Okay, some pictures have been posted on Shutterfly if you are interested.
www.kimberandsarahtriptolondon.shutterfly.com
Enjoy!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Paris Pictures
Yes, we were really in Paris! Yes, the Eiffel Tower is amazing! Yes, it was raining but it didn't matter - we were in PARIS!
This is the front door of the Justice Building. Kimber and I happened upon this wonderful building while looking for something else! The police cars and TV vans in front were a dead giveaway that something important either was happening or had just happened inside.
Notre Dame Cathedral. This magnificent church takes your breath away. Because Luke had taken an architecture class at K State before I left, he told me all the things to look for and appreciate. He was right.
Imagine how beautiful this window would be if the sun had been shining.
Kimber, the world traveler, had Euros and pounds (which we referred to as "English money") in her very chic change purse. I know, I know, it looks like a plastic baggie, but it was so much more. I loved it when we would be getting ready to pay for something (a chocolate crepe, perhaps?) and she would say "Oh, I've got money" and out would come the plastic baggie, er, I mean, coin purse!
Just a Few Pictures
This is Priya loaded up with all the goodies we brought: Moon Pies, jams, jellies, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut M and M's, sunflower seed cookies, etc. etc. What is funny about this is that Chet asked Priya to ask me to bring PeanutBUTTER M and M's, not Peanut M and M's, which they have in England. The girls couldn't understand why I brought candy from the US that they could buy in the UK. Guess you'll have to ask Priya!
Kimber and I are clearly having a great time on our London tour. The man in the background will never be the same....
I was excited to see that Aunt Ida now has a legitimate job.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
YIPPPPEEEEE!!!!! YAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
My camera! She's home! (I consider my camera a girl, don't you?) At any rate, my camera arrived yesterday and I looked at all the pictures last night. As you may remember, Kimber's camera was funky sometimes so she would use mine - that's why its disappearance was bad on several levels. So, many of the pictures were a surprise to me which was fun.
Tonight, while CB is at the golf course, I will do my best to add photos. There are some great ones and proof that I did, in fact, go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower!
Stay tuned!
Tonight, while CB is at the golf course, I will do my best to add photos. There are some great ones and proof that I did, in fact, go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower!
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Our Trip Home
On our last night at Diane's, Kimber and I packed our suitcases which is always a treat. Where did all this stuff come from? We debated wearing several layers of clothes so our bags wouldn't be overweight. Kimber kept stuffing her carry on bag until it was about to burst! I loaded my teapots (from 4 years ago) into my carry on bag, packed several others in my luggage and just crammed everything else in.
During the early morning hours before Kimber and I were to fly home, I got a bit of a stomach upset and was up and down several times visiting the loo and wondering how I was going to make it all the way home. Home, of course, being a gazillion miles away...
On the way to the airport, Diane stopped at a Sainsbury grocery store so I could buy some Imodium-AD (is this too much information? Well, there could be a whole lot more!). Whoever invented that stuff needs to be nominated for sainthood. Seriously. Sainthood.
We arrived at Heathrow in plenty of time to get checked in, go through immigration and customs and do some duty free shopping. Duty free shopping: where you are led to believe that you are saving a ton of money and start to wonder if you have purchased enough crap to drag home. Of course I bought stuff...who knows when I may need Walker's Shortbread? (Note: at the Dillons store in Manhattan last Saturday, I noticed that they have Walker's Shortbread. Yep. The EXACT same stuff I lugged home from England. Geez.)
Kimber and I sat and talked about the trip. Being the professional writer that she is, Kimber took notes so we wouldn't forget all the wonderful experiences we had.
Pretty soon it was time to board the plane and we got settled in for the trip home. By this time, I was feeling much better and we were both looking forward to relaxing for the next 8 hours or so.
As I sit here, nearly 2 weeks later, I can't think of anything unusual that happened on the flight so I guess that's good! The movies and television shows were the same so that was kind of boring. And, as you know, I didn't have any pictures to look at!
