LHR: T5

Today -- after a couple of long, disrupted rides on the underground, plus 2 bus rides and a taxi ride -- I had my first experience at Heathrow's new Terminal 5, departing from London en route to Paris.

It's quite a terminal. One visit is never enough to really judge a place fairly, but if you're used to the other terminals at LHR (I guess I'm only familiar with T1 and T3), then T5 is quite different. It's spacious and open and the ceilings are more than 6.5 feet high. The shopping is what you'd expect at a BAA airport, with Harrod's, Coach, Mont Blanc et al, and Plane Food, which is Gordon Ramsay's first airport restaurant. Tempted as I was, especially after dining at Maze in NYC last year, I headed to the BA Club Lounge instead.

Glad I did. BA seems to have about 3 different tiers of lounges at T5. I assume I was in the lowest end one. And it was still good. Basically everything AC's MLL has, and then a bit more. And it (the South lounge at least) is HUGE. I had red curry chicken on rice, and some penne arrabiatta. And watched some planes take off.

Arriving at Paris-CDG, it seems to be a bit of a letdown after T5. I was also looking forward to this hotel in Paris because it's right at the terminal. However, the view out my window is terrible. Plus, nearly everything in the terminal was closed by the time I got here. Couldn't even find a bottle of water. And couldn't bring myself to pay €6.50 for a small bottle in the minibar. So I boiled water and made tea.

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