summer vacation, day one

I was going to write one long summer vacation post but it turns out that I have a lot to say on the matter, so day-by-day it is:

Day One: Tuesday, August 2

started with me giving myself a blister running to catch the train at 5:23 am and had its ups and downs after that. My flight was delayed, but only by half an hour; the Heathrow Express and the Tube ran to plan; the train to Glasgow chugged along fine until it came to a complete stop and was eventually cancelled entirely due to what I heard as a "trespassing incident in the crew area" but was in fact a "trespassing incident in the Crewe area." Two more trains later and shortly before 7 pm I finally arrived in Glasgow, found my hotel, met my friend Dana and her husband for dinner, and acquired some blister bandages and foot cream. 

All strapped in and ready to go. At this point the pilot announced that we would be sitting at the gate for another half an hour because French airspace was closed.

The approach to Heathrow. Hello, depressing yet charming British scrubbiness!

I had enough time to attempt a second visit to the chapel at Heathrow. It was closed "due to covid restrictions," which at this point (what covid restrictions? mask wearing is still recommended in the UK, but infrequently practiced) seems like a thin excuse.

..and enough time for the previously mentioned lightning trip to the Waterstones near University College London. Oh English bookstores, how I miss you.

In which I have my first ever online chat with my son and contemplate whether he is in reality a bot.

Hello, Scotland!

Made it! Glasgow Central.

The not half bad view from my budget-friendly hotel room. Thanks, Premier Inn Glasgow City Centre (St. Enoch Square) not to be confused with the 20(!!) other Premier Inns in the Glasgow area! I am a Premier Inn fan but things might be getting a bit out of hand.