As you can see from the above picture, the accommodations on Virgin Upper Class are pretty nice. But the little individual compartments are not as comfortable as they probably look. Don’t get me wrong, I would much rather be there than crammed into a coach seat, especially a coach seat in the large middle aisle section. I’ve put in my time there already, thank you.
The Virgin Upper Class compartments are just about 2 inches too narrow to be completely comfortable. Even MD, who is considerably smaller than I, thought they were a little claustrophobic. But they have the virtue of being made into a flat bed, which is vastly superior for sleeping purposes to the most reclining of the reclining first class seats I’ve taken on other long-haul flights. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly Virgin again. The staff was friendly, courteous, helpful, and, all in all, superb.
As should be obvious from this photo taken later in the flight after I had switched from Mimosas to water (Mimosa’s made with a lot of champagne and very little O.J.; got to keep those carbs down.), with me looking a whole lot happier than I had been about 24 hours earlier. I’m reading a pretty good book, too. I’ve been looking for a good book on signaling proteins and metabolic control, and my friend Richard Feinman, a professor of biochemistry at the medical school at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, recommended this one. The title looks dull as dishwater, but it’s actually a pretty good little book.
On another note, MD wants me to tell everyone that although this is the same ensemble I had on during the making of the Café Americano video, it’s not the only set of clothing I have. I have and wear about a zillion different blue golf shirts, and when it gets a little chilly – as it was on the plane and as it was on the night our kid came over to film the Americano video – I throw one of about three little polar fleece pullovers that I have. It just so happens that I threw the same one in for this trip that I wore on the night of the filming. I do have other clothes.
One last misadventure on this flight…
Remember a few months ago when there were a bunch of press reports about people sleep walking and even sleep eating with Ambien? Well, apparently its true. It happened to me. I took an Ambien before I hit the hay on this flight. I’ll have to let MD tell you about what happened because she was there and I really wasn’t. She’s promised to blog about it in a day or two. Needless to say, I won’t be taking any more Ambien. I’ve never really taken the stuff, but a friend told me it worked like a charm for him when he tried to sleep on a plane, so I gave it a whirl. Unlike my wife, I’m a really light sleeper, and when I’m trying to fall asleep on a plane, even the tiniest amount of turbulence keeps me from it. I can’t fall asleep, not because the turbulence has me worried, but because it’s like someone shaking me awake just before I fall off to sleep. The turbulence on this flight was pretty brutal, so I popped an Ambien. Bad move.
The official website of Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, low carb pioneers and authors of Protein Power.
Hi,
Welcome to london. You have a good surprise in store for when you return. The first class virgin lounge at heathrow is probably the best in the world. Enjoy the food, cocktails and entertainment.
I suggest you get there a good few hours early and have an empty stomach. There is a fresh seafood deli, a five star resturant, and a great games area, plus a library, a viewing area..etc.
col
Hi col–
Sadly, we’re flying Continental out of Edinburgh, so we’ll miss the Virgin lounge in Heathrow. I’ve heard wonderful things about it. Maybe next time.
Cheers–
MRE
Drs.Eades,
I am so glad I checked back with your site. My husband and I just celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary, and you two played a big part in our early “romance”. We met on the internet and had planned on being cyberfriends. One thing led to another and being middle aged (55 & 60) at the time, our conversations turned to weight and health issues. He had diet controlled diabetes and I had hypercholesterolemia. We decided we would try to lose weight and get healthy together….long distance. I lived in Texas and he lived in Seattle. We both bought your book and rigidly applied the principles, discussing our progress and successes along the way. He lost 65 pounds and I lost 25….before we met face to face.
I just bought a new carb counting book today as I decided today that due to health issues….again…I am going back on your program.
I was in Barnes & Noble today for the carb counting book and saw a lady looking at South Beach diet. When I finished telling her our story, she left with her own copy of your book, a carb counter, and a promise to get her 50 yr.old overweight hubby (complaining of his heart racing) to the doctor to request a cardiac work-up.
Tim has had a 4 vessel bypass 3 yrs. ago, bladder cancer 8 years ago, and this week will have knee replacement surgery at the Univ. of Washington. (oh yes, we now live in Seattle in the summer and Texas in the winter).
I am an R.N. and find your approach the best for us because it is livable for the long term. I have tried many weight loss programs over the years and this is by far my favorite. It works very well, and I know I can continue it in some form for the rest of my life. (I had just slipped a bit)
Thank you for your book and for your website.
Ginger
Hi Ginger–
I always love to be a matchmaker. I’m glad to hear you’ve done so well with the program and are gearing up to forge ahead again.
Cheers–
MRE
Dr. Mike
I noticed you wear reading glasses. I have been researching vision problems and read a book called Relearning to See. Here is a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Relearning-See-Thomas-Quackenbush/dp/1556432054
I applied the principles and have seen an improvement in my vision. In the book you will learn what truly causes vision troubles and how anyone can reverse them. Developed conutries have high rates of myopia that continue to increase, fortunately, like other diseases of civilization, it can be eliminated.
Hi Freddy–
Myopia (nearsightedness) isn’t my problem – I can see fine in the distance. My problem is presbyopia (inability to see well up close) – the stiffening of the lens that comes with aging and prevents near vision accommodation. As far as I know nothing much can be done for presbyopia. I would be interested to read the book, though, to see how it jibes with my own theories on the development of and treatment for myopia.
Cheers–
MRE