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Tuesday : Nearly Missing the Bloody Train in Krakow, Finn Air to Heathrow and Ibis Budget

After a few days in Krakow eating pizza and complaining about the heat to anyone who would listen, whilst calming my overheated nerves with the large hotel breakfast every day, it was time to return to the UK. The old railway station is visible in the photo above, but they’ve built a new station building which is linked it to the Galeria Krakowska shopping mall. It was also surprisingly busy for a Tuesday morning at just before 09:00.

The new platforms are in this photo, the old railway station is behind me. Like nearly everywhere in Poland, it’s all very clean and organised.

There were no ticket machines to be seen on the platform which seemed odd. I discovered on the way out that passengers could buy tickets on the train, but I wanted to get this sorted in advance and so I bought mine from the PKP web-site. It’s a ticket that doesn’t need validation and is for a specific train, which is the one that should be leaving from the platform I was standing by after the 09:01 to Gdynia got out of the way. Anyway, the train didn’t move and I heard part of an announcement which was only in Polish, stating that my train to the airport was switching to another platform. I was moderately annoyed as that meant I had to rush, but obviously I didn’t want to run in the Krakow heat. Or indeed run at all, it’s exhausting.

I caught the damn train with thirty seconds to go, but I noted some others didn’t and were still on the wrong platform. They didn’t even check the ticket (I mean the ticket inspectors on the train, not the people on the wrong platform). Anyway, I arrived into the airport as expected, but could have done without the rushing about the place. Clean train and on-time, so I can’t really complain.

I was through airport security in under two minutes and so next was the non-Schengen airport lounge at Krakow Airport, which was small, although luckily I had given myself three hours to sit in it. It reached near capacity by the time that I was about to leave the lounge, and it does feel a little under-sized. Very friendly staff and there are toilets and showers within the lounge complex.

Lard and bits of pepper sliced up, it’s not exactly Greggs is it?

Now we’re talking though.

My starter.

The amuse-bouche. They had a couple of different beers, nothing exceptional, but sufficient for me.

In fairness the chicken salad was very lovely, so that proved to be a useful main course. I never had the lard.

There was a ten minute delay, but nothing too bad, for the return flight to Heathrow.

This was as clear as mud, with a Ryanair and British Airways flight departing at the same time, as well as separate queues for Groups 1-3 and Groups 4 and 5. I guessed the queue correctly when the Groups 1-3 were called, but numerous other customers didn’t, finding themselves in the wrong place. Anyone who tried to access the Groups 1-3 queue without having the correct number on their ticket was sent packing, albeit politely.

As with my outward journey, this was a British Airways flight that they’ve wet leased to be operated by Finn Air. It’s the Airbus A321 with registration code OH-LZN, which Finn Air have operated since the aircraft was new in 2017.

This annoyed me, it started to pour with rain just as I boarded. All week I waited for rain and the moment I get on board to come back what happens?

I’ve blurred this (again) by mistake as I was trying to rush, but I was the first to board. The person in the photo is flight crew and they were all exceptional during the journey, again Finn Air should be proud of their professionalism. Someone in my row seemed quite seedy in the way he was talking to the crew member, but she professionally batted him and his attempt to take her for an Indian meal away.

Got my seat with lots of leg room again. The flight was near full, but the boarding was efficient and well managed. At this point we sat there for around 45 minutes, as the rain that I craved all week was now flooding the airport and so they had to temporarily shut down operations.

The chatty and friendly crew came around with the snack before take-off to ensure everyone remained happy. The water was served after we had taken off.

Safely back at Heathrow T3, ready to spend ten minutes walking around their slalom course. You could practice for an LDWA 100 walking around this.

I’m starting to feel that I know Heathrow T3 far too well.

The Central Bus Station, ready for me to pay for a bus to get me to the Ibis Budget on Bath Road since Heathrow have removed the Free Travel Zone. Yes, I will complain about that in every post for some months, there’s nothing like repetition to cheer the soul.

I had pre-paid for this room at a much cheaper rate, but this is a sign of the ridiculous prices in London. For an Ibis Budget which isn’t that well located to be charging £100 is far from ideal.

I stayed here a few weeks ago, it’s the former Travelodge they’ve converted into Ibis Budget. The windows here don’t open and I asked for a fan, which they said they’d bring to the room, but they didn’t bother. However, I decided the air conditioning worked sufficiently well for me to not traipse down again to ask where the fan was. The hotel though is still receiving deluges of negative reviews about the air conditioning not working, but it appears they should have it all fixed soon enough.

Not that I’m one for complaining, but just I got in the room it started to rain again. That weather is just ideal for me, cloudy and rainy, perfect for exploring a city.

July 6, 2022
Wednesday : A Zeppelin Raid Walk with Des, the Dolphin Tavern and Norwich Once Again

I had been staying in the delights of the Ibis Budget Heathrow and it was entirely fine, with no noise issues or air conditioning fails. The challenge that I had was that I needed to be at a walk led by Des at 11:00 and that was going to take me two hours to get to via public transport, I needed a bus, an Underground train, another Underground train and then the Overground to get to the sunny uplands of Stoke Newington. But all journeys have to start somewhere, and this started at the bus stop opposite the Ibis Budget. I’m not sure that the BBC would commission a series based on this journey, it’s not something Michael Palin would do.

Here comes the 222 TFL bus to Hounslow, where I got a seat, but it was at near capacity and soon entirely filled up. It didn’t get any better when it had to pick up passengers who were on a bus that had just broken down. Fortunately, it isn’t a long journey into Hounslow.

Hounslow West underground station to catch the Piccadilly Line to Finsbury Park. I like taking photos like this as it gives me the opportunity to look back at adverts from the period. I’m not sure how interesting these will be to look back on, but who knows?

Then the Victoria Line from Finsbury Park to Seven Sisters.

Then waiting for the Overground to take me from Seven Sisters to Stoke Newington. I hope Des was grateful for this trek that I was on….

And at my final destination of Stoke Newington. This means “new town in the woods” in old English, there’s the fun fact for the day.

The walk started over the road at Abney Park, although Des hadn’t anticipated all of this hoarding. I liked the history that had been presented, this is something that should happen at more construction sites.

And it then started to rain. I excitedly put my coat and bag cover on, but then it stopped about ten minutes later. This global warming is doing me no good, I’m sure that it used to rain more in the halcyon days of the 1980s.

Des took us to our first stop and the walk’s theme was the Zeppelin raids of London. The walk is based on one written by David Fathers in his Bloody London book, with David coming on some of Des’s walks. I had a look at the book during the walk, it’s got some fascinating stories and walks in it, although some are quite morbid, but that won’t surprise anyone with a book title like that.

This sign is referring to the first Zeppelin raid in London, as Norfolk had already been hit in January 1915. We traced some of the route that lone airship took on 31 May 1915, where bombs were chucked over the side. It would have filled residents below with terror, as war wasn’t expected to come to London and indeed many had thought it would all be over by the end of 1914. There was no system in place to warn people of raids and no real idea how to repel them. It was no less scary for the Zeppelin pilots though, their airship could burst into flames at any time and would be destroyed within minutes. This building was badly damaged, but no-one was injured and the small fire that started was soon put out by the neighbours.

I like ghost signs on walls.

Kynaston Gardens which as the sign notes is a small park which was formed just after the Second World War after a row of cottages was demolished as part of slum clearance in the area.