I did have a battenburg cake in my carry on. The plane was in the air about 3 minutes before we had it open and were noshing. A battenburg cake is a sponge cake that is pink and white and it is covered with almond paste - like fondant. It is wonderful. I still have 2 in my freezer.
The guy in front of Kimber didn't know that he could change the channel on the TV screen in front of him so he watched the flight path the ENTIRE TRIP. I could see between the seats that that is what he was watching. With about 15 minutes to go, his travel companion showed him how to change the channel...that guy did some major channel surfing during the rest of the flight!
When we arrived in Chicago, it was a confusing mess. We went through Immigration and Customs again. Kimber noted that no one called her "Luv" like they did in England. And, I noticed that no one said "Welcom home" like they have on previous trips. Maybe my Immigration guy was not glad to have me home. I don't know. We got our luggage claimed and dropped off - no easy task, then took off for our terminal. When we arrived there, we discovered that we had to go through security again.
Going through security is not a problem unless EVERYONE in the entire airport is waiting to go through the same security line as us AND Kimber's plane leaves in less than an hour.
While I stood in line, Kimber approached one of the airport workers who looked at her boarding pass and told her to get to the front of the line. She and I looked at each other, said "Bye" and off she went. A rather anticlimatic farewell to what had been an amazing trip together.
I got through security and wandered along to my gate. When I got there, I looked up and there was Kimber! Her flight was delayed for a couple of hours so she went to my gate to meet me. Also, she needed to use my cell phone since hers was dead and the charger was at Massi's house! Kimber called home and reported her delay. Then, I discovered my flight was delayed as well due to bad weather in and around Kansas City.
I called Luke and Curtis and was told that Wamego was having torrential rains and those rains were headed east...east towards Kansas City.
Kimber and I were finally able to have a proper good-bye. We hugged with the promise that we would see each other again soon and would, most definitely, do a trip like this again sometime.
As I was waiting on my flight, I asked a couple of guys about the Big 12 shake up. I had no idea what had happened, but before I left I knew that there was something in the works. I got an earfull!
The flight to Kansas City was perfect. I don't know who the pilot was, but it was not rough and we did not experience any bad weather at all. In fact, when we landed in Kansas City there was a beautiful rainbow. I was going to take a picture of it, but....
I got my luggage, Curtis slowed down long enough for me to throw it in and off we went, headed west. I had been gone 10 days, and I was glad to be home.
Kimber arrived home safe and sound as well.
My friend and I shared the trip of a lifetime. Not only did we reconnect and renew our friendship, but we made new friends and learned something every, single day. We celebrated diversity, acceptance, flexibility, laughter and love. It was a magnificent way to spend 10 days.
During the early morning hours before Kimber and I were to fly home, I got a bit of a stomach upset and was up and down several times visiting the loo and wondering how I was going to make it all the way home. Home, of course, being a gazillion miles away...
On the way to the airport, Diane stopped at a Sainsbury grocery store so I could buy some Imodium-AD (is this too much information? Well, there could be a whole lot more!). Whoever invented that stuff needs to be nominated for sainthood. Seriously. Sainthood.
We arrived at Heathrow in plenty of time to get checked in, go through immigration and customs and do some duty free shopping. Duty free shopping: where you are led to believe that you are saving a ton of money and start to wonder if you have purchased enough crap to drag home. Of course I bought stuff...who knows when I may need Walker's Shortbread? (Note: at the Dillons store in Manhattan last Saturday, I noticed that they have Walker's Shortbread. Yep. The EXACT same stuff I lugged home from England. Geez.)
Kimber and I sat and talked about the trip. Being the professional writer that she is, Kimber took notes so we wouldn't forget all the wonderful experiences we had.
Pretty soon it was time to board the plane and we got settled in for the trip home. By this time, I was feeling much better and we were both looking forward to relaxing for the next 8 hours or so.
