It was an interesting turn of events that led me to a bonus surprise trip to London in the summer of 2022.
The Backstory
Due to the super strict Covid-19 lockdown Japan imposed on foreign visitors in 2021, my daughter’s plan to go for an exchange programme in Tokyo in 2022 was thwarted. So she decided to sign up for a 3-week summer school at UCL (University College London) instead.
And then due to a series of other events too long and personal to recount, I ended up accompanying her there. And that was how I ended up in London in the summer of 2022 while the global pandemic was still supposedly going on except in the United Kingdom.
I write this post to document my trip as well as to share my itinerary in case anyone would like to know where and what to do in London.
Some Things to Note
Original travel dates: 20th – 29th July 2022. Delayed to 30th July due to the Heathrow Airport chaos.
Flight: We flew with Air Emirates (Singapore – Dubai – Heathrow) as their prices were the most competitive. There would be a transit of slightly over an hour in Dubai.
Accommodations: Woolwich, London (brother and sister-in-law’s flat). They would however be away from 20th – 28th June. So, my niece who lives in Cardiff, Wales would receive us and show us what to do with their two cats for a few days. She would also play tourist with me for 2 days.
Getting around: Mostly took the tube and walked. We paid for the tube rides with our Revolut Card.
Money: London is almost cashless. So we got ourselves the Revolut Card and linked it to our eWallet. The only time I was asked to pay cash was at a Portobello Market stall when I spent below £5. Being conscious of our budget, we avoided attractions that required payment for entry, except for a day tour of Blenheim Palace, Downton Abbey and the Cotswold, which we booked through Get Your Guide.
NB: I was travelling with one cataract-free right eye which could see far but not near and one uncorrected non-cataract-free severely myopic left eye.
Pre-Trip Arrangements
These were the things that we had to do weeks before the trip.
- Checked passport validity (this was during the crazy long waiting time (6-8 weeks) for application/renewal of passports at ICA. Thank God our passports had more than 6 months’ worth of validity!
- Booked flight with Air Emirates – online
- Bought local SIM card from ICC (International Card Centre) – online
- Applied for Revolut Card and transferred money to the card – online
- Printed out vax cert and recovery memo – this was for my re-entry into Singapore and not for my entry into London. Although the information was all available digitally, everyone told me that it was easier and safer to have a softcopy of the documents on hand.
- Made a packing list for clothes
- Made a packing for supplements and medication + ART kits
- Set a reminder on my phone to submit SG Arrival Card (to be submitted a maximum of 72 hours prior to arrival in Singapore)
And so, our adventure began.
Day 0. 20th June 2022 (Monday)
We reached Changi Airport half an hour before the stated check-in time in order to allow ourselves lots of margin for delays and queues. It was unnecessary. As a bastion of Singapore efficiency, checking in at Changi Airport was a breeze. We did a self check-in and then sent off our luggage.
We wanted to have dinner together before leaving but the F&B offering at Changi’s Terminal 1 is dismal. We ended up at Burger King as it was the fastest and most convenient. We could have walked over to Jewel but we weren’t sure of the crowd situation over there and did not want to stress ourselves unnecessarily.
Our Emirates flight was scheduled for departure at 9:40 pm. So we had our dinner and then bade goodbyes to friends and family. Everything was smooth sailing. Self-automated lanes ensured that we need not have any encounters with humans.
Since the UK does not have any Covid-19 restrictions, clearing immigration was hassle-free. Security clearance was also smooth. No one gave any grief about anything. The gates were opened as scheduled. However, once on the plane, there was lots and lots of waiting. We only took off half an hour after the scheduled 9:40 pm time.
Because we wanted to save whatever we could save, we did not pay to pre-select our seats. This meant that we could only select our seats when given the online check-in link – emailed one day before departure. For the flight to Dubai, S was seated in front of me – for a while. But for the Dubai to Heathrow leg, we were able to choose seats next to each other.
S had her original seat changed as her seatmate (window seat) was a very large man who squashed her terribly. The Emirates stewardess thankfully was thoughtful and helpful – she moved S to another seat so that both she and the man had a much more comfortable flight.
Day 1. 21st June 2022 (Tuesday)
Despite leaving half an hour later than scheduled, we landed on time, 5 minutes past midnight, Dubai time.
Dubai International Airport
Getting to the connecting flight was interesting as Dubai International Airport is HUGE. We had to take a shuttle from the Arrival Hall to get to the Departure Hall. Thankfully, there were signs in English to follow.
