Slept til 9:30 Wed. got cleaned up and checked out, and met Syl by the Gaiety Theater (seats 1100 (which is closer to 800 than 2000…I should have bet), but
seems much more intimate than the Cullen). Had more coffees and more wanderings, trying to remember where the Neptune print shop was. Had lunch at an Asian
fusion place called Mao’s, right across the street from where she learned music. As we were getting ready to leave, I noticed the sign for Neptunes right next
to the music building. Serendipity reigns supreme.
?Found a nifty ehtnographic map of Europe for ten punt (~13 Euro, ~$15). Wandered around some more, collected my bags, then went back to Syl and Jeff’s to work
on getting her Cli
? to sync; found the problem right off: no computer to sync with. Ripped a copy of Syl singing “I know that my redeemer liveth”, then went to the local net cafe
to upload it; unfortunately, they didn’t have it set up to let me connect my laptop directly, so will have to wait until I get to Vienna.
They dropped me off at the airport coach stop, and because of the weather and traffic did not get to the airport until about 40 minutes before my flight.
Luckily, their security procedures are a little more sane, and my timing (for the first time in a loooooong time) was spot on: made the flight with no worries.
Finished “Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf” on the flight, then started working on Magic Flute.
Good timing continued on landing: got my big bag and boarded the Gatwick Express just before it left, where I started typing up these notes. Got to Victoria and
was in a taxi in less than 90 seconds. Realized that we’d be going right by my folks’ hotel, so got the driver to stop there, left my bags at reception, and
continued on to the Churchill, where I met up with Mithcell, Mikhaila, Dora, and Craig. Had a wonderful time, as I always do with Mirchell and his friends, and
we all lamented the fact David could not be there with us. Chatted with Dora about her husbands diplomatic career and my potential one,
Mikhaila/Mikaila/Michelle is going to check if the British Library is on the bank holiday next Monday when I return, and Craig chided me for not sounding Texan
enough, so I pitied his California upbrining. Mitchell gifted me a Partagas Serie D #4 Special Edition which I enjoyed immensely, and a Cohiba No. 4 “for
breakfast”.
Got back to the Lanesborough a bit after midnite, greeted my folks, but found out that my bags had not yet made it up. I came downstairs to fetch them, and
decided to get some hot milk to help the benadryl and my tiredness to get me to sleep (I always seem to have a very rough 2nd night when I go west to east). I
just finished my hot milk and if they had wireless I’d post this right now, but it’ll just have to wait until tomorrow (no wireless??? what a dump! 😉 )