Day One - 1 August 2016 Flight to Brazil

Clive and I flew direct to Rio de Janeiro from Heathrow Terminal 5 on British Airways BA0249. Flight was comfortable but a little cramped if you are tall like me. Before we boarded the flight we had breakfast at Gordon Ramsay's 'Plane Food' where apparently so did various members of Team GB (they had their own section to themselves). Flight was from a 'C' gate (C53) so had to get the little train. Team GB members were spread throughout the plane - we had Holly Bradshaw (pole vaulter) in the row in front - nice girl. Also had a hurdler from the Belize team across the aisle from us - she said that there were only 3 members in her whole team including her! Also saw members of the Jordan, Hungary and Finland teams. We got our paid for meals before the normal lunch service and very welcome they were too. I had an oriental beef and rice meal. The normal meals were chicken or a mushroom risotto. Had a G&T before the meal and wine with the meal.
Service was good and friendly and we received a snack box and then a meal (pasta) just before landing. We had a person sitting between us in the end but he was no trouble. I did find the seat cramped especially when the person in front reclined - thank goodness for the aisle!
We arrived in Rio after 11 hours at 19.30. The airport terminal 2 was extended for the olympics and so very clean and light with a hint of wet paint in the air! A couple of the airport staff were wearing roller blades to get around. Queued up in a line and had a fingerprint taken electronically then on to passport control and no problems there. Finally had to put our hand luggage through an xray machine. We then went to get our hold luggage and it arrived very quickly. Then we walked through through Customs. We found the official taxi booths and paid in advance and then set off into the darkness. The taxi ride was uneventful although bit tense as we had no idea if we were going the right way. Got to the apartment block where we managed to get into reception and then muddled through to explain who we were supposed to be meeting as the guards have no English but friendly enough. Our contact luckily was upstairs and so we met him and received a quick tour of the apartment.
Decided not to go out to eat as well fed on plane and hard to get bearings in dark for the first time. There is BBC World Service on TV. Went to bed.Read more