Clearing security this time round was not so pleasant. I was picked to be double-checked. I had to take out and turn on my laptop for them. Then I had to take off my shoes too!
Then we got to board the plane with no other issues.
I guess must be terribly exhausted. For both flights, my eyes closed and I drifted in and out of sleep the moment the plane started moving even though I really wanted to catch some inflight movies. It was ridiculous considering how uncomfortable it was to sleep semi-upright.
Heathrow Airport
We finally landed at Heathrow Airport, about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Clearing immigration was smooth for me via eGates. S had to get herself manually cleared. She suspects it’s because she was wearing glasses but her passport photo shows her without her glasses.
Thankfully we did not have to wait long for our luggage. Then we had to look for a place for us to insert the local SIM card that we bought from ICC. She bought a 40-day one while I bought the 10-day one. This was the most economical option.
Once our phones were connected, we felt 100% more confident – shows just how reliant we are on the internet. We then proceeded to look for the train to take us to Woolwich Station via the Elizabeth Line.
NOTE: one needs to be clear when asking questions about public transport in the UK. “Train” could mean train (choo-choo) or tube (underground or overground).
And just like in Singapore, one needs to not only know one’s destination, but one needs to know which line one’s destination is on. The Elizabeth Line is brand new. It has only been functioning for a few months and it isn’t even completely finished. Which meant that we had to change trains at Paddington Tube Station.
CITYMAPPER App
That first ride was erm…interesting. But well-trained by our Singapore system, we soon figured out how it works. I highly recommend downloading the Citymapper app. It was very helpful as we travelled at a time when strikes by the train and tube workers were in full force.
In fact, there were 3 scheduled strikes in the week that we arrived (21st, 23rd and 25th June)! The app provides alternative routes and tells you how much your trip should cost and the estimated travel times it will take.
We did not get an Oyster card as I had read that we are able to use our phones to tap in and out of the stations. London prefers contactless payments everywhere. So having set up my Revolut Card on my phone’s eWallet has been a lifesaver.
Blessed with Accommodations at Woolwich
Once we reached Woolwich Station, we were almost immediately greeted by my niece (Y) who brought us to my brother and sister-in-law’s flat. Once at the flat, we were so happy to shower, wash our hair and change into fresh clothes. We were also introduced to the 2 ragdoll breed cats which have lovely blue eyes and very trusting nature that we would have to cat-sit.
First Meal in London – Vietnamese Pho
What was better than a hot shower and a change of clothes? Being brought to a little Vietnamese shop to eat hot soup! I know, I know. It is weird to choose to eat Vietnamese pho for our first meal in London. But we wanted something hot and tasty. Viet Baguette’s pho hit all the right notes.
Since eating out in London is expensive, I had planned to eat breakfast and dinner at home.
So after our lunch, we stopped by the supermarket to pick up basic food ingredients as well as a cappuccino and a latte to keep ourselves awake so as to get used to the time change ASAP.
That evening, S went on to watch Dear Evan Hansen with her friend at the Noel Coward Theatre. She then had her own adventure trying to get back since there was a scheduled strike. I just went to bed.
Day 2. 22nd June 2022 (Wednesday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Hyde Park ✅
Buckingham Palace- Westminster Abbey ✅
- Big Ben ✅
- Houses of Parliament ✅
- Trafalgar Square ✅
*added*
- Covent Garden
Before the trip, I had googled and researched all the places one should visit while in London. However, I did not want to rush around like a mad person from place to place. I also did not want to spend my time travelling from place to place. So my grand plan was to only visit places that were close to each other and leave lots of unstructured time to just wander around. I had shared my planned itinerary on our group chat and Y decided that she would join me for Days 2 and 3.
On the morning of Day 2, S needed to get to Marble Arch to meet her friend and then head off together to Oxford to stay there until Day 5.
So the 3 of us started off the day by heading to Hyde Park and then would play by ear to see how the day’s grand plan pans out.
Since we were mostly unfamiliar with London and its tube stations, we depended a lot on Y to guide us. BUT, I forgot something, Y is actually not a native of London. So she was actually only slightly more familiar with London than we were.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is HUGE! As S said, it is like Singapore Botanic Gardens on steroids!
I told them that I don’t think we should walk the entire Park or we would end up somewhere else and would not be able to visit the other places we had planned. And so we took a slow short stroll, took photos of the Serpentine Lake with its swans and ducks and headed to Marble Arch. It tickled me that the Park rents out lounge chairs by the hour and it even has student rates.
