All Steamed Up

And so my first experience of First begins....

I've just had a really rubbish week at work. The first half was spent with the spectre of redundancy looming over me. Once I survived that it was a question of keeping my excitement in check as I counted down to my trip. I've been busy, but I'd rather have not been!

I checked in at the First Class counters, but unfortunately there wasn't a big crowd to witness it!

I picked up some Japanese Yen and then headed for 'Fast Track' immigration/security. It was a bit underwhelming and not particularly fast. The main reason was an Arab man and his family flying on Emirates. He is no doubt drowning on petro-dollars (he certainly looked like it), but there was no need to take so long in getting himself organised for the security check -- he needs to appreciate his impact on people's champagne consumption time!

Once through security it was straight to the Virgin Clubhouse. I had a shower and 'steam' and then ordered my first glass of champagne of the trip. I'm now on my second and it's going down rather well!

I may well swing by the Silver Kris Lounge later to see what the First Class section is like there.

It's a close call as to whether I'm more excited about the 'travelling' or the 'arriving'. Truth be told I'm looking forward to Tokyo (that's where I'll be 'arriving') with a degree of apprehension.

Fiona Bruce (the newsreader) is in the lounge. She is really quite attractive 'in the flesh', but much smaller than I than she appears on the television.