On My Way to the UK

Total greenhorn here. First trip across the pond. (Nobody says that, right?)

Guest house at Keswick, Lake District, England

In about 12 hours my son and I will be boarding a plane at Detroit Metro and flying non-stop across the Atlantic to London’s Heathrow. This will be my first trip to Europe and the longest plane ride I’ve ever taken. Seven hours, as long as the headwinds are good. We’re flying on Delta, so I hope the seats are wider than they are on, say, Spirit.

Jeff backpacked all across Europe after graduating from UC Berkeley some 30 years ago, and this trip was his idea. He now wants to see some of the places he missed back then, some of England but mainly Scotland. And I’m a willing companion as long as my knees hold out.

It probably won’t surprise you that I’ve been a basket case this past week, trying to make sure I’ll have everything I’ll need for the next two weeks—as if going to a foreign country is like landing on a desert island, where nothing will be available except what I bring to it. My kids keep reminding me that there are stores there and they sell everything from face cream to underwear to extremely good chocolate.

My doctors have given me the go-ahead, even telling me to eat whatever I want, which I will surely take to heart.

I realized this past week that I’m really terrible at making decisions that will stick. No decision is so ironclad it can’t be questioned. Should I take this jacket? Is it worth taking up room in my suitcase? How about these pants? They have no pockets. I know how I hate anything without pockets but they’re the only pair of fancy pants I own.

And toiletries…don’t even get me started on those travel sizes. Can you ever have enough?

And how about that new suitcase? Was it worth the cost? Hard-sided, lockable, compartments… Yes, it was definitely worth it, now that I see it packed. And there’s still room for those things I’ll likely not be able to resist buying while I’m there and will probably never use. Plus souvenirs for everyone back home. Because none of them have ever been over there, either.

I bought a cross-body purse that’s supposedly pickpocket-proof, with shoulder straps that can’t be cut and zipper pockets that can’t be opened easily. I don’t know how paranoid I’ll be, but it’ll be holding my credit cards, my medical cards, and my passport, so I’m already thinking I might have to sleep with it.

My pills. I’m taking the original bottles and I’m packing them in the carry-on. I hate that! I have so many! But I’m doing it. Because peace of mind.

We have reservations for our first five nights, but from then on we don’t have specific plans. That’s scary, but it’s the way we want it. We have a few day tours planned but neither one of us are good in crowds or at being herded on and off buses. We want some of this trip to be spontaneous, hoping we’ll hear of wondrous spots from people who have been there and will insist we have to go there. But I’ll admit it’s a bit terrifying, not knowing what that next day might bring. I’m going to try to stay calm.

We’re not going to rent a car. Neither one of us can picture the other driving on the wrong side of the road. So it’s trains or buses, which is so different from here in the US. Can you imagine depending on either a train or a bus to get from place to place outside of maybe parts of the east coast? But over there it’s quite common, so when in Rome…

Here’s our plan so far: First two night’s stay at Stratford-Upon-Avon, a tour of the Cotswolds, then on to Liverpool, then to the Lake District. (Staying in Keswick overnight at the guest house pictured above.) Then to Glasgow, where we’ll take a train to the Scottish Highlands. At some point we’ll get to Edinburgh, where we’re hoping to spend a couple of days. York is on the list, and then back to London, where we’ll probably do one of those on and off bus tours to see the necessary highlights before heading back to the airport. We’re both really more interested in the countryside. (Sorry, London.)

We’ve checked the info Rick Steves has to offer and we’re carrying his map of the UK. Also, thank you, Michael Jensen, for all of your help! I paid attention to almost all of it. And of course we’ll be depending on the kindness of strangers. Lovely strangers. I hope. Strangers who are okay with Americans, such as we are now.

I’m only taking my phone and my iPad, neither of which will ever cooperate when I try to write long, so I think this will be my last longish blog until I get back, after September 20. But I’ll be reporting in, either with short missives and photos here or on Notes, where I’ll be keeping up and keeping in touch. (You know I won’t be able to resist opinionating, wherever I am!)

Signing off now, but I’ll be thinking of you. If you have any tips for me, be my guest. I’ll need all the help I can get! ❤️❤️❤️