Tag: uk

I Biked In London!!!!

My flight to Amsterdam was at 3-30 PM on Thursday, so I had time in the morning to visit my colleague in our London office. It was an unofficial visit, but we had things to discuss, and so he booked a room, and we talked for several hours straight. When we were done, there was still time until lunch, and my co-worker asked me whether I would like to go for a bike ride. He told me later I looked completely startled, and rightly so! I do not bike in Downtown Chicago, because I do not feel it safe (except if I venture there early in the morning on a weekend). But in London?!… However, I knew that he was a biker and he biked to work, and he reminded me that he had a foldable bike, and he said we could rent a city bike and that he could give me his helmet, so I decided to get out of my comfort zone.

I am extremely thankful to him for making this suggestion. Also, since I didn’t feel comfortable on a city e-bike, he suggested I take his bike, and he took a city one. Obviously, I was following him closely, but he was great in waiting for me and showing directions, especially because going on the wrong side of the road added to my discomfort.

The pictures below are the ones I took during this bike ride and the ones he took, including the one from atop his shoulder.

If somebody had told me two hours earlier I was about to do this, I would never have believed them!

Hotel Durrants

Here are some pictures from Hotel Durrants in London. It’s a “victorian-style hotel” which I mostly chose because of it’s proximity to the conference venue (and an option of cancelling until almost the last minute).

As I mentioned, breakfast was included, but it was not a buffet, which left me wondering what exactly was included :). As I mentioned, the first morning I just ate the fastest thing, but for my second morning I wanted to have a proper no-rush breakfast.

As you can imagine, I loved the setting. However, when it was “no rush”, it was indeed no rush. Twenty-five minutes. I know better to order an English breakfast when in England, at least you know what you get. However, this time, since I was low on protein, I decided to order an egg whites omelet. That was what took 20_ minutes, and also, when they brought an omelet, there was no toast with it, which I totally expected. Since I was afraid it will take twenty minutes again:), I decided to compensate in the office where I was heading anyway.

Below are the drawing rooms on the ground floor of the hotel.

Traveling As Finnair Gold

My two weeks of travel had begun. There are no direct flights to from Chicago to Helsinki this time of the year, so I had a connection in London. It was the first time I used a Oneworld lounge in O’Hare, and it was a great decision because I could have a way better dinner than on the plane. Also, I could go to sleep immediately after the boarding was complete and have close to normal sleep time. No need to wake up for food :).

Same with breakfast – they gave us just a half-cup of yogurt on the plane, but I went to the Oneworld lounge in Heathrow and had an English breakfast there.

I loved that they had small teapots with a cup and a milk pitcher (same as when you have plates and cups at the buffet). You can take one, choose your tea bag(s) and pore whatever milk you prefer, and then take this set back to where you sit.

After I arrived in Helsinki, I tried to put a contact lens in my right eye for the first time since this weird thing happened, and it felt OK. Today, I wore both lenses for about six hours, and it was all good, but I am not sure for how long I will wear them tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a very long day!