So, Willard is at it again, with an epic trip including stopovers in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Auckland and (very briefly) Sydney, and First Class flights on Swiss and Thai Airways, and Business Class flights on SAS, Air New Zealand and, somewhat unexpectedly, Thai Airways. The madcap routing is shown here courtesy of the excellent Great Circle Mapper website (map is copyright © Karl L. Swartz and used with permission).

Willard had some concerns about visiting Bangkok after their problems earlier this year, and we're very much hoping that the starring role illustrated here will be confined purely to Willard's over-fertile imagination!

Since we're not limiting ourselves to the Top Gear Challenge rules this year, our journey to Manchester Airport was a lift from a friend, so, our trip starts airside at Manchester, with an unscheduled stop in the (very) new Escape lounge that has just opened at Terminal 1, and, luckily for us, accepts Priority Pass. Willard is welcomed into the lounge, as befits his VIB* status, and offered a tour of the facilities. (* - Very Important Bear, but you know that by now, don't you!)

First stop is a quick breakfast in the bar area, to make up for the early start to catch our 10:15 flight on SAS.

The Escape lounge offers a range of seating areas, with the afforementioned bar/dining area, an area for laptop users, and lounge style seating. There is also a childrens area, and Wilard would dearly liked to have spent some time with his inner cub, playing with the Scalextric set-up, but came over somewhat shy, and was worried he'd be mobbed by some of his younger fans!