RTW TP Run in Jan 2026: Day 1 – Home to London Heathrow

By Nige on January 18, 2026 at 4:33 pm
Type: Post
Story: Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026 Category: Travel
Tags: London Heathrow

It was an unusual start to a trip, with our first stop being a lunchtime visit to friends in Reading. As it was conveniently on the way to Heathrow, Vick and I each took a car so that we could go our separate ways after saying goodbye.

We had a fab lunch. Our friends had prepared a Dishoom-style Ruby Curry, which was excellent, followed by a grape dessert that was just as good. It was a relaxed and sociable way to begin what was about to become a very long journey.

After giving the Vickster a massive hug, I set off towards Heathrow. The roads were relatively clear and it wasn’t long before I rolled into T4 Park & Ride (the old Long Stay).

I managed to find a space at the end of a row, which I hoped would reduce the risk of anyone clipping Bobby Tesla when they opened their door.

The only reason I’d parked at Terminal 4 — despite my flight to Oslo departing from Terminal 3 — was because my return flight with Qatar was due to arrive into T4 a few days later. Parking once and forgetting about it simply made sense.

The bus, however, took its time. We appeared to miss two scheduled departures before someone eventually came along to collect us punters and ferry us to the terminal.

Once inside T4 Arrivals, I initially headed down towards the Tube, only to discover that the Piccadilly line was closed for maintenance.

Slightly deflated, I retraced my steps and made my way across to the Elizabeth Line instead, where I then had to wait around 20 minutes for the next train to Terminals 2 and 3.

I eventually arrived at T3 and headed straight for Fast Track Security. It wasn’t especially busy, but there did seem to be a delay with the scanners, which slowed things down more than expected.

Having left Reading shortly after 3pm, I didn’t reach the BA Lounge in Terminal 3 until almost 5pm.

Not the best start to my mega trip.

Next up: My first flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Oslo (OSL) on Day 1 of my Round The World trip of a lifetime.

Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026