When I first visited Venice, Italy, I remember buying handmade paper by the sheet.  It was elegant, unique and something I wanted to write on.  But what to write?  What was worthy of this special paper?  As silly as it sounds now, that paper could only be used for a love letter, those love letters featured in newspaper articles, the ones shown in the movies, the ones found years later that evoked tears of happiness and sadness. The letter that would have been put in the mailbox to work its magic across the city, state, oceans, etc. to arrive in the mailbox of the intended paramour.  The logistics of the letter delivery lost to the sender and recipient but happily recreated by the Postal Museum and Mail Rail in London showcasing the transit of that letter across London (and the world).

The problem was I didn’t have a love to write to so I saved that paper as a piece of art – it really is a piece of art in the craftsmanship as well as in the intent.  An intent lost today in the world of swiping left and right, a world full of emojis and disappearing messages and one that “likes” my post but doesn’t actually converse with me.  That paper reminds me of history, a history of conversations that often took days or even weeks to initiate and continue.  A time when I had pen pals in Australia and Italy.

The Post Office Railway “Mail Rail” is Born

It’s easy to romanticize the piece of paper and the letter because it all seemed so simple in the early days (at least the movies and books make me feel that way). Central in all of this letter writing and waiting for the postman is the post office – the logistics of how that letter leaves your hands and gets into another is fascinating.  And in London, they found a new way to get the mail moving across the city by moving it underground.  Why bother with the mess, traffic and time-consuming horse-drawn carriages above ground when you can utilize the tunnels underground?  And thus the London Post Office Railway “rebranded Mail Rail in 1987” was born.

The underground mail tunnels were born to transport mail across London (about 6.5 miles of tracks) with multiple stops at key destinations in the city between Paddington and Whitechapel stations.  At each platform, men would have little time (about a minute) to remove the sacks of mail and replace them with other sacks that arrived by chute in an operation that ran nearly 22 hours a day.  The work was physically demanding and exhausting.  But logistically it was so advanced in my opinion.  The trains were driverless and controlled centrally.  If you ever need to be “wowed” just try to fathom the London underground system and this mail tunnel built so long ago. Visiting the London Transport Museum is a great complement to the Postal Museum Rail Mail visit.

For nearly 75 years, the mail traveled underground across London but as new forms of communications were born namely the telephone, fax and then ultimately the smart phone, the mail rail was nearing the end of its efficiency and usefulness in a world less interested in the letters and more focused on emoji’s and quick hits of texts.  The mail rail train was eventually decommissioned in 2003 but lucky us that Royal Mail decided to open up (in 2017) the Mont Pleasant station and build a wonderful attraction that celebrates the era long gone.  Mail Rail is part of the Royal Mail Postal Museum.

Where to Find Mail Rail at the Royal Mail Postal Museum

The Postal Museum is hidden industrial building about 15 minutes walking from Chancery Lane (Central Line) tube station.  Following Google Maps I was led down laneways and small roads away from the crazy that is The City.  The beige factory like building across from the empty lot with cranes ready to build a new London structure was easy to find and it took a few doors down to enter the Postal Museum shop.  The security guard directs you to leave all bags (purses, backpacks, etc.) and coats in the storage lockers (need to deposit £1 coin in the locker as security).  The staff member checks your ticket time before showing you the stairs to descend to the attraction.

Note: Buy your Mail Rail Ride ticket in advance online as there are a limited number of riders and time slots.  You can visit the Postal Museum without riding Mail Rail but for the best experience, plan ahead. 

Riding the Mail Rail Ride at the Postal Museum

When you enter the large room the video projection is on the right hand side which provides a short film history of mail rail.  Around the room are various descriptive boards and the main attraction is on the left – the small trains that have been upgraded to (snugly) fit people into the compartments that used to carry mail bags.

