Postcards From Abroad…✈️

 

 

”There is no place like home for real comfort”

Jane Austin

Good Day…Bonjour…Hello…

 

 

I’m home and have been luxuriating in the afterglow…

 

 

aka… jet lag traveling through 9 time zones✈️

 

 

 

Early on during our 15th wedding anniversary holiday…I began sending postcards back to our sweet cottage in the states sharing the details of the day…eventually Joe collaborated with me with voice recordings and together we began journaling our trip.

 

 

Upon the arrival home it was so delightful to have the postcards waiting. I thought it would be fun to piece them together…along with Joes voice recordings.

 

 

 Today’s story begins with our departure on Wednesday, October 3rd.

 

 

We were very excited and filled with anticipation. All packed up we left home about 10 o’clock in the morning from the Oregon coast. Everything was ready so we took off and had a lovely drive… we stopped in Coos Bay just for a little bit…to pick up some cash and drinks and things like a Starbucks pumpkin latte☕️

 

 

Along the way we decided we were going to eat lunch at the Red Lobster in Eugene (where we would be boarding for a quick flight into Los Angeles before switching to British Airlines for the international flight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We wanted to arrive at the airport early to take care of any last minute details that might occur. When we got to the airport Joe dropped me off at the terminal then went to park the car in long-term parking. The plane was medium in size and so I needed to check in my carry-on luggage. When we arrived in LAX we were surprised to see it was raining. (I figured it followed me from the Oregon coast) 😉 we were told that we would need to take a shuttle bus for the international flight since the main terminal was not connected to this departure. In the process of everything I left my cute little pink pillow behind on the shuttle…I was disappointed because it said “ooh la la” 💋and was so comfy. I ended up purchasing a spa neck pillow in the terminal.

 

 

 The flight was supposed to leave about 9:35 pm and it didn’t really leave until almost 10. The time went quickly and I’ve got to say I loved flying British Airways! 💕 It was very interesting about getting on the plane because it was face recognition.😲 They said you don’t need your passport… you don’t need your ticket… all you do is step up to the monitor and they will scan your face and recognize it. The scan will open up the gate and we just had to walk through it. Our faces were recognized and we just walked through and boarded the plane. It was very futuristic and interesting.  Finally boarded and found our seats we noticed a woman who had immediately fallen asleep and slept for most of the 10 hour flight.

 

 

We had a wonderful dinner and we were both surprised that the flight was so comfortable even for such a long period…however neither one of us slept that much and before we knew it…it was morning and they were offering us breakfast!  This is when the girl woke up and we discovered she was from Romania. She was married to a broker..lives in Manhattan Beach, California…and has two children. She & her husband both work in finance.  She was especially excited that we were going to London and said she had just been there and she was going back because her father had passed away.  She was telling us all the places that we should go while we are there. In the midst of our conversation she realized that she has lost her Invisaline retainer (while asleep) and so Joe and I got out of our seats and in the aisle to help her look for it…unfortunately we never did find it. I felt bad for her because I know they are terribly expensive.

 

 

When we arrived at Heathrow Airport we got two tickets for the Heathrow Express that would take us to Paddington station.

 

 

A charming old world British rail station.

 

 

It was around 5:00 pm & we stopped at the Costa cafe for a drink and  noche.

 

 

Joe checked the info for our hotel and then we headed out for a taxi. (Which by the way are the cutest!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and now we were heading off for our first hotel in the fabulous city of London…

 

 

The Strand Palace Hotel. London

To be continued…