Day One: Manchester to Atlanta (With a Cheeky Twist)

06:45 – Alarm Bells and Early Rises

It all began with the blissful sound of an alarm at 06:45. That’s right, folks, the ungodly hour that the travel day starts, shaking me from a slumber that felt far too short. The reason? We were about to embark on the exciting (but equally exhausting) journey from Manchester to San Diego.

Now, let’s be honest—no one likes waking up that early unless it involves winning a lottery or, in this case, catching a flight. But alas, the skies were calling, and we were ready to answer, albeit with a yawn or two. Conrad’s executive travel taxi was set to whisk us away at 07:40, so naturally, we shuffled around trying to find the energy to, well, exist.

07:40 – The Executive Pickup

Right on cue, Conrad’s executive travel taxi arrived to pick us up—sharp as ever. This wasn’t just any taxi, mind you. Oh no, this was the kind of ride that made us feel like we’d hit the big time. Like we should be signing autographs or perhaps demanding a bowl of only red M&Ms.

The ride to Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 was smooth sailing. I must say, the drive was efficient, and we felt like royalty being chauffeured to our grand adventure. At 08:30 on the dot, we pulled up at Terminal 2, where the real fun begins.

08:30 – A Security Triumph (Manchester T2, Take a Bow)

After arriving at Terminal 2, we headed straight to the Virgin check-in, which was a breeze. If only all parts of air travel were this smooth, eh? But here’s where Manchester Airport truly excelled. Security—yes, you read that right. Security was a dream! For once, there were no long queues, no awkward belt-removal-dance routines, and we sailed through faster than you could say “duty-free gin.” Manchester T2 security, you absolute legends. A round of applause is in order!

09:00 – The Lounge Situation

Having conquered check-in and security like a seasoned traveller, we had our sights set on the lounges. After all, one needs a bit of luxury before enduring several hours in a flying metal tube, right? Well, here’s where the dream took a nosedive. No room in the lounges. None. Zilch.

Oh, the horror! There were were, dreaming of sipping coffee in plush surroundings, only to be thrust into the airport’s bustling general population. Our hopes dashed, we made the tactical decision to grab breakfast at Bridgewater, a Joseph Holt’s establishment. The fry-up was solid, though. If you can’t have a first-class lounge, a full English is a decent consolation.

11:40 – Boarding and Autodesk Reunion

By 11:40, we were comfortably aboard our flight to Atlanta. The flight left on time—yes, you read that correctly. On. Time. This in itself felt like a small miracle in today’s world of inevitable delays. Virgin was on form today, and we were delighted.

Now, the flight itself could have been called “The Autodesk Express.” Five of their team members were on board, and naturally, I managed to have a quick chat with them. It felt like I’d stumbled into an impromptu Autodesk conference at 30,000 feet! All good fun, though.

16:10 (ATL Time) – Touchdown in Atlanta and ESTA Adventures

The flight touched down in Atlanta a full 30 minutes ahead of schedule, which gave us a rare and fleeting feeling of being ahead of life. Atlanta’s infamous immigration? Well, let’s just say it was relatively smooth. And by relatively smooth, I mean it only took slightly longer than a root canal but less painful. This was my first experience with the new ESTA, and while it wasn’t perfect, I’ve had worse experiences. I suppose “reasonably smooth” is the best one can hope for in these situations.

The Standby Drama Begins

Once we’d navigated the immigration maze, we had to drop our bags for check-in to the next flight—this time to San Diego. Now, here’s where the travel gods decided to spice things up. Feeling a bit ambitious (or impatient), we asked if we could be transferred to an earlier flight. Not just any earlier flight, but a whole three hours earlier! Bold, I know.

The airline graciously put us on standby, which is essentially like entering a raffle where the prize is a seat on a plane and the consolation is… sitting around for hours. We took our chances. However, this triggered a little hiccup in the day’s adventure.

Michele’s Duty-Free Debacle

Ah, Michele. Always cool as a cucumber. Well, until Atlanta security decided her duty-free was a suspicious character. Going through security for the second time that day, her face turned from calm to “are you having a laugh?” as her duty-free was pulled aside for investigation.

If ever there was a moment when someone’s face told the whole story, it was Michele’s. She can’t hide her feelings, you see—they’re as readable as a neon sign in Piccadilly Circus. Thankfully, after a few tense moments, the security gods gave their blessing, and Michele’s prized purchase was freed. Off we went, with Michele still recovering from the ordeal, to Terminal C.

The Standby Showdown: One Seat, One Dilemma

Now, this is where things got really interesting. When the standby list was announced, I got the golden ticket—a seat! But Michele? Not so much. And to make matters even more dramatic, they informed us that our bags would only arrive on the original 21:00 flight anyway. So, what was the point in rushing to San Diego without the luggage?

So, what did I do? I gallantly gave up my standby seat, of course. After all, what’s the point of sitting pretty in San Diego without Michele and our beloved bags? And, honestly, someone had to keep Michele company in the post-duty-free trauma.

Waiting in Atlanta – The Final Stretch

And so, here we are, currently sat in Atlanta, waiting for our 21:00 flight to San Diego. What could have been a quick hop has turned into a mini-adventure in itself. But as far as travel days go, this one has had its fair share of highs, lows, and cheeky moments. From my near-luxury lounge experience to Michele’s duty-free drama and the Autodesk mini-reunion, it’s been a day full of unexpected twists. Here’s hoping the final leg to San Diego is uneventful (but who am I kidding, right?).

24 hours on the road and on the air

Well we finally made it to San Diego 23 hours and 45 minutes after leaving home (this morning or was it yesterday morning). Looks like the cases made the earlier flight whereas as didn’t.

Checked into the Westin in the Gas Lamp Quarter and if tho get some sleep.

Catch us again tomorrow in a slower paced day hopefully.