Leaving Canada
Driving to Vancouver for an event at Harbour Center before catching my flight to London’s Heathrow Airport, I marveled anew at the GPS. Perhaps you, like me, can remember the time, stress and frustration of trying to navigate with a paper map… or with someone who won’t ask for directions!
The GPS is one of the many interesting products of space exploration. Memory foam, baby formula, the Dustbuster, Super Soaker and Speedo’s LZR Racer Swimsuits are part of that list.
When I reached the venue, I learned one of my colleagues was born in Kent, where I am headed for the first part of my adventure. Tim, one of the event volunteers, is more recently from that part of England. He said I should check out The Three Chimneys in Biddeden. It is a Free House, a British pub that is owned independently of the breweries that supply it. As such this pub can offer the best local, national and international ales, wines and spirits. Biddenden is not on my chosen route and I rarely drink liquor, so it is unlikely I will visit that establishment, but I’m passing the tip on to you.
Tim also recommended the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway in Kent, a 15 inch gauge light railway, operating steam and internal combustion locomotives. That would certainly interest my brother-in-law Ron!
Tim went on to say the pubs in Whitstable are known for their oysters. My late husband Hal would have loved that. As for me and oysters… not so much.
When I had checked in online the previous day, I learned that the cost of checking one piece of baggage would be $60! I will be gone too long and encounter too many climates to settle for carry-on baggage. I had no choice but to pay the additional cost.
The flight was delayed for 20 minutes. That gave me extra time to relax in an airport lounge and refresh myself prior to the long flight. Once on the airplane I watched a couple of movies, Goalie and Rocketman. Both are a testament to perseverance in the face of betrayal and physical or emotional pain. It often puzzles me that some of us easily succumb to such obstacles while other fight to triumph over them.
On to Dover!