Getting to Heathrow Lodge Hotel
Damn. Missed the free shuttle from Heathrow to the Lodge by a mere 5 minutes.
When I landed at Gatwick everything went smoothly, but there was a line-up getting tickets on the National Express bus to Heathrow. I knew I would be late arriving at Heathrow since my information was that the last free shuttle on Saturday and Sunday was at 10:00 a.m. so when I got my bus ticket and the lady asked at which terminal I wanted to be dropped, I said the first stop. It only took about 30 minutes and I was quite prepared to throw myself on the mercy of the innkeeper when I phoned for the shuttle, which was at 10:30 but she wouldn't be swayed. Very apologetic she was. Eventually gave me the phone number to LHR, a local "taxi" service which would pick me up for about L9.
I asked if there were stores nearby where I could buy aspirin but she said no, they were located in a little village. "There is a MacDonald's about 10 minutes walk away... If you need something, you'd best buy it at the airport."
Oh well. Since the shuttle was gone I had lots of time. Not that I was going to wait until 6:00 pm when they started up again, but I figured I may as well pick up what I needed at the airport since it's loaded with shops. Got some Ibuprofen for my sore throat and bought 2 packages since it was a fairly mild dose. Marks and Spencer yielded 2 roasted chicken legs and some Pringles which would be my lunch and finally, I phoned LHR to get picked up.
"It's quite complicated," said the dispatcher after she found out I was at Terminal 5, "so listen carefully." I immediately broke into a sweat. "Do you have a mobile?" she asked. "No." "Well then, it will be very hard to tell you what the car looks like that will pick you up," she sighed in frustration. "Go to the departure level and take door #21 and wait there. What are you wearing so our driver can recognize you?" I gave the description and just before we hung up she said, "If you can get to Door #21 in 5 minutes, there will be a silver Audi to pick you up. "
So I hustled. I was on the arrivals level and managed to wrestle the 2 bags up the 3 long escalators to Departures where I accosted the first employee and asked to be directed to Door #21. "Door 21?" he asked, furrows creasing his brow. "I've never heard of that." He scratched his head as if to retrieve the hidden information. "Go over there and ask," and he pointed to an information area luckily not too far away.
"Door 21?" repeated the lady. "I don't think we have anything like that," and she turned to the other 4 ladies with her and in unison they furrowed their brows and looked around as if Door #21 would suddenly appear with flashing lights.
"I'm being picked up there, and those were the directions I was given. There is traffic there, right?" "Yes," she replied. "That's the only area where cars are allowed. There's a bus #21 but it's further to the left out that door" and she indicated where she meant. So that's where I went. At least there was traffic and maybe I'd get lucky.
As soon as I was outside I saw a red sign proclaiming Fire Stop 21. So I presumed I was at the right spot and sure enough, there was an Audi there. However, it was dark blue. It also wasn't my Audi though I peered in the window at the startled driver. Then I saw a grey Audi pull up a short distance away and hustled as fast as I could with my 2 roller bags. Success.
When I landed at Gatwick everything went smoothly, but there was a line-up getting tickets on the National Express bus to Heathrow. I knew I would be late arriving at Heathrow since my information was that the last free shuttle on Saturday and Sunday was at 10:00 a.m. so when I got my bus ticket and the lady asked at which terminal I wanted to be dropped, I said the first stop. It only took about 30 minutes and I was quite prepared to throw myself on the mercy of the innkeeper when I phoned for the shuttle, which was at 10:30 but she wouldn't be swayed. Very apologetic she was. Eventually gave me the phone number to LHR, a local "taxi" service which would pick me up for about L9.
I asked if there were stores nearby where I could buy aspirin but she said no, they were located in a little village. "There is a MacDonald's about 10 minutes walk away... If you need something, you'd best buy it at the airport."
Oh well. Since the shuttle was gone I had lots of time. Not that I was going to wait until 6:00 pm when they started up again, but I figured I may as well pick up what I needed at the airport since it's loaded with shops. Got some Ibuprofen for my sore throat and bought 2 packages since it was a fairly mild dose. Marks and Spencer yielded 2 roasted chicken legs and some Pringles which would be my lunch and finally, I phoned LHR to get picked up.
"It's quite complicated," said the dispatcher after she found out I was at Terminal 5, "so listen carefully." I immediately broke into a sweat. "Do you have a mobile?" she asked. "No." "Well then, it will be very hard to tell you what the car looks like that will pick you up," she sighed in frustration. "Go to the departure level and take door #21 and wait there. What are you wearing so our driver can recognize you?" I gave the description and just before we hung up she said, "If you can get to Door #21 in 5 minutes, there will be a silver Audi to pick you up. "
So I hustled. I was on the arrivals level and managed to wrestle the 2 bags up the 3 long escalators to Departures where I accosted the first employee and asked to be directed to Door #21. "Door 21?" he asked, furrows creasing his brow. "I've never heard of that." He scratched his head as if to retrieve the hidden information. "Go over there and ask," and he pointed to an information area luckily not too far away.
"Door 21?" repeated the lady. "I don't think we have anything like that," and she turned to the other 4 ladies with her and in unison they furrowed their brows and looked around as if Door #21 would suddenly appear with flashing lights.
"I'm being picked up there, and those were the directions I was given. There is traffic there, right?" "Yes," she replied. "That's the only area where cars are allowed. There's a bus #21 but it's further to the left out that door" and she indicated where she meant. So that's where I went. At least there was traffic and maybe I'd get lucky.
As soon as I was outside I saw a red sign proclaiming Fire Stop 21. So I presumed I was at the right spot and sure enough, there was an Audi there. However, it was dark blue. It also wasn't my Audi though I peered in the window at the startled driver. Then I saw a grey Audi pull up a short distance away and hustled as fast as I could with my 2 roller bags. Success.
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