The former Nevill public house and this was part of the tour, as a bomb hit it from the Zeppelin, but it landed in the pub’s garden and didn’t explode. There was a plaque here which noted that it was the location of the first bomb in the city from a Zeppelin, but it was then realised that it wasn’t, and the plaque in my earlier photo was installed.

An interesting electricity sub-station building. Well, interesting if you like that sort of thing.

We didn’t go in the Railway Tavern, I just liked the shape of the pub.

Very pretty, although I’m not sure that this can do the building much good.

A contrast from the low-rise Hoxton High Street with the City of London skyscrapers in the background.

Khadija’s Garden which commemorates Khadija Saye, who was killed in the Grenfell Tower fire disaster.

Interesting street art.

This was something that I hadn’t known about, the connections that Shakespeare had with the part of the city just north of the city boundary at Shoreditch. You’re guaranteed to learn something on a Des walk. There’s some interesting history about this at https://www.thestageshoreditch.com/history-heritage, with numerous buildings now being named after Shakespeare, in this case The Bard office block.

The Horse and Groom, it looks like an architecturally interesting pub in more modern surroundings, although it’s operated by Greene King.

Des kindly pointed out to everyone that my favourite London bar, Goose Island, was nearby.

Some public sculpture outside of Principal Place, a decadent 175 metre residential building which Hackney council have allowed to be built in their area, right on the edge of the City of London. It was completed in 2020 and a quick look on Zoopla shows that properties here cost over £3 million. I don’t think I’ll be getting one.

There’s plenty of bikes here which I felt the need to take a photo of.

The Dolphin Tavern, nearby Holborn, was an extra hour to walk to, but I couldn’t leave before the pub. It’s relevant as it was hit during a Zeppelin raid, although on a different date to the one that we had been following. It was bombed on 9 September 1917 and three men were killed during the attack.

I had half a pint of the well-kept Timothy Taylor’s Landlord.

The clock still tells the time of 10:40, which is when the pub was hit during the Zeppelin raid. The pub was repaired after the bombing, with the clock being salvaged and it’s now on display.

It was a quirky little pub, the sort of place that it’s not clear how it survives. It doesn’t do food, it has only a few tables and it wasn’t that busy when were there. Well, it was busy when we got there, but not before. The service was friendly and engaging though, it’s a proper London pub and I’m pleased Des found somewhere that I hadn’t been before. There were a couple of real ales, which were well-kept, so that’s good, although the male toilets downstairs are down some steep steps, which must be exciting for anyone who has had a few drinks. It was all a lovely walk though, I think it came in at just under 10 miles, showing me another side to London’s history.

After a chat and a gossip about things, everyone dispersed in different directions. I was fortunate, I arrived at the bus stop just as the bus to Hackney was leaving.

A quick drink in Wetherspoons in Hackney and they mispoured this as it was the wrong beer, but they gave it to me anyway before serving the one I had ordered. Really engaging staff here, this is one of the better Wetherspoon outlets.

I’ve never been to the Hackney Church Brew Co, so this seemed a good opportunity since it was around the corner from Baxter’s Court, the JD Wetherspoon pub.

A slightly wonky photo of the interior.

They brew beers on-site and this is part of their set-up. It’s hard to think of a much more on-trend set-up than a craft beer place in Hackney, but it’s got a welcoming and grounded vibe to the whole arrangement.

The bar, all clean and organised, a mix between the industrial interior and the organised decor.

I had a couple of different beers, the Last DIPA and the Heaven Help Me Imperial Stout. They were both decent and reasonably priced, although I only had one third of each. I didn’t order food, but it’s quite decadent, with the head chef being Aaron Thomas who was on Masterchef the Professionals a couple of years ago. The food options are more expensive than I’d usually expect from a craft beer bar, but of course, they’ve gone for high quality and it all seems well reviewed.

It was getting busier as I left, it’s a venue that I’d recommend. I then decided to walk the 3 miles back into Shoreditch, inspired by Des’s love of urban walking. It would have been easier to get the bus, but where’s the fun in that….

The sun setting over the Regent’s Canal, which I’ve walked along a couple of times over the last year.

After picking up some nearly free sandwiches in Sainsbury’s (I love a little bargain), it was time for the Greater Anglia train back to Norwich. I’m pleased to report this was a train that had tables, there was no Stansted Express debacle that evening.

And back to Norwich after my few weeks away. I wasn’t meant to be coming back to Norwich until the Saturday evening for the LDWA boat trip the following day, but a Greater Anglia strike led me to changing my plans, which was a delight no doubt for all my friends in Norwich who got to see me at short notice.

July 6, 2022
Thursday : The Tiny Rebel Tap Takeover at the Brewery Tap in Norwich

As I had surprised and delighted my friends by coming back to Norwich a little early due to a rail strike, it seemed a wise idea to get some of them together to be entertained by the Tiny Rebel Tap Takeover at the Brewery Tap in Norwich. There were ten beers, which I’m pleased to say that I had a third each of, along with some cans, but I didn’t get chance to try those as they ran out nearly immediately which is a slight shame.

Not the most decadently poured, but these are the four cask beers. The staff here were friendly and helpful, they certainly know their beer and it’s one of my favourite pubs. I don’t go to it that often, but I’m always pleased when I do make it here.

There were a lot of crisps and chips acquired, which complemented the beers beautifully. It was rather lovely to see Bev, Steve, Gordon, Brian and James, especially good to see Steve who has just returned from his huge Camino adventure in Spain. He’s been very brave and he’s clearly lost some weight during the whole trip.

I must admit, I had to work out in my mind which beer was which…. I forgot how similar in colour these three were when I got them back to the table.

I won’t go through each of the ten beers, as I can’t imagine anyone is in the slightest bit interested in that level of detail. My favourite beers were the Wood Aged Belgian Birthday Cake, but that sounds delightful anyway as a concept. The Mixed Berry Double Froozie Sour was right up my street and the Thai PA had a taste of Asian food to it, another intriguing way to add flavour to a beer I suppose. I was less impressed with Baby Cakes, which had a confused taste profile, whilst the Peloton Pale was also quite drab. But, I have no complaints about the overall selection, some very different beers from Tiny Rebel and they like to be experimental. The brewery is quite near where Dave Morgan, the Welsh Walking Wizard, lives, so another great thing to come out of Wales!

I tend not to eat crisps very often unless beer is involved, another fun fact for everyone….

After I got rid of my first wave of friends, I popped to the White Lion to meet Julian, whose birthday the following week I’ll miss as I’m away so I wanted to make an effort to meet up.

The King’s Head and more crisps. Julian is a drinking professional, he can go for hours on real ale, whereas I’m rather more moderate with my volume of alcohol consumed. I don’t think I’ll ever be as professional as him.

I can be led astray, but I was being very sensible, as the night progressed rather late, I stuck to water, I know my limits…. There was much gossip and chat, just what pubs are for.

Anyway, it was great to see some friends in Norwich, rather lovely to be back and also I very much like tap takeovers, so that was a decadent treat at the Brewery Tap.

July 6, 2022
Friday : Lucy’s Chips and the Artichoke in Norwich

I didn’t need to make this post, as it’s just more of the same from my not very exciting to write about day. My day involved a lot of sitting about in various places with my laptop (which was very productive fortunately), but I had a desire to upload this beautiful photo from Lucy’s at Norwich market. Large butcher’s sausage, chips, curry sauce and a heap of scraps. There surely can’t have been a better time to be alive.

