C💚H💜U💛M💙S

My Flight

"Everything will be fine," I reassured my mum.

"I know. It's just that is your first trip out of country. And you're meeting a group of people you met alone. How do you know they're not a bunch of fat rapist men?" My mum was a bit paranoid about the Internet based on the stories she saw on the news and her scrolling through Facebook.

"I've skyped with ladies for months now. I don't think some fat rapist men would record playing band instruments just to get laid, " I said sarcastically. My mum looked at me over her glasses the way she does to tell me she did not appreciate my comment.

"Just saying," I shrugged. 

"Fine. You're a big girl." She said, handing me my carry-on. Even at 33 years old she insisted on calling me "Big Girl." 

"It will be fine." I insisted again. " I really need to go if I am going to get through TSA. This is LAX. You know it takes forever."

"Alright." She gave me kiss good-bye and watched me get into the line for passport check. I turned to make sure I gave a final wave. 

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As I sat in the hard blue chair at my gate waiting for my plane to arrive, I looked over my London tourist books and took a quick review of my sheet music. 

Luckily, my plane was only an hour late. 

After my horrible experience on Delta Airlines a few years ago when I traveled to New York, my late plane made me nervous as to what my experience on British Airways was going to be like.

Surprisingly, British Airways was pretty nice. I was grateful I paid extra for the non-stop to Heathrow. 

I managed to sleep the entire way, which was a blessing because when we finally arrived it was eleven in the morning in London. Didn't want Jet lag could to kill me on this exciting adventure.

Because I did my research ahead of time, after I grabbed my luggage, I caught the M4 and A4 trains to the Le Meridien Picadilly where we made reservations month ago to get a huge discount.

I looked around the lobby but didn't see any of the other ladies. 

As my body started to feel the exhaustion of sitting for ten and half hours, I checked us into the hotel. To save money, we booked three rooms for thirteen of us. Even though some of us live in the area, we thought it would be more for all us to bunk together; sort of like a big sleep over.

Up in one of the rooms I dropped onto one of the beds and fell asleep immediately.