ONE

Left the house at 4.30 pm, literally finishing packing minutes beforehand.

Took a cab to Paddington. As we coursed through London's streets, I felt rather melancholic and recalled the words of Deborah K's 'The Last Part', a beautiful piece written before she died and read at her funeral. (It included a line about an early morning London taxi ride to the airport, for a business trip).

As we drove, London seemed oddly beautiful - perhaps because I was leaving it: past spruced-up King's Cross, the lights of the traffic-choked Euston Rd, Nash's Crescent at Regent's Park and the new buildings still going up at Paddington.

The day has been spectacular, another of cold, crystal clear blue-skies (see above pic). Nice to leave the place like that. Our relationship has definitely changed; like a couple who've been together too long, the foibles of London now just try and challenge me. I think I take it for granted too much too, noting its flaws and failings far more than I do its beauty and dynamism. Certainly London is a great city, a proud city - but a tough city.

"Terminal 5 is working", so says BA's PR campaign, and I agree.

It doesn't have the extraordinary beauty of Mr Roger's other aviation triumph, Madrid's Barajas Airport (London is far too practical a city for such playfulness), but T5 is undoubtedly a good-looking space which at last provides a positive twenty first century travel experience. And it's efficient; I was in the BA lounge within 15 mins of stepping-off the Heathrow Express.

Tried the 'South Galleries' this time. Stunning. Calm, spacious and beautifully designed. Hadn't eaten all day so grabbed a bite to eat, glass of red and a copy of the FT's 'How to spend it' (in which Burma featured). It's 30 degrees in CPT.

Am now mid-flight. King Kong is paused, grimacing at me from the seat in front. Time to give him my attention.