Monday 22 October 2012
Highlights: Easy free travel day.

Today was a travelling day to allow me to get back to Frankfurt and continue on my Round the World ticket on Wednesday. Breakfast in the Hilton Executive Lounge was once again provided an extensive choice, a great bonus getting free access. With any luck I’ve get upgrades later in the trip when in the USA.

Caught the tube to Heathrow which is a great system and cheap at around £5 one way taking around 45 minutes. After dropping in my bag I got to use the fast track border control however its not so fast when you get pulled up and you bag checked. The multiple power converters must be the problem in Europe.

The flight board stated my flight had been delayed by 2 hours, later I realised this as a mistake or I would have missed my flight. I used the British Airways Galleries Lounge and had let’s call it second breakfast. Interesting thing with airport lounges they offer small cans of soft drink (here it was 150 ml) but normal sized cans of beer, it’s like they want you to drink more alcohol!

Realising the flight was on time I was one of the first to board. Smoke salmon for lunch. Arriving at Frankfurt you have to disembark on the tarmac and a bus to the terminal. Border control has fairly quick and as I prepared to wait at the carousel for my bag I realised it was already there, no idea how that happened. Customs officer asked me a few random questions and I was then free to re-enter Europe.

I’m staying at the Frankfurt Airport Hilton Garden Inn. Never stayed at an airport hotel that you can walk to.  A checkin I was asked if I wanted free breakfast or 750 points on my Hilton account, that was an easy choice. Later in the day I explored the airport, down my end there was got priced food, closer to the airport terminal prices jumped by in excess of 100%.

I took out lots of Euros for later converting when in Cuba. Changing USA dollars is apparently not a good idea in Cuba, you get a big penalty for doing so. Later that night I received my first ever call on my UK mobile number, I was asked to change tomorrows afternoon tour from the afternoon to the morning due to lack of numbers meaning unfortunately I can’t sleep in 😦