Travails of travel!

Up at 5 AM Tuesday worrying about packing those damnable suitcases! Couldn't go back to sleep, so bit the bullet and got up. And spent the next 5 hours defying the principles of physics!! Yes, we DID get all of that stuff we had gathered into those three small suitcases. The backpacks were also crammed to the hilt, and the good news was that we remembered not only our tickets, but our passports!! (20/20 hindsight dictates that I NEVER do that again, but just pack the big suitcase and be done with it!)

Off to Buffalo International and Jeff parked us about as far from the actual departure gates as could be ... we were halfway to Rochester! Of course, that is a slight exaggeration, but not much, for sure!! Checked into the "new and improved" airport ... almost no one in the security area and we breezed through. Got to the gate and made sure that Jeff had something in his stomach along with the Dramamine! I nearly asked for some with the (literally here) SCREAMING 3 year old Italian spoiled rotten princess -- I thought only dogs could hear sounds in that register!) And off we flew to JKF Airport. As we turned the corner to begin the runway run, we pilot came on and sort of set the tune for the rest of the day ... Quoth he, "Roll up the windows, folks, 'cause we're gonna go REAL fast!" The entire plane full of people cracked up and we hurdled down the runway and were airborne.

Spectacular run into JFK ... I hadn't seen Manhattan or Long Island from that perspective for lo-o-o-ong time. Because we had flown from Buffalo on JetBlue, we had to claim our bags, travel to the next terminal and check in with Virgin Atlantic. A bit of a trial in a VERY overheated terminal -- read Maggie was disgustingly dripping with sweat and VERY cranky with the heat! We headed to the AirTrain and met a young lady from SUNY Brockport headed to London for a semester abroad. Her name was Alyssa and she was plenty nervous about her overseas travel, having only been as far as Florida in her adentures to date. Reminded me so much of Amanda when she headed for Spain so long ago! She seemed relieved that Jeff and I were there to help her through the very crowded terminal to check-in. Then we took her under our wing and brought her to the Virgin Atlantic Club for some beverages and food. Very comfortable and great fun ... and complete with showers, computers, and food and drink. If I say it once, I will probably say it 1,000 times -- Sir Richard Branson SO has it right!!! From check-in to Club to flight, this could not have been classier with employees more superbly trained!

It was sweltering in the terminal and it took us quite a bit to chill out, literally and figuratiively. As they are wont to do, the British as so laid back that barely an hour before DEPARTURE, they said that the plane was going to board and those of us in the Club should head to the gate. Mind you, we hadn't cleared security ... and for some ungodly reason, all of the security personnel were on supper break while no less than 4 very large international flights were trying to board. As first class passengers, we had many perks, but that didn't preclude standing in line, broiling and waiting to shed clothing, carry-ons and dignity for the security screening. That completed we finally boarded the plane ... and OMG! What an experience. Alyssa had kept saying over and over that she felt like she was ina movie or something as she sat in the Clubhouse ... and Jeff and I had exactly the same experience entering the First Class cabin of Virgin Atlantic (VA). We had had a bit of education on what to expect ... but this so surpassed our expectations ... in this day and age, how enlightening that there are fore- and far-sighted individuals to cater to the comforts of weary travellers.

On entering the airplane, we were politely directed to our "pods" -- the name used for the seats in the First Class cabin on VA. (We will up load some photos once we are in London in our hotel and I use our computer -- I am currently typing on Trevor's computer with a keyboard very different from ours, so forgive the lapses in spelling and the extra characters!) They are set at a 45 degree angle to the cabin with a seat and a smaller seat facing it. The console has a Gameboy, television, movie screen, earphones, a small tray and a larger tray-table that pops out of the wall. Honestly, whoever conceptualized and designed these units was spot on. We helloed some folks we had run into (one couple on their 40th wedding anniversary trip and I think the wife had already done a number with the champagne in the Club!) and another set of world travelers that we can aspire to the number of stamps on their passports! And then we looked around -- sort of science fiction-futuristic with mist coming out of the air conditioning jets, low voilet lighting, great music, cabin attendants in red attire catering to every wish and orienting newbies like us to the miracles of the pods. The obligatory glass of champagne before ... wait for it ... they came around with pyjamas to change into for the trip -- black light sweats that were so very comfortable. And an executive kit along with it with toothbrush and paste, the most outrageous socks (Amanda will own them as I preferred to be barefoot -- and that was OK!), and other necessities. We hadn't needed to pack a single toiletry!

