enough we were in Euston. It has been an absolute age since I was last in Euston and I quickly remembered why I thoroughly dislike this station! The platforms are dark and dingy and scrofulous, the station itself is always crowded and unpleasant as it is far too small for the passenger volumes it handles, and the outside space is equally busy.
The global IT outage is hitting all sorts of random things, including the ticket gates, it would seem.
The hour and a little bit on the train itself was very pleasant. The seats are comfortable, there are plenty of power options, and it was only around half full.
And soon enough we were in Euston. It has been an absolute age since I was last in Euston and I quickly remembered why I thoroughly dislike this station! The platforms are dark and dingy and scrofulous, the station itself is always crowded and unpleasant as it is far too small for the passenger volumes it handles, and the outside space is equally busy.
Last edited by JapesUK; Jul 22, 2024 at 5:03 am
Jul 19, 2024, 5:18 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB+ Oro / OWS
Posts: 1,020
Askua for steak
Casa Carmela for paella (lunch only!!)
Casa Montana Vermouth and Tapas
Central Bar (inside the market)
enjoy the heads of the red shrimps...
Casa Carmela for paella (lunch only!!)
Casa Montana Vermouth and Tapas
Central Bar (inside the market)
enjoy the heads of the red shrimps...
Jul 19, 2024, 5:31 am
#5
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And so to the underground. A very easy route from Euston to Tottenham Court Road on the Northern Line and then over to the Elizabeth Line for Heathrow. The first Heathrow train was for T2/3/4 but I jumped on board anyway because you never know when things will go pear shaped, better to be at T3 where there are many options for T5 should the underground suddenly have issues.
Jul 19, 2024, 5:57 am
#6
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I came back expecting someone to have pointed out the deliberate mistake…. Valencia goes from T3!
Back we go….
Back we go….
Last edited by JapesUK; Jul 19, 2024 at 6:08 am
Jul 19, 2024, 6:46 am
#7
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And finally back to T3 
Quickly and easily through fast track security despite the efforts of an enormous family group making life difficult. I ended up clearing the airside scanner belt onto the tables as they were all loitering by the scanner wall jamming up the works.
The check in area was busy and the departures area even more so.
No prizes for guessing the first stop, it’s over to the Cathay first class lounge, one of two I could not get into during my recent lounge safari
Quickly and easily through fast track security despite the efforts of an enormous family group making life difficult. I ended up clearing the airside scanner belt onto the tables as they were all loitering by the scanner wall jamming up the works.
The check in area was busy and the departures area even more so.
No prizes for guessing the first stop, it’s over to the Cathay first class lounge, one of two I could not get into during my recent lounge safari
Last edited by JapesUK; Jul 19, 2024 at 3:11 pm
Jul 19, 2024, 6:48 am
#8
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Photo upload has been flaky all morning and now it’s just ridiculously bad so I’ll take a pause at this point and try again later because I’ve reached the limit of my patience after over 10 tries at getting 3 photos to load. BBL 
Jul 19, 2024, 8:54 am
#10
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A brief stop in the Cathay lounge for lunch and a shower was followed by a more leisurely stay in the T3 dining room.
And the First Dining room photos.
And a very broken pair of Flight Information Displays, two of many
With forty minutes to boarding I headed over to gate 11 which is very close to the first class lounge, so close that you can see it from the window.
The holding pen is pretty warm but we have just received an update that boarding will be delayed as the plane is too hot. Time to sit and sweat!
And the First Dining room photos.
And a very broken pair of Flight Information Displays, two of many
With forty minutes to boarding I headed over to gate 11 which is very close to the first class lounge, so close that you can see it from the window.
The holding pen is pretty warm but we have just received an update that boarding will be delayed as the plane is too hot. Time to sit and sweat!
Last edited by JapesUK; Jul 19, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Jul 19, 2024, 9:20 am
#11
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Another announcement that the plane is far too hot and departure is delayed for an unknown time as it is 35 degrees on board. Recommended that anyone who wants to returns to the lounges. Back to first dining!
All the blinds closed
Ice cold OJ! Needed that!