When your ticket time is listed you go queue (line) up and wait to board.  You can leave all bags, coats, etc. in the cubbies if you want (avoiding the deposit lockers upstairs).  Then you are asked to board (or smush into) the train in pairs.  As I was solo, I was allowed to be by myself.  The trains limit tickets to 20 people per time slot so lucky for me I didn’t have to share the small space with a stranger that day.

The glass overhead is closed to secure the train (claustrophobic feel for some) and the driver has a short announcement before we are off and the audio tour begins (speakers overhead).  The narration follows the train and we stop at the first platform to see a video projection of the history of mail, the mail rail and London.  It’s a bit Disney-fied which frankly was a great touch.  The experience transports you back in time and follows the letters, the workers and the people behind the stories over the years.

The fifteen minute ride is not enough as everyone moans upon returning to the platform.  The cost to fully restore all of the stations to take the train across the city is not feasible.  The one station and back is just enough to provide insight into the mail rail history.  You then disembark to walk through the small but nicely curated postal museum and mail rail displays with a few interactive sections.

Royal Mail Postal Museum and Rail Mail Exhibits

The U-shaped exhibit area begins when you disembark the Mail Rail Train.  The wall showcases a map listing the stations across London that the Mail Rail serviced.  Next to the map is the train driver’s car used to maintain and ride the rails – super small if you try to climb in – I tried and didn’t fit. Second is the workers storage lockers, a few intact from the final days of service.  The interactive part is for children mostly to try on the equipment and clothes.  In this area there is also a tool box to show a few of the necessary objects needed to maintain the mail rail train cars, tracks and other equipment at the platforms.

As you walk through the history of the mail rail, each section is a glaring reminder to an industrial mechanical age.  There is the control center which provided updates as to the location of the trains which were unmanned and ran on their schedule.  The display to show the large leather satchels on a mail on a hook that the train delivered as it passed by.  There is an interactive travelling post office (mail train) train car that provides a timed game to sort the mail as the train moves from side to side (I beat the clock and sorted the mail but was annoyed it wasn’t alphabetical to make it easier). Now imagine the train is moving at regular speed and like a pinball machine you are bouncing side to side against co-workers as you sort the mail.

My Mail Rail Ride & Postal Museum Experience

As a super fan of all the “How it’s Made” and “How Do they do that” type of TV shows, documentaries and behind the scenes films, I was super intrigued by all of the displays and the history of Mail Rail. For a unique peek into the history of London and its postal service, a visit to Mail Rail is a must.  The kids growing up today, in my opinion, are so far removed from mail and the post office they may one day never know the feeling of receiving a hand written letter or postcard and that would be a shame.  I’m glad Royal Mail has created this small slice of history to share with everyone.  A visit takes about an hour so you can easily fit this into your London itinerary.

Update: Note that as of June 24, 2018, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) will take over this route from Virgin East Coast (which I used during my travels).  Much will remain (including the great views along the way) the same as I understand it with staff transferring – it will take time to see new equipment and the rebranding.

For once in my travels, I actually missed a nightmare travel day because I chose to spend hours on the train Edinburgh to London rather than fly.  My First Class Virgin East Coast train ride would occur one day after the failure of the British Airways computer system in which thousands of flights were grounded and canceled from London Heathrow (and Gatwick).  The flights to/from Edinburgh from those airports were canceled for a few days until operations resumed to normal (I totally forgot about London City flights). Normally I would have flown between the two cities but today I would be happily seated on the Virgin East Coast train from Edinburgh to London First Class staring out the window at the pretty views and stuffing my face with shortbread cookies.