As I sit here, nearly 2 weeks later, I can't think of anything unusual that happened on the flight so I guess that's good! The movies and television shows were the same so that was kind of boring. And, as you know, I didn't have any pictures to look at!
I did have a battenburg cake in my carry on. The plane was in the air about 3 minutes before we had it open and were noshing. A battenburg cake is a sponge cake that is pink and white and it is covered with almond paste - like fondant. It is wonderful. I still have 2 in my freezer.
The guy in front of Kimber didn't know that he could change the channel on the TV screen in front of him so he watched the flight path the ENTIRE TRIP. I could see between the seats that that is what he was watching. With about 15 minutes to go, his travel companion showed him how to change the channel...that guy did some major channel surfing during the rest of the flight!
When we arrived in Chicago, it was a confusing mess. We went through Immigration and Customs again. Kimber noted that no one called her "Luv" like they did in England. And, I noticed that no one said "Welcom home" like they have on previous trips. Maybe my Immigration guy was not glad to have me home. I don't know. We got our luggage claimed and dropped off - no easy task, then took off for our terminal. When we arrived there, we discovered that we had to go through security again.
Going through security is not a problem unless EVERYONE in the entire airport is waiting to go through the same security line as us AND Kimber's plane leaves in less than an hour.
While I stood in line, Kimber approached one of the airport workers who looked at her boarding pass and told her to get to the front of the line. She and I looked at each other, said "Bye" and off she went. A rather anticlimatic farewell to what had been an amazing trip together.
I got through security and wandered along to my gate. When I got there, I looked up and there was Kimber! Her flight was delayed for a couple of hours so she went to my gate to meet me. Also, she needed to use my cell phone since hers was dead and the charger was at Massi's house! Kimber called home and reported her delay. Then, I discovered my flight was delayed as well due to bad weather in and around Kansas City.
I called Luke and Curtis and was told that Wamego was having torrential rains and those rains were headed east...east towards Kansas City.
Kimber and I were finally able to have a proper good-bye. We hugged with the promise that we would see each other again soon and would, most definitely, do a trip like this again sometime.
As I was waiting on my flight, I asked a couple of guys about the Big 12 shake up. I had no idea what had happened, but before I left I knew that there was something in the works. I got an earfull!
The flight to Kansas City was perfect. I don't know who the pilot was, but it was not rough and we did not experience any bad weather at all. In fact, when we landed in Kansas City there was a beautiful rainbow. I was going to take a picture of it, but....
I got my luggage, Curtis slowed down long enough for me to throw it in and off we went, headed west. I had been gone 10 days, and I was glad to be home.
Kimber arrived home safe and sound as well.
My friend and I shared the trip of a lifetime. Not only did we reconnect and renew our friendship, but we made new friends and learned something every, single day. We celebrated diversity, acceptance, flexibility, laughter and love. It was a magnificent way to spend 10 days.
Don't Give Up Yet!
Good news! Good news! If you've seen "Wicked", feel free to sing along....
Diane called yesterday from Oxford and those silly car rental people actually LOOKED for my camera and they found it! WA-HOOOOO!! Diane is sending it to me today so as soon as I get it, I'll start posting pictures. It will be like going on the trip all over again! Oh yes, won't that be fun?
Keep checking back for trip pictures! This will be the trip that never ends!
Diane called yesterday from Oxford and those silly car rental people actually LOOKED for my camera and they found it! WA-HOOOOO!! Diane is sending it to me today so as soon as I get it, I'll start posting pictures. It will be like going on the trip all over again! Oh yes, won't that be fun?
Keep checking back for trip pictures! This will be the trip that never ends!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Oxford? I LOVE OXFORD!!!!
Sooooooo, after a bit of a lie in and a cup of tea with a bite of toast, Diane delivered Kimber and I to Oxford. She dropped us off where we could board the 2 story, open top bus and take a tour of the city.
We must have been there at the right time for exams because we saw numerous students in full regalia, pedalling their bikes on their way to, or from, a test. It was interesting to see young people dressed in flowing black robes, carrying their mortor boards, just to sit for an exam.
