Tuesday, December 11, 2007
We enjoy a leisurely continental breakfast at the hotel before we go back up to our room to ensure that we have packed everything.
The limo arrives directly on time and we are driven to the airport. Checking in at the Air France desk, we obtain our boarding passes and go through the security checkpoint. Removing our shoes is a major hassle as both of us have worn lace-up boots.
We board the plane at the gate and locate our seats for the next 12 hours. We are on the left side of the plane, directly next to the bathrooms and there are no seats behind us! Nobody to kick our seats for the duration...
Watching the plane take off via the back-of-the-seat monitors is exciting. They offer movies, music, cartoons, tv shows, & travelogues. Not a boring trip by far. We manage to get up and walk around for a while, visit the toilet a few times and enjoy the great meals (dinner & breakfast) that are served. Watching The Bourne Ultimatum and Stardust get us a few more hours into the flight.
The sunset as we fly is exquisite; the colors are beyond definition. One can see the curvature of the earth as we fly at night! When boarding, the seats were stocked with pillows, a wool blanket, and earphones. Making use of the pillow & blanket, we are able to snatch quick naps. But I believe that our anticipation of seeing the kids keeps us awake.
Our path of flight takes us over most of southern Canada and the Atlantic Ocean. As we pass over the United Kingdom, we are able to see the White Cliffs of Dover as the sun rises. What a sunrise sight-beautiful ribbons of red & blue extend as far as the eye can see.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
When purchasing the tickets originally, it had indicated that the flight was direct with no transfers. Seattle to London. HOWEVER, when I received the confirmation reservations after paying out of pocket, it indicated that our flight went to Paris, we changed planes, then returned back to London.
So we arrive in Paris, France and are able to see the Eiffel Tower from the airport. This majestic behemoth rises out of the otherwise flat skyline, exciting us for the continuation of our trip.
We deplane and walk down the exit ramp to the tarmac only to load onto a bus, which then makes a round trip of 6 miles through the airport terminals. With only 1 hour in which to make our next flight, we start to panic. Rushing through a labyrinth of tunnels, escalators, elevators & moving doors, we finally find the security checkpoint for our terminal. A massive amount of bodies are crammed into a hallway about 20x80 feet. All are awaiting their turn to go through the security. Hubby explains to an Air France employee that we are trying to get to our next flight. We are then faced with our first sample of French attitude. They don't care. They have no immediate urgency. One employee attempts to take us to the front of the line; but then disappears after another female employee denies her access. They seem to argue, then nothing. We are left to wait at the front of the line, while no progress is made. One mechanic is working on a broken security scanner, while the other scanner is manned by two people. A mere pittance when compared with the over estimated 350 bodies waiting in line!
A gentleman from the UK, very tall & blonde starts expressing his frustration as he indicates that they do this "all the time" in this "horrid excuse for an airport". I attempt to inch away from him as hubby continues a conversation with this person. Frightened that this angry, loud speaking person might be seen as a security risk, and jerked out of line, I try to disassociate from him. We finally get through the security, running to the gate - only to be told that it already left 10 minutes prior.
So we wander around attempting to find a service counter. After much frustration in attempts to communicate...(we later find out that other countries will put directions/signs in several languages. France seems to be one of them that only use the french language on anything-again with the attitude of they are not going to accommodate anybody or anything-even at the airport!)
We secure tickets for the next flight from a nice black man who works for Air France. When we ask his name to thank him personally, he immediately jumps at us..."Why do you want to know?" Gee. I'm not a potential stalker. I just wanted to say...Thank you, Jacque. But as we mutter whispers of "merci", we slink off to find the deli wherein our vouchers for a free pop & sandwich will be honored. After a while, we find it and the sandwiches are not defined. We figure out by visual & basic deciphering of words to find ham & cheese. Pop is Coke. Thank goodness Coke is universal.
Waiting 1 hour for the next flight, we are unable to call the kids. I later find out that I have an old phone number for Kelsey's cell phone. Oh. Well. We can call them at home when we get there. We are hoping that they will stay at the airport until we can arrive. There is NO possible way to get a message to the UK Air France desk as we plead with the AF employees there...(odd, I thought since they were the ones to inconvenience us, they would be gracious enough to advise our connection that we would be arriving at a later time)
The flight to the UK is much smaller and only half full. Probably because of the sucky airport terminals in Paris Charles de Gaulle. My advice is to not EVER fly into Paris, CDG.