Deciding on a Train Edinburgh to London First Class

At the time I was planning my three days in Edinburgh with flights from Philly on British Airways, I chose to fly to Edinburgh but take the train back to London on a Sunday afternoon.  It was slightly more expensive to do so rather than just fly between the cities on my ticket but I wanted something different than a three hour plus airport experience for a one hour flight.  The nearly four and a half hours on the train offered:

• Leg Room with Space in my Single Seat Window View
• No Security Pat-Down or Wait
• No Checked Baggage Fee (just put luggage in storage racks in train car and/or on shelf above your seat)
• No strangers to squeeze next to in the plane
• No boarding queue
• No waiting on the runway for our take off slot
• Free Shortbread Biscuits (cookies)
• Free Food & Drink
• Free Wifi
• Free Entertainment via BEAM app of Movies, TV shows, Kids Animation, Games, Magazines
• Edinburgh City Center to London City Center
• Avoiding Heathrow
• Avoiding Baggage Claim
• Avoiding the 1 hr journey from Heathrow to London

I could go on…..suffice it to say, the train seemed a perfect swap for about the same journey time. A one hour flight is really end to end over four hours from hotel to hotel at a cost that adds up (taxi/train from hotel, baggage fees, food at airport, wifi, taxi/train to hotel, etc.). Others might choose the Scottish Rail option, Mega Bus, National Express or to drive between cities – each is a viable alternative but costs vary as does journey time. London City Airport is also an option for those that want to be away from LHR. For me, the Virgin East Coast train was the winner.

Virgin East Coast First Class Train Edinburgh to London

Trains in the U.K. are not cheap, but to me the £58.50 one way first class ticket from Virgin East Coast seemed a good deal just slightly more than the coach (standard) ticket at the time (others might declare me mad I’m sure).  I bought it online at the Virgin East Coast train website in advance and snagged one of the last discounted tickets that day. Advanced discount tickets sell out quickly and prices go up as you get closer to the journey date.  The Virgin East Coast First Class train Edinburgh to London fare would include access to the First Class Lounge at the Edinburgh train station as well as free food and drinks onboard.  As it was a bank holiday weekend, the food/drink options were limited and would not include alcohol (a bit annoyed by that one) but I survived and brought my own food with me.

Unlike the long lines (queues) of Amtrak in the U.S. where you need to strategically work a good spot to find a good seat as they are not pre-assigned, with Virgin East Coast trains you pick your seat at booking.  Everyone picks a seat which makes it all so civil – the boarding track is open, you find your train car, put luggage in the storage area, and find your seat with space above for smaller bags.  Nice and easy.   For me, I was interested in the single seats rather than the shared four top tables.  The single seats had the coastal views although I did have to travel backwards facing those across from me.

First Impressions – Virgin East Coast First Class Single Seat

Boarding, I found coach L and, of course, boarded on the wrong end as my seat number was 5.   I first noticed the grey plaid flooring and the leather seats. I quickly loaded my luggage in the storage area and then looked for my seat. I tried not to laugh but my seat table was down and set for tea.  The English do take their tea seriously.

Realizing I was at the opposite end, I retrieved my luggage and moved to the storage space nearest my seat. The train car was bright and spacious. The windows were large to enjoy the views and each end of the train held a luggage rack for storage.  The leather seats were large and comfortable with individual power on the side.

One quibble is that my tray table didn’t fully go up to give me more leg room.  I was the exception not to have a laptop open to work on or enjoying tea time.  I had a book and wanted to cross my legs and get slouchy to read which was a bit hard with the fixed table position. The middle does go up which helps a bit.

The Coastal Views of the U.K.

Once we left the Edinburgh train station, the city buildings slowly melted away and the views of the coast emerged on my side of the train which is why I picked this seat which was riding backwards. I saw the ocean, beaches below and many relaxing landscape views of Scotland. This is why you travel by train – to be awed by the views (note in the US on the East Coast the views are in no way awe inspiring which makes the European journeys that much better).  We would stop just four times – York was familiar but Grantham made me think of Downton Abbey.

The Virgin Trains BEAM app

Prior to your trip, you will receive emails letting you know what to expect onboard.  One the emails, reminded me to download the BEAM app prior to boarding.  Right now only IOS and Android versions are available. The BEAM app would provide wifi access on board as well as a myriad of video options to watch during the train journey.  You do need to register to use the wifi and access content onboard.

