h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I had to get up rather early, as I had to vacate my compartment by 7:30, which meant I needed to get dressed before then. Well before then, actually, as I was having breakfast delivered to my compartment. I'd chosen the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon months earlier, when I'd made my reservation. 'Twas different than what I'm used to as smoked salmon--I'm used to dryer and a flakier texture, or just plain smoked salmon jerky. I liked it, though. (The best smoked fish I've ever had was alder-smoked sturgeon, just removed from the redwood skewer and still hot Not too many Yurok working in UK kitchens, though)

Joy of joys, I got to make my way from Euston to Gatwick just before rush hour started in earnest, luggage and all I survived, obviously, and even remembered to put Agapanthus' spare Oyster Card in the envelope she'd addressed and stamped 2 weeks earlier and drop it in the post box at Gatwick. Her next guest should've had some credit on it, too.

After going through security, I had a few hours to fill. I wandered into the branch of Harrod's there for the express purpose of buying a bag, just for the fun of going to the local discount grocery store with a bag from (what I thought was) a store well known for expensive everything. I seem to be the only one that gets the joke, though... I also picked up various foodstuffs for the flight (in hindsight, I really wish I had had a small cooler or something--even with the exchange rate, food at the various markets in Gatwick was half the price (or less) than sandwiches and such at any other airport I was at).

The first flight went well. I did manage to doze a bit, here and there, which made getting through layovers and my later, too-short-for-real-sleep flight legs bearable (I did rest my eyes on both the short flights, though). I went through customs at Vancouver airport, in Canada, so that was all taken care of before I was actually in the US. I will say that the outbound international area of Vancouver airport is much cooler than the incoming--not that the incoming wasn't nice, but the outgoing had sculptures and a pond/fountain/stream, and more (expensive because of captive audience) dining choices. As o the outbound trip, all my layovers were long enough to get boring, but not long enough to leave the airport and meet friends an family in the area (especially Seattle).

Now, as I was arriving in Medford (my last stop, the airport that's 2 hours away from home) at shortly after 1am, I had reserved a motel room and a taxi in April (which impressed/confused the taxi company when they'd called to confirm the date shortly after I'd made it) and arranged with Tom for he and the girls to come pick me up at checkout. I had reserved the taxi so far in advance, in fact, that I couldn't remember which taxi company it was Fortunately, when I finally took my phone off airport mode and let it talk with a network again once I was in Seattle, I had a voicemail from the taxi company from half an hour earlier asking for a final confirmation (mostly to get the flight number), so I called them back. All was set, and a driver was there when I walked out of the final airport. It was a quick ride to my motel, and I'd tucked just the right amount of American currency into my phone case before I left home for the fare and a good tip. I checked in and found my room with no problem except for one more flight of stairs I fell asleep rather quickly...

Well organised indeed

That's interesting about smoked salmon - I don't like it in the UK because it is a wet texture that I can't deal with... I wonder if what you are used to is "hot smoked" salmon, so it is more cooked as well as having the smoky flavour. Quite possibly, given your description of the sturgeon...

Yes, 'tis... If I'd known, I would've tried to have the time to get some to bring for people to taste at meets, like my pumpkin fudge.

That would have been more challenging than Fudge to carry on the plane, though!

I've not tried sturgeon at all, but I have occasionally found hot smoked salmon in the supermarket Just needs careful checking of the packet... (I once bought a beautiful fillet of smoked trout and it was only after I opened the packet that I discovered it was cold-smoked My mum happily ate it instead, though )

Not really--vacuum packed, wouldn't have to worry about it getting squished, and no seepage. *Bit* more expensive, though... (And harder for me to share )