After beating Liam 5-0 at pool in the evening, I decided it’s a game that we must play more of. I like winning things like this, as it proves to me that the game was a sensible one to play. To celebrate my whitewash, it was another trip to the Artichoke pub so that I could be reassured that it was still there. This beer is the Blackberry Grisette from Jester King Brewery and I have to be honest and note that I didn’t have a clue what a Grisette was. Well, as this is clearly an educational as well as informative blog, I’ve pinched this text from Wikipedia:

“A grisette is a variety of beer originating from the mining regions along the border of France and Belgium. It is a close relative of other farmhouse ales of the region including saisons and bières de garde, though unlike those beers, which were prevalent among agricultural workers, grisettes were consumed primarily by miners. The name, which means “little grey one”, may come from the name of the local grey-colored stone or from the grey frocks worn by the women who served the beer in local pubs. It is a low-alcohol beer that is light in body, with a noticeable tartness similar to other farmhouse ales and in some ways to the gose beers of Germany. As of 2016, only one Belgian brewery was still making the style in the traditional manner, though the American craft brewing industry has started producing several varieties, often working from historically researched recipes.”

This one was 5.3% ABV and is from the American craft brewing industry, it’s from Austin in Texas. Liam ordered a beer that he liked the pump clip of and I privately noted that he still hasn’t got Untappd. I didn’t say anything.

This is the Keith coffee stout from Wild Card Brewery in Walthamstow and I have no idea why they’ve named their beer Keith. It’s an unusual name for a beer, but it was suitably decadent, chocolately and rich, a nice way to savour my pool triumph. But I won’t keep going on about that.

Liam, who doesn’t seem to be able to keep out of pubs so that he can order random beers, demanded that we went to the King’s Head for a few hours, and so I went along with this. Charlie was on top serving form again, he’s good at this bar thing. I went for the Scoundrel from Tydd Steam Brewery, partly because I had gone through most of the other beers the previous night, which was a well-kept session bitter from Cambridgeshire.

I hadn’t intended to be back in Norwich for a few days (the rail strike caused the change of plan), but with the delights of chips, winning at pool and craft beer, I’m glad I was. I’d add that this is all research as well, it’s not just for my enjoyment, but the LDWA NEC are coming to Norwich for the weekend in a couple of weeks and I’ve got to check my favourite venues are OK. Stuart is a martyr to decadent beer, I can’t have him let down.

July 6, 2022
Thursday : Heathrow T3 to Krakow with British Airways (operated by Finn Air)

After the excitement of being at Heathrow T3 through the night started to become marginally less exciting, I decided to walk through the bright lights of the walkways to get to the main terminal. It’s surprising how quiet Heathrow is at 03:00…..

I was ready. I was ready around 835 minutes before the flight to be fair.

They could probably do with some more seats on the first floor, but it was starting to get a little busier before the security lines opened at 04:30. I was confused why around 40 people were standing in what I thought was an odd place for the security line, at an overflow area. I decided these savvy travellers must know what they were doing, but I was hardly in a rush, so I stood in the normal place. Fortunately, I managed to find myself at the front of the queue and so was the second person (or second non-staff member to be more accurate) to enter airside.

Peace and quiet at duty free.

I’ve never really understood who buys all this stuff, it’s a huge retail area and nothing seems particularly good value to me. I don’t know whether it’s a mix of people buying presents and those who just get excited when they see alcohol for sale. Now, if they had a decent craft beer selection then I might be interested.

Slightly blurry, but there’s no shortage of seating if you go to the airport early. Who needs a hotel? An unnecessary decadence.

I have no idea how I’ve managed to take such blurry photos, but there’s the very quiet oyster and champagne bar or whatever it is. It’s not somewhere I’ve felt the need to spend much time. Actually, as an aside, I don’t really understand it, it’s expensive and I’d have thought if you can afford to go there, you’d likely have airline status to go to a lounge. And it’s a very open place to sit. But there we go, perhaps people like being seen when they’re being decadent.

I’d arrived before any of the shops had opened as well.

The BA lounge opened at 05:00. Well, it’s meant to, the bouncy and happy staff member went to open the First Class section at 05:00 and then she realised there was no-one at the main entrance. At 05:05 an harassed member of staff turns up and the lounge whirs into action. Fair play to her, what a time to get to the airport and the staff have to go through security every day, it must be tiring. Anyway, the First entrance is to the left and the Club entrance is to the right. Two of the customers in front of me were entirely the wrong place, they were going to the Aspire Lounge or whatever it was, and seemed annoyed at BA that they hadn’t made clear it was the BA lounge. The signage on the wall is a clue.

I must have been tired, these photos are dreadful. Anyway, the BA lounge main seating area.

Looking towards the rear, the little business section is to the right. No beer again in the lounge, just Heineken.

The BA order to the table app seems to have been removed, everything is on display again and it’s fair to say that’s it’s beautifully presented when no customer has mauled it all about.

The sausage and bacon rolls, which seem to be a waste of food if I’m being honest. A fair number of people ditch the rolls, including myself, to eat the bacon and sausage. The muffins were soggy and the rolls were hard and inedible, it just seems a waste of BA’s money. They must be able to deliver something better than this. I’m not specifically complaining, well no more than usual, for me, just that they’re spending all this money and delivering a product which is evidently inferior to the lounges around them (although I’d add the First section of the lounge is better, but I haven’t had access to that for years).

I asked a couple of times when the showers would be opening with no-one being sure, and the lovely lady on the First desk (not that I had access to that lounge, it’s just next to where the showers are) was confused why they were shut. She went off to find out and came back very apologetic to say the showers were closed for the week, but she hadn’t been told. I appreciated her help and assistance, but fortunately, there was a solution to this, the Cathay Pacific lounge which opened at 05:30. The staff try so hard in the BA lounge, but the airline doesn’t always seem to want to help them.

Cathay Pacific had showers which were immaculate, so that was that solved. The staff try so hard in the Cathay Pacific lounge and the airline does seem to want to help them. It wasn’t busy, and indeed I was the only person in the lounge for a few minutes, this is the part of the self-service breakfast selection. Spotless as ever.

And the other bit. There’s a selection of sausages, bacon and the like for those who want hot items.

But, yet again, I decided I wanted to order from the chefs at the Asian food counter and got my standard order of Thai coconut and vegetable soup, the Mix Dim sum basket, Fanta and beer. What a time to be alive…. And compare and contrast to the BA lounge. The flight time meant I didn’t really enough time to visit the Qantas lounge for some calamari as it opens a little later, but I was refreshed and ready for the new day after leaving the Cathay Pacific lounge. I’m disappointed to say I won’t be back in T3 for a while, as the flights I had departing from the terminal have been moved to T5.

It was unclear whether there was a priority line at the gate, but I wasn’t going to go hunting for it. The man behind me didn’t have the same restraint, I heard a series of “I will go and look”, “no, we’re entitled to use it” and the like, as his what I assume was wife tried to calm him. He stomped over in the end and asked where the priority line was, before shouting back to wife “we can enter the priority line here”. I admire his determination to sit in the gate slightly quicker than the others, although I have to confess to them following him. I tried to look as embarrassed as the guy’s wife.

The flight was booked with British Airways, but they’ve run out of aircraft, so they’re using Finn Air on a wet lease arrangement. So the pilots and cabin crew are all from Finn Air, whilst the service standard is British Airways. This has the advantage of this seat with lots of leg room, which as far as I’m concerned is the best in the economy part of the aircraft. I think I dozed off for a chunk of the flight and there was no-one sitting next to me, so this felt very spacious.