Categories included Movies, TV Shows, Little Ones, Reads, Games and Shorts. Movies such as Avengers: Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fast and Furious 7 to films like Boyhood, Birdman, In Bruges and classic comedies like Blades of Glory and Anchorman.  TV shows like my favorite Catastrophe (a UK comedy), House of Cards, Gotham and An Idiot Abroad. For little ones there was animated favorites Beauty and the Beast, Dora the Explorer and Minions to name a few.

I could also use the BEAM app to see where in our journey we were with a live map and train information. It also listed the food menus which was good to know if a trip to the café car was needed. The prices listed on the food menu were actually quite reasonable, in my opinion, with a plethora of items on offer.

The BEAM app was a nice complement to the Virgin East Coast train journey.  It also listed the Foodbar menu items in the Cafe car.

First Class Food – Virgin Train Edinburgh to London

The first class menu has just been upgraded by Virgin East Coast trains and was curated by a chef in the UK.  For a train, I have to say it was quite an impressive menu during the week. As the first class cars were serviced by two staff, the food trolley went through first with a drinks cart (no alcohol today) followed by a food trolley.

With a modified food schedule, I had the choice of two pre-made and packaged sandwiches (a duck wrap or an egg and rocket sandwich), shortbread biscuits (cookies), lemon poppy seed muffin, crisps and fruit.  I had gone online prior to check out the menu offerings in First class as well as the food café car (Foodbar) so I chose to go to M&S in the train station before boarding so I could bring my own food onboard.

After each stop, a new set of trolleys and employees appeared to feed us and offer drinks.  You won’t go hungry or thirsty on the Virgin East Coast train from Edinburgh to London in First Class. You may overdose on cookies though (like I did) and find some stuffed in your backpack two weeks later when you are home.

The Virgin East Coast Train Bathrooms

My seat was at the end of the train car with not only accessible seating (we would have a passenger board who used this seating) but an extremely large accessible toilet (bathroom).   The other end of the train car had a normal (small) train bathroom. The accessible bathroom was quite advanced with features that my inner OCD traveler was impressed that I didn’t need to touch anything (a quick elbow in and out).

The accessible bathroom also included a changing table and was large enough for a mum and two kids.  The smooth ride made it easy to use throughout the journey unlike Amtrak where you can feel like a pinball in a machine.

Train Edinburgh to London Arrives in Kings Cross

The train arrived on time to London King’s Cross and the journey went by quickly, almost too quickly.  I was really impressed with the travel from start to finish (ok, except for the fixed table).  I would definitely travel by Virgin East Coast train again in First Class, next time choosing the Quiet Car.  While the Brits may complain about train travel in the U.K., they really need to come to the U.S. to better appreciate what they have access to despite its unending rail works, delays and costs.  Train travel in the U.K. was quite pleasant on my train Edinburgh to London in First Class.

London doesn’t need to be expensive if you do the research and have a sense of humor along the way.

You’ve just landed at Heathrow on the overnight flight from the U.S., walked what seems like forever from the gate (if you were lucky to get a gate and not a remote gate with the bus shuttle) to immigration where you waited so long you’ve made new friends to meet at the pub later.  You’ve collected your bags, walked past the duty free shop into the T5 hallway (famous from movies like Love Actually) and now what?  You want to get into London but are not sure which way is best.  There are a few train options – the Heathrow Express, the Heathrow Connect, the iconic London Underground (Piccadilly line), a bus option, the National Express bus to Victoria and a plethora of black cabs and private cars.  Which train option from Heathrow is best for your journey to London depends on your patience, budget and how many pints you want to have at the pub!

Let’s just skip the whole taxi/private car option which starts at £60+ and assume you are on a budget with one bag each.  If you are traveling with many bags, family members or are less mobile?  It might be a better choice to get a fixed rate car service from the airport to the city.   

