Departure Part Deux

I departed in stages...Dallas to Cleveland to New York to London. I decided to hit up NYC for a couple of days for two reasons.
1. Flights from NYC to London are cheap
2. My best friend Caroline lived there

The only flaw with this plan was that I was left to wonder the great city alone while Caroline was slaving away for the man. Usually I wouldn't have minded the solitude but at this particular time I think it would have been better for me to have company, and for that company to constantly reassure me that everything was going to be ok. But it was the way it was.

The day before I left I chatted with my dear friend Court, somehow she was able to say just the right things and really gave me the courage I lacked. In thanks I purchased a Martha Stewart postcard which i promptly posted a mere 2 years later.

Saturday was the big day but my flight wasn't until 9pm. Unfortunately, I was still a mess of emotion. Pretty sure I cried in front of Caroline, pretty sure this shocked her and pretty sure she had no idea how to react. Then the hr finally came to hail the taxi and take the drive over to JFK. Saying the words "International Terminal," made it all that more real...in just a couple of hrs I would be on my way.

I flew over on Virgin Atlantic, sadly this experience would forever spoil, no other transatlantic flight would ever compare. Now for some reason the UK decided to implement completely different carry on regulations than any other western country. US regulations say you can have a carry on and a personal item...UK regulations say only ONE carry on this includes your personal item. But thankfully the Virgin Atlantic ticket agent took care of it for me and checked my extra bag in with no charge.

My plan was to make it through security and run the clock down talking to friends and family. Promptly after making it through security I lost all reception on the cell phone...isn't that life. So after some quick calls on the pay phone (how ancient does that sound) I said goodbye to the outside world and tried to grasp what was about to happen.

While I waited to board I charge up my laptop...I was kind of concerned that I hadn't bought the right adaptor or that I had misjudged and needed a some other kind of gadget to convert everything alright so I wanted it fully charged.

Once again I give all my praises to Virgin Atlantic! It was a red eye flight and thankfully it wasn't full so I was spread out and get sleep in between all the food they kept passing out.

And then we landed...(Flash to the opening scenes of Love Actually at Heathrow)