June 20, 2007

6/20/07
9:00 AM
Flying into London

We're dropping into London now.  After an eight-hour hassle to get on my way to Britain, we're finally arriving.

So that's it.  In the middle of the night sometime I got up to use the lavatory and realized I was over the Atlantic.  It was a beautiful feeling.  But thanks to closed windows I couldn't see a thing to realize what it was like.  You'd think there would be more sense of accomplishment or significance, but as it is I can't think of much other than what's ahead.

I've been sitting next to a trendy-dressed middle-aged Russian man this whole time.  He's mostly slept.  His English is very poor, but I learned that he is on his way to St. Petersburg.  He offered me his yogurt this morning, making motions to imply stomach-sickness.  I thanked him & took it, but I didn't finish my own yogurt even.  I sort of wonder what he thought of our exchange, but I suppose I'll never know.

I wish the man sitting against the windows would open the window I can see out of--oh, there we go.  Turns out I only needed to ask him.  He's a character, too.  Headed to Vienna, he's an older man with long grey stringy hair.  If anything, he looks like a street bum, but I expect he's actually an artist.  He wears a round tan hat that's somewhat like a fisherman's hat.

I think we're landing.