Christmas 2013, part II: Christmas food, Christmas TV, travel!
My travel journal entry for Christmas centres largely around food and TV. Omg, the food. There was lots of it, starting with delicious coffee and poached duck egg on muffins, courtesy of Richie (OM NOM NOM), after which I performed the traditional Peeling of The Potatoes While Listening to 'Molokai'.
Colleen did all the rest of the work for the insanely marvellous and gigantic meal which followed - there were sprouts, mash, roasties, Yorkshire puddings, cabbage, cauliflower, not to mention pigs in blankets, turkey, and beef. It was amazing. After eating, there was a really quite necessary nap; I curled up both on and in Colleen & Richie's ridiculously comfy double duvet (it is like sleeping in a marshmallow, albeit probably less sticky) and slept solidly through most of 'Strictly'; waking up to the news that Justin Bieber had `retired'. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Following that, there was chocolate to eat - mountains of coins, plus unexpected presents - and the obligatory Christmas specials: Doctor Who (oh, Matt Smith! <3), and Call the Midwife, and Downton Abbey. The last of these was somewhat confusing for the uninitiated - i.e. me and Anwar, who had never watched it before; especially since I am apparently appalling at faces, hence questions of 'is that his wife?' (of brunette woman, and bearing in mind I'd seen her previously); '...no, his wife is blonde.'
Also in the evening I got to introduce Colleen & Richie to a Christmas institution which I am amazed they hadn't enjoyed before: BOOZY CREAM. As in, not just brandy butter; we had brandy cream and I think some champagne-y cream, both of which went down fabulously with the chocolately desserts...
After an early night, we got up at STUPID O'CLOCK (7ish, but on Boxing Day, omg; Iona, see how much we love you?!) for last minute packing and a breakfast which was eaten while listening to the most bizarre weather forecast I have ever heard. Apparently on BBC Radio 2 you are expected to imagine where the isobars are, based on their description... Anyway, we made it into the car on time, left it safely at the airport parking, and boarded the shuttle bus...
...to the wrong terminal of Heathrow. Oops. Still, free transfers to the correct terminal were available, and we had left plenty of time, so after checking our baggage in, etc., we managed to obtain (second) breakfast from a slightly scary, mercurial waitress, who did eventually bring us the right food.
It then turned out we didn't have plenty of time, as they boarded our flight REALLY EARLY and closed the gate I think something like an hour before departure! So we had a bit of a rush to the plane, and then a long wait in the confines of the cabin, rather than a cafe, but never mind. I settled in for a nap, and I think almost slept through take off.
Next time: more travel, word games, and is there a bowling elephant in our hotel?
Colleen did all the rest of the work for the insanely marvellous and gigantic meal which followed - there were sprouts, mash, roasties, Yorkshire puddings, cabbage, cauliflower, not to mention pigs in blankets, turkey, and beef. It was amazing. After eating, there was a really quite necessary nap; I curled up both on and in Colleen & Richie's ridiculously comfy double duvet (it is like sleeping in a marshmallow, albeit probably less sticky) and slept solidly through most of 'Strictly'; waking up to the news that Justin Bieber had `retired'. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Following that, there was chocolate to eat - mountains of coins, plus unexpected presents - and the obligatory Christmas specials: Doctor Who (oh, Matt Smith! <3), and Call the Midwife, and Downton Abbey. The last of these was somewhat confusing for the uninitiated - i.e. me and Anwar, who had never watched it before; especially since I am apparently appalling at faces, hence questions of 'is that his wife?' (of brunette woman, and bearing in mind I'd seen her previously); '...no, his wife is blonde.'
Also in the evening I got to introduce Colleen & Richie to a Christmas institution which I am amazed they hadn't enjoyed before: BOOZY CREAM. As in, not just brandy butter; we had brandy cream and I think some champagne-y cream, both of which went down fabulously with the chocolately desserts...
After an early night, we got up at STUPID O'CLOCK (7ish, but on Boxing Day, omg; Iona, see how much we love you?!) for last minute packing and a breakfast which was eaten while listening to the most bizarre weather forecast I have ever heard. Apparently on BBC Radio 2 you are expected to imagine where the isobars are, based on their description... Anyway, we made it into the car on time, left it safely at the airport parking, and boarded the shuttle bus...
...to the wrong terminal of Heathrow. Oops. Still, free transfers to the correct terminal were available, and we had left plenty of time, so after checking our baggage in, etc., we managed to obtain (second) breakfast from a slightly scary, mercurial waitress, who did eventually bring us the right food.
It then turned out we didn't have plenty of time, as they boarded our flight REALLY EARLY and closed the gate I think something like an hour before departure! So we had a bit of a rush to the plane, and then a long wait in the confines of the cabin, rather than a cafe, but never mind. I settled in for a nap, and I think almost slept through take off.
Next time: more travel, word games, and is there a bowling elephant in our hotel?