Day 1

Life is full of fun and surprises! 

That is what this trip has been for me.  One month ago, Mama asked me, "What would you think about going to England?”  Little did I know that such a trip was possible, much less that in less than a month I would be riding this train through the heartland of Great Brittan.  Thanks to you all and my loving family, here I am on the trip of a lifetime to Experience England.

Yesterday evening Papa and I began our trip at XNA airport.  We hopped on over to Dallas and waited there for a bit for our plane, the 777-400, to be ready to load.  The flight from Dallas to London would take 9 hours of airtime and include 2 meals, so we made sure to stretch our legs a bit before packing in.  There was very little wiggle room, so sleeping didn’t really happen on that stretch but maybe for two hours or so.  

The rest of the time we watched movies or just sat, too tired to sleep but too uncomfortable to sleep.  London airport was full of many different people from all over the globe.  It was hard to keep track of all the different conversations going on in the plane and the airport because they might start out in English with some foreign accent and seamlessly transition into an entirely different language altogether.

After retrieving our luggage, we stepped out into the bustling city of London.  People everywhere walking, biking, or waiting for a bus, while all around them stood a vast and beautiful history of architecture and creativity.  The continual sound of taxi horns and the hubbub of people on the streets, along with the smell of rain in the air made standing there on the street corner quite a memorable experience.  Having been to New York and other larger cities in the U.S. before, London has a life that is uniquely its own.  Hopefully, when we go back later this week, I will be able to discover more of the capital city’s character.

Now we are on a high-speed train from London to Leeds, where we will be staying most of the week.  Both of us are tired from our journey.  A warm meal and level surface to sleep on will be welcomed greatly.  We have been awake twenty-six of the last 30 hours, and it is beginning to show…  As we were exiting a train in London Papa tried to get me to go through a line of ticket machines the wrong way, and I have lost almost all stream of thought in verbal communication.  Only after a little power nap on the train have I been able to make decent and complete sentences. 

Hopefully, after a good night’s rest in Leeds the true adventure can begin.  Tomorrow I will be exploring the town of York to see the Minster and lots of other beautiful historic sites!  

Until then, have a blessed day and Enjoy the rest of these Pictures from the trip!

Travels:

Paddington Staton:

See you all tomorrow!