The mid-flight snack, a smaller bottle of water and a Nutrigrain bar. There was a man in the aisle seat, and we must have both dozed off, as the crew had just left them on the seat for us. The crew were excellent, friendly, personable and engaging, Finn Air should be very proud. Apparently they spend five days in London being put up at hotels, which must be costing BA a fortune, before returning to Helsinki for a few days.

Oh good, a bus to the terminal. Not that it matters, I’m hardly ever in a rush. I noticed that it was too hot.

Although getting a bus did give me time to take a photo of the aircraft, which is OH-LZU, an A321 which Finn Air have operated since it was manufactured in 2018.

It didn’t take long to get through border control, and I decided to use my limited Polish to the border guard. He replied, in Polish, asking if I was Polish as I would have then been in the wrong queue. He soon realised from my garbled answer that I wasn’t. Here’s the front of the terminal and it was evident to me that it was already too hot. I may have mentioned that.

The train from the airport to the city centre, which is over twice the price of the one from Warsaw. That’s the problem with these tourist cities.

I bought a ticket from the machine and then waited excitedly to board. The train was quite busy and unusually, you can buy tickets on board despite there being ticket facilities on the platform. One person showed their bus ticket, but the train guard was having none of it, they had to buy a rail ticket.

I’ve visited Krakow numerous times before, but here’s a quick photo from the city centre as I walked to the hotel in the searing heat. Krakow is a beautiful city, but it is very touristy, so I prefer visiting other cities in Poland, but it’s nonetheless a delight to be back.

Grrrrr, I didn’t entirely like the room, it’s one of these damn Ibis changes to make it feel like a nursing home. I’ve stayed at Ibis Krakow Centrum before, and they had better rooms with a desk and chair. I did query with reception if they had any of the older rooms, but they said they didn’t. Their answer was “we don’t put chairs in rooms any more”. I’m not entirely sure how that is seen as a good idea, as although I understand not everyone has the same requirements as me, a chair isn’t beyond Ibis Budget, let alone Ibis. This is, I think, an upgraded room, as there’s a coffee machine. I didn’t understand the point of that as they gave me two coffees for a five night stay, but those two were delicious I suppose. There’s also water provided, which I appreciated as it’s too hot. The window opened so that was positive, but the air conditioning in the room sort of worked, not to make the room as freezing as I’d like, but sufficient to be comfortable.

I appreciated the note though, that was kind. I’m not really into red wine, but it was a gift and that was very nice of them, so I did drink it as I didn’t want to be rude. I’m selfless like that.

Wwith that, I was back in Poland, although I had some sleep to catch up on.

July 4, 2022
Wednesday : Warsaw to Heathrow T3 with Finn Air (via Helsinki)

Yet another breakfast photo, woooo….. I posted this one as there’s a bay leaf on it and I enjoy it when people complain at Chipotle because they think part of a tree has landed into their food. For anyone who wants to see irate people on Twitter, just Google “chipotle bay leaf”. Another cheap and cheerful breakfast, which was suitably filling. I’m not sure why they’re providing biscuits for breakfast, but I didn’t quibble with what I thought was an innovative idea.

I’ll miss Warsaw, but I’ve gone on about that before. Note how bloody hot it was. That made it easier for me to leave the city, so I could escape the rampantly high temperatures that I had endured.

My journey to the airport was far from ideal, I had intended to walk to Warszawa Powiśle railway station to get the train. Unfortunately, this ticket machine en route didn’t supply the ticket I wanted, entirely because the sun was so bright that I couldn’t see the screen properly. There’s no good comes from this extreme weather I’ll say, no good at all.

There’s the railway station I need, but I was on the hunt for a ticket machine. The railway station ticket machine wouldn’t sell me the ticket that I wanted and I couldn’t remember whether the train itself had a ticket machine on it as I always pre-purchase them to avoid any little issues with the guard.

I swore quietly at the situation, then decided to instead walk one stop along to Warszawa Śródmieście as there’s an S2 train to the airport around every thirty minutes. There’s the Palace of Science and Culture in the boiling hot temperature. I was pleased to note that a lot of Polish people seemed to be struggling with the heat. Although I mean that in the way that I’m pleased I wasn’t the only person who was uncomfortable, not that I was pleased Poles were struggling with something.

This wasn’t the train I needed, I just like taking photos of double-decker trains. I should probably get out more….

I was slightly annoyed generally that there were indeed ticket machines on the trains, as can be seen by everyone else buying their tickets on them. I’d mention I was more annoyed that I hadn’t just risked it, but I like to live in a low-risk public transport world.

And that was that, after 20 minutes I was at the railway station saying goodbye to Warsaw for the last time in what will likely be for some months. My journey today was to fly back to Heathrow, but due to problems with British Airways, they were flying me back via Helsinki. This isn’t ideal in many ways and is the second time that they’ve had to do this. One day the rail service will be fast and cheap enough to do this journey back to London without needing to fly, but we’re nowhere near there that stage yet.

That gave me time to visit the Preludium Executive Lounge in Warsaw Airport, again which I’ve written about before. As an aside, the security process was extremely efficient, once again in Warsaw I was through into the lounge area within ten minutes of disembarking the train. Polish efficiency that is.

It wasn’t particularly busy, so I sat near to the food (at the counter behind, not literally this near) with my laptop being productive.

The lounge has finally got rid of the pre-packaged food that it has for some time, replacing it with help yourself food items so that guests can make their own salads or whatever they’d like. There’s also hot food and most importantly, big tubs of chocolates. What a time to be alive….

Chicken wrap with olives, what more could anyone want from their brunch? I say brunch, it was still breakfast time, but I’d already had breakfast at the hotel and it’s bad luck to have two breakfasts.

One quick beer before leaving. I’m not sure I needed that, but it’s another one for Untappd.

The flight was already boarding when I got there. It’s rare that I cut things so fine, although I don’t want anyone thinking I had been unusually reckless, they were just boarding a little early.

Down the airbridge, this is Finn Air’s Embraer E190, registration OH-LKM, an aircraft they’ve operated since it was brought into service in 2008. For anyone wondering why there are so many photos on air bridges, it’s usually so I can get the aircraft registration number, such is the level of detail that I demand for my two readers.

This was a nearly full service, so no photos of the interior. I was pleased to get my free blueberry juice and the service was all efficient and felt a little more professional than my outbound flight. There was a bigger business class section than on the way out, they had the delights of a salad and bread for their morning meal.

A little cloudier than Warsaw, I enjoy knowing that I’m unlikely to get heatstroke in Helsinki. These short stops in Helsinki are slightly sad from the point of view that I’m not leaving the airport to see the actual city.

Back in the non-Schengen lounge at Helsinki Airport and the staff were as friendly as before, with everything being just as ordered and welcoming as I remembered. They have the same self-scanning desks to get into the lounge as their Schengen one elsewhere in the terminal, but they don’t seem to use them here.

The pods and I went to investigate the showers here for the first time. They’re all self-service, you just type in the keypad on the door and if they’ve been cleaned with more towels put in, then they’ll open. When leaving, press a button on the keypad and it alerts the staff that the shower needs cleaning and restocking.

This is much better than the food selection at the Finn Air Schengen lounge. I noted that they were unlikely to run out of plates as well.

Meatballs in pepper sauce and these were delicious. There was also a broad bean tikka masala, which sounded a bit too vegetable orientated in its design to me.

Self-pour beer, meatballs, rice and I even got some roasted vegetables for reasons I can’t remember. I probably got muddled up.

