Arrived in London but the Wallet Didn't

I seem to be really get myself worked up about leaving town. Did I remember to do everything? Are we taking enough money? What kind of clothes will we need? Did I pack enough? I spent most of the day yesterday feeling anxious about these things as we prepared to leave.

At times it seemed that things took twice as long as they should. After spending hours trying to do a load of laundry, I finally discovered that the water valve was turned off. Then I lost the cat, and finally discovered that she was locked out on the porch. Then I lost the keys to the storage unit where the suitcases are kept . . . and my day went on like that.

Well, I thought it was all over once we left the house. My anxiety is overcome by the sweet relief that all tasks are completed and we are on our way. All seemed to be fine until I got to the hotel this morning and discovered that I lost my wallet . . . good grief . . . so now the calls and searching are on.

Well on a brighter note, the flight was on time and very smooth. We left Dulles at 10 p.m - just in time for sleeping - and arrived at about 5 a.m. EST. That means it was 10 a.m. here. Although we were tired, we did get some sleep on the plane and are functioning. (Although not well enough to keep from losing my wallet.)

Tip: The extra legroom coach seats are worth the price for a long flight. 5 extra inches of leg room make a big difference when trying to sleep. I don't think I would do it for a shorter flight though.

So far, my impressions of London are that it is steeped in tradition and is a very old city. Whenever I come to Europe, I am always struck by how much older the building are than in the US. Of course, I understand this on an intellectual level - I learned about it in history class. However, it is different to see it in person.

We drove through various parts of London on the way from the airport to the hotel. Each area of the city seems to have its own character and charm. To really appreciate this city, one would need more than just two days.

Funniest conversation of the trip: Ben expressed disappointment about leaving his balloon at the restaurant (went to Red Robin on the way to the airport). Kristina tried to console him by saying that it was no big deal, balloons are not that important, and she does not even really like them.

Then he said, "so can I have yours."

"Well, I didn't really mean . . . sometimes its actually the reverse . . . actually . . ." She sputtered.

"So, that means no?"