A London Christmas (Part 1)

This is part 1 of a multi-part series describing my trip from Amsterdam to London and back!

Part 1: Travel to London, AMS - LHR (KLM)
Part 2: My stay in London, and trip back (An Amsterdam new year!)

I had a trip to London planned for Christmas since a long time. Since this was my first time in the United Kingdom, I was naturally very excited.

I was to travel from Amsterdam Schiphol to London Heathrow and KLM was the carrier I had chosen for this journey.

Getting to Schiphol (and a visit to the Pythonbrug):

Traveling within Amsterdam is super-easy, thanks to the amazing public transport system. I used the Metro to travel to Amsterdam Centraal Station, from where I boarded a NS train to Schiphol.

As I was running slightly before schedule, I decided to visit the Python Bridge (which is very close to Amsterdam Centraal). This iconic bridge is always a place I have enjoyed visiting – partly because of how beautiful it is and more because of the tranquility of the entire location. It is a very peaceful spot, and the view from atop the bridge is spectacular.

Metro 26 goes from Centraal station to Pythonbrug (I love the public transport here!)

The splendid and extremely beautiful Pythonbrug (Python Bridge)

From atop the Pythonbrug (Look how quiet it is!)

I do make it a point to visit the Pythonbrug whenever I am in its vicinity.

At Schiphol and aboard my flight:

After spending (more than I could afford) time at the Pythonbrug, I arrived just in time to check-in and board my flight. Even though I was late, I was surprised by how helpful the KLM staff was, and the speedy immigration process at Schiphol added to this experience. The immigration (and security) staff were friendly and it was a delight talking to them.

KLM Boeing 737 I traveled on... What a beauty!

A British Airways flight docked at Schiphol

Aboard the flight, I really did not expect a full meal, as the flight duration was so short. However, I was under the impression that I would be served a light refreshment (a small meal or a sandwich perhaps), considering I paid €170 for the flight tickets. To my disappointment, the passengers were served a packet of chips (and that's all!)

The measly packet of chips KLM served on a €170 flight

At London Heathrow:

The travel time was indeed very short, and we landed about 45 minutes after take off. Since it was Christmas time, Heathrow Terminal 4 was relatively empty. Immigration was super-quick and our baggage was already on the belts by the time we reached there.

 As I had arrived late at Schiphol, I did not have enough time to buy a meal at the airport. Needless to say, the measly packet of chips served by KLM did not suffice for dinner. After grabbing a quick bite at Heathrow, I started munching on the Stroopwaffels I had bought from Amsterdam for a friend (thank goodness, I still had more packets for him :D).

Stay tuned for the next post on my stay in London, and a report on the places I visited...

More coming up...