We took turns to take the requisite photos in front of the Arch and bade farewell to S. Y and I then proceeded to Westminster Abbey. The original plan was to visit Buckingham Palace but it was almost 11am so it seemed pointless to head there today.
Big Ben
The first thing I saw when we stepped out of the Westminster Station was the newly refurbished Big Ben. It was very impressive indeed.
Houses of Parliament
We then walked towards the Houses of Parliament. Also known as Parliament Palace or Palace of Westminster, it is where the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet. Parts of it were being upgraded and so there were lots of scaffolding which marred our photos.
Westminster Abbey
Next on the list was a visit to Westminster Abbey but we did not go in as it required a £25 entrance ticket. You could enter the Abbey for free on Sundays for the church service BUT you are not supposed to take photos or wander around. So Y an I only walked along the perimeter of the Abbey to take photos.
Sanctuary House Hotel
Next to the Abbey was the Sanctuary House Hotel where a private event was being held and we saw people dressed to the nines – hats and all – and loud music emanating from the hotel. Very cool.
Protesting Against Boris Johnson
As we walked on, we saw a protest held at a traffic junction against now ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It was eye-opening. I can’t imagine this ever happening in Singapore.
The Household Calvary Museum
Passing by The Household Calvary Museum, I just had to take a photo with the calvary guard and his horse on duty since I know I won’t be able to get so close to one anytime soon.
Trafalgar Square
And then we finally reached Trafalgar Square and took photos of the iconic Nelson’s Column. By then we were hungry and needed the restroom. So we ended up at a restaurant called Little Sicily where I had a tuna melt and Y had vegan pizza.
After that, we proceeded to check out Trafalgar Square but annoyingly we couldn’t take proper photos of it because the view was blocked by many fences set up around it.
We didn’t know then but the Square was being prepped for a West End Live concert that coming weekend (25th & 26th June)! I really wanted to take a photo of the iconic Landseer Lions at the base of Nelson’s Column but did not get any nice shots at all.
Covent Garden and Neal’s Yard
We had ticked off all the places we wanted to visit for the day except for Buckingham Palace. But it was still “early” – especially with the long summer days. So we decided to head to Covent Garden.
It was honestly a letdown. It was filled with touristy shops (and prices) and it didn’t even have many food options.
We then decided to head to Neal’s Yard. But besides the usual photo opportunity at Neal’s Yard, it was also a letdown.
So we headed back to Covent Garden to get a drink before heading back home. We had apparently completed 22,000 steps by the end of that day. We were tired!
Day 3. 23rd June 2022 (Thursday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Tower Bridge ✅
- St Paul’s Cathedral ✅
- Camden Markets ✅
Leadenhall Market
We decided to take Uber Boat from Woolwich Pier as recommended by my sister-in-law due to the strikes. We got off at Tower Hill Station to see the Tower of London first.
The Tower of London
We heard that special flowers were deliberately planted around the Tower of London as part of Superbloom to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Year. However, the flowers did not bloom on schedule! They were only starting to bloom when we were there.
There was a long line waiting to enter and tour the Tower. It cost £29.90 to enter the Tower which we passed on and so only viewed it from the outside. When we wandered around the area, we saw many beautiful stone buildings dotted around the area.
All Hallows By the Tower
As we wandered, we chanced upon All Hallows by the Tower, a small and quaint church which was founded in 675AD. It is the oldest church in the City.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Then we proceeded to walk to St Paul’s Cathedral. The flowers on the church grounds were way more beautiful and lush than the Superbloom flowers.
As we left the Cathedral grounds, I just had to take a photo with the iconic red telephone booth London is famous for. I have no idea if the phone inside the booth works because when I opened it to check, the whiff of ammonia caused me to nearly keel over. Gag! I did not want to touch the phone to check if it worked. It was definitely a phone booth that was used but as a lavatory!
Camden Market
And then we finally reached the Camden Markets. Some have called it overrated. But I think Covent Garden is way more overrated.
At least there was a nice buzz in the place. And I liked the sheltered food pods that were set up all over so that visitors could buy their food and drinks and then sit in there to eat. However, it is all on a first-come-first-served basis so you had people hovering around you waiting for you to finish up, just like at our food courts and coffee shops.