I hadn’t noticed this before, but the text of what they’re doing is readable by clicking on the image, effectively they want some rye spirit ready in 2023 to mark Finn Air reaching 100. A rather lovely idea and not long left now, they thought ahead by starting this process in 2017.

After a quick dessert and some more meatballs, back in the open space of the airport terminal. I wonder if this international terminal ever feels busy and cluttered, it’s hard to imagine that.

The flight was showing a slight delay, but nothing frightening.

Having this much space makes the whole boarding environment feel much more relaxed. Note power points everywhere, no-one is leaving Helsinki without their devices being fully charged.

The airbridge photo again. Finn Air have two separate parts of the waiting area in the gate, so priority passengers were able to board first. A couple of people, whether through accident or design, tried to board in a lane they shouldn’t have done, with the Finn Air staff politely sending them back to the end of the queue, thereby forcing a little walk of shame.

It’s Airbus A319, registration OH-LVL, which Finn Air have operated since new in 2004. I can also confirm that I didn’t overheat in Helsinki Airport.

I’d deliberately put myself on an aisle seat towards the back of the aircraft and this was another flight, with just about every seat taken. If a flight is looking busy, I’d rather just sit at the back and stay out of the way of people trying to navigate their way around the crew with their trolleys.

The drop-down screens showed a variety of television programming throughout the journey, including Tom & Jerry. This reminds me that British Airways has taken screens out of all of their short-haul aircraft, although I recall they only displayed the live map, never anything as exciting as Tom & Jerry cartoons.

I wasn’t tempted as I had just been in the lounge, although I did think from the photo how small the cheese platter was. They didn’t seem to sell much, a few items here and there, but in the main customers just requested the free water or blueberry juice.

And that leads me neatly into the now obligatory photo of blueberry juice.

Back into Heathrow T3, nearly every time I use a Travelator I remember Liam’s children being endlessly excited by this exciting “it’s like an escalator but flat” device. To be fair, they’re not wrong.

I had a fair amount of time at Heathrow Terminal 3, but more about overnight stay there in the next exciting post in this series.

July 3, 2022
Wednesday : Sleeping at Heathrow T3

For complex reasons relating to flight cancellations, I was at Heathrow T3 overnight, although in my case I wasn’t planning to sleep, just sit with my laptop and sleep on the aircraft the next day on my early morning flight. Hotel prices are ridiculous in London at the moment and it would have cost the best part of £100 in the cheapest hotel near Heathrow, which hardly seemed worth it for a few hours.

One of the quietest areas, at least overnight, is the central bus terminal. There were police around talking to a few people, but that seemed to relate to those they considered to be non-travellers, although they didn’t approach me so I wasn’t entirely sure what was being said. I think the rule here is that they’ll tolerate travellers waiting for a bus or plane, but not much else. The police floating about for most of the night made it all feel safer to me as well.

There were a few people sleeping on the seats, which I’m sure the bus terminal isn’t thrilled about, although it is possible. The seats at least have some padding and the lighting isn’t too harsh in this area, so it’s probably the best place to go. The main Heathrow T3 terminal doesn’t throw people out, but it’s got bright and harsh lighting alongside lots of noise from the cleaning and maintenance teams who have to use the overnight period to get things done.

There’s a Costa near security on the upper level which claims to be open 24 hours, although I’m not sure how many hours they’ll allow people to stay for. Probably for as long as it looks like it might be full. The Pret shuts relatively early, although that means their external seats are accessible overnight.

From my wanderings around T3, this is usually the quietest place if in need of power, on the ground floor near Zone G. There’s some seating around here as well, although it’s not overly comfortable as it’s firm metal chairs. Free Heathrow wi-fi is available throughout the entirety of T3, including the central bus terminal.

July 3, 2022
Books about Hertfordshire

BOOKS ABOUT HERTFORDSHIRE

The Origins of Hertfordshire by Tom Williamson is a large 270 page book which covers the history of the county from late prehistoric times to the thirteenth century. There’s lots of topographical history of the county, a subject not always well covered by books looking at this period of the county’s history. Primarily text based, as the period covered inevitably means that there is limited documentary evidence, there are though a number of maps. The book’s ISBN is 9781905313952.

The Buildings of England – Hertfordshire book is the Bible of building archaeology in England, initially edited by the astute Nikolaus Pevsner, with research support from Bridget Cherry. The book has been recently updated by James Bettley and is 720 pages full of tightly written text about the buildings of Hertfordshire, in tremendous detail. There are many perambulations around the county’s towns, covering the main buildings of note. Pevsner’s quite cutting remarks about some buildings have remained in the book and there are some initial chapters about the general history of the county. The book’s ISBN is 9780300223903.

The Watford to St. Albans Branch by SC Jenkins is part of the Locomotion Papers from the Oakwood Press. It’s a 90 page book which has an in-depth history of the line, with plenty of photos of stations, engines and also numerous older timetables and maps. There’s a great deal of clarity to the writing and plenty of history, despite this being a relatively short branch line. The book’s ISBN is 0853613990.

Branch Lines Around Hertford and Hatfield to Broxbourne, St. Albans and Buntingford by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith was published by Middleton Press in 2009. There are around 100 pages in the book, with Middleton being one of the prolific publishers of titles about the railway network. This title covers the evolution of the electrified branch line to Hertford East, along with the country branch to Buntingford. There’s not a substantial amount of supporting text, but the photos are interesting to look at, especially given how much has changed over the decades. There are also two pages of timetables, from the 1860s to the 1950s. The book’s ISBN is 9781906008581.

The Origins of Hatfield Street Names compiled by Frank J Cox is a 16 page book which details how all of the streets in the town of Hatfield acquired their names. The book was published by Hatfield This Century, now the Hatfield Local History Society. The reasons for the name of Fiddle Bridge Lane are intriguing, it’s likely linked to the story of a merry fiddler from the medieval period.

Hertfordshire Churches and Other Places of Worship by Jeffery W Whitelaw is 140 pages long and is something of a basic introduction to the historic religious buildings in the county. The book starts with a history of the local parish, with a chapter on the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Alban, with the book having an introduction by the Bishop. There’s then a section of post-conquest churches and monasteries up to the Reformation, then a chapter which covers the post-Reformation period. The next two chapters cover what to look for inside a church, then what to look for outside a church, along with a glossary of terms and then a gazetteer of the county’s churches. The book’s ISBN is 0948353856.

Hertfordshire Buses by John Law is a 96 page book published by Amberley which has tens of photos of older coaches from the 1930s to today. Between the 1930s and the 1960s the buses were operated by London Transport, before being handed to the National Bus Company in 1969. Bus deregulation in the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher saw it split into numerous smaller companies. There’s plenty of supporting text under each photo and it’s a well-written title. The book’s ISBN is 9781445669717.

Hatfield and Its People – Part 5 : Roads and Railways was published in 1960 and was written by members of the Hatfield Branch of the Workers’ Educational Association. It’s a comprehensive 32 page book about primarily the evolution of the road system and the railways.

Hatfield and Its People – Part 8 : Schools was published in 1962 and was written by members of the Hatfield Branch of the Workers’ Educational Association. It’s a short 32 page book which is nearly entirely about the Countess Anne foundation. The initial text of the book apologises about the omission about most other schools in the area, although they are very briefly listed. Unfortunately, the title of the book is perhaps a little misleading given how it is so focused on one institution, but it does cover this subject with some clarity.

Hatfield and Its People – Part 11A : Families and Trades was published in 1964 and was written by members of the Hatfield Branch of the Workers’ Educational Association. It’s a 46 page book is inevitably a little niche given the broad subject being covered, which is the story of Hatfield’s trade and business families.

