Sunday, June 24, 2012

What I packed for London...



So I'm in a 747 on my way to the UK right now. The trip is technically for work, but let's be honest -- we all know there will be a lot of nonsense like castle visiting, Shakespeare watching, and Big Ben finding (it's tall enough to see even when you're lost, right?). We'll even get to see if I can drive on the left side of the road (stay tuned for results).

I know, it's really not fair, and I should be ashamed of myself. But, assuming all goes well on the flight, I will be visiting my brothers and sisters in the UK (the ones we used to call Redcoats), and I'd like your support. Even if it comes as veiled jealousy and hatred.

The worst part really is that I can't bring my sweet wife Melody. She's wanted to go to England since she was a little girl, but it didn't work out this time. She's due in August, so rather than risk having a baby with dual citizenship and an ongoing internal strife about the correct way to spell favorite/favourite, she stayed home. But we will come back someday, that is for sure.

I'll try to post more details about the trip during the week. But for this initial post, I wanted to show you what I ended up packing for the trip. It took some thought, but I think I finally nailed it.

Norton's Anthology


Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite textbooks in college. I figured if I flash this puppy around town, I can get instant street cred. "Yeah, I know Wordsworth and Marlowe. Now how about a few extra chips with the fish?"

My Book



Look, you never know when I might meet an Oxford Professor or Cambridge Press rep looking for the next great British novel. I want to be ready with samples when/if the time comes. (By the way, that's just a "fake" copy of the book, no need to freak out just yet. August will come soon enough, friends).

Running Shoes



Two words: Olympic Marathon. The Olympics are coming in just a month to...guess where? London. You think one of the top three American runners can't get a hangnail on their big toe or pull a hamstring or get e-coli? I will be there to fill in on a moment's notice, wearing my red, white, and blue. I wouldn't be able to finish with the other guys, but you can bet I would still jog around the stadium with a flag draped around my shoulders -- even if it was at 11:00 PM.

Okay, quick interruption here. The flight attendant just came by and asked if we had any "rubbish." Ahh, I love it.

Spices



I'm just not going to take any chances with the bland food I keep hearing about. I'm going to keep this bad boy in a holster, and the joke will be on you, British chefs. As one of our chefs says -- BAM! (I think he's American, anyway).

Excitement

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Yep, the biggest thing I packed was a suitcase full of excitement. This is a dream come true for me. I can't wait to meet the lovely people, see the historic sites, do a little brilliant work for some fantastic clients, and simply soak it all in.

This is my first visit, but it won't be the last. I'm thinking of this as laying the groundwork to come back and really enjoy it with Melody by my side. 

Until then, I hope what I packed will get me through the week.

Cheerio then!

2 comments:

  1. Okay, you didn't really pack your Norton Anthology, did you? Nice job making it sound like you couldn't possibly have any fun without me. You know that's just what I want to hear. ;)

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  2. Yes, considering that Norton alone would put me over the baggage weight limit, I didn't bring it. Thanks for ruining the magic. :)

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