The Heathrow Express to Paddington (app: Heathrow Express)

The quickest train from Heathrow to London is the Heathrow Express to Paddington train station which does the journey in 15 minutes.  The cars have spacious seats which are rarely full and enjoy luggage racks to make storing your bags easy.  Free Wi-Fi is offered as well as television updates during the journey.  The train stops at the airport and then express to Paddington.

Standard Fare (purchased online, ticket counter, ticket machine):

• One Way £21.50, Return £35.00
• Children under 15 free with paying Adult

Advanced Standard Saving Fares (buy online, non-refundable)

Print email ticket at home or use mobile SMS text ticket (helpful to have international mobile service):

• 90 Day Advance Purchase (65% savings) – One Way £ 6.99, Return £11.90
• 30 Day Advance Purchase (50% savings) – One Way £10.75, Return £17.50
•    7 Day Advance Purchase (25% savings) – One Way £16.10, Return £26.25

So you’ve made it into the city in about ½ hour because most likely you had to wait for the next train to arrive.  In Paddington, you then need to pick a direction, make a left, go up the escalator to queue for a taxi to your hotel (expensive, usually runs me £15+ depending on where my hotel is located) which depending on time of day can take a while (I was once stuck almost an hour in traffic to the Hyatt Andaz Liverpool Street because I had too much luggage from Iceland – it cost me 35!)  or go underground to the Circle line and make your way to the hotel with a potential connection. (note: there are many steps to navigate in the tube so be able to carry your bag).

The Heathrow Connect

The Heathrow Connect is a slightly slower train with a few stops on the way to Paddington.  It cost less money than the standard and 7 day advanced fares of Heathrow Express fare. It is a viable option for many travelers, just not as heavily advertised in my experience. If arriving in Terminal 5 you need to take the Heathrow Express to change at Terminal 2&3 for the Heathrow Connect.

Standard Fare

• One Way £10.10, Return £20.20
• Children (ages 5-15) One Way £5.05, Return £10.10
• Children under 5 are free

Arriving in Paddington, you have the same options as those who took the Heathrow Express – get a cab or go to the underground for the trip to your hotel/lodging.

The London Underground (app: London Tube)

The famous London tube is great as a quick way to transit the city but….with luggage a bit less so…..no air-conditioning…a lot less appealing. But that said, it’s a great bargain! The Piccadilly line is wheelchair accessible from the airport but not all stops along the way are accessible  so be careful to plan your journey if this is a need. The Piccadilly (blue) line stops in Terminal 5 and just like most subways, there is no luggage rack so you and your luggage will need to be stuck like glue for many stops.  The outer stops may not be too crowded but one you get inside Zone 1 (depending on time and day), be prepared to get up close and personal with Londoners. In my experience, avoid the last car as it gets crowded.  Hey, I said you needed patience and a sense of humor for the journey.

Popular tourist stops along the way include Harrods (Knightsbridge), Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden and King’s Cross/St. Pancras (if you need to get the Eurostar to Paris) so if you are on a layover at Heathrow, the underground is a great direct option into the city.

• One Way £5.70 from Zone 6 into the city Zone 1 (fare differs if staying outside Zone 1)
• Oyster Card (bought in London and reloadable) Peak £5.00 (6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.), off-peak £3.00

Time is definitely a factor but what is your time worth? The Terminal 5 to King’s Cross is about 27 stops and the app estimates 44 minute journey (we will need to test this out!).  The upside to the tube is that it’s cheap and can be quick. The downside is that there are steps to consider at stations (can you carry your bags up and down stairs?), no air-conditioning and no space for your bags. So my last visit cost over £50 to get from the airport due to the taxi traffic, hopefully my next visit will cost just £3 as I have an Oyster card.  My savings is more than enough for a day’s food and/or pub visit.

What is your favorite train from Heathrow to London? Good/bad stories to share?

