London!

As usual, I made notes each evening during our trip so that we could remember the events and thoughts of each day. London so far was the pinnacle of our vacations and, like so many, has inspired change within us both. Without further ado, here is a brief outline of our vacation, beginning with Day One. Enjoy!

Day One – London

This day begins after a ten-hour flight from DFW in which we spent the last half hour bouncing up and down as we circled London Heathrow Airport and watching two young girls vomit into bags due to the turbulence. I should also add that I had my seat kicked by a very restless young boy sitting behind me for almost the entirety of the flight. Could I blame him? No, I wanted to perform a series of high kicks myself by that point and I’m in my thirties.

So, we arrive around 8 AM, London time! We progress through customs, obtain our luggage and proceed to our hotel via a very lovely driver and car. Our hotel, The Rookery, was a charming old building on a small lane within the city limits of London, just on the outskirts of the Financial District. Arriving so early in the morn, we did not expect our room to be ready but instead asked to use a restroom to change clothes and perhaps wash our tired faces. The staff was accommodating and not only prepared our room within a matter of minutes but made sure we had a pot of tea and biscuits to welcome us as well. At this moment I realized, this is my kind of city.

After a quick cleanup the mister and I proceeded to the nearest Tube station to purchase our Oyster cards and make our way to Marble Arch. At this stop we were able to walk through Hyde Park and up to the Knightsbridge area where we viewed Buckingham Palace, Horseguards, Number 10 Downing Street, Banqueting House, Westminster, and Serpentine Lake. While interesting to see Buckingham Palace, Horseguards, and Number 10, they felt more like requirements. Westminster, however, was a most delightful experience. As we approached, we noticed that the cathedral was closed to visitors and we were unable to go inside. Due to this, we walked around where we stopped to watch people exiting the cathedral after a St. Georges Day service whilst the bells tolled up above. It was a truly incredible experience.

We tried our hardest to get through the National Gallery however; at about 3 PM we hit a wall and could not absorb anything else around us. At that point we retired to our hotel for a brief lounge and then a dinner at Wagamama for some delicious Asian fare.

As I look back at the notes I made on the hotel notepad, I can remember just how the air felt. How the day began with plenty of clouds and then cleared. How the wind was crisp and cool as we turned corners. I remember how we passed residential blocks and I began to wonder what the residents of these magnificent old homes did to acquire such things and how they spent their days. I remember how I began to daydream, almost as if I was a child again. I forgot about grocery lists, and workouts, and to dos, and online banking. I don’t remember the last time I truly forgot about these things. Perhaps it was years ago. And perhaps this is why I will always remember my first trip to London and wait ever-so-impatiently to return to a place that actually made my forget my daily routine and embrace each moment as something new.

Jen Dean

PS - Check out the photos from London we uploaded on the “Our Photos” page, and also check out the photos Jason is uploading to his London Flickr photoset at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eloquentlight/sets/72157618412657286/