Food prices are expensive, as expected. My iced matcha latte was £5! Thankfully it was nice. Then we decided to head back, not bothering to visit Leadenhall Market as we were too tired to walk further.
Day 4. 24th June 2022 (Friday)
GRAND PLAN:
Covent Garden(visited on 220622)- Prince of Wales theatre* (Book of Mormons) ✅
*added*
- Piccadilly Circus
- Chinatown
- SOHO
- Theatre District
- Swiss Court
- Leicester Square
My original plan was to visit Covent Garden and Neal’s Yard in the morning and then head off to watch The Book of Mormon. But since Y and I had already visited both on Wednesday, I thought I would go wander around the Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square area before watching the musical. Y was also headed home to Cardiff in the late morning.
That meant that today would be the first day I would be exploring the streets of London on my own! It was scary and exciting. It was great that I could just wander around without a care. And yet with my poor sense of direction, I was a bit worried that I would get lost. And also, I had to handle looking after the cats on my own. Yikes!
But before heading to Piccadilly Circus, I thought I would go visit Buckingham Palace just to prove that I was in London even if I didn’t get to see the changing of the guards. So I left the house and took the tube to Green Park station which required me to take the Elizabeth Line to Canary Wharf Station and then change lines to get to Green Park Station which is the nearest station to Buckingham Palace.
As I walked towards Canary Wharf Station, I passed by a shop selling different types of very affordable sandwiches. So I grabbed a tuna mayo and cucumber sandwich for my lunch for just £2.99 and stuffed it into my bag, which would save me time and money later on.
Buckingham Palace
No, I didn’t get to see the changing of the guards as I was late. The changing of the guard ceremony takes place at 10:45 am daily in summer but I arrived at 11:20 am. But looking at the crowd, I doubt I could have seen anything even if I had arrived at 10:45 am. Maybe if I had arrived at 9 am to chope a place I could have had a good look. It was super crowded.
Piccadilly Circus
So I snapped a few photos of the Palace and then trudged back to the station to head to Piccadilly Circus. Once there, I tried to take an unobstructed photo of Anteros (not Eros) but there was always someone sitting at the base of the statute.
Leicester Square
As I wandered around, I chanced upon the Prince of Wales Theatre and realized just how near Leicester Square I was! Yes, that’s me and my poor sense of direction.
I also realised that there were many theatres and cinemas found around the area. Hmm…was I right smack in the Theatre District? I have no idea and it didn’t matter. I happily wandered up and down the streets, including popping into Chinatown, buying a hot matcha latte and taking lots of photos.
Swiss Court and the Swiss Glockenspiel
Then I came upon the famous Swiss Court with the Swiss Glockenspiel, a large clock with 27 bells and several interesting figurines that circle the clock. The clock chimes at 12 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm. However, I was there at 12:20 pm and missed it.
The Lego Store and M&M World Shop
I walked past the Lego store and went into the famous M&M World shop but resisted buying any souvenir items. I didn’t know it then but there was a free 3-day event at Leicester Square with Spongebob Squarepants! If only I were a fan. But I was/am not.
Lunch
Finally, I decided to find a seat and have lunch while being entertained by buskers. But first, I popped into Burger King to wash my hands and was shocked by how boiling hot the water was. But apparently, only I found it boiling hot since everyone else seemed to be able to wash their hands slowly and leisurely. I was and still am flabbergasted. How???
After getting my hands boiled, I found a seat at a bench and ate my £2.99 tuna mayo & cucumber sandwich and drank my £4.90 hot matcha latte bought when I was wandering around nearby Chinatown.
And then I proceeded to the Prince of Wales Theatre for The Book of Mormon musical. I booked my ticket (£52.80) from Singapore. I know it is expensive but that was the only day I could catch a matinee so I didn’t want to risk not having a ticket.
The Book of Mormon, SOHO, Carnaby Street and Tudor-Style Buildings
The musical was hilarious and very very vulgar. And that’s all I’d say about it.
After the musical, I wandered some more to take photos of SOHO and the Tudor-style buildings on Regent Street that my sister-in-law said I should go see. I also walked through Carnaby Street.
After wandering around a bit more, I decided that I was lost and decided to head back. But I needed groceries for dinner and thankfully spotted a Marks & Spencer supermarket. I popped into it and was glad that I had brought my foldable shopping bag along.
Almost all the shops charge you if you need a bag in London. So I was glad I brought my own since I did not want to pay for it. I stuffed as many groceries as possible into it and started looking for the Tottenham Court Road station to get me home. By now, my feet and legs were aching terribly.
