As I write this, it is 3:45 am. I was too tired to write anything before going to bed, but now, for some reason, my mind decided to turn on the wakeup call. It doesn’t help that I have this stupid Justin Beiber song ringing in my head (that came from Monday night with Young Life— you know better than to even think it).

FROM HOUSTON TO LONDON

My Google account was so kind as to inform me that my flight had been pushed back by 40 minutes so I had more time to make sure that I had everything. Although I now realize I left my water bottle at home—the Texas flag one. Oh well. I can live without it (unless that turns out to be my only source of water and then I’ll be dead).

My girlfriend, Brandie, and her daughter, Bella (Isabella as she likes to inform people), dropped me off at the airport. It was a sad moment. I hate goodbyes.

There was hardly anyone at the airport. I was the only one in the British Airways line. The only one in the TSA check-in line. I thought I might be the only one on the flight itself and would be forced to fly the plane. But it was not meant to be.

ALL BY MYSELF…IN A SENSE

You may remember last year me mentioning that I had the flights from Seoul to Beijing by myself and the flight from Beijing to Houston by myself. That was a real treat. I got the same treatment to London.


I got in a lot of reading with my new book, Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson. I also got in a lot of sleeping. I will say this, the Air China flight was more comfortable. But I can’t complain.

THE LONDON AIRPORT

Do you ever just get into a fog at an airport, like you have no idea what to do? There are signs everywhere, but it’s never enough.  I stood around for about five or 10 minutes just wondering what steps I needed to take next. It almost doesn’t matter how often I fly, it’s like a brand new experience every time.

My ticket didn’t inform me of which gate to go to, but the English-speaking chap let me know where to go. What luck! An English speaker in a foreign country, and on my first try.

I stood in line to hand in my Landing Card and have my passport checked, but the wait was longer than I had hoped for. There was a Middle Eastern guy apparently trying to convince immigration of his wife’s existence. It was a game of 20 Questions, and it didn’t look like he was winning.

Regardless, he was cutting into my time to reach my flight. The gate was closing at 12:45. It was almost 12:40 when I got to have my passport checked and I still had to go through their version of TSA. I won’t say that I ran to the gate, but it was pretty close. I won’t say that I pushed an old lady out of the way, but it was pretty close.

I did make it in time. There were a few people still in line getting on the flight, but it was still closer than I would have liked. My flight to Edinburgh was more reading and naps. And so now I have officially arrived in Scotland.  More on that later. Now I need to try to get back to sleep. Hopefully the Beib will leave me alone.