BCN T1

Last morning in Barcelona.. my only rush of the day was to check out; after that, I had hours to kill till my flight. The nice lady at the desk - seeing my t-shirt - asked how the concert was. Outside, and with a heavy bag, the heat was oppressive again, and my only thought was to get to the airport, get a bite to eat, and chill.

Crossed the road to the bus stop to wait - in the heat and blazing sun - for the 46. And waited.. and waited. The timetable said it could be up to a 16-minute wait. Then I noticed the board indicating what buses were due - I got quite worried when I couldn't see anything about my bus on it! I was just about to give up and return to the hotel to call a taxi when the bus finally came, and eventually deposited me at Terminal 1.

Now, the upshot is - T1 is an improvement on T2, but that's not saying much! The first thing I saw was a sign for check-in, so I followed it - I wasn't able to check in online for today's flight because BA doesn't allow check-in several days in advance, and yesterday, of course - which was the earliest I could have checked in in online - I was already in Barcelona, with no facility to print my boarding pass, and unable to use my mobile because of roaming charges.

I found myself in a modern, but deserted check-in area. It announced itself as "Check-in 201 to.." something. There was a sign directing you where to go for higher check-in desk numbers. What there was not, was a sign telling you which numbers you needed! and it didn't say on my ticket. Given how deserted this bit of the airport was, I thought I'd try my luck in the next bit.

So off I moseyed to the bit with numbers 300+. This was an improvement - it had people! and check-in info boards! Unfortunately, I was very early, and the boards didn't yet give any info on my flight. Oh, and I checked up and down this large room.. there were plenty of self-check in machines, but nary a one covered BA. Bah humbug. I decided to go back downstairs, where I'd seen eating places - there was nothing on this level. I was starving, and I'd just have to wait for some info on my check-in desks.

There are more eating options than in T2, but nothing that constitutes a main meal - sandwiches are still the best they can muster. So that's what I had - at least it wasn't stale. And a croissant, and a couple of muffins. And I was sufficiently restored to head back upstairs, where I found a free seat at the end and read my book (thank goodness I brought it this time!) while I waited for information. It's a long, long time since I've been forced to hang around like this. Oh, and T1 also only has half an hour's free WiFi from the same IP address in any 24-hour period..

So, finally when I checked the board, it gave me a series of four desk numbers corresponding to BA. I found them, and was rather confused - two were Club Europe (assuredly not me!) and two were Bag Drop. No check-in. And only the Club Europe desks were occupied. I waited until someone finally appeared at one of the Bag Drops, asked her whether I could check in there, and was finally, finally checked in - with a decent seat too, and that pointless cabin bag label they give you, just for the bag that should go under the seat rather than overhead. As if that stops anyone.. Anyhoo, I was glad I hadn't got luggage to check, because the middle-aged couple who'd gone to the desk in front of me were now standing to the side, accompanied by a large case, and I got the impression they were having to wait to check their bag onto a flight for which they were too early..

Security was a lot busier than T2, and the rude git behind me was constantly pushing, pushing my trays forward - as if I had anywhere to put them! I was moving as fast as possible. He nearly trapped my fingers at one point, and of course looked anywhere but at me when I glared at him. Now, as with T2, they give you a departure gate zone first, then a more specific gate number later. And for T1, there are five zones, A to E. A sign explains that the bulk of the shopping is available before you go through passport control for zones D & E (I was D). This is a wise piece of advice - there is a decent range of shops downstairs, where zones A - C are; go here before proceeding back upstairs to D and E.

They have some nice shops, although catering mostly to the luxury end of the market. Still, an improvement on T2. I tell you what they don't have is much seating - vast expanses of dazzlingly shiny black floor, but hardly any seating. When I carried on upstairs and passed through passport control, I found a McDonald's and another sandwich place, with a bar tacked on at the end. Good luck getting anything at the bar though - there were no staff in that bit, and you had to take yourself to the food part. Just as well I just wanted wine, which they had there - a bit insipid, mind. And then the wooden seats were quite hard.

All in all, an improvement on T2, as I say - but I was still glad to be out of there, and it's not an airport I'll be hurrying back to.

Tomorrow, I'm back with the Crick Crack Storytelling Club, in the Soho Theatre again, for an interesting-sounding evening called The Heart of a Hero, apparently with an Egyptian storyteller. And on Tuesday, I'm back with the World Music Meetup, for Varlden's Band, in Rich Mix. Long time no see this group!