Across the pond

Finally broke free from work and made it to the airport yesterday with time to spare. Check in for the flight was fairly painless and early. Major thunderstorm rolled across Houston with all sorts of lightning and thunder but rolled on through by the time we boarded the flight. The flight was barely 1/3rd full. They let us pick our seats/rows and you got to have an entire row to yourself for the duration of the flight. Was kinda weird but nice not having to share an armrest with a 350 elbow hog. Still, with three open seats, I couldn’t sleep well, no matter what position I tried (disadvantage of being over 6ft tall). Did catch about 2 hours of sleep, but wound up watching movies/tv shows for most of the 9 hour flight. Got to catch up on some older episodes of Sons of Anarchy, watched Green Lantern, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and about half of the last Harry Potter movie. Now I can knock those off my NetFlix queue.

Wound up laying over in Heathrow for about three hours waiting for my connecting flight. Screwed up and wound up going out through customs so I had to go back in through the screening check again. I got a chance to catch up on my e-mails, send a note to my wife that I arrived in London, had a bit of breakfast and I am ogling the local whiskey shop. So many choices, so little time.

Finally hopped the short flight to Brussels and we hit the tarmac around noon.  The hotel shuttle wasn't running, so I grabbed a local bus that dropped me a about 200 yards from the hotel.  Good hike to the hotel  with bags,  but after 10+ hours on a plane, I needed the exercise.  As I figure it, I've been on the go for roughly 24 hours.  A bit fried,  but overall in good spirits.  Weather is nice - clear and cold.  Glad I brought my cold weather gear. 

Plans are firming up now that I am in country.  Definitely going over to London on Saturday, if I can figure out the bus system to get me to the downtown train station.  This is the first road trip I am doing sans auto.  I figured if everyone else can navigate well without the benefit of a car, I can make the attempt.  When in Rome...

More from the road as I get my bearings.