D-Day Dawns: It’s a Wowie Wedding!

Saturday, August 10, 2024

D-Day Dawns: It’s a Wowie Wedding!

Finally D-Day (or as I like to call it), W-Day Dawned! W for Wow, W for Wonderful, W for Wondrous, W for Wunderbar… We awoke in The Glenmark Hotel and decided to go down to the Restaurant to have ourselves a substantial breakfast as we knew that our next big meal of the day would probably be dinner, at the wedding reception of our lovely daughter, Chriselle to the dashing AJ. Accordingly, I ordered Shahshuka Eggs which came with thick slices of Ciabatta Toast and hash browns, while Llew chose a Ham and Cheese Omelet which was accompanied by toast and the same hash browns—all washed down with decaff coffee. Good job we did eat well, because, as I had expected, it would be ages before we sat down again to eat—so quickly did the day fly.

We spent the morning in our hotel room getting our clothes ready for the big occasion—ironing was one item that took time. We showered and, as instructed, were ready in the hotel lobby at 1.00 pm. Chriselle looked lovely in her bridal gown with pearl ear-rings and a string of pearls at her neck (both gifted to her by Llew and me for her 16th and 21st birthdays respectively). She was bubbling with her usual zest and vigor. It was also good to find that AJ’s family, the Briggs’, had arrived there on time. We greeted each other and met other familiar faces. I was very pleased, for example, to greet Brie, Chriselle’s Matron of Honor, who had arrived late the previous evening from New Jersey. As she used to be Chriselle’s roommate and her best friend during their undergraduate college years at the University of Connecticut, I knew her well but it was several years before I had last seen her. She had arrived with her husband, Roger, whom I was also happy to meet again.

Slowly, but surely, we made our way up to the rooftop where we met the official photographer, Emily, who immediately set us all at ease. For the next one hour, we placed ourselves in her hands as she directed us through multiple group pictures that Chriselle had planned on a long list. Emily chose backdrops in keeping with the strength of the light and the backgrounds and, eventually, all official pictures were taken. Of course, all of us put our phones to work and clicked informal pictures of each other as well. I chose to wear a Dana Buchman suit in gold damask with a matching fascinator which I had ‘doctored’ in Bombay to make it more fetching and to match the color of my outfit. Llew wore a tuxedo and found that he matched little Ferris, their dog, who was also in a tux!

Off to Church:

When all pictures were taken on the hotel rooftop, Chriselle and AJ ushered the crowd towards their individual modes of transport to the next venue: the Church. Llew and I had the privilege of riding in the Bridal Car and, about an hour later, we were at Bethlehem Lutheran Church which is the one that Chriselle has been attending for the past several years. As the pastor of the church, Megan Freyling is her best friend in Los Angeles, it was a no-brainer that she would officiate at the wedding nuptials. It was lovely to meet Megan (whom we have known for about ten years) again and to greet her husband too. I loved the very casual vibe of the whole wedding. There was nothing stiff or cold about it as everyone was super friendly and super casual.

The Wedding Nuptials:

Chriselle and AJ’s wedding was themed around a line from the Gospel of St. Matthew (6:28): “Look at the Wildflowers: How Much More He will Care for You.” Accordingly, Chriselle wore a wreath made up of vibrantly-colored fresh flowers which were echoed in her bridal bouquet, the boutonnieres and the corsages that were on the wrists of the ladies including Moi as Mother of the Bride. As the wedding procession was simple—just one Bridesmaid and Best Man—there had been no rehearsal as such, the previous evening, as is traditional. Instead Chriselle had merely invited both Llew and me to walk her down the aisle—which, of course, we felt honored to do. The guests took their places in their pews as the large video screen in the church came to life and the sounds of Schubert’s “Ave Maria” filled the air. The singer was my brother Roger’s daughter, Anaya, who was accompanied on the piano by her brother, Arav. They had recorded the duet and sent it across to be incorporated into the wedding service. All the Readings in the Church were chosen personally by the couple whose tastes are eclectic—the Beatles’ anthem “All You Need is Love” was part of the theme. Chriselle had invited me to do the First Reading from a Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1:13--“Love is Patient; Love is Kind”). Brie did a Reading from Khalil Gibran’s “On Marriage” and AJ’s Uncle Keith (his mother’s brother—a professional actor too) recited Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 (“Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments…”). The couple’s dog, Ferris, was discreetly present at the wedding, especially at the recitation of the vows—both the ecclesiastical ones (administered by Pastor Megan) and the ones the two of them composed and recited to each other. The singer was just wonderful as he sang classic American hymns such as “Amazing Grace” as well 70’s folks hits such as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s, “Our House” and “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke. Chriselle made a very radiant bride and AJ was an emotional groom. During Holy Communion, we all prayed hard for a lovely couple who were clearly devoted to each other and wished to pledge the rest of their lives to their happiness and fulfilment. After Holy Communion, there was an engaging video showing stills and video snatches of their many travels together through the years and across continents. It was all very romantic and quite seamlessly orchestrated. People were bathed in smiles, their hearts lightened by the presence of love in the air and optimistic hope for the future. There was also a light-heartedness about a couple that were very relaxed in the knowledge that everyone present loved them, were rooting for their success and that no one judged them. Each person involved did a fantastic job—including Chriselle’s friend, Mary, who decorated the church, the videographer Grace who captured the entire service and Pastor Megan whose eye for detail covered every aspect of the ceremony over which she presided with great feeling as was evident in the lovely homily she preached. I was very proud of what Chriselle and AJ had achieved in the first part of their wedding service and I had little doubt that the celebration that would follow would be every bit as wonderful.

