London!

We made it! We saw a red double-decker bus! Funny how it didn't really sink in til that bus rolled by.

Our flight was fun. Started a bit late but was completely smooth. We didn't sleep much, but we enjoyed watching "Pride and Prejudice" (the one with Kiera from Pirates). Chloe and I kept cracking up laughing. Fortunately, most of our fellow passengers were also ensconced in headphones.

Customs and Heathrow were a breeze. We found an ATM and got a wad of pounds, then took the shuttle over to the rental car lot. After some pointers from the clerk there, we went out to the lot to pick out our car (really!). Then we hit the roads. I am proud to say that I survived my first driving lesson (as in "learning by doing"). The sitting on the right while driving on the left isn't so bad, but roundabouts are a terror. I'm sure there are rules that these people are following, but I've only got them partially figured out. One thing I do know: Once you get in the roundabout, you have the right-of-way and can stay in there, going 'round and 'round, for as long as you want. So when I'm in doubt, I'll just go in circles. :-)

Our car is a Ford something or other (not an American model). It's cute. Why aren't Fords cute at home???

The hotel we're in tonight is fine, if a bit, um, challenging. It took us several minutes to figure out how to turn on the lights! (Turns out you have to insert your room key card into a little slot by the door before anything will power up.) Now Chloe is zonked. I'm trying to resist sleeping, because I want to get onto London time fast. But it feels more like 4 in the morning than 4 in the afternoon. We'll see how I do.

Happy 80th Birthday to Queen Elizabeth today!!