When I reached home, it felt great to shower, eat a simple dinner and just veg out.
Day 5. 25th June (Saturday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Royal Arsenal Farmers’ Market ✅
- Borough Market with S ✅
*added*
- London Bridge
- Tower Bridge
- West End Live @ Trafalgar Square
The original plan was for me to meet S at Borough Market at around lunchtime and then slowly explore the areas around it. She would be coming from Oxford.
However, a few days before, my sister-in-law told me that her estate was having a Saturday market. So I thought it worked out well. I could go experience the Saturday market in the morning and then head to Borough Market to meet S.
But then S informed me that there was a West End Live concert happening at Trafalgar Square and she wanted to go. So we decided that we would still meet at Borough Market for lunch and then head to the concert after that.
Royal Arsenal Farmers’ Market
The Saturday Market was nice but there were only a handful of stalls set up. So I finished walking around it in less than 30 minutes! I was too early for my meetup with S. But since I had nothing else to do I thought I should just head to the Borough and explore it on my own first.
Borough Market Round 1
Being a Saturday morning, the Borough Market was packed! Crazily packed. I took my time to explore the area and sussed it out. Then I received texts from S informing me that she was going to be late as the strikes had affected her bus timing and therefore her arrival time. Sigh.
London Bridge and Tower Bridge
So now I have even more time to explore the areas around it. As I walked, I suddenly realized I had walked past the Southwark Cathedral which was very near London Bridge and Tower Bridge.
So, totally unplanned, I walked ON London Bridge as well as Tower Bridge. And, of course, I had to take lots of photos of both.
Borough Market Round 2
Then I headed back to the Market and decided to get Mushroom Risotto for my lunch while waiting for S. Since it was so crowded, there wasn’t anywhere to sit. So I waited for S at the entrance/exit to Tower Hill Station and ate my lunch.
It worked out well because when S arrived, she said she didn’t want to eat but just wanted an iced latte. So we grabbed our drinks from the Market and headed to Trafalgar Square to catch a bit of the West End Live Concert.
West End Live 2022
It was crowded at Trafalgar Square but the screens were so large it didn’t matter. Of course I didn’t recognize any of the songs because I am not familiar with any of the newer musicals.
After listening to a few songs, we headed back. S said she didn’t feel well. And so I whipped out the ART test kit. She tested negative but headed off to bed since we had an early start the next day.
Day 6. 26th June (Sunday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Day Trip to Blenheim Palace-Downton Abbey-Cotswold✅
These day trip tours by Evans Evans are super popular. I had only wanted to visit Cotswold which I remember from my last trip to the UK back in 1992. Due to our schedule, the only day trip that offered a visit to Cotswold was packaged with a visit to Blenheim Palace and Downton Abbey. It cost us £78 each which included entry into the Palace.
Victoria Train Station vs Victoria Coach Station
However, even before the trip started, we had an adventure of our own as we couldn’t find the meeting point. We were told to meet at Gate 1 which was IN Victoria Coach Station. And to get there, we had to take the DLR – a first for me.
Although we left early with lots of time to spare, we were sabotaged by the DLR train which had some technical issues. So we had to get off and wait for another train. It set us back by some 20 minutes. And then when we reached Victoria Train Station, we couldn’t find the Evans Evans Counter which was supposed to be at Gate 1 inside Victoria Coach Station.
We asked around and discovered that we were in Victoria Train Station but the meeting point was at Victoria Coach Station! Argh!
So we had to RUN to get there on time! And so we RAN. Huffing and panting, we found the Evans Evans counter and boarded the coach, with time to spare. We laughed about it after we boarded the coach. It was our first run together!
Blenheim Palace
The first stop was Blenheim Palace – the birthplace of Winston Churchill. It is huge! But S and I concluded that we need not have paid to walk inside the Palace – plebians we are, I am afraid. It was more lovely to walk around the palace grounds on our own than walk inside the Palace. Sure, it was eye-opening to see how the people used to live but not necessary, know what I mean?
And the highlight was…the scones set. The clotted cream was ooh!!!
Downton Abbey
After Blenheim Palace, we headed to Downton Abbey. The thatched roofs and the stone walls are so quaint. We checked out the Church of Mary. It looked very similar to the All Hallows by the Tower church.
