A Journey Home, Part 1

I'm typing this from the US.  I arrived last night, with all my paperwork, to begin my fiance Visa process.  I'm crossing my fingers everything goes well.  We've also booked a provisional date, contingent on my Visa approval, of course, of November 26th of this year.  So if all goes well, that will be our wedding date!  ::Kermit the Frog "Yay!" dance::

I have six words:  London during underground strike is BEDLAM!

I awoke to find that underground tube workers were on strike and most tube stations were closed, the lines suspended or partially suspended.  Before I left I checked on bus transportation as a back up.  I just needed to get from King's Cross/St. Pancras to Paddington Station, where I could take the Heathrow Express. 

Let me tell you...that's the way to go. If you need to get to Heathrow from a place other than London, just get a rail ticket to St. Pancras International Rail Station, take a quick tube or bus ride to Paddington Station, then buy your Heathrow Express Rail ticket at the Paddington station.  Much cheaper than taking the rail to Paddington Station directly in some cases.  And you wont have to deal with the long trip on the Picadilly line. Check your options.

I took my train to London from Nottingham.  Great ride! Every so often I softly squeed "SHEEP!" as I saw them graze on their fields.  I did get quite excited when I visually recognized some Blue Faced Leicester sheep just outside of what I realized when we got to town, WAS, in fact, Leicester!!  And I giggled when I saw the one "Black Sheep" in the midst of a whole flock of white sheep.  As a side note so you understand my squees:  I make yarn from sheep (and other animal) fiber (hair).  BFL, as its called, is my favorite, since its so soft.

When I got to London, it didn't seem very chaotic - until I got outside.  Then it was Bedlam!!!!  A total madhouse with tons of travelers dragging their luggage with them, trying to find a way to their destinations.  The streets were packed.  The traffic was packed, but not necessarily an actual traffic Jam.  Since I couldn't take the tube just a few stops over to Paddington Sation, I found out that the 205 bus goes to Paddington Station if you take it going towards the West Terrace area.  So I went in search of a stop on Euston Road. 

Lucky for me, I started walking the wrong way.  When I realized the stop I was looking at was heading in the opposite direction, I crossed the street looking for a bus stop going the other way.  This put me at an earlier bus stop than I was looking to get on.  I payed with my Oyster Card (You can use your Oyster Card on Buses with some exceptions) and got myself and my luggage on.  By the next stop, he was only letting people with small bags or no luggage at all.  I'd gotten lucky.  You started to see the looks of panic when people realized they couldn't get on the bus, again.

We finally made it to Paddington Station.  That place is ANOTHER Madhouse! Sheesh!  And no one tells you that buying a ticket on the Heathrow Rail means you are taking the Regular Rail...not the Express.  Once I figured it out, I looked around, a bit panicky.  Then I figured it out.  So I'm going to let you know so it doesn't happen to you.  If you are taking the Heathrow Express from Paddington Station, they leave off of Platforms 6 & 7.  Walk towards the platforms and you will see the specific window on your left that sells the tickets.  Don't buy it anywhere else or you just bought tickets for the wrong train.  Be sure to buy the ticket at the window. It will cost you less (18 GBP) than buying it on the train itself (27 GBP).  Making it to Terminal 4 was a breeze, with a quick switch at Heathrow Central to switch to the shuttle for Terminal 4. 

The flight was wonderful.  Took a Continental flight back from Heathrow.  Lines were short and I breezed through all the sections and answered all the question asked.  We had to sit at the gate for about 30 minutes, which was fine.  Dinner and Snacks were in abundance and the entertainment was great.  Got to watch FOUR movies! 

Started things off with Prince of Persia then moved on to the Last Airbender.  Glad I didn't have to pay for either of those.  Then I moved on to two "I'll watch them over and over again until the end of time" movies.  Started with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (What do you MEAN he don't eat no MEAT!?).  Of course I giggled at all the usual parts and I can't help but think of my honey during the Easter scene when the entire family finally gets to meet him. I don't think it'd be far off from that scene at all.  And I know my Aunt Cookie would live up to her role just like "Aunt Voula" did in the movie.  I then moved on to ::dreamy sigh:: The Phantom of the Opera.  Nothing like Gerard and Patrick fight over the girl they love in song.   Woof.