All the blinds closed
Ice cold OJ! Needed that!
Jul 19, 2024, 10:42 am
#12
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Watching from the first dining area I can see that the blinds are closed. Not much later an external air handling unit is attached and lastly they pull some stairs up to the back door and open the plane up.
Finally at 5pm there is an announcement that the plane is ready for boarding. It is still brutally hot so I can see that there will be a roaring trade in soft drinks.
Seat 7C today is already occupied by Mr 6A and I am happy to swap out so he can sit with his partner. Absolutely no leg room, as you might expect.
But there is a great view of one of the ground crew keeping himself cool
Finally at 5pm there is an announcement that the plane is ready for boarding. It is still brutally hot so I can see that there will be a roaring trade in soft drinks.
Seat 7C today is already occupied by Mr 6A and I am happy to swap out so he can sit with his partner. Absolutely no leg room, as you might expect.
But there is a great view of one of the ground crew keeping himself cool
Jul 19, 2024, 1:26 pm
#13
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LHR-VLC
BA442
G-EUUF
I was last on board today’s conveyance way back in November on one of my many trips to Bucharest.
The taxi was reasonably short for T3 and there was a decent view of the satellite terminals on the way up
No sooner were we off the ground than the gentleman ahead of me reclined his seat and the legroom went from nothing to severely cramped.
Today’s offering was the afternoon tea, and I am sure something is missing but I can’t work out what it is, I’ll have to look back through the photo album.
Once the drinks and food were served the crew disappeared behind the curtain and were rarely seen thereafter. They were all miserable, maybe due to the heat, maybe the fact they have to turn and burn back to Heathrow, or maybe that’s their natural state. Whatever the root cause, a very poor crew today.
BA442
G-EUUF
I was last on board today’s conveyance way back in November on one of my many trips to Bucharest.
The taxi was reasonably short for T3 and there was a decent view of the satellite terminals on the way up
No sooner were we off the ground than the gentleman ahead of me reclined his seat and the legroom went from nothing to severely cramped.
Today’s offering was the afternoon tea, and I am sure something is missing but I can’t work out what it is, I’ll have to look back through the photo album.
Once the drinks and food were served the crew disappeared behind the curtain and were rarely seen thereafter. They were all miserable, maybe due to the heat, maybe the fact they have to turn and burn back to Heathrow, or maybe that’s their natural state. Whatever the root cause, a very poor crew today.
Jul 19, 2024, 1:31 pm
#14
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There is a new High Life Cafe menu
And a new beer, the Brewgooder. Half way through the flight I wandered to the back of the plane to try a tin. The crew at the back were brusque and curt and made it very clear that I was a nuisance for wanting to buy a tin of beer! What makes it even better is that the beer is far too hoppy for my taste and went back mostly unfinished. You’ve got to try these things, so no regrets.
20:45 and the announcement from the flight deck that we were 15 minutes to landing. I spent a fair amount of the flight just gazing out of the windows, the scenery was great. It was only when we were close to landing that I realised that I’d taken almost no pictures!
And a new beer, the Brewgooder. Half way through the flight I wandered to the back of the plane to try a tin. The crew at the back were brusque and curt and made it very clear that I was a nuisance for wanting to buy a tin of beer! What makes it even better is that the beer is far too hoppy for my taste and went back mostly unfinished. You’ve got to try these things, so no regrets.
20:45 and the announcement from the flight deck that we were 15 minutes to landing. I spent a fair amount of the flight just gazing out of the windows, the scenery was great. It was only when we were close to landing that I realised that I’d taken almost no pictures!
Jul 19, 2024, 1:36 pm
#15
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Once we were on the ground half the cabin were up on their feet. Seatbelt light?
pfft!
Border control was quick and easy, the arrivals looked pretty quiet, and I was quickly through to landside and into my pre-booked car. On the way to the hotel now as I write this update, a mere 30 minutes since the wheels hit the tarmac.
pfft!
Border control was quick and easy, the arrivals looked pretty quiet, and I was quickly through to landside and into my pre-booked car. On the way to the hotel now as I write this update, a mere 30 minutes since the wheels hit the tarmac.