SAFE ARRIVAL

My plane landed at London's Gatwick Airport just under two hours ago. It was a very uneventful flight. There was nobody sitting next to me so I got to stretch out and get some quality sleep for a change. The movie was "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory", which I hadn't yet seen (it wasn't very good).

Customs was a breeze and I managed to find an ATM to withdraw some pounds from without any extra fees.

I thought about it the entire trip and decided I would book a flight to attend Doug's funeral only if I could find airfare for under $500. I spent some time on an Internet terminal here at the airport and managed to find a series of flights and a hotel for a total of just over $400. I'm waiting to see if I can get a ride to the funeral before renting a car (it isn't the extra expense that I mind so much as a fear of driving in unfamiliar places.

The Internet terminal ended up costing me £6 because it crashed before I could get my unused amount back. Oh well, I'll just skip a meal today to make up for that!

My next task is to take the Gatwick Express train to Victoria Station (takes about 40 minutes). I can't check into the hotel for another four-and-a-half hours, so there's no big hurry. I do want to swing by Royal Albert Hall to take some photos before going to the hotel. Tonight, I'm planning to check out the massive Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square and perhaps buy some gifts at Harrod's.

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