My surprise that I referred to in a previous post that everybody noticed back in Seattle - Greg & I had purchased Reindeer Antler headbands we could wear so the kids would recognize us! Gosh. It HAS been 2 1/2 years since we saw them last. So once we had gone through security & customs (the UK is very serious about Customs...when we told them we were staying at Lakenheath...the customs agent didn't even know where it was!) we put on the antlers. The kids were waiting right at the departure gate & we screamed when we saw them. They laughed at the antlers. Hugs & kisses all around. We get on the "tube" and travel for HOURS....to Epping. I had originally thought they were just taking us on this underground train out to the car. Little did I know that it is difficult to drive into the airport, costs lots to enter & park, so it is much easier to take the tube. With 2 carry-ons, we are immediately smashed into the train with our faces in peoples armpits & bodies. Ugh. Not my favorite form of transportation. I am immediately sweating and ready to pass out from the long ride. We have to change a couple times for the final train to Epping. It finally filters out and we are able to sit and talk to the kids.
*NOTE - When riding on the underground, 1. DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT 2. DO NOT SPEAK TO ANYBODY ELSE 3. RUSH/RUN FROM TRANSFER TO TRANSFER. 4. MIND THE GAP 5. 'WAY OUT' IS THE EXIT
The above we learned in the first ride. It was eerie. Nobody talks to anybody else. Not to say hi, excuse me, pardon me, or anything else. Most everybody stares vacantly at nothing. Quite a few people read the gossip rags. The rush when you have to transfer is astounding. Everyone is in such a hurry. "Mind the Gap" is a statement made by the automated voice when the doors open & close indicating that there is space between the train and the station floor. Way Out is the sign indicator for all Exits; and not a hippie phrase!
A new Lexus was waiting for us at the car park in Epping. The kids had rented it as their vehicle was still at the shop. We have had little or no sleep for over 36 hours; we are tired; we want baths. I am falling asleep in the back seat and miss most of the 1-2 hour ride home. But I am thrilled to bits to be a passenger in a car driving on the left side of the road, while Matt is driving from the right side of the car!
Kelsey had planned a delicious ham dinner, but we are all so tired after the flight delay courtesy of Air France, that she whipped us up something quick & delicious (tho for the life of me, I can't remember what it was). Greg & I get showers and fall into bed after talking for quite a while. The kids are so gracious to give us their bed, while they sleep on an air-mattress in the livingroom.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Aroma of brewed coffee wakes me from my sleep and after dressing, stagger downstairs. Kelsey can hear me coming as my knees creak when I am going down stairs. This is the first of the many times that she gets to hear her "old" mother - like fingernails on a chalkboard. Sorry baby.
Kelsey has made biscuits & gravy for breakfast. Yum. The sausage is spicy and good. After breakfast, the kids show us around the area in the Lexus. We visit both bases & get signed up for military passes as visitors. Afterwards, Matt drives us to Epping again so we can take the Tube into London. We get out at Trafalgar Square, immediately hearing the carolers that were singing and observing the huge Christmas tree which took pride of place in the middle of the square. Bursting out of the concrete is Nelson's Column, which looms over 150 feet into the air-a statute of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the top. There are 4 lions which guard over the column. Absolutely breathtaking with the nearby fountains.
The Matt-Radar then went into high alert. He can sniff out a Starbucks anywhere within the vicinity-I begin my love of Starbucks with a Crème Brûlée Latte. Kelsey & I are drawn to a few souvenir shops, but fail to find anything to interest us.
We also walk around to Picadilly Circus. There are so many sights, sounds, and people. I am in a total culture shock. The lights are beautiful as they flash up the different areas. This is the major square where immense neon signs surround one building.