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A Walk Around Old Hatfield by Gladys Brown is a short pamphlet which acts as an introduction to the town’s history. The author notes that there’s little new to long-term residents of Hatfield, but it is a useful history for those wanting to walk around and discover the important heritage elements. Brown was a former teacher and also a founder member of Hatfield This Century (later known as Hatfield Local History Society).

Portrait of Hertfordshire by Brian J Bailey is 210 pages long and was originally published in 1978 by Robert Hale. It’s a conversational book in tone which makes it very readable, with the introduction noting that it has more village greens than any other county, and it was noted in the epilogue how important agriculture remained to the people of Hertfordshire. The author noted that he hoped that didn’t change, otherwise “the next chapter in the county’s story may well be the way to oblivion”.

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Glebe Cottages Hatfield by Joy Emerton is a short pamphlet published by Frank J Cox for Hatfield Local History Society. It tells the story of the first 100 years of Glebe Cottages, from 1892 until 1992, including the names of the block residents and several photos.

A Caring County? Social Welfare in Hertfordshire from 1600 edited by Steven King and Gillian Gear. This 350 page book was published the University of Hertfordshire Press and as an academic rigour to it, but it’s still a readable book and an intriguing question asked throughout is how has Hertfordshire dealt with the social needs of its residents over the centuries? The authors conclude that in many ways that the county has proved to be caring and nimble in its dealings with those needing assistance. The book’s ISBN is 9781909291126.

Archaeology in Hertfordshire Recent Research – A Festschrift for Tony Rook edited by Kris Lockyear is a large 350 page book which covers the recent research that has taken place regarding the archaeological history of the county. The author Kris Lockyear is a senior lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology at UCL and the director of the Welwyn Archaeological Society. The reference to Tony Rook is because he was the founder of the Welwyn Archaeological Society and is very much a niche book, but essential reading though for those wanting a broad understanding of the different investigations which have taken place. The book’s ISBN is 9781909291423.

Hertfordshire Soldiers of the Great War by Paul Johnson and Dan Hill is 280 pages long and is written by two military historians. Always well researched and with immense detail, there’s a chapter covering each year of the war, along with an extra section on the 1920s and another on the Home Front. There are numerous illustrations throughout, with this being a comprehensive introduction to what soldiers from the county faced during the First World War. The book’s ISBN is 1473893933.

A Pilgrimage in Hertfordshire by HM Alderman was originally published in 1931 as a perambulation around the county, covering many of the landmarks in Hertfordshire. There are plenty of pen drawings of various historic locations and the book was republished in the 1990s to make it more accessible. The republished book’s ISBN is 1871199336.

Biplanes to Rockets – 48 Years in Aviation by Ben French is a book about the recollections of a De Havilland Ground Engineer. French worked for the company between January 1935 and October 1983 and the book was originally written for his family, but then was published so that a wider audience can understand more about not just his own career, but also the heritage and history of the company. The book’s ISBN is 9781526205384.

July 1, 2022
Towns in Hertfordshire

Some of the larger settlements in Hertfordshire and a brief history of each.

Borehamwood

Borehamwood is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It has a history that dates back to the medieval period, and its name is thought to derive from the “boreham wood” that was once located there.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Borehamwood was a small rural village. However, with the growth of London, the town underwent significant development in the 20th century, particularly during the interwar period, and became a suburban town. The film and television industries also established themselves in the town, with Elstree Studios located in Borehamwood.

Today, Borehamwood is a vibrant and bustling town with a diverse community, good transport links, and a variety of shops, restaurants, and other amenities. Despite its suburban character, it still retains some green spaces, including a number of parks and nature reserves, which provide a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the town.

Bushey

Bushey is a town located in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The town has a history that dates back to the medieval period, with records of its existence going back to the 11th century. During the medieval period, Bushey was a small agricultural village, with its primary industry being farming.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bushey underwent significant growth and development, becoming a suburban town with a thriving community and several industries. The town was particularly known for its hat-making industry, which was one of the largest in the country at the time.

Today, Bushey is a vibrant and dynamic town with a diverse community, good transport links, and a variety of shops, restaurants, and other amenities. Despite its suburban character, it still retains some green spaces, including parks and nature reserves, which provide a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the town.

Cheshunt

Cheshunt is a town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire, England, located on the River Lea. Its history dates back to the Roman period, when it was known as Cestrehunt, and was a major settlement along the Roman road that linked London to Colchester. During the Norman conquest, Cheshunt was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was granted to the Bishop of London.

In the Middle Ages, Cheshunt was a market town and became an important centre for agriculture and brickmaking in the 19th century. The town was connected to London by the railway in 1840, leading to further growth and development. During World War II, Cheshunt suffered significant damage from German bombing, but was rebuilt after the war.

In the mid-20th century, Cheshunt saw significant growth with the arrival of major companies, such as Tesco and Sony, setting up their headquarters in the town. This led to an influx of residents and a expansion of the town’s residential and commercial areas. Today, Cheshunt is a suburban town with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas and is known for its parks, lakes, and sports facilities.

Harpenden

Harpenden is a town in the St Albans district of Hertfordshire, England. It has a long history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Neolithic period. In the Middle Ages, Harpenden was a small agricultural village and remained so until the late 19th century, when it began to grow as a commuter town for London. The arrival of the railway in 1868 and the development of the town’s infrastructure led to a significant increase in population.

In the early 20th century, Harpenden continued to grow as a popular residential area and became a hub for the surrounding rural communities. The town saw a significant expansion in the interwar period, with the development of many new homes and the construction of several new schools and community facilities.

Today, Harpenden is a thriving town with a population of over 30,000. It is known for its historic architecture, parks and open spaces, and its high-quality shopping and dining options. The town is also home to several sporting clubs, a golf club, and a theatre, and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors.

Hatfield

Hatfield is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with a history dating back to the Roman period. The town was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was the site of a royal palace in the Middle Ages, which was used by several monarchs, including King Henry VIII. In the 16th century, the palace was demolished and replaced by Hatfield House, which remains an important landmark in the town today.

During the Industrial Revolution, Hatfield grew as a centre for industry and transportation, with the arrival of the railway in the 19th century. The town was also home to several major aircraft and defence companies, including De Havilland and British Aerospace, which played a major role in the development of the aviation industry.

In the 20th century, Hatfield saw significant growth and development, with the construction of many new homes and the expansion of the town’s commercial and industrial areas. Today, Hatfield is a thriving suburban town with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas, and is known for its parks, lakes, and sports facilities. The town is also home to the University of Hertfordshire, which was established in the mid-20th century and has grown to become one of the largest universities in the UK.

Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It has a long history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Roman period. The town was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was a small agricultural village for much of its history.

During the Industrial Revolution, Hemel Hempstead began to grow as a centre for industry and transportation, with the arrival of the railway in the 19th century. The town was also home to several major paper mills and printing works, which helped to drive its economic growth.

In the mid-20th century, Hemel Hempstead underwent significant expansion as a result of the government’s New Towns program, which aimed to alleviate overcrowding in London and other major cities. The town was designated as a New Town in 1947 and saw rapid growth, with the construction of many new homes, schools, and community facilities.

Today, Hemel Hempstead is a thriving suburban town with a population of over 90,000. It is known for its parks, lakes, and sports facilities, and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors. The town is also home to several large employers, including Marlowes Shopping Centre, which is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK.