The day started off picture perfect – I slept in, had breakfast and checked out of Hotel Atmospheres in Paris.  My Eurostar train from Paris to London was scheduled for 1 p.m. so I had time to leisurely stroll around the city one last time before bidding adieu. The sun was shining and the skies a gorgeous blue as I walked without a care in the world.  The Paris taxi strike was a memory, my injured foot was healing and I had a planned to enjoy the last few hours by taking photos and pick up a takeaway lunch with sweet treats to bring on the train.  I was going to London specifically for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.  This historic ceremony has continued every night for over 700 years as they lock up the Tower and while the tickets are free, they are also limited and tough to get as they are sold out generally six months or more in advance.  I had found one ticket prior to leaving on my travel sabbatical and was super excited to finally attend the ceremony.

Back at the hotel, I ordered a taxi to take me to Gard du Nord.  This is when my picture perfect day started to melt away.

Gard du Nord – Money Please!!!

As we arrived in the chaos outside the station (there are no lanes to drop off or park, the driver just stops and you get out), a hand with a piece of paper slapped my window.  I was paying the driver and the paper was asking for money.  I had to force the door open and was immediately accosted by a girl asking me for money, begging to help her plight.  I said “sorry I can’t help you I’m unemployed” which is true but frankly I’m traveling in Paris and by taxi so it’s a bit of a contradiction.  Nonetheless, I walked toward the station.  A woman approaches me and asks if I speak English (another plea for money), I replied in French that I didn’t speak English and then said “sorry” in English.  She starts yelling, “you do speak English” and I replied “sorry, I can’t help you”.

Eurostar – Paris to London

Inside the station, I turned right toward the Eurostar stairs and instantly knew something was wrong.  I looked up and there were many folks just waiting to clear and I thought “crap, I’m not going to make my train”.  As I neared the stairs, there was a large crowd and tape across the stairs.  The monitors warned of a stoppage at the tunnel and the announcement said “try your journey tomorrow”. WTF!? Staying another day would involve a Paris hotel (expensive), missing the Tower of London Keys Ceremony (reason for the trip) and missing my Airbnb key pickup (no refund for unused night) – none of this was an option so I scrambled to figure out a solution. While the Eurostar is the easiest way to get from Paris to London, today I was going to find out what the more expensive and frustrating option was going to be (a one way flight from Orly to London City).

A bit confused by this madness, I saw a group of four London businessmen and one looked helpful. I asked what was going on and was told “there are protestors near the tunnel that set fire to the tracks and all Eurostar trains are canceled right now”. This seemed a perfect time to say (in my mind only) Bollocks!

I tried to see what they were going to do to get back to London and asked a few questions. They could rent a car but with the tunnel issue, the ferry was blocked.  The only option was to fly and they were on the phone to secure seats.  I said “is that the BA flight to City?” and the nice guy said “it’s the Air France flight”.

The Travel Agent Connection

This is when having a travel agent is key.  I checked flights online and everything was sold out (I was cursing that foursome thinking they got the last seats).  I contacted my UK London travel company and they found me the last seat (so I was told) on the Air France flight (I didn’t ask price because I knew it was outrageous for a day of flight ticket).  She would email me details and need my credit card (I didn’t have a profile on file with them). With that, I ran out to get a taxi to the airport.   A man approached me about a taxi, I said “no thanks, I’m good” and got in the next taxi.  He held the door for me and then yelled that I owed him money for the service.  You can imagine how insane I was at this time and fed up with the folks begging for money.  He kept yelling at me that he helped me get a cab.  At this point, my calm was gone and my East Coast shield was up as I told him that I didn’t ask for his service and told the taxi driver to go.  The more the guy yelled, the more I yelled (not one of my finer moments).

The Taxi to Orly

The taxi driver spoke very little English but enough to tell me he was taking a shortcut to Orly around the traffic.  I didn’t care how we got there as my wi-fi was gone and I was repeating my credit card numbers and details to the UK travel agent over the phone in the back of the cab (I didn’t care about security only the plane ticket).  We got to Orly quicker than the estimated time and for much less that I rounded up more than I should have -he practically hugged me.

