Day 1

So it's 2:30am  and I'm awake, but we're here safe and sound.  After an early start, we unpatriotically left these shores at 11:30am, but not before managing to soak up a little of the atmosphere of the special day. 

My good friends Tony and Lina came to see us off at the departure lounge, which was a nice surprise.  Apparently they were in the area.    Dad talked me into the Wagamama's breakfast, which he seemed to enjoy.

I stocked up on a bit of reading (Macintyre and Caine autobiographies), and then we were off.

We were a bit disappointed to find that the other seat in our row was already taken, and surprised, as at check-in it had been free.  It all quickly made sense when our new neighbour explained that she was a gay rights activist who had been in detention for the last day as she hadn't been allowed into the country.  She'd been escorted onto the plane before us.  We let her have the window seat.

The jouney was made quick by some memorable flicks.  The Social Network was so memorable Dad and I spent about 3 minutes later in the flight trying to recall what the first movie we'd watched was.  The Fighter was good though.  And the Take That documentary brilliant.

This photo was actually taken before the previous one

I was just beginning to fade a bit when we had to endure 50 minutes non stop of our cab driver's views on life, women, children, average hourly earnings and courtesy flushes in correctional facilities.  He appeared to be on something.  We even had to put up with complaints that there were no traffic lights for him until dad pointed out that it was because he was driving the wrong way down a one way street.
 
Nice to get to Aneesha and Tom's, our kind hosts for the first 2 nights.  Weather was nice, pub dinner was great (fish taco's and black pudding samosas), and finally, at 4am UK time, with me having faded about 5 hours previously and Dad still bounding about with the energy of a new-born lamb, Tom and Aneesha put us down and went to watch TV.