13 - Off to London

Tuesday 04 October / Sunny!
My Favorite Photo of the Day
Join us for our last drive - we go thru a round-a-bout (video)

(Remember the menu to the left has albums of photos)

(Remember for the panoramas at left, once they finish downloading, moving the cursor to the bottom right of the photo allows you to view it full size and scroll and explore.  The detail is amazing, eg. you can actually see a stop sign...)

This morning during breakfast, it was confirmed.  There is a French transport labour strike today.  The total impact we do not know.  I.e. does it affect air travel and namely British Air.  So we said goodbye to our innkeepers, left our luggage (Gourmet Touring will get it later) and headed off for some more sightseeing (the highlight being Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure) with our rendezvous point in some small town where we drop off the car, meet our luggage and get driven to the airport. 

At the airport, we eventually were told that the plane would be at least 3-4 hours late departing.  So instead of leaving for London at 5pm, it could be 8 or 9 pm. Ahhh!  The airline gave us a couple of sandwich coupons (nice touch) and off we went to kill time.  Two hours later we are advised we can board the plane and depart.  Wow, better than we thought.  After getting settled in on the plane and the doors just locked up, we are told they were a bit optimistic and that we'd have to sit on the plane for 2 more hours.  Ahhh again!  They opened up the bar (nice touch) - but this wasn't first class - not so comfortable.

Eventually we were off, landed, got our luggage, got on the train for London, hopped off the train and into the Underground, switched lines once, and emerged across the street from our hotel.  Now that was very easy, from Gatwick to the hotel (which was across the street from Hyde Park).

Checked in, got to the room only to find out - surprise - Lisa got us the Conservatory Suite and a romantic package - box of flowers, chocolates, Champagne, sandwich tray, a balcony, you name it, the room had it!  The exterior wall was all windows in a sweeping arch - very very nice.  No wonder I love her so much!  Did I mention the chocolates?  Anyway, since we arrived so late, our evening exploratory plans of London - cancelled.