Ghana Journey: LONDON

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Note:  I will post my Ghana blogs as Internet access allows. Photos will be posted after I return home.

It is a strange sensation. We left Baltimore on British Airways at 10:00pm EDT. About an hour into the flight they served us dinner! I had the tasty vegetarian pasta selection. Then, as passengers around me snoozed, I settled in to read a book on my iPad, a novel I had been reading on-and-off for several months. Now I was near the end and I couldn't put it down. It must have been 1:30am EDT by the time I finally dozed off. But we had already flown east enough to enter the daylight. 

I'm pretty sure I only had a couple of hours of uncomfortable sleep. The cabin lights went on around 9:00am London time, and coffee was served. My Zen "in the zone" travel philosophy* is going to be severely tested.

Robert wants to do an Abbey Road run: zoom to the famous Beatles recording studio in London, have our photo taken while crossing the iconic zebra crosswalk, then rush back to Heathrow. That's tempting but we have less than four hours to accomplish that. I'm sure all kinds of customs procedures are involved, and I don't want to risk missing our connecting flight to Accra. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I might have thrown all caution to the wind, but not today. Robert eventually agreed. Next time, bro!

Looking out the plane window at the outer London countryside, I was immediately struck by the highways, on which cars were going forward on the left side of the road. British-style, of course. Heathrow Airport was filled with the sound of that marvelous British accent that I love so much, thanks to the Beatles and the family of my friend Phill Signey, who hails from the UK. 

"Have I heard your voice before?" the airport inspector asked me as he screened me through security, his tone so obviously London. He was responding to my "Blast, I forgot to take off my belt!" that I threw out unconsciously with a slight Liverpuddlian lilt that I picked up from too many viewings of "A Hard Day's Night."

"Perhaps you have, mate," I replied to the inspector's question. I had to laugh because he was East Indian and I'm Filipino!

(I say! That lady looks familiar. Could it be? Nah! Or is she?)

Heathrow is a wonder, quite possibly the most cavernous airport in the world. British signage abounds: "Lift" instead of "Elevator." "Toilets" instead of "Restrooms." The snack shop had some curiosities: Kipper sandwiches and Smoked Salmon on rye, no mayo, with only lemon juice.

Found out British electrical outlets are three-pronged. I need an adaptor to plug my iPhone into the recharger.

Robert, Greg and I sat at the coffee shop table, shooting the bull about the merits of the 1980s music scene: Duran Duran, the Cars, Michael Jackson, Mister Mister, U2. . . We ended up appreciating the 80s more than we expected. (Surprise!)

All too soon, it was time to board our connection to Accra. I simply must spend more time in London someday.

Flying due south from London to Accra, we're zooming past places I have only seen in books and movies: the English Channel; Paris; Madrid; the Mediterranean Sea. As we entered African airspace I was filled with a sense of mystery and adventure. These geographic names are largely unknown to me: Abuja; Lagos; the Niger River; Kano; Pakar; Tamale; Accra.

At this stage in my life it is rare for me to experience something truly new and unknown. I am open to whatever lies ahead, and I resolve to ground myself in deep prayer daily so I can reflect the serenity of the Holy Spirit.

I forgot to bring a rosary. I will ask our host Thomas if he has one that I can borrow.

*My personal travel philosophy: I don't believe in jet lag. No matter where I travel, I force myself to be IN THE ZONE that I am in.