London

After a smooth trip to the airport (Thank you,Peter. I hope you got home safely, and my car, too!), and a smooth flight, I arrived just after noon GMT. "Real time," as they say in the UK. The bad news is that my seat row was in front of a bulkhead, which meant that it didn't recline quite as far as the others. The good news is that I was alone in my 3-seat row and actually got some sleep.

The meal was good and the wine was free.

My accommodations are sparse - I knew that when I booked it - but quite adequate. I have rarely appreciated a shower more.

I'm staying 2 blocks from the Thames, behind the Tate Modern, The Globe Theater, and The Millennium Bridge. I ate dinner at a nearby pub and embarrassed myself counting out what other Americans refer to as "funny money." It's a matter or learning to recognize the coins - the paper money has the amount in larger type, of course.

"Perfect Pimm's" was advertised in the in-flight magazine and on billboards at the airport,so I decided to try it. I learned that it is a gin-based drink with liqueurs and fruits added via a "secret recipe." Think of this drink as a gin mojito with added lemon and lime. Very fruity, and you don't really feel the effects until 2/3 of the way down the glass,and then "pow."

The London version of shrimp scampi is batter-fried in garlic oil, with fries ("chips") and peas. Evidently, peas are popular in English pub cuisine. My grandson, Thomas, would not like pub food for that reason, but Thomas would be delighted with the huge burgers.