Hertford

Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England and has a long history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Roman period. The town was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was a market town and an important centre for agriculture in the Middle Ages.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hertford was a centre for the wool trade and became known for its production of cloth and hats. The town was also a centre for the brewing industry, with several breweries established in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the 19th century, Hertford saw significant growth as a result of the arrival of the railway and the expansion of the town’s infrastructure. This led to the development of new homes, schools, and community facilities, as well as a growth in industry and commerce.

Today, Hertford is a thriving town with a population of over 26,000. It is known for its historic architecture, parks and open spaces, and its high-quality shopping and dining options. The town is also a popular destination for tourists and visitors, and is home to several sporting clubs, a theatre, and several museums and galleries.

Hoddesdon

Hoddesdon is a town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire, England. It has a long history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Roman period. In the Middle Ages, Hoddesdon was a small agricultural village and remained so until the late 19th century, when it began to grow as a result of the expansion of the railway network.

In the early 20th century, Hoddesdon continued to grow as a popular residential area for workers in London, and saw the development of several new homes and community facilities. During World War II, the town was badly affected by bombing, with many homes and businesses damaged or destroyed.

After the war, Hoddesdon underwent significant redevelopment, with the construction of many new homes and the expansion of the town’s commercial and industrial areas. Today, Hoddesdon is a thriving town with a population of over 20,000. It is known for its parks, lakes, and sports facilities, and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors. The town is also home to several large employers, including pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.

Letchworth

Letchworth is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It is one of the first garden cities in the world and was founded in 1903 as a response to the growing problems of overcrowding and poor living conditions in urban areas. The garden city movement aimed to create a new type of urban settlement, one that was based on the principles of town planning and incorporated large areas of green space and parks.

Letchworth was designed as a planned town, with a grid-like street layout and a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. The town was also designed to be self-sufficient, with its own water and sewage systems, electricity generation facilities, and parks and open spaces. In the years following its founding, Letchworth grew rapidly, attracting residents from London and other urban areas. The town was also an important centre for industry, with several major companies setting up operations there.

Today, Letchworth is a thriving town with a population of over 35,000. It is known for its parks and open spaces, and its distinctive architecture, which combines elements of Arts and Crafts style with Art Deco.

Rickmansworth

Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England. It has a long history, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Roman period. In the Middle Ages, Rickmansworth was a small agricultural village and remained so until the late 19th century, when it began to grow as a result of the expansion of the railway network.

In the early 20th century, Rickmansworth continued to grow as a popular residential area for workers in London, and saw the development of several new homes and community facilities. During World War II, the town was badly affected by bombing, with many homes and businesses damaged or destroyed.

After the war, Rickmansworth underwent significant redevelopment, with the construction of many new homes and the expansion of the town’s commercial and industrial areas. Today, Rickmansworth is a thriving town with a population of over 15,000. It is known for its parks, lakes, and sports facilities, and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors. The town is also home to several large employers, including pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.

St Albans

St Albans is a city in Hertfordshire, England with a rich and diverse history. The city was originally called Verulamium and was a major Roman settlement and a centre of commerce and industry in the Roman province of Britannia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Verulamium declined, but the town remained an important centre for agriculture and trade in the Middle Ages.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, St Albans became a centre for the cloth trade and was known for its production of fine cloth. The city was also an important centre for religion and was the site of several significant events in English church history, including the trial of St Alban, England’s first Christian martyr, and the birth of the English Reformation.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, St Albans grew rapidly as a result of the expansion of the railway network and the growth of London, and became a popular residential area for workers in the capital. Today, St Albans is a thriving city with a population of over 140,000. It is known for its rich history and cultural heritage, its parks and open spaces, and its high-quality shopping and dining options. The city is also home to several museums, theatres, and other cultural attractions, and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors.

Stevenage

Stevenage is a town in Hertfordshire, England. It is one of the country’s first new towns and was established in the mid-20th century as part of the UK government’s response to the growing problems of overcrowding and poor living conditions in urban areas.

The concept of the new town was to create a planned community with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas, and to provide high-quality housing and public facilities for residents. Stevenage was designed as a self-contained town, with its own schools, shops, and public transport, and with plenty of green spaces and parks. In the years following its establishment, Stevenage grew rapidly, attracting residents from London and other urban areas. The town was also an important centre for industry, with several major companies setting up operations there.

Today, Stevenage is a thriving town with a population of over 85,000. It is known for its parks and open spaces, and its distinctive architecture, which combines elements of modernist and brutalist design.

Tring

Tring is a small market town in Hertfordshire, England, with a long and fascinating history. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and there are several historic sites in and around the town, including an Iron Age hill fort and a Roman settlement.

In the Middle Ages, Tring was a small agricultural village and was known for its wool trade. During the Tudor period, the town grew and prospered, and several fine buildings were constructed, including Tring Manor, which still stands today.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Tring continued to grow and expand, and became a popular residential area for workers in London. The town was also a centre for industry, with several major companies setting up operations there.

Today, Tring is a thriving market town with a population of over 11,000. It is known for its historic buildings, its parks and open spaces, and its high-quality shopping and dining options.

Watford

Watford is a large town in Hertfordshire, England with a rich and diverse history. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and there are several historic sites in and around the town, including an Iron Age hill fort and a Roman settlement.

In the Middle Ages, Watford was a small agricultural village and remained so until the 19th century, when it began to grow as a result of the expansion of the railway network. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Watford became a popular residential area for workers in London, and saw the development of several new homes and community facilities.

During the 20th century, Watford continued to grow and expand, and became a major centre for industry and commerce. The town was home to several large companies, including printing and publishing firms, and was an important centre for the manufacture of paper, textiles, and other products.

Ware

Ware is a market town in Hertfordshire, England with a history that dates back to the Roman period. The town grew around a Roman settlement, which was established in the 1st century AD and became an important centre for trade and commerce.

In the Middle Ages, Ware became a prosperous market town and was known for its wool trade. During the Tudor period, the town grew and prospered, and several fine buildings were constructed, including several historic inns and taverns.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Ware continued to grow and expand, and became a popular residential area for workers in London. The town was also a centre for industry, with several major companies setting up operations there.

July 1, 2022
Wednesday : London to Warsaw via Helsinki

Today’s adventure wasn’t an ideal situation, but British Airways needed to change my flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw and the only way that they could get me there was via Helsinki. These are challenging times for airlines at the moment, but I hope that these schedules start to settle down over the next few months, it’s not really a routing that I would have thought the most cost effective to arrange.

I was starting at the Ibis Styles at Heathrow, not my first time in the hotel, but my first time in the separate accommodation bloc. It’s really not apparent, but there’s a floor above what is visible here which is reset a little, which is where my room was.

Not that it’s particularly interesting, but that additional floor is visible behind Esso, with the main part of the hotel on the right.

A bus journey to Heathrow T3 central bus station and my complaint, yet again, that Heathrow have blocked off the pedestrian and cyclist entrance to the airport and so people are forced to use cars or go on public transport. In the past, the airport themselves paid for that public transport, but they don’t now. There’s an element of greed here and I find it a little sinister who is benefiting from these changes, but I had better not meander down that path for too long. So a little ride on the Travelator from the central bus station to get me to Heathrow T3.

And here it is again in all its glory, my favourite of the terminals at Heathrow. This is solely because of the lounges where I can get the most free food, T5 is a much better designed and interesting terminal architecturally (including the bits that my friend Liam built).

