London - Day 2
Ok, a more detailed version of our trip. We got to the airport with mom and
dad and despite the fact that Cyp had spoken to someone for an hour twice
regarding Ellis, they still didn't know what to do with us when we got
there. Apparently, infants must have a paper ticket, which means parents do
too. Cyp had already checked me and him in over the web so they had to
cancel our tickets to exchange them for paper ones. You should have seen
Cyp's face - we might lose our business class seats cause when the attendant
cancelled our e tickets, there was a small window when someone could steal
our seats. After about an hour she figured it out, but we were a tad grumpy.
Thank goodness mom and dad were there to entertain the putud. We then
checked our bags at the executive ticket counter. Ok, they must not like the
executives - about another 1/2 hour there and there was only one couple in
front of us. We finally made it to the check in gate where everyone's face
fell when they saw Ellis (oh gahd, I hope he's not sitting near us). We had
10 extra minutes so we had to go take advantage of the exec lounge (last
free beer) and fortunately I grabbed some melba toast crackers for Ellis.
Back on the plane in the front row we had two people sitting across the
aisle from us that jumped at the chance of giving up their seats to a couple
that hadn't been able to get first class together (gee I wonder why
perhaps it was the shrieking and writhing Ellis). Ellis seemed to calm down
when I gave him a melba toast and I started to freak out when I realized
that I had only 1/2 a cracker left, but then I gave Ellis to Cyp and he calmed
down maybe he could sense my plane anxiety. After takeoff the wining and
dining began I was served a ceasar 4/5 vodka, 1/5 clamato perhaps they
were hoping the alcohol would get quickly filtered to the Putud. We then had
shrimp salad, salmon brochettes, chocolate mouse rhubarby thing and port and
cheese. This kept Ellis highly entertained (and us too didn't even notice
the time passing by). About 3 hours in they turned out the lights and I
tried to get to sleep maybe managed a couple of hours but then I was awake
counting down the hours to breakfast which came none to soon around 5 am.
Ellis slept on me and Cyp the entire time. After breakfast it was pretty
much time to land again Ellis was not fine on me, but ok on Cyp. Plane
landing was a tad rough, we landed and we landed again.
When we stepped into the airport I felt we like we'd just entered the movie
Brazil. We got the fast track Customs line (hey - we have an extra pink
fast track card for anyone traveling to London in the near future) and Cyp
got quizzed on when Ellis's birthday is. We got our bags and headed out
and yes, Keith was correct being whitey means we were not searched.
Took the tube to London, Ellis fell asleep in the carrier and we stupidly
took him out of course the tube filled up and I started to panic when we
got close to our station. There were now hordes of people on the tube and I
had to somehow get two bags and an Ellis off tried to put him in his
carrier almost broke his arm but did manage. It was awful and everyone was
looking at us in horror foreign child maimer! Got to hotel and
immediately went out as per advice of Keith stay out as long as possible
to avoid the jet lag. Went to London Eye, thought it was 2 pounds 50, but
was 14 pounds 50 so did not go on, walked across the bridge, found ourselves
somewhere else passed Scotland Yard (which apparently it's not anymore), a
billion CCTV cameras, went through some gate that other people were going
through, found ourselves in a big open air horsey like ring thing, came
across a park which we assumed was Hyde park (wrong), passed number 10
Downing St (though we didn't know it at the time) came to Westminster
Abbey (closed), Parliament and Big Ben then down the street to Trafalgar
Square. Then we decided to try to get to Wagamama for dinner we started
walking and I kept getting distracted by little street post signs that said
Buckingham Palace 3/4 mile, Picadilly Circus etc we got to Picadilly
Circus and I could swear I saw St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance, so we
struck off for there and then I decided no, couldn't walk another step we
need food. So we went down to the underground with about 10 billion other
people and walked and walked and walked and finally got to the tube and then
we got off and walked and finally got above ground I was convinced we
walked about the same distance as if we'd walked above ground. Asked the guy
in the Virgin Megastore where Streatham St was and he had no idea turns
out it the next street over (about half a block) One Wagamama later we
took the tube back and crashed. I started to nurse Ellis on the bed and woke
up about 1/2 hour later to a crying Ellis who had fallen off the bed onto the
floor traveling is hard on the putud and I felt terrible he seemed fine
though and we all slept great I only woke up once and then it was 9 am and
it was time to get up and go again. Should mention that Cyp realized he had
not packed any socks or underwear.
posted by Renee @ 10:00 PM
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