About one month ago, Chris came home from work and announced that he was likely going to London. If at all possible, he wanted me to come for a few days. The account he was working on took forever to give approval for their employee to travel overseas, and then Chris had to get approval through his company. In the meantime, I asked my friend Tasha if she would watch two of my three girls. She offered to watch all three of them so that her youngest wouldn't feel left out. What a blessing. Still, the authorization from CA didn't come through until less than two weeks out.
Once the trip was approved, Chris and I began planning out our stay in London along with a very detailed itinerary for me, ie., where to go at the airport, what to expect, which subway line to take. It helped that he arrived a couple days before me and was able to pass along information about getting an "Oyster Card"--a refillable card for taking the subway and buses. He made it so much easier on me. Plus he mapped out things to see and do each day. I asked if he minded and he said that he liked putting everything together. Good, because it was not my forte.
Chris would go to New York for a day or two first and then on to London so that he would have a couple of days to work before I got there. I tried to not even think about the prospect of flying by myself, and I was pretty successful until the night before I was to leave. Talk about butterflies!
After family prayer surrounded by my girls on Thursday morning, it was time for Amy and Misha to catch the bus for school. They tearfully hugged me goodbye. Ahhh, they'd miss me. Fortunately they were thrilled with the prospect of a five-day sleepover. Kristen had another hour and a half before she was on her way. I put the finishing touches on my luggage and packed their bags and mine in to my car. I hugged my little one as I dropped her off at school. She was set with permission to ride the bus home with Jonah W. for the next couple of days.
I realized that I left my phone charging and made a quick u-turn back to the house to pick it up. Then, I was off to drop off the girls' stuff at Tasha's and left her house shortly after 9:15 am. My stomach was doing flip flops, but I was determined to have a great experience traveling. I only pictured myself in the hotel room in London. My United flight was scheduled for 11:30, so I had plenty of time to park at the Pikes Peak parking lot (M3) and then catch a bus to the terminal to check-in. All of the advanced planning and questions asked of Chris helped so much with knowing where to go. I successfully checked in, checked my one bag, and headed for security. Before going through, I completed my CLEAR registration which allowed me, in the future, to bypass the long lines of security. As it was, once I finished, the lady helping me directed me back to the "CLEAR" lane, and I was able to jump ahead of the crowd. Let me just say that people in the crowd who have been waiting for so long, don't like other people too much when they get to jump ahead. I'm okay with it.
Preboard for the United flight had already begun by the time I arrived at the gate. I had stopped for an apple and water before arriving and quickly jumped in line. I had missed my group 3 preboard, but it's not like they were going to give my seat away. A family asked if I wouldn't mind a middle seat a few rows up to allow them to sit together. Sorry, I wanted my window seat.
The only place I could get free wifi at the Houston Intercontinental airport was in front of the United Lounge for those much more special than I. An airport employee suggested that if I sat in front of the lounge area, I would be able to be connected. Whew. Not comfy for sure, but I sat on the floor and talked to Chris in London and then IMed with my girls on their lunch breaks.
My United flight #4 departed at 6:25. I sat next to a couple who were moving to London to work for a couple years. The husband talked to me a couple times, but the wife was much to stuffy to converse with me. Oh well, it was a long overnight flight, and I hoped to sleep most of it. I watched a movie until the evening meal was served. It seemed as though the flight attendants were rolling out that beverage cart every half an hour. I drank water mostly and after an interesting and rather unappetizing dinner, I tried to sleep. Not much luck but that turned out to be a good thing with being able to acclimate to the time change.
I glanced out my window at one point during the eight-plus hour flight and noticed the big dipper right there. As I checked throughout the night it was still framed in my window but first at a 45 degree angle and then at 90 degrees. Cool.
About an hour before we landed, another small meal of fruit and a croissant was served. We landed on time and with the morning dawning. 8:45 am London time; 1:45 am Colorado time. It had been a long day so far. Now my next big challenge was to arrive via the subway on Pepys St. in London at the Double Tree by Hilton. I could do it. Immigration took about three minutes after waiting 45 minutes in line. I wasn't really in a hurry. I would arrive at the hotel before noon (and before check in time) as it was. I had nothing to declare at Customs and just simply walked through the "nothing to declare" line in to Terminal 4 of the airport. After such a long wait at Immigration, my suitcase was waiting next to the baggage carousel. Easy. I stopped at a "toilet" to freshen up a bit. It was a good thing that Thursday morning had started out with a good hair day.
I asked directions to the subway and found my way to waiting for another twenty minutes in a line to purchase my "Oyster Card." A little girl sitting on a suitcase in front of me kept scooting her suitcase forward and then would say to me, "You can move forward." Her mother seemed too tired and preoccupied to care that her daughter was talking to a stranger. The young girl reminded me of Kristen. I added twenty pounds to my new Oyster card and was on my way. The train I needed, the blue Picadilly line to Cockfosters Underground Station was waiting. I scanned my card and was off. I would say fortunately I was not sitting in the direct line of sight of the little girl from the station. She found a young Indian couple to talk with (or at). Did I say she reminded me of Kristen? She talked non-stop. I had to laugh when she gestured to the Indian man's girlfriend and asked, "Is that your mum?" A short while later, she asked him, "Why are you so brown?" We all laughed.
At one stop, a gentleman sat next to me. He was from Senegal and dressed in Senegal appropriate attire. I learned that he worked at the Senegal Embassy. Such an amazing experience already.
As outlined by Chris, I got off the blue line at the Hammersmith stop and switched to the green District line to Upminster. I thought that I would be riding all the way to Upminster which would be at least another hour. Fortunately when they announced the Tower stop after half an hour, and I listened to all of the tourist sites at this stop, I realized that this was probably where I needed to get off. I asked the French couple sitting across from me if they spoke English and then clarified that I should get off. I only had seconds to make the decision. I carried my luggage up the stairs and out into the London morning air. Ahhh, Friday morning.
