June 16-17, 2008 - Days 1&2 - SFO > LHR

12:59pm PST - United flight 930 SFO > LHR

I have to admit, I was dreading this flight. I've been on several intercontinental flights, and they are taxing. And that's when I'm flying alone. I wasn't looking forward to the new dimensions of pain to be proffered by the addition of a 7-year-old and two toddlers.

Work travel has made me a Premier in United's eyes, affording me access to luxuries such as special lines at the airports and free upgrades to Economy Plus with its essential (to my 6'4" frame, anyways) extra inches of legroom. Didn't work out as nicely on this trip. Even though we arrived two hours early to the airport, we still only arrived at our gate after boarding had already started, because the Premier line at the check-in counter took 1 hour to navigate. Nerve wracking stuff. That free upgrade to Economy Plus? I can invite one guest to join me there. Four guests, however, not so much. So it was cattle class for us.



You can't win them all, but hey, miles payed for one of the tickets.

Jenna's plan was to sleep deprive the kids so they'd sleep all flight and arrive in England ready for the day. The plan worked for Jenna and Louisa. The rest of up hardly slept at all, taking regular, unproductive trips to the bathroom (less boring than sitting in the seat, I guess).

7:10am GMT - Arrive in London



Our friends had a driver waiting us at the airport to drive us to their house in Cobham. I was extremely tired, but excited to soak in the differentness of being in England - the ancient (by CA standards) house, the cars I'd only seen in foreign car magazines, driving on the left side.

We made a brave effort staying awake, but by afternoon, decided a controlled nap couldn't hurt.