It's A JOLLY Vacation

CHAPTER 1 - Olly

CHAPTER 1

/OLLY\

My hands gripped the leather seat as it shook roughly beneath me, the plane shaking on impact as it landed on foreign soil. I would have thought after a twenty-hour flight I would be absolutely exhausted, but the thought of finally being in London had picked up my spirits. The pilot announced that we had landed and the plane came to a halt at the airport.

I grabbed my small travel bag and shoved my sunnies on the top of my head, making my way out of the cramped seating space. It was a scary thought that I was travelling on my own, but a part of me liked my independence and bravery, I just hoped I could keep it up the whole time I would be away.

"Thankyou for flying with us, we hope to see you soon." The flight attendant said as I walked passed her and onto the boarding hall. I thanked her with a smile before strolling up the hall. People were pushing past me roughly as the flight escaped the plane, so I kept to the side of the room.

Once I was out, I went over to the luggage station to wait for my backpack. So many thoughts were racing through my mind as I grabbed my suitcase and headed out of the airport, a gush of wind hitting my face as the automatic doors slid open. The streets were busy with people and I found myself standing alone on the sidewalk looking bedraggled after being on a plane so long.

My first attempt at hailing a cab was surprisingly a success and I shoved my suitcase in the boot and kept my backpack with me.

"Where to, miss?" Said the English driver.

"To the 'London's vintage hotel', please." I asked kindly, smiling at the driver as I closed the door.

"Sure thing." He pulled into the busy laneway and we were off.

"Have you just come from the airport?" he asked, and I looked back from the window to him in the front seat.

"Er, yes. I've come from Australia." I replied.

"Australia! I thought your accent was strange." He chuckled and I only smiled.

"Is this your first time in London, then?"

"Yes, actually it's the first time out of my country. So I'm pretty excited." I said as I squeezed my hands together.

"Well I assure you that you will have lots of fun here in London, everyone loves Australians. We don't get many of them." The driver said as he parked and turned around to grin at me. He had messy black hair and he would have been around thirty.

"That's good then," I said, returning his hearty grin. I handed him my money and thanked him.

"Have fun! If you ever want me to drive you around I'd be really happy too, here's my card." He handed me a small slip of paper with his number on it. I took it gratefully and put it in my travel bag. "I'd love to learn more about Australia. I'm thinking of travelling when I retire."

My grin widened and I shook his hand, "I'd love to tell you more about it! I'll make sure to call you."

With that, he left and I watched him go before turning around and looking up at where I would be staying. My mouth dropped as I viewed the small yet elegant hotel. My parents had some what helped me pay for a few expenses for my travel as a birthday present. I was glad we booked this hotel.

It was stunning.

It was a vintage looking place, right in the centre of London, the only thing I hated about it was how cramped it looked in between large buildings and towers as far as the eye could see. I already missed the fresh smell of nature's air; all I could smell was petrol and fumes.