Do you ever notice how much harder it can be to pack to leave? It's a phenomenon that I've never understood. For the travel out, you have to make sure everything is packed all nice and neat...find a way for it to not wrinkle in the suitcase. But on the trip home, when everything's been worn, so who cares how you stuff it in the bag, why...is there just that one... last... piece... of....clothing....that just won't fit, no matter how well it all fit on the way out?
And I take back everything about the flight out - because the flight home was much, much more dramatic. Between airport closures, missed flights, catching a final flight out of Dulles that put me on the bumpiest flight known to man, I finally set foot on solid California ground around 12:45am Thursday....which was 9am in London. So let's see, 5+3-2, carry the 12....yup....I had been in an airport or on an airplane for 23 hours.
Very. Long. Day.
But now that I'm back home, I went back through my photos and other blog postings to see if there was anything I missed or forgot to share with the group. And what do you know...there are a few thoughts that I realize I never found a home for in the earlier postings.
For example, I learned on this trip that if someone says I’m “a few pounds light”…unfortunately they’re NOT referring to how well I fit into my jeans. Means I’ve shorted them money and they’d really like it if I’d pay up. Whoops.
So countries have their own embassies on foreign soil…y’know…the French Embassy, the Italian Embassy, the Australian Embassy. Well, it turns out Texas really has been its own country this whole time after all, complete with…you got it…
Who knew???!!!
Next, I believe that Parisian women are among the most beautiful women anywhere. I swear…I don’t know how it is they do it, but they just have this aura about them that radiates elegance, chic and exquisiteness. These ladies could be walking around wearing garbage bags and they’d still look better than most. Now, if I could figure out how to put that essence into a pill form, I’d be rich.
It's been said that Americans don't like to drink British ale because they believe it's served too warm, or some weirdness like that. Now I don't necessarily believe that to be true...but, I can see where Americans could be put off drinking in London for other reasons...
Personally, I found that I liked my Brains on tap better than in bottles. Tasted smarter...less temporal.
And finally...
Actually...if you haven't been to London, or Paris...or to wherever that dream vacation spot you have in your mind is...truly try to find a way to get there as soon as you can. Because whether it's the Eiffel Tower, a hundreds-year old cathedral, seeing a famous painting in an art museum or just sitting on a comfy seat at the corner pub while watching footy on the telly (I SO don't get tired of saying that), there are sights and experiences that--if you want them--are out there to be seen, felt and experienced. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to find your favorites to go back and visit again. But even if you only make it there once, you'll have those memories to carry with you always.
Except for maybe those women behind me on the flight out. Phew! Gotta say that's one memory for the books I could DEFINITELY have done without!!
