5th May:

Here we are more than halfway into our flight and currently flying over Canada and as sleep alludes me at the moment I thought it a good idea to start our next post.

Virgin have their own security for Upper Class passengers so we sailed through very quickly with no problem at all. 

Some of you will know that more often than not, Si gets pulled aside for a pat down or body search when going through baggage check.

Well, not today, it was me! But not your usual pat down and search.

When we arrived at the gate to get ready for boarding I was told that I’d been chosen for a security check. The guy doing the check said I had been chosen by the U.S. security people for the check and that’s why I couldn’t check-in on-line. My boarding pass was marked SSSS and that’s what it means.

Who knew, certainly not me. 🤷‍♀️

They took me to one side, no screens to go behind and in full view of everyone proceeded to check my hands, shoes and all my carry-on luggage by rubbing a wand-like stick over everything and then passed a wand over my body and I had to lift up my top to show her the top of my trousers to see if I was wearing a belt.

We’ve had a similar check, but just our hands, when exiting the U.S but never leaving the U.K. I assume they were looking for traces of explosives, that’s what it’s usually for. Oh my! 😱

It was a little unnerving as I was the only person pulled aside.

One good thing was that the guy called Si over and said we could sit in the search area as it was close to boarding Gate B and that was where we would be going through. It meant we would be first on board. Thing was, we were in Group 1 to board anyway but at least we were first to be seated on board.

Fingers crossed there won’t be a similar occurrence when we get to Border Control in Vegas.

Grumpy elderly person now speaking! 

We were certainly reminded earlier today in the Virgin Lounge as to why we do not usually travel on a Friday to Las Vegas! We were ‘lucky’ enough to have a stag party, about 20 men, in the lounge being loud and very boisterous and as they were enjoying the Upper Class lounge, we knew there was a high probability that they would be travelling on our flight in our cabin.

They are not exactly youngsters but still made their presence known.

There are eight of them sat in our cabin and the rest are seated elsewhere. They are going to Vegas for a four-day jolly. Lucky Vegas!

Thank goodness that once they had imbibed more alcohol and eaten plenty of food most of them decided to ‘turn in’ or watch films.

I’m all for people having a good time but not to the annoyance of others!

Grumpy elderly person moan over!

We were welcomed back on board by name no less and all those looking after us are very attentive. 

Once seated we enjoyed champagne and crisps and a lovely warm hand towel. We couldn’t have the usual nuts or pretzels today as there is a nut allergy sufferer on board. 

We didn’t eat a lot for dinner as we had already had lunch in the lounge but I managed a bowl of delicious spring vegetable soup with a cheddar, spinach and plum chutney toastie followed by a Pimms o’clock summer pudding served with a glass of Whispering Angel. Whispering Angel is new to us, only recently coming into our orbit. It comes in the most wonderful bottles.

 

Si had salmon gravadlax with pickled cucumber with grain mustard mayonnaise and pumpernickel bread followed by a warm apricot and almond cake infused with lavender and honey. He ordered a glass of Malbec but when it arrived it was in a can!!!! 😱The wine drinkers among you will understand that he declined it for wine out of a bottle. Our server explained that they are unable to serve it in a bottle as it would come with a cork and so could prove dangerous on board! 💥 

Next on the agenda is going to be afternoon tea. As there’s only 3hrs 39 minutes until we land I think that may be imminent. Have we got room to eat it, that’s the question? Having tea at this time of night, it’s currently 11.09 pm is certainly a little weird. Hey ho, we’ll certainly give it a go.

Well, before afternoon tea, tubs of ice-cream have appeared, at midnight!! Crazy! 🤷‍♀️

In the end I didn’t partake of the afternoon tea and Si had a ‘light bite’ instead.

Our flight took less time than expected and when we arrived in Vegas we were the only flight so no queues at Border Control and were through in two minutes!! We didn’t even have to take our glasses off for the security camera. Si went first and the security guy immediately knew it was him before he looked at Si’s passport! Big brother’s watching!

Our bags came off the plane first so we were out of the terminal so quickly that our car hadn’t even arrived.

Check-in at the hotel was quick too. We are staying at the Vdara Hotel and Spa for just one night as we are due to collect our hire car early tomorrow, the 6th, for our onward journey to Moab where we pick up the Rocky Mountaineer train on Monday. 

Bed calls, we are worn out! 🛌😴