Kelsey has purchased tickets for us to see the "Phantom of the Opera". As we enter the lobby, a hostess is plying small 3 ounce bottles of champagne. Hubby gets overexcited and wants to purchase one so that we can "toast" our visit. The champagne only costs 10£ per
bottle and with the exchange rate, is equal to $20! I tried, attempted...to say NO~but the hubby was not listening. Kelsey and I were both making desperate signs, but he totally ignored us. Somehow, Matt was conned into paying for them because even tho Greg had said YES, they had no way to accept VISA. Matt was the only one of us who had british pounds in his pocket. In the meantime, the girl had assumed we wanted two bottles. As soon as we were seated, Kelsey & I proceeded to explain to Greg exactly HOW MUCH he had paid for two tiny bottles of champagne and 4 plastic glasses. He was totally confused and embarrassed. This would become a running joke throughout the whole trip!We poured the alcohol and toasted to the beginning of a wonderful trip. Our seats were incredible. We could view the whole stage and were quite close. A friend of Kelsey's had obtained the seats for us and it could not have been better. The performance was outstanding as we were all riveted in our seats for the duration. All the songs that had been played for so long on CD proceeded to become alive. This was the best present that I could have received for Christmas.
Afterwards we returned home via the tube & Matt's exceptional driving due to a detour we continued around round-abouts...when I felt I would surely urp after going around the 42nd one...we finally arrived home and Kelsey made a wonderful dinner of linguini with shrimp. This kid has really turned into a great cook.
Friday, December 14, 2007
E
ggs & toast for breakfast. We are definitely well fed at The Nichols' Bed & Breakfast. What is even better is that free internet and laundry service are included!Kelsey & I shop at the base store while Greg & Matt get their cash traded for Euros. They also got more fuel for the vehicle; Greg got additional money from the ATM at the gas station.
To Epping again, where we find that the nearest car park is full and Matt has to park in an "overflow" parking area which is located about 10 blocks away. We all walk in the frigid weather and catch the tube into London. I secretly wish that I had brought my heavy beaver coat to brave the weather instead of my tiny leather jacket! Our destination is again Trafalgar Square where we are to purchase tickets for The Original Tour London Sightseeing Bus. Our patience is tested after searching high & low, when we find it is only about 1 block away. After purchasing the tickets, we decided that we all needed to eat.
Walking back to Picadilly Circus to find the Chiquito Mexican restaurant that Greg had spied the night before, we enter into an upstairs booth. It is somewhat noisy, and we settle into delicious appetizers & drinks. The main dishes were somewhat lacking in flavor. Afterwards we head over to the bus ride and hop on.
The tour guide is awesomely knowledgeable as we throw questions at him left and right. We are in a prime spot upstairs on the double-decker bus. The Tower of London, Big Ben & Parliament, Downing Street, Covent Garden, St. James' Park, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, the London Eye, the Ritz Hotel, and London Bridge fly past. There are so many wonderful things to see that I still ask Greg to pinch me to make sure I am here. Actually here.
We disembark at the National Gallery as we all need to seek bathrooms...also called WC (water closet) in Europe. The WCs in most of Europe have 1 big button for bowel movements so that a LOT of water flushes, or 1 small button for urination so that a little amount of water is used to flush. Their toilets also seem to force the water down, instead of swirling water around the bowl as those in the states.Strolling through the National Gallery is wonderful. Admission is TOTALLY FREE. We see so many beautiful paintings. I stood before one portrait completely entraced by imagery and pathos ''The Execution of Lady Jane Grey'' by Paul Delaroche is so realistic that one could reach out and touch the characters portrayed within.
We were forced to cut our visit short at the National Gallery as they were closing by 6pm or 1800 military time - which is something that I intensely dislike. Besides being totally discombobulated by the time difference & the cultural differences, there is also the challenge of attempting to tell time by this method. Having been math challenged my whole life, I have no clue what time it is wherever we go!
Hurrying over to the Tower of London to meet our guide for the "Jack The Ripper Tour", Greg finds a seller of Toffee Apples. These are very like our Caramel Apples, but the apples are crispier and the toffee surrounding the apples is a hard candy similar in taste to a Jolly Rancher. We all devour the apple and get ready for our tour.
The London Beefeater who meets us is big, burly, & scary. He looks to be the original Jack The Ripper himself. We commence a walking tour through the back streets of London as he takes us to each murder site, explaining the different aspects of each murder. It is amazing to note that some of the back alleys are every bit as scary as the might have been back in 1888. Coldness & weariness seeps into our very bones as the night gets later & the wind blows a frigid and eerie breeze past us.
