DAY 1 – In The Air
After a lovely two months on the home front in Los Angeles, the first squad of our MSIA travel staff team is off and flying again today. This time for Europe. First stop – MADRID. Lesley Freeman and Vincent Dupont navigated through stormy skies and a stop in Chicago to London today. Vincent calls me from Chicago letting me know they’ve made their connecting flight and are good to go. Vaya con Dios!
DAY 2 – MADRID
Email confirms that Vincent and Lesley have arrived safely in Madrid after a change of planes in London. Oh boy, this is one of those nice loooong travel days that we are always happy to have end safely and securely in our hotel room in our destination city. Tomorrow is a full day for these two. Rest well. You deserve it! Meanwhile I (Angel) am a mini-whirling dervish as I pack for a month on the road—hmm, looking at my suitcase, it’s time for another preening or this baby just isn’t going to close. How to fit my recording equipment, toiletries and clothes for cold and hot climates. Hmmm?!
DAY 3 – MADRID and Second Squad off for England
Today in Madrid our dynamic duo, Lesley and Vincent, get the morning off but then it is full on with services and in the evening Vincent facilitating the Loving Relationships workshop. I bet sleep will be welcomed by both of them tonight, but then again it’s Madrid and the night life is just starting at 10pm.
Second squad—yours truly—flies out this afternoon: destination London en route to Sussex. My first change of planes is in Chicago where the weather is now lovely, so it’s smooth sailing and connecting for me. Thank you, God, for having a business class seat on this leg. One of my favorite things about business class is having warmed mixed nuts…and they even gave me seconds. Grace continues as one of the entrees is an onion/garlic-free chicken. Yum! I read, do email (yep, it’s time to input the Midwest trip travelbook) and even sneak in a little movie time…ya just gotta love this kind of travel day!
DAY 4 – MADRID and SUSSEX
It’s a simple day of services today in Madrid, and hopefully a day when Lesley and Vincent can catch their breaths and maybe walk a little out in Madrid, and then re-pack for tomorrow it’s Hasta la vista, Madrid, y Bon Jour, Paris!
Today I arrive in London. My plane is early and I’m virtually in and out of immigration and customs in about 20 minutes. Greg Parry meets me at arrivals and before I know it we’re on our way to Sussex in Greg’s cute Peugeot (I hope that’s how you spell it). But first it’s time to go to the Waffle Shop in the town of St. Alban’s. Now this is what I call England…and I’m back in medieval or certainly renaissance times…narrow cobblestoney streets, thatched roofs, old brick-work everywhere…and the Waffle Shop is in an old mill. There’s a stream, of course, that makes the wheel turn; ducks and the most beautiful crane, minding their own delightful business, as Greg, I and the rest of London, it seems, are enjoying the bank holiday right here. I’m in no rush and just enjoy being outside under trees talking to the people in line behind us that just happen to be two children who talk to me about this their first experience of the Waffle shop. Our choices are very English as it’s now lunch time, so the waffle entrees are things like cheddar and mushrooms or cheddar and tomato on wholemeal waffles. I go very British and have the cheddar and tomato—sooo good—I eat the whole thing…and of course we have to try the dessert waffles, so I share a Banofee waffle—which includes bananas, whipped cream, ice cream, toffee and chocolate. Of course, a few espressos and—What jet lag?! Then we do the scenic drive to Sussex—actually my real destination is Rustington—and I’m just oohing and ahhing around every bend as it seems each village is competing with the next for fairytale award of the year looks. Rustington is very close to Arundel which sports one of my all time favorite castles situated on a hill overlooking the village. Greg squires me to my “Manor” and makes sure I’m settled in, which means in staff parlance my wireless internet is up and running. I thank him—great cavalier that he is—and he jauntily jumps into Le Peugeot and heads right back to London. Now that’s a great guy! On my own I walk around the town, getting my bearings and down to the sea. My game plan is to stay up to at least 10pm so I can get on British time. I do dinner at the local pub—it’s fish and chips and peas. Works for me. A little email…and yes, sleep is about to claim me. ‘Till tomorrow!
