I go home today and, though this has been an incredible trip filled with amazing memories, I am very much looking forward to getting home to see R and the girls. I wasn’t hungry this morning and decided to go directly to the airport rather than having breakfast at the hotel. The concierge called a cab for me and soon I was sitting in the spacious black cab in route to Heathrow. The cab ride was about the same as the train in terms of time but was much more expensive. My driver, Dave, was chatty and talked about his experiences as a driver and some of his most memorable passengers. The ride afforded me an opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of London’s iconic sites like Parliament and Big Ben. This was the first time I saw Big Ben without scaffolding and tarps because when R and I were in London in December of 2019 it was under renovation. All in all, I’m glad I decided to take the cab because Dave was a fun driver and it afforded me more comfort and personal space than the train. 

Dave dropped me off at the terminal and I collected the rest of my luggage from the Left Luggage counter. I didn’t plan to use this service when planning my trip but it was exceedingly convenient and I will be using it again for future trips. I checked in for the flight, dropped my checked luggage at the counter, and went to security. I was able to go through the priority check-in and security (still not sure if this is due to my TSA PreCheck member, status with Delta, or ticket class but I’m not arguing!). Security was easy though a bit different from US security as you have to remove liquids from your bags in the priority lines. I took advantage of Duty Free shopping to find a gift for R. The man is hard to buy for but I think he’ll like a bottle of Scotch. There are several Duty Free and regular shopping options though the airport prices are  more expensive. 

I have access to the Virgin Atlantic lounge due to the partnership with Delta so took I advantage of that. The lounge is very nice, clean, and quite large. I found a seat and made a quick walk through to find a lite snack. The tables have a convenient QR code that you can scan and order food and drinks delivered to the table.  I made some journaling notes while I waited on my scrambled eggs and toast. The food is made to order and is delivered to the table hot and fresh. Since I’m not driving, I also ordered a few rounds of drinks. The drinks menu was impressive and there were several that I wanted to try. Ultimately I can say that the Virgin Redhead, Gin Fizz, and Bramble are enjoyable cocktails. 

I had a surprise at boarding with a free upgrade to Delta One! The Delta One upgrade comes with a lay-flat bed, full size pillow and blanket, slippers, headphones, amenities kit, a larger entertainment display screen, additional storage at the seat, and a ton of legroom. Flight attendants offered mimosas for the welcome drink and it was a lovely little celebratory drink to kick off the long flight. The in-flight meal for this flight includes a date and nut hors d’oeuvre, small side salad, soup, and ciabatta roll. I chose the chicken curry entrée and it was okay though not my favorite. Soon I settled in to watch a movie and enjoy a nap. We also had a lite meal before landing and I chose the afternoon tea option which includes two finger sandwiches, scones, and two sweet pastries. This meal I enjoyed and it reminded me of my afternoon tea experience at St. Ermin’s. 

We landed in Atlanta and I cleared customs, immigration, baggage claim, and was soon hugging my dear husband! The perfect end to an absolutely amazing trip and quality time with great friends.