We finally arrive back at an underground station, hop on to Epping, warming ourselves with the mass of human bodies within the tube. As we arrive at our destination of Epping, Matt decides that he will "run" to get the car - Kelsey's knee is bothering her from the extensive walking. We wait less than 10 minutes and he has already returned with the car. Matt is having some problems breathing as he has obviously frozen his lungs with his short run. He pulls the car over as he fights the pain ripping through him. We are all concerned that he has injured himself, but he recovers and we continue to their home. Picking up a pizza from the base, Kelsey pops it into the oven when we arrive and we talk about the day over fresh tomato sauce, cheese & meat. Yum. Bedtime is late.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Greg & Matt return the Lexus rental car. Matt drives the Lexus as Greg drives Kelsey's Ford Explorer SUV. This gives Greg a great chance to drive on the left hand side of the road. We both warn them to be CAREFUL.
The boys also stopped at the base to get a few basic necessities before our departure. Kelsey & Matt are challenged to fit everything into one bag. They compromise and it is so cute to see them work out what to take and what to leave behind.
We gather together at their dinner table so that Kelsey can go over the Final Briefing. She is just so darned organized. Snack on pizza & snickerdoodle cookies before we leave. (Kelsey made cookies for our arrival) A taxi is called and when he arrives a brief consultation with the guys indicate that it would be cheaper to go the whole way by taxi instead of getting to a tube station and riding from there.
So we pile into the taxi and about 1 1/2 hours later, with the help of Matt & the Garmin the taxi driver provides, we arrive at the Premier Travel Inn near the airport.
After check-in and taking our bags to the rooms (we are on the first floor - M&K are on the 2nd floor) we convene again in the hotel restaurant. A brief dinner, then we retire to our rooms again. Comfortable beds & a warm comforter after a hot shower is most welcome. We briefly watch a few television shows before we drift into a satisfying sleep.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
A shuttle bus takes us to the airport after we have struggled to pay for the "Hotel Hoppa"; the nice English girl that is driving the shuttle bus attempts to help us as the machine takes 4-ever to dispense 1 ticket! I asked her name so that I could give her a commendation, but at this time my alzheimer's has failed to allow me to remember it. Darn. She was very kind helping us.
Our check-in at the airport through Lufthansa was relatively painless after we had finally located it. However, M&K's bag was slightly overweight. We hurriedly put some of their things into our bag and we were good to go!
We rested for a while in the upstairs coffee shop after clearing security. Coffee & croissants were welcome; then Kelsey & I perused the shops, made a pitstop at the restrooms, and scanned the monitors for our flight. The boys plopped themselves into seats to watch over the bags & the brand new luxury sports car that was part of a promotion only a few feet from them.
The flight was good, uneventful, and we had snacks. When we arrived in Munich, Matt led us thro
ugh the airport and outside into an open air Christmas fair that I dearly wanted to linger over. The kids seemed to want to check into getting our tickets for the train and continuing the journey. I commiserated that there might be other fairs where we were going. We also saw our first "foreign" Burger King! Here is a pic of Matt in the lead, Kelsey urging us onward and Greg looking very distressed. He needs a good haircut! Obviously a bad hair day for him. The kids check us through the Euro-Rail & we dig out our passports & rail passes. The first train is good, but when we disembark to board the 2nd train our confidence fools us as we board the wrong train. I watch as the train takes us in the opposite direction, back exactly the way we had come. It was fortunate that we didn't go far and could hop the next train - which ended up being the correct one. We got a taxi from the Garmisch train station when Greg went directly out to the line of taxis which were waiting.
Our taxi is forced to go through the security check at the Resort; the Resort is officially on-base. So we all pile out, they peruse our passports & the confirmation of reservations at the Resort. The taxi is cleared & we all pile in again for the 1 block ride to the Resort.
We officially arrive at 5PM, and it is indeed a wonderful place; the pictures we take cannot do it justice. Kelsey is overjoyed that her reservations go well. Our rooms are both in the same wing & we all adjourn to our wondeful quarters. Matt & Kelsey have a King size bed, Greg & I have two Queen beds. For more amazing Resort pics, see http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/home.html
Meeting again in the hallway, we go downstairs on the main level to Pullman Place, which is a formal restaurant. Our waitress is Jessie and she proceeds to envelop our tastebuds with the most succulent servings of French Onion Soup, Filet Mignon, and Creme Brulee!
After dinner, we wander around and then retire to our wonderful beds.
My fingers are now tired. More tomorrow.
1 comment:
Ooh, I've been waiting to hear about your trip. Can't wait to hear more!
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