London: Day 1

I'm on my second cup of coffee.
The first was dedicated to simply gathering my thoughts, organizing my words.

It didn't happen, though.

Hence my need for another cup.

Home. 

We are home!

We really haven't been gone for that long, but with each day feeling like three days...

Well, it was an intensely full trip.

 I'm not even sure where to begin to describe what we experienced.

Each location more different and beautiful than the last.

... Let's Start with Day 1...

After swinging by Blake's office to picked him up after a long day of work, we jumped into a taxi and headed towards the airport for our 8:30PM flight. 

At this point we boarded, and I must, MUST share my secret to obtaining the perfect seat on a 9+ hour flight...

Book the aisle and window seat in a section of three seats.

Blake and I did, and we achieved our goal. 

We had the whole row to ourselves to lounge, sleep, eat, etc.

... 9+ Hours Later ...

We arrived in London at 11:30AM, dropped our bags off at the hotel, and enjoyed lunch on the Thames.

[Our Hotel: Royal HorseGuards Hotel]

[Our View at Lunch]

Following lunch Blake and I did the unspeakable...

We crawled into bed, exhausted by the overnight flight.

(Gasp!)

We slept for three hours before forcing ourselves to get up, get showered, and head downstairs to the hotel restaurant for dinner. 

At this point, I committed a single act that I believe single-handedly allowed for our entire trip to go off seamlessly and without a hitch. This story is know as:

The Return of the Ring

Okay.

So, maybe I'm over-exaggerating. 

Whatever. 

Here's the story. 

You decide.

During dinner, I excused myself to go to the restroom.

...I had a lot of wine... 

(Keep in mind that I was on vacation, please? Thanks.)

While washing my hands my eye caught a glimmer, a glimmer of a big, fat diamond ring sitting on the rim of the sink next to me.

Someone (a wealthy someone) had left their ring in the restroom after taking it off to wash her hands.

This ring could have paid for our entire trip.

Long story short.

I turned the ring in to the front desk.

(Blake didn't have to kick me under the table when I took it back to the restaurant to show him my find.)

The clerk's eyes bulged at the sight of the ring I placed in her palm.

(I don't think she could believe that I was turning it in.)

And, then... Ta da! Good karma for the remainder of the trip!  

After dinner...

... cocktails and a bottle of Bordeaux...

Blake and I jiggled up the elevator, down the hall, and into our room,

falling asleep while curved towards the view shining through our window.

[Our View from Our Window in London]  

To Be Continued...

(...with many more pictures; promise.)