Not much compares to the excitement of going on holiday. What's not to love about the anticipation of soon being swept away somewhere new, whether that's a bustling European city or a balmy beach resort further afield?
That is, until you remember all the stress that comes with it. The planning, packing and of course navigating the airport, which, although a small price to pay for the privilege of jetting away, is a feat some come to dread - myself included.
From sorting out your liquids bag well before leaving the house, to organising your holiday outfits weeks in advance, travellers take many steps to have as smooth experience as possible. One way to kick-start your getaway is by booking in to one of the airport lounges.
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
Passengers usually pay a set price to access a lounge, in return for a selection of food and drink nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the Departures waiting area. Manchester Airport, which flies passengers to more than 160 destinations, has nine lounges across its three terminals.
The Escape Lounge promises 'an oasis of calm' and is the most economical option, priced at £28.99 per person. Having never tried a lounge before, I decided to see if that really was the case at Terminal 1 - and I can't believe I ever waited so long.
The stress of a busy security check began to fade and was instead replaced with fluttering excitement as I followed the signage to the airport lounge. As I walked down the corridor and approached the lounge entrance, it reminded me of checking in to a hotel.
I was greeted at the door by two members of staff and gave my name - I had already pre-booked and paid for my slot online, which involved having to pick a rough entry time. I was then given the choice to sit at either a dining table or more of a coffee table.
The lounge is quite big, featuring plenty of seats with over-the-lap coffee tables in one section and bigger dining tables with seats in another. One of the walls is decorated with clocks showcasing different times all over the world and there are no windows.
I chose to sit at a dining table next to the clock for Paris - my holiday destination. There were a handful of other people when I first arrived - nothing compared to the swathes of passengers I had walked through previously.
I was told I could help myself to the buffet and order drinks at the bar. So, naturally, I headed on over. A sign at the bar noted that spirits would only be served in single measures and beer and cider would be offered up in two-third pint glasses.
A couple in front of me were ordering Bloody Marys, and it did make me consider a lunchtime cocktail - but I opted for a glass of prosecco instead. Fizz acquired, I had a quick look around at the food on offer.
As I had arrived at 11.30am, the food was being swapped over from breakfast to lunch. A selection of sandwiches, tomato soup, two salads and some nachos were on one buffet bar, with pastries and cakes nearby.
The trio of sandwiches - cheese, egg or chicken and mayo - looked freshly made and I was instantly drawn to them - which is unusual, as I very rarely fancy sandwiches. To begin, I went for a chicken sandwich and a portion of nachos with salsa and sour cream. The sandwiches really were as good as they looked; light, delicious and the perfect ratio of filling to soft bread.
On the other buffet table, some sausages and hash brown bites were still left over from breakfast, while curry, pasta, beef stew and a vegetable curry were also on offer. I much preferred leisurely deciding which dishes to sample instead of having to choose one main meal. It also made passing the time before my flight more enjoyable.
For my next course I opted for some hash brown bites, pasta and vegetable curry - which were all top quality, especially the curry, which admittedly I do still think about from time to time now...
A selection of self-service juices was also available - and one in particular caught my eye. There was apple, orange but also strawberry, which I went for. It was very refreshing - and I imagined that a child would feel super grown-up sipping on the pink beverage before their holiday.
I must've spent a total of around two hours in the lounge and it did become busy in waves, as solo travellers, couples and families with children filtered in. However, it was no way near as full as the usual waiting area.
New batches of food were brought out regularly, which reassured me that it was all fresh. For dessert, I chose a custard tart pastry and muffin and on my way back to the table, another selection of different flavoured cakes was set out.
After eating to my heart's (or stomach's) content - and indulging in another glass of prosecco - I felt completely at ease. As an anxious flyer (yes, I did get nervous even for a quick, hour-long flight to France), my plane journey no longer seemed so daunting.
I could've easily fallen asleep on the plane after my time in the lounge, so for longer-haul flights I would be rushing to book in again. It's changed my approach to travel for the better and just goes to show that having some time to de-stress - and a taste of luxury - ahead of a stressful day of travelling really puts your mind at rest.
Is it value for money?
In total, Escape Lounge access at Manchester Airport costs £29.99 per person - but was it worth the money? I compared what I consumed to the prices of similar products at the nearby Giraffe restaurant in Terminal 1 to find out.
Overall, I drank two glasses of prosecco and strawberry juice at the lounge. Two 125ml glasses of Il Baco Seta Prosecco at Giraffe would have put me back by £17, while a cranberry juice would've cost £3.75. That's more than a third of my lounge ticket already spent on drinks.
I had a total of two chicken and mayo sandwiches - which would be roughly equivalent to two lots of toast from Giraffe and would havecost me £6.50.
The pasta, curry and hash brown concoction, and the portion of nachos and salsa, I would say is equal to the average cost of a 'main' restaurant meal - such as a Katsu curry or lasagne. So that would have been £14.
And for dessert, I enjoyed the muffin and pastry, which would have been worth around £6.50, or the equivalent to a cheesecake from Giraffe.
All in all, I had around £47.75 worth of food and beverages at the lounge - saving me £17.76.
READ NEXT:
Inside the abandoned railway arches where new shops, bars and cafés are planned
The place that turned down Elton John at the heart of Stockport's boom
This eyesore shopping centre is finally going – but there's still one big problem
I tried the Greater Manchester fish and chip shop people say is 'to die for'
