There’s gotta be a oneworld way – Adventures Home

There’s gotta be a oneworld way – Adventures Home

In this epic:

In this epic:

• OTAs: I really hate them…
• To Heathrow, BA Galleries South
• BA485 Heathrow to Madrid
• The Spanish Solution? Run dear fellow…
• IB6275 Madrid to Chicago
• Radisson O’Hare
• Evening Photographic Test: Apple iPhone 7
• Hyatt Regency O’Hare
• Lunch with RenesPoints
• Back to O’Hare
• AA710 Chicago to Dublin
• When Irish eyes are waking up
• BA4465 – Dublin to London City Airport
• Adventures home
• One World?

Getting off the plane I realised I made a terrible mistake: My passport was still on the plane. Thankfully, by the time I had got my luggage, the passport had been returned to me by the wonderful staff at City Airport.

As the service from Dublin is treated as a UK Domestic Arrival, there was no passport control – it was straight to the luggage hall.

My bags came out promptly, and with my passport in hand – I was off home.

Except I didn’t plan this right. Normally I fly into Heathrow, take the Heathrow Connect, Cab and Train. This time I would take the DLR, Jubilee Line, Bakerloo Line and the Chiltern Railways train back home.

If you can smell trouble a mile off, you’re in the right area.

Thankfully most of this journey would have lifts… Except Marylebone. That would be my undoing later.

Getting the DLR was easy enough at City Airport – there’s a lift to the platform .

I was aboard a DLR and found somewhere to stand with my trash for the short ride to Canning Town.

With me safely at Canning Town, and annoying the locals because I dared to used the lift, I decided to park up for a minute and consolidate my bags down as far as I could to prevent me losing the will to live on the tube. This took time, but well worth it.

Or so I thought.

Boarding the Jubilee Line, it was a case of riding through Docklands, South London and up to Baker Street for my next connection.

Thankfully, there’s a useful little feature when you’re connecting at Baker Street between the Jubilee and Bakerloo lines: both the northbound lines are directly connected with a single level tunnel (the same applies to the southbound tunnels).

Yes, the game maybe afoot Sherlock, but I’m about to have an incident that may need investigation…

Pausing at Baker Street, I boarded the final tube train to Marylebone.

After getting off the tube, I started to take steps up from the platform to the surface… and my suitcase decided this was the perfect moment to unzip itself.

The language that was coming out my mouth was not suitable for any audience.

Eventually, I managed to only partially embarrass myself, have everything packed and be on the station concourse. By this point, a train had pulled out to Birmingham. Thankfully the next train would be one heading to Snow Hill Station (where there are elevators and taxis near by).

It’s a shame they don’t ever announce what platform a train is due to depart until 10 minutes before departure – as wheeling the case along was becoming physically painful to do.

Thankfully I made it about the Clubman to Birmingham, and with a seat to hand, I sat down

Chiltern Clubman interior

The Class 168 – or the Chiltern Clubman are used by Chiltern Railways for their long haul train services. A a result, seating is Intercity style (2-2 across), with a mix of tables and airline seating.

The train thankfully departed on time, and made its usual amount of stops, finally depositing me in at Birmingham Snow Hill.

Birmingham Ahoy!

Snow Hill station.

With my last ounces of strength, I dragged my luggage to the taxi rank, and instructed the driver to head for my home.

Although with Birmingham Traffic, I told him which way to go.

Weakened by the painful London transit… I finally arrived home at my front door – another trip complete.

Finally: One World?

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