NWP 1. First things First

Originally, I was going to fly to Vancouver in Business but British Airways had a special offer to fly First to Seattle which was substantially cheaper. And a better flight schedule. So why not?!

Heathrow Terminal 5 has the added bonus of the Sofitel being attached to it, so an easy roll out of bed, a few steps(ish) and you’re in the terminal. All very relaxed. BA First has its own dedicated area so you can quickly waltz through security and into the Concorde Lounge far from the madding crowd. Of course, being the Concorde Lounge, there’s no scrum for the self service breakfast buffet like in the Business Lounge. No. This is waitress service. And a bacon sandwich is soon before me. Not usually one for breakfast but I will need something to soak up the soon to be quaffed champagne as I board the aircraft. Settle into my suite with oodles of space and leg room (ideal for my 6’5” heavyweight frame) sipping champagne. And relax. A bloke with a fluorescent pink Mohican sits opposite me. Can only assume he’s a rock star?

Like Hugh Grant in About a Boy, I split my flight into units of time. Champagne, relax and read The Spectator. One hour. G&T and canapes. Half an hour. Lunch. Two hours. Afternoon nap. Two hours. Film. Two hours. Afternoon Tea. Half hour. Read Kindle. One Hour. Arrive. Time really does fly.

Flying over Iceland and Greenland, it’s an excellent lunch of canapes, Canadian lobster, fillet of beef with a marrowbone crust, chocolate tart and cheese and biscuits. With a Tablas Creek glass of red which is rather moorish. This is the way to travel. Hard life innit.

Arriving in Seattle, fluorescent pink Mohican is clearly in a rush and races forward to the front exit to be the first to disembark. There’s only eight of us in First so not really necessary.

Except.

The airbridge veers to the middle exit door and we all have to turn around to exit through Business Class, who are first off the flight. Pink Mohican is now the last of the last.

Like lemmings we all follow the lead group down the terminal corridor. A woman ahead stands in the main corridor waiting for someone thus blocking off about 25% of the width of main corridor. Lead bloke in our pack turns right assuming ahead is a dead end because woman is blocking part of corridor. We all follow down a side corridor. About 50 of us by this time. Until…lead bloke realises he’s made a boo-boo and it’s a dead end. 50 people no doubt collectively and silently think ‘bozo’. And we all turn around. Realising that we should have continued straight on.

We’re all in a closed pack now but not wanting to trip over my neighbours I surge forward like Lewis Hamilton starting 11^th on the grid at a Grand Prix weaving between legs and luggage. And soon find myself as lead. Striding forward with my long legs.

Thinking passport control is just around the corner.

But it’s not.

No. That’s in another part of Seattle.

One of the longest escalators I’ve been on (bit like Kiev’s underground escalators) takes us up high to cross a bridge over the taxiway. And then back down again to another terminal.

What feels like a mile later, I arrive at passport control expecting long queues.

But no. There is hardly anyone about and I’m straight through to an Immigration Officer for the usual interrogation. Last time I flew to the USA in February in New York, I was hauled off to a side room for further interrogation as to why I had a tourist visa rather than an ESTA. Well, dear reader, it’s because I once had a holiday in North Korea (see blog elsewhere on this website). Like you do. Except this time Seattle immigration bod is really genuinely interested in knowing what North Korea was like and so have to explain how brilliant it was and don’t believe everything you read in the press. Satisfied that I’m not a North Korean spy, he waves me through with a cheerful thanks and goodbye. Not like New York immigration and those with attitude.

Taxi to the Pan Pacific Hotel (www.panpacificseattle.com) where I previously stayed on my Antarctica to Alaska trip (blog also elsewhere on this website) and a room with a view of the Space Needle.

Feeling surprisingly perky and awake I find I’m sleepless in…