There are no showers in Heathrow

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  London, United Kingdom
Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Ahhh... welcome to jolly old England! I landed this morning at 7:00am, and spent (or rather wasted) several hours getting intimately acquainted with London Heathrow. I landed in terminal 4, which is quite some distance from the other terminals, requiring both a long walk, and a several minute tube ride to to get to the other end (with another long walk). After landing, I picked up my suitcase from baggage claim, then made the 15-25min trek to terminal 4 where, according to legend, there are showers. En route, I realize I don't have my cell phone anymore, and with a sinking feeling, I recollect setting it on an empty chair in the baggage claim.
I, of course, with prayers welling up from within, immediately head back to British Airways, where a nice chap in customer service, walked me back down to the baggage claim to see if it was still there. (It wasn't soooo easy, as I had to go through all of the security checks AGAIN, this time with my checked baggage too. One inside, I did reclaim the phone-- a security guard had picked it up and was about a minute from placing a call to my last dialed entry (which would have been you Ernie...) I'm so glad he didn't, as it would have cost me a fortune on my cell phone bill!
Phone in hand, I decide to make that trek once again to terminal 1 for a shower. I had some time to kill, and after an all-night flight, I really needed one just so I could stay awake. Once at terminal 1, they tell me the showers are out of order, and send me back AGAIN to terminal 4, where there are supposed to be a shower.
Long story short, I never got that shower as all of the showers in Heathrow seem to be out-of-order. I was told to try the Hilton instead, which would have facilities available to me for 10 pounds. That was another hike, about a ten minute walk, and once there, I was told the price had just been raised this month to 20 pounds (which is probably like $35.00). I didn't want to do it, but feeling hot and sweaty after crossing the whole expanse of the airport several times, and now awake for 30 hours, I was desperate.
Shower I did, finally! and swam in the pool, and lounged in the sauna. It was wonderful!

That, ladies and gentleman, is the first proper entry on this leg of my journey... It's not a great start, but I'm sure my trip will be more exciting as I go.
I am reuniting with some new and old friends... perhaps, more of that tomorrow!

P.S. London is GREAT-- as is the lovely people in it.
XoXo,
e

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