Crossing the Pond

As you can see it is a rainy day in Boston, Massachusetts. Sometimes the sun pokes through the clouds. As we flew in to town we couldn't see through the clouds until we got below 2,000 feet. I saw boats zooming in the harbor and two light houses. As I sit here staring out the window on my eight hour lay over, I think about the first time I crossed the pond (Atlantic). I was so nervous. I spent hours dithering over buying plane tickets. I went into a cold sweat when I finally clicked the mouse to buy the tickets. I was so nervous I got a giant cold sore on my lip the day we left. Although we were going to an English speaking country (England) I was very uncomfortable. I brought Offspring #2 along.  Offspring #1 didn't want to go along. Offspring #2 is a born traveler and a quick finder of gates at the airport. We made a few mistakes along the way. We walked from the train station to our hotel. That was a mistake. A taxi would have been a better idea. Unfortunately in London the numbers on the streets do not go in numerical order. A block of 200 numbers is followed by a block of 800 numbers and after that is a block of 500 numbers. We walked a very long way to find our hotel but we did find it. When we got to the front desk the hotelier said she had no record of my reservation. I pulled out my Expedia paperwork showing I had paid for ten nights at this hotel.  She said, "We can make this work." She found us a room. We had to cram ourselves in the tiny little lift (elevator). When we got to the room I opened my suitcase only to discover a can of Diet Pepsi had exploded in there and many of my clothes had brown stains on them. Oh, well, live and learn. For that trip I bought a tiny yellow umbrella which I still have but we never had to use it in England. For this trip I brought a plastic rain poncho. I think it is healthy for me to go outside of my comfort zone every once in a while. I feel sorry for people who have very small comfort zones. The last trip I took involved nine flights. This one will, I think, have eight. Wish me luck on my adventure!