No Patience for This

Further security violations happened when the Air France check in screen in BIG letters asked me to add all my personal information that could be seen by folks in the vicinity. I added my Passport information and the rest of my data to check in and go to baggage drop.  There was a very long line which seemed odd.  We were told that the baggage belt was broken so no bags could be checked.  ARE YOU KIDDING?  To add to this, the two elderly French women behind me kept hitting my ankles with their luggage trolley as we inched closer to the desks.  I turned around a few times and they apologized and then it stopped all together as I realized they jumped the queue and were checking in at business class.  Apparently the Air France rep told the group in French they could go there once the belts were working.  I saw those little old ladies check in and it would be another hour for me in line.

After my bag was checked in, I finally had time to sit and eat my lunch that I bought earlier in the day.  During this my friend texted me and said “you’re the jinx” referring to my injured foot in Malta and a few other calamities.  I text back a few choice words but was thinking maybe I was the jinx.

The Airbnb in London

So while all of this was happening, I was texting the owner of the London Airbnb rental, who was on holiday in Greece.  I was scheduled to pick up the keys from the cleaning lady at 4 p.m.  As the flight wasn’t leaving until 5:45 p.m., I was going to miss the pickup so the keys were moved to a local shop that closed at 7 p.m.  With the one hour time difference, I was scheduled to arrive close to 6 p.m. (until the multiple delays).

Sorry for the Delay(s)

The gates at Orly are dreadfully small and were teeming with passengers as all incoming flights were delayed. There was a long queue for one flight and all seats filled at the three gates with folks on the floor. My flight was no longer on the monitor as it had been delayed more than once since I arrived.  The multiple delays were more than an hour and my Airbnb key pickup window slowly closing.  Afraid I’d need to find a hotel for the night during Wimbledon (expensive) and get the keys in the morning, I texted many friends in London begging for help.

Luckily, I found an angel in Roma, travel writer and photographer of Roaming Required (show her some love and read her blog!).  She rearranged her plans with her husband, would jump on a Boris bike and get my keys for me!  I felt so much better as I boarded the plane looking out the window and shoving those sugary treats in my face to calm my nerves. And then the two rabbis and a high school band boarded just like in the movies (or a bad joke).  One rabbi sat next to me with his colleague in the middle seat the row ahead.  The kids in the band were singing as they walked by and I was envisioning the movie “Airplane” and hoping the pilot wasn’t a plastic blow up doll!  I was praying to just get me to London and to the Keys ceremony.

Welcome to London City Airport

The flight is just under an hour from Paris to London City Airport and this was my first flight into LCY.  The plane does its final approach as the city’s icons are below – we were flying over the Thames, Tower of London (hey, can you just drop me here?), the Shard building and so many incredible views.  This is now one of my favorite ways to land in London.  City Airport is small and immigration was quick and friendly!! My friend the taxi driver was there to greet me (a familiar face was so welcome after this hellish day) and take me to the Airbnb South Kensington flat where Roma was waiting.

I Need A Drink or Two!

We arrived at the flat and Roma came out to meet us.  She was such a star for helping me!  I was exhausted, starving and wanted to fall into bed.  It was after 8:30 pm and I needed to settle in so I had to say “adieu to the Tower of London” as I found the M&S Food (and wine).

Note: I could have dropped bags and taken the taxi to the Tower of London but that wasn’t fair to Roma after all she had done for me. I recounted my day for her and we agreed, much wine was needed.

Final Thoughts

This trains, planes and automobiles nightmare travel day from Paris to London really tested me and is now one of my top 5 Worst Travel Days. While my friend congratulated me on my resourcefulness, I was happy that I didn’t have a travel meltdown in the airport.  No tears were shed this day although when I saw the $450 airline charge on my credit card……

Travel definitely tests your resolve, your relationships and your skills at handling adversity.   I’m ready for The Amazing Race now! What about you? What’s your Nightmare Travel Story?