Burton-by-the-Water, Cotswold
Then we proceeded to Burton-by-the-Water, Cotswold. Ooh! Even more quaint cottages! Since it was a Sunday, families with children were out in force to enjoy the lovely weather. It was lovely!
And by now, we were hungry. But we had no time to have a sit-down meal. We bought a takeaway lunch (tuna-melt sandwich again) and walked and ate. I wondered how annoyed the residents must be to always have people poking their noses into their homes and snapping photos of their gardens.
Then we headed back to the coach to return to Victoria Coach Station. But 2 people were left behind! They didn’t turn up even though we waited for them for about 15 minutes. It took forever to reach the station though as the traffic was heavy. Apparently, there was a live concert at Hyde Park that night!
Day 7. 27th June (Monday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Portobello Market ✅
S said she didn’t want to go anywhere as she still didn’t feel great. So I told her I would try to visit Portobello Market even though it was a Monday and there probably would be very little activity. The action is usually from Fridays to Sundays.
I keyed in Portobello Market into my Citymapper app and took the tube to Ladbrooke Grove Station as instructed. However, when I stepped out, I groaned. It was drizzling and I didn’t bring a windbreaker or an umbrella! And it was windy which means it was COLD!!!
This area is famed for the colourful houses and the market that were featured in the movie Notting Hill starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. So I started looking for them. However, Google Maps wasn’t leading me to either! The light drizzle was becoming a heavy drizzle!
Finally, I found some colourful flats but I did not think these were the ones. So I took some photos but continued walking around.
Portobello Market
And then I found the market! Yippee! I ended up buying a dress, a skirt, some peaches, grapes and an assortment of vegetables.
I explored more and then I think I found the colourful flats that are often featured when Portobello Market is mentioned. But even if they are not, these I found are really beautiful and eye-catching. But wow! I had to walk a lot to find them.
I had told S I would buy back Fish and Chips from a shop near our flat for lunch. And that was what I did. They were delicious but also very expensive – £8.90 each!
I then spent the rest of the day packing and settling the documentation needed to fly back to Singapore (ie SG Arrival Card, chose my seat, etc)
Day 8. 28th June (Tuesday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Free and Easy ✅
- Catch up with brother and sister-in-law who had just come back from Marrakesh, Morocco at around 2 am but would leave for Scotland before noon ✅
- Leave for the airport at 4 pm ✅
- Fly from Heathrow to Dubai to Singapore ✅
Little did I know the adventure I was to have in just a few hours.
Drama 1 – Not Enough Funds
Before I left for London, I had topped up my Revolut Card with my OCBC Mastercard. But I had exceeded my budget as food and transport were expensive. When I tried to top it up for my tube fare to the airport, I couldn’t. Because I had the card linked to my OCBC Mastercard instead of Apple Pay, I needed an OTP received via SMS to authenticate the top-up. But the local SIM card does not allow SMSes. Thankfully, S was able to transfer some money to me first.
Drama 2 – Wrong Platform
I boarded the tube on the Elizabeth Line to change at Paddington Station to head to Heathrow Terminal 3. However, I somehow missed the sign and found myself on the wrong platform. In order to get to the correct one, I had to go one big round, while lugging my luggage and backpack. And then both the straps on my backpack decided to snap! Argh!
I finally got to the correct platform, reached Heathrow Terminal 3 and found the Emirates counter.
Drama 3 – Chaos at Heathrow Airport
Although the ticket said to check in 3 hours before the flight time, I (and many other passengers) were not allowed to check in! The chaotic Heathrow Airport stories were true. Checking in, and clearing the security and immigration checks all took a very long time. This caused massive delays in flights being able to take off as scheduled.
Not Allowed to Check-in
At the check-in counter, an airport staff kept waving us away and forbade us to join the queue until 7 pm. And then he walked off and was never seen again. So we all swarmed towards the queue to get ourselves checked in.
Security Check
It was even more chaotic at the security checks. Some people were allowed to jump the queue if they could prove that their flight was leaving really soon. And then some had problems scanning their boarding passes. All of which added to the delay.
And even though I had packed according to the rules (liquids and lotions to be in 10ml bottles, I was stopped and made to unpack my carry-on backpack. Obviously, she did not find anything amiss in my bag or in the bag of the person in front of me. All these unnecessary unpacking and packing of bags added to the delay.
At 9 pm, my gate number was flashed and I entered at 9:17 pm, thereby ending my maskless existence.
