Here we are resurrecting our blog and I discovered this post from the end of our trip. Since this blog was started for that trip, I thought I would post it...for old times sake...
We are on our flight back to Portland from London which included a nice long layover in Minneapolis. The last three hours of our trip. We are wondering things like what it will feel like to walk back into our house, see friends, drive, cook, will the refrigerator stink, how much mail will have stacked up, etc.
We spent the last couple days in London. Since we have both spent significant time there before, it was nice to just relax and enjoy just being in London, such an old, classy town. We ate Indian food, shopped in Covent Garden, rode the subway and the cabs, had tea, played in the toy department at Harrods (where we saw Elle McPhereson shopping) went to a show…a fabulous time in a fabulous city.
On Wednesday we went to Croydon where I spent part of my youth. We saw the old house and school and other memories. It was a perfectly damp, cool British morning which must be why I like Portland weather so much. I was surprised at how much came back to me and how much didn’t. Mostly, it was fun to awaken old memories and to share a part of my history with Sharon.
Wednesday night we got a personal tour of Parliament from our friend Jack, and then went out to dinner with him. Jack is a Parliamentary researcher for an MP, although I first knew him as a college student when he lived with Jason and me. It made me smile to see him in a suit guiding us around the halls of British government and taking us to dinner at his social club (political in history)…distinctly British.
Thursday night we met up with Tim, my old friend from primary school. We met at a classic, English pub. Conversation was easy and it was great to catch up. In short, it sort of felt right that we had been friends at a young age since we still had so much in common. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed catching up with Tim, and how much sweeter it was to have Sharon there to take part.
Our last day in London, our waiter at the Indian restaurant happened to be from Uzbekistan. Over the last ten years he has applied for a visa to the U.S. seven times. He lives in London as his second choice, but it is expensive and difficult for him to make ends meet in order to send money to his wife and children back in his country. He asked our advice on how best to get a visa to which we had no good answer. I share this because it made me both sad and thankful. We have met so many people who do not have access to the opportunities and freedoms we take for granted as Americans. Some of our basic assumptions about life are proof that we are part of the vast, privileged minority in the world – consistent electricity, peaceful transfer of power in our government, freedom to move about from place to place without being hassled or rejected, relative freedom of discrimination based on race or creed, clean water. And most of this simply because we were born in the right place.
We have loved our travels because of the bonding adventures we have shared, the fascinating things we have learned, the new friendships we have enjoyed, and the perspectives we have gained. Our prayer is that these experiences will grow roots and blossom in our marriage and our community for years to come. Thank you for bearing with us, and we are excited to catch up with you very soon.
During our trip:
- Favorite food: Mezza in Israel. Indian food in South Africa and England. Dinner at Giovanni’s in Florence
- Longest day: The border crossing into Jordan from Israel. We left our hotel in Jerusalem at 2pm and should have arrived at our hotel in Jordan at 4pm. Instead, we arrived at 9:30pm. Long story.
- Favorite form of travel: Train
- Least favorite form of travel: Taxi (with the exception of the London cabs)
- Saddest moment: Tie between visiting the townships in South Africa and learning about the war between Israel and Hamas while standing outside the Damascus Gate of Old Jerusalem.
- Most intense moment: Getting stolen from by the cab driver in Rome and feeling totally powerless. Close second, going to the wrong border crossing into Jordan and rerouting the trip to the tune of many hours and $$.
- New tradition: Name at least one flavor you taste each time you have a new wine.
- Best lodging: Mt. Camdeboo in South Africa
- Worst lodging: Hostel in Jaffa
- Best cup of coffee: Turkish coffee in Bethlehem
- Things we lost: Andy owns this category – sunglasses, gloves, travel alarm clock