When the nuptials came to an end, the couple took many pictures at the altar and then walked jubilantly down the aisle to sign the marriage register, in keeping with California State Law. I used the short lull time to enter the spacious dressing room in the church to change into a more formal outfit for the cocktails and dinner reception that followed. I had chosen a sage green, cocktail-length dress in chiffon with sequined hand-embroidered highlights and glittering diamante jewelry to match. The shoes and matching bag I chose went well with the outfit (but I must admit that not having worn high heels in a long while, I was not very comfortable).

Off to Cocktails and Dinner at The Odyssey:

As soon as everyone’s picture was taken with the couple, we were ushered into waiting transport—Llew and I were in the Bridal Car again—and ferried off to nearby Granada Hills for the reception which took place at ‘The Odyssey’, a beautifully-located restaurant structured in several tiers, each offering privacy and stunning views of the San Fernando Valley spread beneath. Emily, the photographer, had reached the venue and we spent the next half hour having pictures taken in various locations that offered ample opportunity for scenic clicks.

When the couple’s and group portraits were taken, we made our way to a private section of the restaurant overlooking the city. Champagne was served to each of us upon entry for imbibing during the toast (proposed, as is traditional, by the Best Man, Kevin). Seating was assigned and we found our names and a copy of the menu at each table. The glowing couple took their own seats as the sun marched low towards the Western horizon. We caught its fading rays as speeches were made, amusing incidents were recalled, laughs were had and glasses of bubbly were clinked. More drinks flowed in the open bar and the special cocktails that the couple had concocted. Then Appetizers appeared: all sorts of delectable morsels from grilled shrimp and crab cakes to an artichoke-spinach dip and a crunchy Caesar Salad. We thoroughly enjoyed being spoiled by the wait staff who hovered around refilling our glasses. Chriselle and AJ cut their beautiful cake—themed around the colors and pattern of wildflowers. Guests could not make up their minds whether to indulge in entrees of filet mignon, roast breast of chicken or Icelandic salmon, with a wild mushroom pappardelle available for vegetarians. We ate our fill of really delicious food—it’s always great to have a wedding reception at a reputed restaurant because you can be sure that the fancy food will also taste really terrific!

By the time dessert was served, everyone was circulating, looking at phone pictures, tossing back more champers and, in general, feeling the bonhomie of the situation. We barely had any room for the Sticky Toffee Pudding served with candied pecans and Dulce de Leche Ice-cream ( an overdose of yumminess!) before thick slices of Red Velvet Wedding Cake made the rounds for us to express secret wishes on behalf of the couple, as we polished it all off. Indeed, the sun had set over the beaches of Los Angeles, by this point, and lights twinkled in the valley below, presenting a magical carpet, as it were, at our feet. Strings of fairy lights also glowed throughout the restaurant as we said our goodbyes at the end of a really enchanted evening. Llew and I had made many friends during the day and became better known to AJ’s side of the family. Ferris, by the way, had stayed put under the table and was happy to receive luxuriant wedding scraps, as the evening marched on.

