Preparing to Travel
Throughout the day I have been quietly getting ready to travel to Germany again. A taxi will arrive early tomorrow morning and spirit me to London Heathrow, where I will make the familiar journey through check-in, security, and the departure hall before boarding an aircraft bound for Frankfurt. It's all seems so very routine, and yet when you stop to think about the thousands of cogs that need to turn in unison to get a person from one country to another, it's pretty miraculous really.
I've turned into SUCH a creature of habit when traveling. I always reserve the same seat on the aircraft. I'm not entirely sure why. I always pre-book breakfast in the hotel too, and get there early to avoid the rest of the hotel guests. The hotel I usually stay at does great bacon, eggs, and rolls, so I make my own bacon and egg rolls at the breakfast buffet. I can still remember the time a Japanese tourist saw me do it, and copied me before sitting down to eat with the best smile on their face. Getting up early also affords me an hour to go for a walk along the river to clear my head.
I'm not sure what I'll do about evening meals this time. During the last several visits I have alternated between a nearby Japanese restaurant, and a faux Americana diner about fifteen minutes walk away. Sometimes I just get food from the supermarket and take it back to the hotel with me – 'dinner for one' in front of a movie, or TV show. That reminds me – I need to fill the tablet with a few movies and TV shows this evening. I wonder what Amazon Prime has available ?
While away I'm also going to make a start on the un-read books on the bookshelf behind me – the first may well be 'Otherworld' by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller. I bought it about six months ago from the bookshop in town, read the first chapter, and then life happened. Life always seems to happen to me, rather than meet me half way – I'm wondering if I can do something about that this year.
I imagine the next post will arrive from the departure hall at Heathrow Airport at some point tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed all the cogs turn smoothly.