Drama 4 – Flight Delay Leading to a Missed Connecting Flight
Unfortunately, the flight did not take off on time (10:15 pm) and we were stuck in the aeroplane for an hour and 15 minutes!
The pilot made 2 announcements. Once to inform us that we were waiting for some 40 passengers who were still waiting to be cleared for boarding. And a second time to inform us that we did not have permission from the flight control tower to take off. We finally took off at 11:30 pm.
This meant that those of us with a connecting flight to Singapore would be missing it as we were supposed to be in transit in Dubai for an hour and 15 minutes. I wondered briefly if the connecting plane would wait for us as there must be quite a few of us who were delayed due to the Heathrow chaos. And then I dozed off.
Day 9. 29th June (Wednesday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Transit in Dubai International Airport for 1hour 15minutes, change planes and head back to Singapore X
My connecting flight from Dubai to Singapore was scheduled for 9:20 am. But the plane landed at 9:01 am and we took forever (it was 10 minutes) to get off the plane. There was no way anyone was going to catch his/her connecting flight to Singapore.
New Boarding Passes Issued
As we walked off the plane, we were met by very polite and helpful Emirates ground staff informing us that we had indeed missed our connecting flights. We were then offered the next earliest flight (3:05 am) and had our old (and useless) boarding passes exchanged for new ones. We were also given one voucher each for a hotel stay at Copthorne Airport Hotel. A shuttle bus transfer and one meal were included in the voucher. We were then told to look for the Dubai Connect desk to get directions for the shuttle bus.
What About Our Checked-in Luggage?
We were offered the option of collecting our checked-in luggage or just collect it at our final destination (ie Singapore). If we choose to collect our luggage now we would have to check in 3 hours earlier for our departing flight. If not, we could check in 2 hours earlier. I chose not to bother about my checked-in luggage since all the critical items such as my toiletry bag and charging cables were in my carry-on backpack.
From the Airport to the Hotel
A group of us then proceeded to search for the Dubai Connect Desk to get to the hotel without realising that we had to clear immigration before we could get to the shuttle bus since we were getting out of the airport and into Dubai itself.
It took us a while to get out of the airport and to the hotel. At the hotel, we were offered breakfast before being given our room keys. The staff also informed us that they will provide lunch and dinner as well! All we had to do was show them our voucher from Emirates. Yay!
Food and Room
After breakfast, we all checked ourselves into our rooms to rest. The front desk kindly informed me that they will do a morning call 15 minutes before the shuttle bus leaves for the airport at midnight. Nice!
Upon getting myself into my room (it took 3 tries and a hotel employee’s help to get my keycard to work!) I gladly showered and sent several messages to my husband to keep him informed of what was happening even though I knew he was sound asleep. Dubai’s time is 4 hours behind Singapore’s.
And then I crashed out, sleeping right through lunch. It felt great to be able to sleep in a prone position. Then I went down for dinner, returned to pack everything up and took another nap, making sure to set 3 alarms for myself.
At 11:45 pm, there was a morning call from the hotel. I then proceeded to check myself out and headed for the shuttle bus.
Day 10. 30 June (Thursday)
GRAND PLAN:
- Get from Dubai International Airport to Changi Airport ✅
The shuttle bus dropped us off at the airport and we proceeded to check ourselves in and get ourselves to the Departure Hall where we waited to board the plane. And finally, at 3:35 am, the plane took off.
On Thursday, 30th June, at 3:05 pm, the plane landed at Changi Airport and I was finally home!
What an adventure.
A Heart of Gratitude
Despite the extra 18 hours I had to spend in a hotel room in Dubai, I was immensely grateful that that was all the “ordeal” I had to go through. I had read of so many horror stories of delayed flights and lost luggage that my heart sank the moment I realized that I was going to miss my connecting flight.
The delay was not due to the fault of Air Emirates but actually due to the chaos at Heathrow Airport. Emirates took care of us very well and handled everything very professionally. No luggage was lost either. I would have no qualms flying with them again.
The Lord’s Grace
The Lord saw it fit that I got to travel to London during the so-called pandemic by myself, with compromised vision, experienced a flight delay and still got home safe and sound.
I am forever grateful that I got to go even though I did not want to in the beginning as it meant that I had to postpone my cataract operation for another 2 months. Indeed, the Lord’s plans are always better than mine.
I hope my sharing helps those who are planning to visit London. Could I have visited more places? Of course. But I was happy with what I got to see and enjoy.