It was very clear that the couple had enjoyed their wedding as much as they enjoyed entertaining the small, select band of close relatives and friends they had invited. We were super happy for them. To know that all the months of planning (ever since they had become officially engaged) had paid off was a very gratifying feeling and we were grateful to the Lord who had graced their wedding, with His silent presence, for the abundant blessings he had showered on them and would, no doubt, continue to do so in the years to come. For our part, Llew and I were pleased to receive the warm congratulations of everyone present and to revel in our roles as Parents of the Bride. We were also thrilled to have been able (despite various worrying odds, including the fragile health of my 94-year old Dad in Bombay) to be able to give the couple our blessings in person and to see them off on their united lives together. Tired, but very happy, at close to midnight, we took pictures in the very elegant lobby of the restaurant where we said goodbye to all our new friends before getting a ride back to our hotel. It has been an unforgettable day—made even classier by the enormous amount of planning that had gone into every aspect of it: from the church programs to the design of the menus; from the flowers to the music; from the place cards at the reception to the take-home favors: tiny terracotta pots with packets of wildflower seeds cushioned in them. The caption on each packet said, “Let Love Grow.” And to that, all I can add is “Amen”. Until tomorrow, cheerio…

Two Important Pre-Wedding Events: A Poolside Taco Party in Santa Clarita and a Late-Evening Rooftop Cocktail Party Gets the Wedding Festivity Going.

Los Angeles: Friday, August 9, 2024 Two Important Pre-Wedding Events: A Poolside Taco Party in Santa Clarita and a Late-Evening Rooftop Cocktail Party Gets the Wedding Festivity Going.

Today was a bit hectic as we had a few major appointments We had a very comfortable night in The Glenmark, had our showers and then ate croissants that Chriselle had brought us yesterday together with coffee from the coffee machine in our room. We wanted to stay light as we knew there was a lot of eating to do as the day progressed.

Chriselle had brought us a big pack of pistachios from Trader Joes, but because they were salted, we decided to stroll two blocks down to exchange them for a bag of the unsalted kind—no one needs to consume more salt than absolutely essential. We accomplished this task very easily and then, on our way back, made a short visit at the Episcopal Church next door to the hotel which has a charming courtyard, a beautiful interior and a very English feel to it. A little later, we returned to the hotel lobby to await the arrival of Ashish, son of our friends, Denzil and Ruth in Bombay, who had sent a large parcel of food items for him. He arrived on schedule at 9.30 am which gave us a chance to meet him for the first time. After a very nice visit in the lobby itself (he was on his way to work), we said goodbye to him and made our way up to our room. Just a little later, Chriselle and AJ joined us in our room as we had informed them that we had gifts we wished to give them.

A Surprise Gift of Oil Paintings:

The gift opening was fun because both of them were really surprised by the oil paintings that I had done in Bombay and carried to them—individual portraits of the two of them. They really did love them very much and were most impressed, moved and delighted by my efforts. We took pictures of them opening the paintings and then posing with them. Gift-giving and card-exchanging done, there was only enough time left for us to get dressed and move on to the next item on our day’s agenda,—the Poolside Taco Party.

A Poolside Taco Party in Santa Clarita:

As neither Llew nor I had met AJ’s family members before, the bridal couple planned a Poolside Taco Party that would take place for just the members of the two immediate families. AJ’s entire family had traveled from Rochester, New York, for the wedding—his parents, Greg and Robin, his sister, her partner and her three kids (two girls and a boy). They had chosen to stay together in a large Air B&B Mansion that comprised about five bedrooms and offered a beautifully landscaped pool in Santa Clarity, about a half hour away from Glendale.

Well, Santa Clarita happened to be at least 10 degrees hotter than Los Angeles and it was sizzling when we left the car. I was grateful for the full pure cotton midi dress I had bought from Anokhi in Bombay for the occasion, as it was very cool and very comfy. Our first introductions went off well with everyone friendly and eager to mingle. We exchanged gifts, of course, and found some members of the family very reluctant to be photographed. Meanwhile, the caterer was staying busy as she set up the buffet station that provided many opportunities. It was all meant to be set up by the pool; but since it was so hot, all of us preferred to stay indoors with the convenience of air-conditioning. The buffet was laid out on the kitchen counter instead. Drinks made the rounds as AJ and Chriselle kept a close eye on detail and managed to take care of everyone’s individual needs. I had a refreshing gin and tonic, others had vodka and whiskey and wine. We drifted in and out of the house, towards the pool which made a picturesque backdrop for photos. When it was lunch time, I helped myself to carne asada (tacos with pulled beef), Chicken Tingue (a kind of barbecued chicken) and grilled shrimp tostadas (delicious). There were also all the trimmings: guacamole, sour cream, grated cheese, tomato salsa, lime wedges, and a big green salad. With a full plate, we sat down to eat and enjoy each other’s company while cracking jokes and looking back on the past. Happy times were had by all. Before we called an end to the afternoon, we assembled on the deck and set the camera up for a self-timed photo that included every member of the two families. It was really fabulous and we were all really happy that the ice had broken so easily.

