Tacoma. Seattle Day 1

Arriving

We had a fantastic flight over to Seattle. The kids slept stretched out on two seats each, and so we managed to watch some films and relax!

The arrival procedure in the US was quite protracted - we had many queues to get through. It took us three hours from landing to get to the house we are staying at. Brian and Abbey Riehs collected us from the airport in a borrowed 8-seater. They are such a lovely, gracious young couple. They have been leaders of Children's Church for years and Abbey is a primary school teacher. They are pregnant with their first baby too. So they are a perfect place to stay for us - the kids adore them and they are so patient and good with them. They don't mind the constant noise and excitement! They have a beautiful home, newly built but in the older American style with wooden floors, coffee coloured walls, and immaculate right through. We have a bedroom each and our own bathroom, in one wing of the house.

First Night

The children did not know how to cope with the time difference, so they woke up at 3.30 am wide awake. We got them to lie quietly for an hour or so, and then Nicholas put Mary Poppins on the computer to keep them going for a little longer. So the first morning was an early one for us!

Abbey kindly took me to the grocery stores to get things the children like to eat and drink. It was a fascinating trip for me to see the enormous range of everything they have. I could have spent hours browsing.

In the meantime Brian took Nicholas and the kids down to the local park which has a "spray park" which was a fantastic idea - it was hot and sunny and the kids had a ball.

An afternoon in London

After waving goodbye to our great friend Dougan and my lovely family in Bath I ran up an endless flight of stairs with a 30 kilo suitcase to miss my train by seconds. I nearly cried dramatically on the platform but people were staring. So I composed myself and caught the next train in to Paddington

On the journey I listened to Bill Johnson's acclaimed New Wine evening session which was fantastically inspiring. I was challenged once again to be excited by difficulties and not overcome by them.

My purpose was to collect my new SA passport from the consulate in Trafalgar square. I rushed to excess baggage, leaving my cases with relief and made my way to the tube. Five minutes after entering the consulate I was out with passport in hand and slightly overwhelmed by the ease of it all. In order to regroup I needed a Frappucino.

It amazes me how English stores can heat things up so efficiently in winter and yet in summer everyone has to sweat over their purchases. Perhaps they don't really believe it can ever get hot enough. Well today was sweltering.

I had a lovely long browse over all the London guides in waterstones book shop savouring the fact that I had twenty four hours of solitude in the big city. I thought I might be inspired. In the end I thought Liberty's was the best bet for a complete girly London experience. The next inspiration I had was to take a taxi.

Being personally chauffered down Regent street was completely fantastic and I think I would struggle to go back on a bus again if I lived in London. Also despite my secret fears the fare ended up only being 50p more than a bus fare. It just shows being cheap isn't always wise!

Libertys was all I had expected and I think their shopfitters were genius in placing the flower shop in the porch (you get hit with a sensual experience as you walk in and are removed temporarily from normal life) and then the stationery and chocolate halls beckon first. I was offered samples of champagne truffles and spent 45 minutes in that section alone. A brief interlude in the perfumer led me to the linen and bathroom halls. I whisked through the shoes and bags and after buying some little treats as gifts or maybe just to keep, I walked out onto Carnaby Street. By that stage everyone had hit the streets after work.

Having never lived in London during the true summer months I have never enjoyed the atmosphere here when people leave their little office holes for some evening sunshine and balmy fresh air. It is truly pleasant, a quality I have never associated with London!

So I am now sitting in a very eclectic little wine bar drinking a glass of champagne and not feeling in any rush to leave. It will be light for a while. I have changed my heels to my trainers and may even brave a walk back to the tube picking up some street vendor food on the way. I feel after liberty's, champagne and taxi it is time to savour the more down to earth side of London. Perhaps a kebab...
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The camp we are going on in Tacoma

New Song Church Vacation 2008

Getting ready to go to Seattle

Well, I feel slightly overwhelmed that it is actually happening! There have been so many details to work out, but God has given us such favour over the whole trip. Keep an eye here for blog during our trip.