Getting There

You know, there was a time when getting there was all part of the fun. Maybe it was the start of the fun? I’m not sure that’s true any more.

First, we needed Covid tests to be done no more than 72 hours beforehand. The PCR tests had to be done officially, so we booked our spots at a local pharmacy and awaited the results to be delivered on the morning of our flight.

Next was the packing challege. We recognised we were out of practice, but recent tales of luggage going missing, not arriving at the right destination and simpy getting “lost” gave us real food for thought. At the very least, we felt we should mix our things, spreading the risk between us. Normally, we each pack our own things in separate cases. This time, I packed the bottom of one case and the top of another and my Hero packed the top of the first and the bottom of the second. We both had things left over - a strange combination of comfy shoes, my day bag and other assorted chargers and bits, so we shared a third one. As I packed, I not only made a list of what to take but I also listed the contents of each suitcase. I felt we couldn’t be too careful.

We set off for LHR in the early evening, deciding to stay overnight at the Sofitel there and make use of BA’s early check in. As we did, there was a nagging fear in my mind; was this simply giving them longer to lose our bags? By now though, my Hero was tired of my worrying about that - we were on a direct flight, our bags were clearly labelled and there was no reason for them to be left behind.

But still, in the last few days I had read plenty of first hand accounts of missing luggage. Time to hold faith.

Heathrow T5 was pretty quiet when we got there and we checked in without much of a wait. With our cabin baggage only, we continued to the Sofitel, me wishing I had thought more carefully about what I’d brought with me. I had been so preoccupied in spreading my things between the three suitcases, listing what was in what, I’d not thought too carefully about what to pack in my green bag. Never mind. I had the essentials.

The following morning, we found the terminal and the lounge fairly empty when we got there around 7.30am, but as we waited for our 10am flight, it soon became busier with many families travelling at the start of the school holidays. In addition to worrying about our luggage, another anxiety was niggling away. We were due to receive the results of our CV tests “before 9am”.

I had already thought what we might do if it came back positive. The isolation period is now five days, which would take us to next Wednesday. I figured out where we plan to be on that day and thought that we could simply go straight there. If we miss those five days due to CV, then too bad. We wouldn’t miss our whole holiday. There was - of course - no worry. We were pretty sure neither of us had CV and the email arrived around 8.30am confirming that. I did a little dance in my head!!

Thankfully, our flight was on time and though it was completely full, everything went smoothly.

Thankfully all of our three suitcases arrived with us as well. Phew.

Though the piles of luggage left all around the baggage hall was evidence of all those people who had not been so lucky.

An hour or so later, we’d checked into our lovely Copenhagen hotel, met our friends last seen in Winchester having said “see you in Copenhagen” and all was well.

We also enjoyed the most spectacular dinner, but that’s another story.