Posted 7:58 AM by Marco

I figure I slept better than I ever have on a flight to LHR.
Maybe 3-4 hours?
First, the sleeper seat is a big improvement.
Second, after dinner, the steward poured me some port.
"An Irish measure", he said when I gasped.
Still, no way it (the sleep, not the port) was enough; I feel like somebody beat me up.
Surely I have never been beaten, because I bet it is worse.
Weather was decent in the morning, but drizzle turned to rain later in the day.
How else would we know we were in London?
Good, friendly morning of work.
View of St. Paul's from the office window, and the opposite way, Tower Bridge and the Tower.
Checked in with no issues.
Perfectly fine, non-smoking, and seems quiet, and not too cramped (and a US-style phone jack, I think), with the usual electric teakettle (funny, my spell-checker thinks that was one word).
The fixings (china, biscuits, UHT Milk (Woohoo, NOT half-and-half), were on a small wooden tray suitable for carrying into bed.
Very civilised.
The, back to the office, with a low point a meeting from about 3:00 to 5:30.
I was better before and after in one-on-ones.
First night socialising was required.
Fortunately I had recovered my second wind a bit by then.
Off to the pub (I requested a less smoky one, and they came through with The Mughouse, under London Bridge) in the rain.
A whole day without rain would have confused me.
I would not have known I was in Northern Europe.
ENORMOUS (Imperial) pints, followed by a very nice Chinese dinner with two bottles of Shiraz for the three of us.
The two pints would have been more than enough for me.
So, at 11:00, I crashed easily, and slept until 0700 (0200 EST), and expect a similar letdown this afternoon.
Some odour of smoke in my closet, but it could have been MUCH worse.
Got in early (I think the Brits keep civilised hours, if you do not count the semi-mandatory socialising after work).