The day was cool and the sun played peek a boo with us. When the sun was shining, it was so warm and made both of us sleepy.
We stopped at the Oxford Castle but didn't go in. The Oxford Castle is a new, well, not new exactly, but recently opened to the public attraction in Oxford. It was interesting, but Kimber and I were feeling a bit cheap and decided not to pay to go in. We'll do that the next time!
We also walked through the World War II memorial garden which was explosive with color. On our way to the memorial garden, Kimber suggested that we get a pastry (I can not remember what it's called. Sorry!) that was filled with chicken and aspargus. We ate it in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.
Christ College (site of the dining room in the Harry Potter movies) was having some work done so the entrance was on the side which was kind of confusing. Again, we decided not to pay to see a room - after all, we could watch a Harry Potter movie and see it!
Naturally, we bought the required Oxford University t-shirts. An international incident was barely escaped when a rude tourist (NOT British) pushed in front of Kimber at the check out. Kimber used her "mommy voice" and everything.
While we were shopping, Diane called (I had her cell phone) and said that Priya had called the house and left a number for me to call. I did, indeed, call her and we had a lovely visit. I even got a chance to talk to Chet. He seems quite nice. It sounds like their marriage is off to a great start. They went to the Dominican Republic for their honeymoon.
When Diane arrived to pick us up, we were both ready for a nap. But instead, we packed our bags (OH MY GOD. WHERE DID ALL THIS CRAP COME FROM? SERIOUSLY. WHAT WHAT I THINKING?) while Diane cooked supper.
Supper. Supper was a near religious experience. We had steaks and potatoes that were like scalloped potatoes on crack - they were that good. But dessert, dessert put the whole thing over the top. We had Eton Mess which is double whipped cream with strawberries served over pieces of meringue. It was amazing. Kimber made her food happy noise a lot. A. Lot.
Our last day in England had come to a close.
We must have been there at the right time for exams because we saw numerous students in full regalia, pedalling their bikes on their way to, or from, a test. It was interesting to see young people dressed in flowing black robes, carrying their mortor boards, just to sit for an exam.
The day was cool and the sun played peek a boo with us. When the sun was shining, it was so warm and made both of us sleepy.
We stopped at the Oxford Castle but didn't go in. The Oxford Castle is a new, well, not new exactly, but recently opened to the public attraction in Oxford. It was interesting, but Kimber and I were feeling a bit cheap and decided not to pay to go in. We'll do that the next time!
We also walked through the World War II memorial garden which was explosive with color. On our way to the memorial garden, Kimber suggested that we get a pastry (I can not remember what it's called. Sorry!) that was filled with chicken and aspargus. We ate it in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.
Christ College (site of the dining room in the Harry Potter movies) was having some work done so the entrance was on the side which was kind of confusing. Again, we decided not to pay to see a room - after all, we could watch a Harry Potter movie and see it!
Naturally, we bought the required Oxford University t-shirts. An international incident was barely escaped when a rude tourist (NOT British) pushed in front of Kimber at the check out. Kimber used her "mommy voice" and everything.
While we were shopping, Diane called (I had her cell phone) and said that Priya had called the house and left a number for me to call. I did, indeed, call her and we had a lovely visit. I even got a chance to talk to Chet. He seems quite nice. It sounds like their marriage is off to a great start. They went to the Dominican Republic for their honeymoon.
When Diane arrived to pick us up, we were both ready for a nap. But instead, we packed our bags (OH MY GOD. WHERE DID ALL THIS CRAP COME FROM? SERIOUSLY. WHAT WHAT I THINKING?) while Diane cooked supper.
Supper. Supper was a near religious experience. We had steaks and potatoes that were like scalloped potatoes on crack - they were that good. But dessert, dessert put the whole thing over the top. We had Eton Mess which is double whipped cream with strawberries served over pieces of meringue. It was amazing. Kimber made her food happy noise a lot. A. Lot.
Our last day in England had come to a close.
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