[Forgot to do this at the time, so relying on the itinerary and my faulty memory]
Get to the airport just before 6, and it is already packed with travelers (it is the start of the summer holidays). I get in line at the BA Customer Service booth, and when I finally get to the counter, the lady tells me that they can’t change it (arrgghh!), but that that she will make a note in my file that I am not traveling today so that my ticket will not get cancelled, and I’ll just need to call the group bookings office when they open Monday. About an hour later I hear a page for the driver of the bus for the Houston G&S group, spot him, then spot Ken, and lead the former to the latter, relieving a lot of anxiety on Ken’s part. I meet Ken’s partner, David, who is extremely nice. The Houston crowd eventually comes trickling out of customs, and we all board the coaches and head to Buxton (Palace Hotel). Hunter had kindly offered to let me crash on the floor of his single, but it turned out that he had two twin beds, so I didn’t have to slum it. Call the BA group bookings office, and they can’t help me at all without the group booking number, which is not on my ticket at al. I have to get that from Adventure Travel in Kalamazoo, who booked the Palmer tour, so I email them with all the particulars. That evening have a ticket to see Patience, but it was a pretty sloppy show, and coupled with the four hours of sleep the night before, I decide to make an early night of it.