The Day with 35 hours

The adventure begins! We were up a little before 3 AM, though it felt like we hadn’t slept at all. The bed was too soft and hot—turns out we’re totally spoiled at home.

Sydney greeted us with rain and sticky humidity, making my London-appropriate outfits (tights and long sleeves) feel like a poor choice. Inside the airport, the aircon in the departures area wasn’t on yet, so we were already sweating before we even checked in at 3:30 AM. Security didn’t open until 4, so we took the opportunity to walk some laps and get our steps in.

We usually have different ideas of the location of the camera. This time was no different.

The departures hall was packed with people queuing. We briefly found a lounge to wait in but got chased out when we realised it was strictly for first-class travellers—whoops! We settled into our own lounge soon enough, grabbed our first breakfast of coffee, OJ, and a fresh puzzle book to keep entertained. Switching to black coffee last year remains one of my best decisions—so much easier to enjoy anywhere because you're not reliant on good quality oat milk!

Flying in Style

Boarding was smooth, and we found our seats on the upper deck, row 20, almost directly over the wing. A pre-flight champagne toast at 5:30 AM? Why not! The flight was incredibly smooth and quiet, and we had the best view from the tail camera.

We settled into comfort with Bvlgari toiletries, buttery soft PJs, noise-canceling headphones, slippers, and an eye mask. Meals were a delight: bircher muesli with a fresh croissant for breakfast, followed by a lunch of spinach and broccoli soup, leafy salad, and prawn with Emirati spices and rice. Snacks included a Greenback protein bar, crisps, and nuts—washed down with an Aperol spritz.

Toasty warm nuts and an Aperol spritz

A Surprise Mid-Air Celebration

A lovely surprise awaited us mid-flight—the crew had made us a special card, presented us with flowers, and even arranged desserts into love hearts to celebrate our second anniversary and birthdays. It was such a sweet gesture!

The Dubai Dash

We landed in Dubai at exactly 13:40—coincidentally, the exact time our connecting flight started boarding. We sprinted off the plane, dashed through security, and then ran back through the terminal to our next gate—which was actually right next to the one we'd just used to disembark. A nice jogging tour of the airport though, and we weren't the only ones. With 33°C heat and London layers, we were sweaty messes by the time we reached our seats. Fingers crossed our checked luggage made it onto the plane in better shape than we did.

Running on an hour of sleep in the last 36 hours (plus some dozing), I wasn’t feeling too bad, though my restless legs were a telltale sign that I needed proper rest. The airspace over this region is complicated, with reroutes over Iran due to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine—an eerie reminder of the state of the world. I dozed off with gratitude for the peace we experience at home.

Arriving in London

A few solid hours of sleep later, we landed at Gatwick, ready for the final stretch to Westminster. From Gatwick, we took the train to London Victoria, switched to the Underground, then walked from Pimlico to our hotel. It was dark, quiet, and pretty chilly—so grateful we packed warm coats in our carry-on! A quick stop at Sainsbury’s for sandwiches and yoghurt, and we are finally calling it a night.

After an epic day of travel, we’re here. London, let’s go!