Strapped in, the huge jet took off with the grace of a very large, dignified bird and we were on our way! More drinks, snacks and dinner followed and then, luxury of luxuries, the cabin attendant assigned to us made up my BED! You heard me ... a BED. The seat reclined flat out to a bed, complete with a mattress pad, pillow and, as they put it, DOO-vay -- feather, of course! Wake up call after they took our order for breakfast (see what I mean about Sir Richard?) and I laid flat out to sleep. Only about 4 hours, but both Jeff and I managed to get some rest. I got up after a bit to visit the head and, looking around the cabin, wiht the diffused dim lighting and all of these people sacked out under their white duvets ... well it looked more like a bunch of cocoons than anything else I can use to describe all of us, snoring away!

Morning brought a flurry of cabin activity (weary butterflies emerging from their cocoons, hair all awry and groggy with too little sleep), getting breakfast, getting changed, freshening up and then the long glide into Heathrow. We passed over Liverpool as our first sight of Great Britain. Green, pastoral (even from our great height), and magical. What is there about the UK that holds such a mystical fascination for us?

At any rate, we were finally THERE -- and an uglier airport (and more crowded) cannot be imagined than Heathrow. Greg and Jean had said that it was utilitarian and functional -- and that about describes it. We were Fast Tracked through customs and immigration in a very civilized "cattle call" -- there must have been more than 1,000 people waiting to clear! (First CLass perk -- will we EVER fly coach again .. methinks not!!) Gathered luggage and were smart enough to get a cart, tried to change currency at American Express, but the "I'm in no hurry" Jamaican attitude of the one staff person on duty at peak travel times -- missing it, AmEx -- made us abandon that and head for the Arrival area to meet Trevor and Karina, our friends form Surrey.

We ran an absolute gauntlet of sign-carrying people all scheduled to meet and pick up arriving passengers, many with university signs for incoming students. What chaos! I don't think I have been in as crowded and busy and area since Madrid!! And even then, there were places to go. Took a bit, but we connected with Trevor and KArina and headed for Surrey.

How stunningly beautiful, quaint ... oh, just about every adjective that one has ever held in mind about England came to mind. And then we pulled into their village and down the lane to their byre -- an old converted cow shed and such a comfortable, quaint and historic building. Believe me, when we saw the photos of what THEY started with to make a home, we didn't feel like 71 Central Avenue was such an adventure! And we re-connected again as mates ... it is amazing this connection that we all have, even after all these years. It seems like we have only just parted a few days before ...

A tour of the grounds, a bit of freshening up -- a bath never felt so good, I can assure you! -- a nap and we were new people. Meat pies and salad for lunch and after a bit on conversation, we napped until it was dinner time. Went to the neighborhood pub called The Plough and what a delight -- like walking into every English movie with a pub scene you have ever seen! The restaurant part was Thai (YUM!) and great. The conversation was even better and right now we are about to sit in the "lounge" -- read living room -- for more conversation, a nightcap and an early bed.

Tomorrow we head to Brighton -- I know!! Doesn't it boggle the mind that all of these places we have read about in novels and books and seen in films are actually REAL!? -- for an outing on the shore, some poking about shops and seeing the countryside. Trevor is planning supper in their African-modelled gazebo with perhaps a roasted lef og lamb. That will, of course, call into play my talents for some Middle Eastern dishes to accompany it. Hope I can remember them! Sounds delightful. A good sleep tonight, a full day tomorrow, and I promise to be back to fill you in.

For now, thinking of you all, wishing you all were here experiencing our pleasure. Special love and thoughts out to Amanda on Day 2 (acutally 3, but I have already lost track of time!). I pray that she is holding onto all of the strength and love sent her, especially in this particularly trying part of her therapy. She, Ian and Scott and never far from my thoughts. My heart fills to think of them all ...

Good-night, sweet friends. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but let us part til it be morrow -- and you can hope that I don't bastardize Shakespeare the entire time I am blogging!!

Off ... with love ...