London wasn’t so welcoming. I stood in a massive immigration line for ages only to get through it and discover at baggage that my bag had been lost. Many hours, and forms later, they assured me it would be found. Time investment at the airport finding nothing could be done — 5 hours.

With a very light load (which I admit was quite nice), I jumped on the tube and headed for my hostel, which was relatively easy to find. I got a room with 20 beds for 20 bucks. The exchange into the GBP was very expensive. I spent 50 Euro in one day only on transport and lodging. I didn’t buy a morsel of food. The hostel was OK. Tons of computers were available to pay to use the Internet, but the place itself was nothing extremely special. I did get a chance to talk to Jared at night, which was comforting for the both of us. At the hostel 20 people in a room guarantees people coming and going every hour even in the middle of the night and into the late morning. That and jet lag made it clear that I would have slept better on a park bench.

Though much excitement comes before a trop such as the one I have planned, it is almost impossible to estimate the many things that inevitably follow.

This writing starts 5 days into my trip due to the incredible high intensity that has precipitated.

I left home under very unusual circumstanced, and it can only be due to my strong, (pig headed) will that I made it at all. In my travels, I meet person after person that is surprised by my circumstance, and their surprise only surprised me. I left home the first day of my twelfth week of pregnancy. That looming second trimester I keep hearing all about. Jared, as always was ridiculous supportive giving me not only the courage to fulfill this sky- high desire, but also the funding to be away without working. He takes a very good attitude to his wife again leaving him in bachelor style with only our dog for company.

I got on a plane Monday, August 21st. I was to go from Portland to Seattle. Jared and I spent the day together furiously packing and shopping taking the time to see a movie together before the final goodbye.

When I got to my gate at the airport, they tried to shuffle me back and forth onto an earlier flight. My bags were transferred several times, which no doubt had a great affect on their eventual disappearance. The flight to Seattle was lovely. We were on a tiny plane that flew low, so I was able to enjoy the scenery of the Pacific Northwest.

When I got to Seattle, my flight to London was delayed by 1 hour, so I had a good 5 hours to kill. I got some dinner at Burger King (good fries), read my book (The Agony and the Ecstasy), and played solitaire on my computer until it was nearly dead. When we FINALLY did board, it was very nice. Because I was pregnant, I was upgraded to first class on the 747 that we were flying on. It was very nice. I slept all the way to London, only to wake up in time to see some of the country of England before landing.