Linda and Bernie do Britain - We Arrive

    The plane finally landed.  There had been a lot of coughing and sneezing and general restlessness for the last couple of hours of the flight.  As we stood with our carry-ons, waiting to disembark, I sneezed.
    "OMG," I said.  "Now I think I have the plague."
    Bernie was horrified.  "Don't say such a thing," she said, demonstrating what I thought was un-necessary paranoia and what she thought was sensible caution on an international flight.  She also started a list of words I was no longer allowed to use.
    We arrived in the morning and we delighted with ourselves when we navigated the train to Victoria Station and the "tube" to near Hyde Park and our near-by hotel.  Baggage checked at the hotel, and the not withstanding the plague, we had a few hours to spend before we could check in.
    Through Hyde Park and into Kensington Gardens.  The sun was warm and the day so perfect, we barely noticed that we were jet-lagged.  We found Princess Diana's fountain and walked along the Thames tributary admiring the water fowl.
    At last we could check into our hotel and we both cratered.  So much for no jet-lag.  Still our trip was off to a great start.
    The picture on the right is actually from our second day.  Queen Victoria, longest reigning monarch, had this tribute made to Prince Albert who was her soul mate and a great help in governing England.

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