This column is brought to you by American Airlines because my paranoia with synthetic fibers melting to your skin in a crash is unwarranted and because I just spent more than nine hours on one of their Boeing 777s to London.
I haven’t ridden a plane in quite a few years, and airplanes have gotten considerably more awesome since then. In addition to the sanitarized pillows and surprisingly delicious beef tips the touchpad televisions are by far the greatest addition. The flight map on the television allowed any neurotic person (me) to obsessively check where in the world I was and what time I was due to arrive.
But let us not discount the Sky Mall catalogue. Where else could I find a pocket peppermill or a sonic mole chaser. And for only $895, I too, can own Mombasa, the eight foot Garden Giraffe.
But seriously, kids, NINE HOURS. I flew out of Dallas at 5 p.m. and got to London at 8 a.m. Where did my six hours go? Oh! Oops, the devil Time Zone stole them. As I write this, I am running on two hours of sleep in the past 24 hours. All in the name of travelling.
After leaving the plane and dealing, pretty much stress-free with customs,only then did I find my traveling skills lacking in finesse.
I am traveling with my ex-roommate and fellow study abroad friend, Kati. I will be paying Kati 1 pound for her guest commentary.
We are taking a tour of Europe for 18 days together before enslaving ourselves to our schools. And even our brain power combined led to the missing of several trains to our hotel.
We also came to the conclusion that carrying our laptops combined with a whole semester’s worth of luggage was not worth the physical pain. So we stored most of our luggage, and I have decided to rough it and write my columns on scrap paper and unused barf bags.
A day of leisurely wandering around London and a hearty meal at a charming street cafe called Wot the Dickens did cure my weariness. As did the one of many to come bottles of Fanta.
The weather here is a beautiful 68 F and never before have I worn a jacket in Septmeber without wanting to kill myself. Everyone in London has a very charming and polished appearance. Even the rain here is charming. A short-lived, non-lightning and thunder type.
After a day of being a professional traveler allow me to give you some really really good tips:
* Pack light. You will regret every sweater you take as you drag it through train stations and underground tunnels.
* Don’t sleep until it is night in your new city. Jet lag sucks.
* Enjoy your time and relax. I spent a good hour trying to figure out how to play cricket from the television in my hotel. But I think it was time well spent.
Right, Kati: Right.