Travel Log - The Beginning of the Adventure

Traveling is an adventure.  I believe that is what is should be.  Sometimes it's a bit more of an adventure than one expects!  I'll get to that.

Traveling internationally also includes "small world" events.  I've had two already.

First, sitting in my assigned seat on Jet Blue headed to JFK, who should come and sit next to me in her assigned seat?  Theodora Simons, from NYC, but her family has a house on Sullivan's Island.  Theodora likes to sing and helps cantor at Stella Maris during the summer.  We had just worked together the previous Sunday!  She was heading to France for a month.  Score one for Jet Blue computers!

Second, I went to Temple Church (yes, the one in "The DaVinci Code") for an organ concert demonstration for the ISO (International Society of Organbuilders) Congress opening event.  I didn't see as many familiar faces as I had expected, having been in organ building for 30+ years.  But I was pleasantly surprised to see my former boss and his wife - Jan and Hannah Rowland!  We chatted about the "good ole days" and sat together for the concert.  That was Sunday evening - and I have skipped a lot.

Back to the USA and Aer Lingus at JFK airport in NYC.  There was a storm front coming through, including a tornado watch.  This meant that the plane could not be fueled at the gate till the watch was ended.  That storm front extended up the east coast in the direction that our flight (and many others) were headed.  In the end, we took off three hours late!  When we arrived in Dublin, I had missed my flight to London, which did not have a "no show" provision.  So I lost on that one.  I had this room in London booked and paid for, and there were no rooms (at least reasonably priced) in Dublin.  Also, the next flight with a vacant seat was going to be Sunday afternoon - and another $400!  Nope!  I made my way down to the Port of Dublin and used "Sail and Rail" - taking the Irish Ferry across to Holyhead in Wales, and then trains to London.

So, instead of getting to London at about 9:00 am Saturday morning, I finally checked into Pembridge Hall at about 11:30 pm.  I had missed out on the tickets waiting for me in will-call at the English National Opera for "Tristan und Isolde", and I was quite tired!  But I had arrived safely and could get some sleep!

More about my first full day in London later.