About three hours after our arrival, we set out for our return to the hotel again. We had a very short rest (a quick nap, really) before we needed to get ready for the next social engagement.

A Cocktail Party on the Rooftop of The Glenmar

Dressing for these occasions was half the fun of them as I had a chance to break out the new wardrobe in which I had invested for my daughter’s wedding and the accompanying events that were part of the festivities. The midi full floral printed dress I had chosen for the evening’s occasion was just lovely and went perfectly with the SoCal vibe—smart, casual, characterized by light florals in summer pastel colors. It was a bit of a nuisance to cart out all these clothes from India with their accompanying accessories (shoes, bag, jewelry), but the finished effect was so cool that it seemed entirely worthwhile.

Most of the other guests (restricted to Out-Of-Townies) were already on the rooftop of our hotel when we arrived there. Kevin, AJ’s brother, who is the General Manager of the hotel, had cordoned off a large corner section of the Rooftop restaurant so that we could claim it for ourselves. As soon as we arrived there, more introductions were made to AJ’s friends who had arrived from as far away as Tallin in Estonia, Yannis and Yanna. AJ’s family members were also present—everyone had dressed in semi-formal style, a far cry from the shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and swimming suits of the afternoon’s brunch. Everyone looked so smart and so festive and ready to pose for a million pictures. Passed hors d’oeuvres made the rounds: grilled shrimp, beef sliders, chicken wings. There was an open bar and most of us, ladies, opted for frozen margaritas as the weather lent itself perfectly to such a choice. The sun was high up in the sky when the evening began at 6.00 pm, but as the evening marched on, it turned far less fierce. The surrounding San Rafael Mountains made the perfect backdrop for the occasion and the sunset, when it did occur, was picture perfect and led to everyone pulling out their phones to take photos. All the time, we kept replenishing our glasses and stuffing ourselves with the vast amount of appetizers that kept us well-filled during a really terrific cocktail party that banished all thoughts of dinner from our minds. By the time, it was about 10.00 pm, the rooftop was filed with other local guests who had come there for dinner. The lights had come on as did the fires in the pillar heaters that punctuated the space. It was a really lovely ambience and the perfect way to get ready for the Big Day ahead of us.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

A Long Layover in London and A Comfortable Flight Stateside

London-Los Angeles: Thursday, August 8, 2024 A Long Layover in London and A Comfortable Flight Stateside

When we first took stock of our itinerary, I had seriously considered the idea of leaving Heathrow airport and wandering around Hounslow High Street as we had seven full hours to kill on a layover in London before it was time to board our connecting flight to California. However, as we had arrived in London at 7.00 am and would probably find no shops open until 10.00 am, we figured we’d only have about two hours to browse or shop before it was time to return to Heathrow to board our connecting flight. Hence, we finally resolved to stay put at the airport and make the most of our time there. Fortunately, British Airways uses Terminal 5, which is like a shopping mall in and of itself, offers marvelous options for shopping, browsing, dining, charging cell phones, etc. One must always be aware, however, that the Terminal is huge and changing flights there invariably involves a monorail train ride past a few stations before one arrives at the correct gates. This is time-consuming and a real nightmare if one is running late for a flight.

We used our seven hours at Heathrow quite profitably indeed. First of all, I went in search of the cosmetics and toiletries on my list—such as Dove body wash in Nourishing Silk fragrance (available only in Europe), Badedas Three-in-One Shampoo, Conditioner and Shower Gel, Rimmel Nail Polish, Max Factor lipsticks, etc. Sadly, all I could find were lipsticks and nail polish (which I stockpiled) and in W.H. Smith, we saw tins of toffees, sweets and biscuits that commemorated recent royal milestones: The Queens’ Golden Jubilee, King Charles’ Accession to the Throne, etc. We bought some of those goodies and then went in search of some place where we could sit down at leisure and have a good meal.

