25Apr – Homeward Bound

I am back in the States, safe and sound, after hassle-free flights from London to Dulles Int’l in Washington, DC and on home to Cleveland.

Take-aways from the trip–besides the many christmas ornaments I purchased?

I could have lightened my suitcase by not packing the suit coat, dress slacks, dress belt, dress socks, dress shirts (2), ties (2) and dress shoes–even tho’, for the since discarded shoes, it was a one-way trip. I’ll definitely have to remember this when packing again for our October river cruise.

Traveling solo was not as traumatic as I thought it might be. While my mate wasn’t there to share the highs (and highers!) of the trip, trying to keep and maintain this blog became an adequate surrogate to sharing my stories live. (Of course, the almost nightly WhatsApp video calls from home did a lot to stem any potential loneliness. Thanks, Rob.)

And, as we’ve learned during the many Grand Circle and OATS trips we’ve made over the years, traveling with a group of new people from a variety of backgrounds who share a curiosity for learning is always a pleasure. After returning home, it took a couple of days before I stopped waking up with the feeling that I’ve got to get ready for my full-English breakfast before boarding the motor coach for another Jane day.

I’m still missing England a bit.