... landed! ...

well, i made it. i hoped i'd end up sitting next to a charming, attractive, age-appropriate british gent on the flight over; that didn't happen. instead, my row mate was an enormously large man, who couldn't help but to spill over into my space, who remarked repeatedly about how nervous he was to fly overseas. and then the profuse sweating commenced (him, not me).  i thought i was in for a miserable flight, but once i plugged in the earphones and tuned into delta's complimentary movie sysyem (enjoyed boyhood quite a bit, actually), he pretty much ceased to be part of my existence, save for the several times i had to bother him to let me out of my seat to use the loo (or the toilets, as they are commonly referred to here).

landed in london around 7:50 a.m. friday morning, about 40 minutes ahead of the published schedule.  getting through immigration and customs was easy, thanks to my previous experience in vancouver earlier this year (though, i still got nervous when the boarder guard started talking to me - at least i didn't try and crack a joke, which tends to be my MO ...). once approved to be in the country, i found my luggage (note to self: tie a yellow ribbon around your black suitcase, for the love of finding it in a sea of other black bags that all look the same), managed my way to the underground train, figured out how to get to my hotel (thanks to the attendant selling the tickets) via the tube, and then settled in for a 40-minute stop-and-go ride to victoria station (and, now that i've ridden the tube several times, i know that i was in a car with no heat, which made the ride exceptionally cold and uncomfortable, especically after a night of very little sleep). found the hotel after about 15 minutes of wandering in the wrong direction ... surprise, surprise.

the hotel is quaint, with very few (read: no) frills, which, if you ask me, is part of its charm.  my room is small - bed, desk, batrhoom, small tv, and that's about it. perfect.  the hallways are cute, too.  although check in isn't until 2 p.m., my room was ready when i arrived.  thank goodness, too, because i was exhausted and just wanted to lie down.  so i did.  instead of getting that pint (see previous post), i let myself into the room, scoped out the sitch (didn't take long; see previous paragraph), traded my travel clothes for yoga pants and a t-shirt, closed the drapes, and settled in under the covers for a nap. 

it.

had.

to.

be.

done.

 

two hours later, i dragged myself out from perfect comfort, freshened up, and set out to get that pint. i didn't have to walk far - st. george's tavern is less than a block away.  since it was the first pub to cross my path (and there is a george in my maternal lineage), i knew i had to stop. the barkeep suggested an ale, offering an explanation re: the difference between that and a lager, and gave me a sample before she poured. done. and delicious. next stop, dinner. but where?

the shakespeare, obviously (what other choice did i have?).  the place was moderatley busy (good sign for a holiday friday) and was serving a limited menu.  i asked the waitress for a drink recommendation and she suggested: london pride. done. and since the menu listed drink pairings, i chose the duly matched entrée: the big ben burger -- essentially, a bacon cheeseburger, served with a fried egg on top. i don't even like eggs! truth be told, it was pretty good - or maybe i was just hungry and/or a little tipsy from consuming two pints of ale on an empty stomach. either way, i left the shakespeare sated. 

when i got back to the hotel, it was only 6:00 p.m., though it felt like 1:00 a.m. (minnesota time!). though tempted to lounge about in my room (that's code for: go to bed at 6:00 p.m.), some gentle suggestions from a friend via text, inspired me to have a night cap (er, after dinner drink) at the hotel bar. that advenure kept me busy until 7:30 p.m., at which point i figured a respectable bed time after a full day of travel (crossing multiple time zones, i might add) was nearly approaching.  once back in 420, i managed to keep my eyes open for another hour ... and then it was good night, gracie. a perfect ending to a fabulous first day (you can tell i am tired because i am really wimping out on this conclusion) ...