We found that spot at The Crown Rivers, a Wetherspoon Pub at Terminal Five itself, that was fully set up to take drinks orders as well as cater any food needs. Llew and I chose to have a drink each (A Cabernet for him, Guinness draught stout for me) and on finding out what the contents of a Full English Breakfast would be (as we had missed it on our flight into London), we decided to share one—and what a good job we did! Even with the two of us sharing the enormous platter, it was overwhelming. We had two scrambled eggs, two rashers of bacon, two pork sausages, two hash browns, a small bowl of baked beans, a serving of grilled mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, two slices of buttered toast. No marks for guessing that everything was super filling and super delicious. With all the time in the world to enjoy our meal, we feasted like royalty. Believe me, it was the start of unmitigated overeating for the next six weeks that saw me gain a whole dress size by the time I was back on Indian soil again. Good job, Chriselle’s wedding was right at the beginning of our travel (and eating) adventure or else the wardrobe I had carried for the different events that comprised the wedding, would never have fit me.

And so, we passed seven whole hours at Heathrow. When Llew was too tired (or bored) to walk around the upscale designer showrooms, I left him seated somewhere to play his phone word games while I browsed through the duty-free offerings of my favorite designers: Burberry, Coach, Hermes, Cartier, Dior, Ted Baker as well as less expensive stores such as Accessorize and Boots. By 1.00 pm, after our onward flight was announced and its gate made known, we caught the monorail train that took us to our gate and were off on schedule at 2.00 pm (London local time). All went well with our on-going flight on the London-Los Angeles (direct) sector as I tried to watch yet another couple of movies before

I was lulled to sleep by the smooth flight that offered absolutely no turbulence. I was amazed at how quickly the hours slid by as we were wined and dined on board. Llew enjoyed the wine selections while I had Tanqueray Gin Fizz cocktails and enjoyed the Continental meals involving Roast Breast of Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, a creamy Mushroom sauce and Sauteed Beans, a small green salad and Chocolate Mousse Cake for dessert. Another meal involved Rigatoni in Tomato Cream Sauce, a bread roll with butter and a Wild Berry Crumble with Custard for dessert. Our arrival at Los Angeles airport was smooth and worry free at 5.15 pm local time. With our touch down in the city, Phase One of our travels began.

Obtaining my Global Entry Network Pass:

As soon as I arrived in California and while Llew raced off to the conveyor belt to claim our baggage, I found the counter for in-person interviews for the renewal of my Global Entry Card. (As mine had expired, I had reapplied, had been approved and was told to make myself available for an interview on re-entering the US). This, of course, occurred at LAX (Los Angeles International airport)—so, of course, I had my interview there. It took only a few minutes for my personal credentials to be back-checked and my documents scanned before I was informed that my card would come in the mail any time after three weeks had passed. I hoped sincerely that I would be able to pick it up from my Connecticut home before I left the US; but it had not arrived by the time I left, over a month later. However, as it had been approved already and was entered into the computer, I was easily able to go through Pre-TSA Approved lines from that time onwards.

A Long-Awaited, Happy Reunion:

It was not long before we picked up our baggage and made our way to the Arrivals foyer where we had a joyous reunion with our daughter, Chriselle, her soon-to-be husband, AJ and their dog, Ferris. Sadly, we found that, at fifteen years of age, he has aged visibly and is no longer the gregarious puppy we had once raised during his first year of life. Still, we had an affectionate reunion with him, a very subdued and confused pet (who hates crowds, noise, traffic—all the ingredients we encountered at the airport and outside).

By the time, I had my Global Entry interview and we picked up our baggage, it was past 6.00 pm. as we made our way into Chriselle’s car to start the one-hour drive along Los Angeles’ famous freeways. It was uncanny but although we had been away for a whole year (for me) and almost two years (for Llew), within five minutes of being on a US freeway, with well-lit skyscrapers whizzing past me, I felt as if I had never left the USA. In fact, it felt as if I had reached home again—our second home, that is. I loved that feeling of immediate comfort and familiarity as soon as we were back in La La Land.

Check-in At The Glenmark and In N Out Burgers for Dinner:

With AJ at the wheel of their Subaru Outback, we arrived at the lobby of The Glenmark Hotel in Glendale, California, about a twenty minute drive from downtown LA. As we had stayed at this same hotel about two years ago, we also felt comfortably at home upon entering the lobby. Check-in was smooth because AJ’s brother, Kevin, happens to be the General Manager. He made sure we had an especially comfy room with a good view made available to us and with the lovely care package that Chriselle and AJ had put together, we were charmed. Inside, we found a bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin, many different bottles of tonic water, a bottle of Cabernet for Llew, energy cereal bars, plus all kinds of nuts and nibbles from Trader Joes together with small chocolate covered dried fruit that came in very handy for the days we were on the road, .We were very grateful at their thoughtfulness and said so before they joined us for dinner. In N Out Burger, a real LA Institution, was chosen to provide our evening meal, We each went for the ionic burgers that are slightly larger than most. Served with a magic sauce, we had our hamburgers wrapped up with the idea of eating them in our room. Back in the hotel, that was exactly what we did and when all formalities were done, we sat down to enjoy our In N Out Burger. One item on my US To-Do List down, countless to still go through,

By the time it was 9.00 pm, we were tired and sleepy and ready to call it a night. We knew we had a very busy next day and we wanted to get some beauty sleep to be fresh and relaxed for it.