I can use the premium security line at Heathrow T3 because of my silver card (I have to mention every time that I got this through judicious use of Flyertalk tips, my spend on flights is very low and wouldn’t normally get me such decadence). A member of staff came over and said that the premium security line was longer than the standard line if anyone wanted to move over. I was by that point near the front and didn’t take the risk, but I was amused when someone just behind me said “you’re the one who just sent me over here”. I laughed just a little inside because the man seemed to want an argue but the staff member walked off. Security at T3 always seems quite quick and I got fortunate with my choice of queue, I think I was through within five minutes including the waiting time in the queue.

Lounge hopping at T3, I decided to start with Qantas to get a Salmon Eggs Benedict and delicious it was too. The service in the lounge was as impeccable as ever, efficient, informal and professional.

Part of the cold food selection, but I’ve written about this Qantas lounge before and won’t bore readers unnecessarily. It was though quiet, comfortable and as lovely as ever. I can’t decide which lounge I prefer, Qantas or Cathay Pacific, so I just visit them both.

I thought some exercise would be in order and so I walked to the Cathay Pacific Lounge to get food there, with this being the menu of the day.

Delicious, that Dim Sum selection is always quite beautiful. There was some spicy kick to that Thai coconut and vegetable soup, which complemented the Asahi beer nicely. I didn’t bother visiting the British Airways lounge, it’s just not as decadent and they don’t have any beer there. Well, they have Heineken, but I mean proper beer. The barman mentioned that I had the last bottle of beer he had left, so I hope he had access to some more stock from somewhere. Service here, just as in the Qantas lounge, is professional and although more formal, it always feels welcoming. It’s a comfortable space as well, there are plenty of different seating types as well as lots of power points to charge devices. I mention that frequently as it is quite important to me, just imagine having a phone without any charge. It’s too much to even contemplate, I shall move on and away from that horrible thought.

My flights to Warsaw were with Finn Air, although it was a little difficult to work out when to board as the neighbouring gate spilled over and they had the wrong passengers in each queue for a short whilst. I think the other flight was going to Africa, so it would have been quite some distance if someone landed in Helsinki by mistake. I had a little problem when boarding as the staff member said “since you’re going to Warsaw as your final destination, I need to see your Covid pass”. I’m not actually sure that was right, as Poland doesn’t need the pass any more, so I spent about three minutes (that feels a long time when you know you’re holding up the queue) trying to find my older one, which he said would be sufficient. He was very helpful and after a few seconds of panic that I had forgotten to do something I should have done, I was ready to board.

I don’t know why they were using such a large aircraft, the Airbus A350-900, as the flight wasn’t that busy and it isn’t the usual aircraft that I’ve been on when shunted onto this service before. I was very pleased with it though, as it’s also a long-haul aircraft and I haven’t been on such a large aircraft since 2019.

I rarely get to see these sort of images, as British Airways opted out of the camera installation which isn’t relatively that expensive, they just claimed their passengers wouldn’t want it. I do, I like watching the plane from above and below, it’s quite surreal as it’s not the sort of image I’m used to seeing.

I had the entire row of three seats to myself, so I could lounge out and enjoy my free blueberry juice.

There was in-flight entertainment, so I watched an episode of Bear Grylls doing something adventurous with Alex Honnold, who I watched on board a BA flight a few years ago climbing with ropes in the film Free Solo (I mean I watched him on the BA in-flight entertainment, he wasn’t on the aircraft climbing things, although that would have been exciting). The series is Running Wild with Bear Grylls, it’s the sort of thing that my friend Liam would be excited to be on, it’s full of adventure and danger. I’d rather be in the pub than jumping out of aircraft or eating rattlesnakes.

We landed and I was transfixed watching the servicing of the aircraft underneath me. I hope British Airways change their minds and install these in the future, they’re very informative about how aircraft are serviced after landing, it’s all precisely timed.

I wasn’t in business class as I’m not that decadent, that’s the sort of thing my friend Richard does as he spends a lot of money on things he doesn’t need, but it looked really rather comfortable.

And there’s the aircraft.

I very much enjoyed visiting the non-Schengen Finn Air airport lounge a few weeks ago, but the Schengen one was much smaller and it was at near capacity when I went to it. The staff were friendly, although it’s the first time I’ve gone into a lounge and the check-in process has been via a scanner checking my boarding pass rather than a human inspecting it. The food wasn’t very exciting, a tray of pasta and a tray of cooked vegetables. It’s not exactly Michelin cuisine, nor actually is it even Greggs cuisine.

They had some feta salad with cooked vegetables, but I’d rather have had something cold and crisp with it, it was all very bland. I greedily got two slices of cheesecake as they looked delicious, but they weren’t very nice either. I can’t complain as this was all free, but I just got my hopes up from how good my experience had been before.

I had a couple of hours in the lounge and it got much quieter during the second half of my visit.

Wine and biscuits. I don’t know anything about wine to comment on the quality of that, but they needed some custard creams I thought. Or Jaffa Cakes, that would have been very good.

My laptop and I moved to the window to watch the aircraft. There were lots of power points in the lounge which was handy, so that I could get everything charged ready for the second flight.

All much more sedate when most people had left.

The self-pour selection.

I left the Finn Air lounge a little disappointed it wasn’t as good as their other one in the same airport, but I enjoyed the friendly service, the clean environment and indeed the entire airport felt relaxed and comfortable.

The flight to Warsaw was on a smaller aircraft.

The aircraft was at near capacity, so no empty row for me this time. The curtain between business class and economy is right at the front on this flight, there were just two people in business class. One of the debates on FlyerTalk is whether customers in economy should be able to use the washrooms in business class. usually it’s preferred not to, but on this flight, I saw the crew turning back three customers and sending them to the back of the aircraft to wait. I thought that was petty and it caused them service problems as then customers were trapped behind trolleys in the aisles and the crew had to reverse back up to let them pass. I don’t know how many washrooms they had on this aircraft, probably two at the rear and one at the front. Having one washroom for two customers and the other two for eighty customers doesn’t really make sense, however much you want to offer a differentiated service for business customers.

The crew member made an announcement at the end saying “please let business class passengers off first” which caused amusement as there were only two of them, and she looked annoyed people had laughed. I just thought it was all a bit odd, although it didn’t impact me.

Finn Air offer free blueberry juice and water, with other items being chargeable. I was quite happy with my blueberry juice.

The flight landed on time and I was through Warsaw airport security quickly enough, even though I (and others from the UK, it’s not just me) now have to wait in a queue separate to everyone else as I was from the UK and not in Schengen. I love being back here, it’s the railway station underneath Warsaw airport, which means I’m back in what is now my favourite city.

Warsaw landmarks on the seats, the train spotlessly clean and it cost me 74p for my ticket to the hotel. Bargain.

I was staying at the Warsaw Airport Mercure hotel again, one of my favourites and I’ve stayed there ten or so times I think now. It’s the smallest room I’ve been given in this particular hotel, but they said I might enjoy the tea theme of the room, so I thought that sounded interesting.

I wasn’t going to run out of tea.

My welcome gift and I always appreciate the gesture, even if it is mostly fruit. Indeed, as fruit goes, it was rather nice.

Pictures, all part of the tea theming of the room.

I liked it, there’s something quite fun about hotels having these individually designed rooms, it seems to be something that a few Accor hotels in the city are doing. Having quirky little elements like this makes things just a little more interesting, especially when it’s a room that I haven’t had before.

That’s the end of today’s little instalment. It was good to be back in Warsaw, I very much like it here.

June 25, 2022