Heathrow

I never told you I was planning a trip to see my dear friend Natalie. That is why I am now sitting at a twenty-four hour coffee shop at Heathrow airport in London. The journey has been tumultuous because that is the nature of the beast, and I am very sleepy, though I shall do my best to summarize my last day. Alicia and I were both leaving in the wee hours on Thursday, and so we took a cab to the airport and had chai tea lattes at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf until I had to catch my plane. Since then I have traveled from Singapore to Doha, Doha to Stockholm, Stockholm to Oslo and Oslo to London. Tomorrow, or rather later today (it is 1:04 as I write this), I will be catching the tube from Heathrow to Euston, from whence I take the train to Bangor, Wales, with stops in Chester and Crewe. The logistics were a bit of a nightmare to plan as the cheaper tickets always take you to the oddest corners of the world (with a pit stop in Hades) before they set you down in your desired location.

At the start of the journey I was a bit worried about the train ride from Heathrow to Euston to Bangor, as I have only ever visited London for a grand total of three days in  my entire life. But then I gave the whole thing to God and remembered that the worst thing that could happen to me is to get lost, which already happens to me far more often than it should. When I arrived in Heathrow, despite being unable to afford a hotel, hostel, or anything resembling a bed, I found a clean, spacious restroom to wash up in (will be using that in a few hours) and a twenty-four hour coffee shop with free wi fi. I really couldn't ask for much else. The restroom reminds me of my time in the Nagoya airport when I arrived twelve hours ahead of the rest of the interns and took a nap on a cot in the toilet meant for the handicapped. As of now, I have tidied up, eaten a sandwich, brushed my teeth, and I am dressed in my striped  nightgown, ready for three and a half hours of sleep in the airline lounge. If you didn't catch that last part--I am sitting in Heathrow airport in my pyjamas! You're all jealous!

P.S. Dear Natalie, I don't expect you to read this until I am already on the train, but have no fears. All is well with my soul.