20160629 Photos
Another interesting day. Rain. Hard rain as we got up and made our way to the taxi that took us to Dublin Port, and to the Irish Ferries. But we were there in time to check in, drop our bags, and then board the M/V Ulysses. It was scheduled to depart at 0805 and arrive in Holyhead at 1130. Our train from Holyhead to London was scheduled for 1252 into London Euston at 1639.
We were no sooner underway than the captain announced that we'd be late into Holyhead due to "port congestion". To me, it seemed as though he ran across the Irish Sea at less than normal cruising speed to meet the late arrival time thus saving fuel. So we arrived at 1215, well behind the fast ferry and behind the Stena Lines ferry that left after we did. We were quite worried that we'd miss the train, forfeit the fare, and have to make alternative arrangements.
They bring the transfer coaches into the ferry to take foot passengers to the terminal. We hopped on the first coach and hopped into the terminal when it arrived there. I grabbed our bags off the carousel. We scurried through immigration into the train station. Our train was waiting on Platform 2, but our car was way at the head of the train. So we huffed and puffed to that end and entered the train at 1240. The train departed promptly at 1252.
Wine and gin settled us as the train started across the northern coast of Wales. We took several pictures of the sea when we could. The train stopped at several smaller towns to get more passengers bound for London. We received our little lunch after drinks, which was nicely done and very tasty. At Chester, there was an extra minute of delay as another 4-coach segment attached itself to the head of the train. We took on a good number of passengers as well.
The train then turned on the speed. We arrived at London Euston on time. No way to take pictures, though, as we were moving too fast. We (and all the others) fought our way out of the train, to the restrooms (30 pence each), and to the taxi rank.
I couldn't hear the driver but D tried to carry on a conversation with him. His voice was quite soft. He started with some sort of statement that Elvis was Jewish, and it went downhill from there. He talked all the way to Paddington Station. We purchased tickets for the Heathrow Express and headed for the next departure. Train people kept telling us to move forward and that the train was about to depart. So we huffed and puffed all the way to the second car (of about 12), figuring we'd get to the head car from there. D got through the door into the leading car but I got halfway through it as the doors tried to close. Then the train started. One suitcase was in car 2, the other and I were in-between doors. I finally wrestled me and both suitcases through both doors. I put them in the upper luggage rack and sat.
We reached Terminal 5 at Heathrow and went up in the lift, past our floor. So we had to re-enter the lift to go down one floor. Then we walked seemingly miles to get to the Sofitel hotel. We got checked in and went to our room. There, we found we couldn't access the wi-fi. Reception then told us I'd been checked in backward - last name first. We'll correct that when we go to dinner, which better be good.
Dinner was good. We enjoyed it very much. Then we corrected the booking error. So now we're about ready to go home to the USA.
20160630 Photos Intentions are to drive from IAD to Baltimore and rest there. Don't want to drive to Baltimore with the morning rush. Maybe we can get ahead of some of the rush this afternoon.
D was kept awake by a screaming baby and yelling parents until 0200, so she's unhappy. My hearing problem let me sleep.
We did the usual then walked to the departures area and did all the required processes. We had breakfast at Giraffe, as is our custom. British Air posted the gate assignment so we sat there. We boarded on time into this huge Airbus A380 double-decker. We're in the upper deck in premium economy, just aft of first & business classes, which is all we need on a day trip. We're at the front of Premium Economy, just aft of business class. The extra leg room is good and there are small bins for small things you want to stow at the window seats that we're using for unneeded blankets and so forth.
The aircraft taxied for just under a half-hour to the takeoff position then rumbled down the runway into the air, not with rapid acceleration like the 737's, but steady. This is because BA's T5 is at the western end of the airport and we were taking off toward the west. I don't know how much runway we used to the wheels-off point.
Drinks were served shortly after we reached cruising altitude. Lunch came shortly thereafter. Despite some people disparaging airline food, this was quite good. The wines also were passable or better.
When a moment was available during all this, I read The (London) Times. The first 15 or so pages were devoted to the Referendum that resulted in a Leave vote regarding the European Union and its repercussions or potential repercussions.. It's a tremendous flap here in Blighty and not much less a flap in the countries of the EU. Several of the EU countries now have to face uprisings in their population that could result in more exits. Their leaders are furious at Cameron for letting Britain vote on it. Cameron probably regrets bringing it up as well.
I'm rather pleased at the Brexit. I can certainly understand the Leave group's desire to live under their own laws and customs rather than turn over authority to nameless eurocrats in Brussels. Those who wish a "new world union" will be disappointed.
This is a boring flight. I slept well last night, so I can't nap. Don't like the movies. Finished the Kindle book I was doing. Played solitaire for a while. Listened to B B King for a while but that got old.
At this entry, we're south of Sydney NS and east of Halifax NS, paralleling the coast of NS, doing 505mph at 40,000 feet. Two hours remaining to IAD.
We landed at IAD at 1415. We finally left Dulles property at 1613. When an A380 comes in, everything gets slow due to all the people. We drove to Baltimore and ate at G&M Seafood, D's favorite place. The food was good and we had the same waiter as when we went to England.
It was a long day, so now we're going to bed. We'll go home tomorrow.
20160701
It's the first of July and the Friday starting the 4th-of-July weekend. I forecast that the airport will be terribly hectic and potentially miserable. But I'm a curmudgeon, so it may not be so.
We woke very early (still on GMT), slept some more, got up and conned the hotel management into comp'ing the breakfast. We printed the boarding passes in the business room and returned to our room to do computer chores and read till mid-day when we'll begin the movement to Jacksonville.
Stay tuned. Later:
BWI was a zoo. TSA Pre was ok, except they called me aside and searched my carryon. They went all through it and finally found the little penknife I keep on my keyring. It made them happy that they could confiscate that.
We had a beer/wine and looked around, then waited at the gate. The plane came along from MCI and we all boarded on time. Then the fun began.
At push-back time, the pilot said we were subject to a "ground stop" due to congestion brought about by the storm front in the New York - Washington corridor. We waited in our seats. A later update extended the ground stop. The pilot finally let passengers go back into the terminal to wait there. Then the pilot told us we couldn't use the route they'd planned so they were planning another. Finally everybody piled back aboard when the ground stop was lifted and route ok'd. We taxied to the far corner of the field, where the pilot told us our route was changed again, and with that we would have to take off on the other runway. So we taxied to the near corner of the lot and got behind six or seven other planes eager to get going.
We took off at 6:15pm, scheduled 3:50pm. The flight itself was ok.
We claimed the car and came home. We'll unpack tomorrow.
Thanks for coming along on the trip.
