We're Here ... Because We're Here ... Because We're Here ...

Made it.  Whew.  I'm currently in London, with my parents, on the "prologue" to what I've been calling the Central European Extravaganza.

Longtime (or, let's face it, casual) readers will know I'm kind of a fan of London.  As a vacation destination, it pretty much rocks.  We've arranged two days here before my sister meets us and we're off to Warsaw.  Plane got in around 2:00 (a few minutes early -- surprising, seeing as we took off about 30 minutes late -- I see this as just more evidence that airlines overestimate their flight times, so that they can say, "Hey, we have a 90% on time record!").  Since there were three of us, we pre-booked a transfer to London (rather than taking the train) and (also to my surprise) the car was there.  So was my text message from the car company -- which meant that (a) they are reliable; and (b) the loaner international cell phone that Verizon sent me actually works.  (Digression:  My mother's cell phone, a Droid 2 World, didn't.  We spent the ride into London on the phone (mine) to Verizon's tech support in order to make hers work.  Apparently, they activated the wrong SIM card number.  Don't ask.  But, see, when stuff like that happens so darned frequently, I'm actually quite surprised when things work the way they're supposed to.)

I'm proud of my folks (well, my mom, mostly) for how well they handled our whirlwind first day in London.  Quick stop at the hotel to change out of clothes we'd slept in (or hadn't) on the plane -- then off to the underground.  We wandered around the stalls at Covent Garden for a bit (I'd hoped to see some vendors I'd bought from last time I was here, but it's very hit and miss around there), and off to dinner.  My dad started to fade at this point -- so it was a good thing we had theatre tickets for just me and mom.  We pointed dad in the direction of a taxi, and mom and I walked to the theatre.  After that, mom was even awake enough for a walk along Waterloo Bridge.  It's one of my favorite things to do in London -- a nighttime walk across the bridge is beautiful and peaceful and centering.  For me, anyway.  I realize this may be a bit quirky of me -- I think that most people find "centering" experiences to be those in which you're out in nature -- getting away from city life, I guess.  For me, I tend to do all that touchy-feely re-finding myself in the middle of a major metropolis.  (On the plus side, it isn't my metropolis, so I guess it satisfies the whole getting-away-from-it-all requirement.)

Please forgive the rambliness,  There may (or may not) have been about 3 hours sleep somewhere over the Atlantic -- but I've been awake for quite some time and I feel the coherence slipping.  Still, both of my parents commented (with, I think, some amount of stunned appreciation) on how the hell I was so energetic after all that travelling.

To which I can only respond:  I'm in London.