You may wonder what kind of vacation a romance author takes…the
main difference from your vacation and mine is that I’m still constantly
thinking of a plot for the next great American romance!
I just returned from a tour of the United Kingdom…England,
Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Wales. I’m not a historical writer, just reader, so
I think about how I can turn this tranquil kingdom into a suspenseful arena. 
Yes, I saw beautiful castles, cathedrals, landscape, and ate
English food. I’m sure you’ve all seen documentaries
and magazines depicting all of the above, so I’m going to relate a few personal
adventures.
After an eventful flight from O’Hare to Heathrow, yes I got
sick on the plane probably from too many “relaxers”, my husband and I exited
the spacecraft. The atmosphere of
Heathrow was, to say the least, a bit spooky.
The two story walls were glass and stark. We were directed through a series of turns,
stairs, and escalators with only the light from fluorescents.
Not too bad until I noticed not a single shop or kiosk, only
the people from arriving planes, and police everywhere. It was quiet.
The bathrooms had one toilet. England’s terrorist alert had raised a level
the day before.
Led to a long line of travelers, almost two hours later we
handed our travel documents, passport and card explaining who we were and our
reason for arriving, to one of a dozen officers.
I can’t help but add a little controversy. My card read…JOB: Govt.
I do work for the govt. (USA),
but I didn’t expand. The officer looked
me up and down-no I looked a wreck at this hour. He rummaged through my carry-on, looked me up
and down again, then said, “You work for the government?”
I said, “Yes.” Could
I be more obtuse, or what? I felt the
thrill of a challenge brewing already.
With the bobbies of England! I
was messing with the police! My heart
thumped and thudded as I waited for his dark eyes and thin lips to respond. I have a former Marine at my side and wasn’t
afraid to use him.
It ended well as he chuckled, stamped my card, and moved the
long line forward. I think I was a bit
relieved.
Now I am in London!
Our hotel was two blocks from the Thames and we had legs ready to go
with no sleep for twenty-seven hours.
One more story about the infamously bad English food…
That first day our stomachs drove us to find a café for
breakfast. We eagerly tried an “English
breakfast.” I thought I over reacted,
but my husband didn’t like it either.
Imagine, a poached egg, tiny hash brown (not too bad yet), a mushy
tasteless sausage, and flavorless baked beans.
Don’t forget that a cup of coffee comes in halfsies and no refills. Tea is abundant, but I couldn’t solely rely
on it.
Sorry, but I won’t be gaining weight in England.
So much more to tell…Our hostess, Alexis, will need to give
me more time to relate the interesting parts of the tripJ
Always travel with a
mission and get the most out of it!
Dawn