Until tomorrow, cheerio..

A MARATHON WHIRL AROUND NORTH AMERICA: Off and Away

Bombay, Wednesday, August 7, 2024

We had been preparing for the trip—a marathon tour around North America—for at least three months (if not more) before our departure. With the cooperation of a number of family members and friends who provided advice, guidance, made appointments on our behalf and offered accommodation, we had six weeks fully covered. By the time we were ready to depart on our flight, we had travels that could be divided into Five Phases: Phase One (Attending Chriselle’s Wedding in Los Angeles, California); Phase Two (Our Great American Road Adventure through the Grand National Parks of the US Western States); Phase Three (Our Stay in Connecticut, New York and Boston); Phase Four (A Stay in Toronto, Canada); and Phase Five (Attending our friend Kristen’s Wedding in New Jersey).Here is an account of each of those monumental segments and the huge amount we managed to cram effortlessly into each day.

Departure and Flights to Los Angeles:

We felt fortunate that our departure for our flight taking us away from Bombay was scheduled very late in the day. This afforded us the entire day to finalize packing decisions, say our goodbyes to my Dad and brother, Russel, close down our flat and tick off our To-Do List all items that need to be accomplished before one leaves home on a long (almost 6 week) trip halfway around the world. With all our tasks done, we left home using an Uber at 9.45 pm and were off to Bombay International Airport for our British Airways flight to the USA (Los Angeles) via London.

All went smoothly with our departure and we arrived at the airport one hour later (at 10.45pm). Check-in was super smooth in the hands of Traffic Assistant, Brunell Bayross, with whom we entered into a friendly conversation as we requested window seats. By the time we were all done with check-in formalities, there wasn’t much time to use the airport lounge. Instead, we went straight to our gate to await boarding.

Our flight was right on time and boarding began on schedule. We were delighted with our seats (one behind the other) in Club (Business) Club where the flat beds awed us as we would be airborne in the middle of the night and had achieved no sleep to speak off until then. All the frills that we associate with flying luxuriously made their appearance: hot towels, glasses of bubbly, an upscale toiletry case and set, etc. We figured out how to use our own personal TV screens and acquainted ourselves with the available entertainment. The amount of legroom we had was unbelievable—a particular delight on a long-haul, late-night flight.

The stewardess came around with our menu cards and both of us selected different starters: Both of us chose the grilled shrimp starter which came with mayonnaise, cucumber curls, sliced olives and capers as well as a croissant with butter. For our mains, I went for the honey and chilli roasted smoked salmon which came with sour cream, dill, hard boiled eggs, cucumber wedges and sliced lemon together with a croissant and butter curls and a small serving of butternut squash soup. Llew chose the Chicken Rara which came with biry

ani and bhindi masala. Dessert followed and was comprised of baked mango cheesecake. I chose to watch a movie and began with All of Us, Strangers, that starred Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, two of the most talented young British actors today. It was a very sad and poignant film about a gay relationship that is fraught with painful past memories. I then closed my eyes for a while, slept soundly as only a horizontal sleep position will allow, and awoke to find that we still had about three hours of flying time left. Breakfast was soon served but both Llew and I were disappointed to find that by the time we ordered the FEB (Full English Breakfast), it was no longer available. Instead, we had to content ourselves with orders of the Indian option which was keema paratha which was, sadly, inedible. Neither of us did any justice to it.

We were compensated for our disappointment at breakfast with another movie that I enjoyed thoroughly, F. Scott Ridley’s Napoleon starring Joaquim Phoenix, It was a terrific historical biopic that taught me so much about Napoleon’s life and his complicated relationship with his wife, Josephine. By the time, we were ready to touch down in London, it was nearing the end of the flight and the end of the movie. I managed to shoot some video of the Thames Estuary as the river emptied itself into the North Sea before it was time to land. And we had lapsed into a new day. I cannot imagine where the almost ten hours of flying time had vanished.

Until tomorrow, cheerio…