SFO --> Heathrow

Day One was an eleven hour flight from San Francisco to London.  

 

 Our 777

Leaving San Francisco  

The flight path varied considerably from that shown in the back of United’s Hemisphere magazine, probably due to the smoke and ash continuing to belch from the Icelandic volcano. The flight was smooth with the exception of some pretty gnarly TURBULENCE at 37,000 feet as we crossed the southernmost coast of Greenland. The stomach-dropping dips, jolts and side-to-side tossing had Linda and Diane white-knuckled and whimpering in stereo from both sides of the plane. It was the longest 20 minutes of fright we’ve ever experienced. Scary! The pilots finally got us to a smoother place and the last part of the flight over Scotland and the green English countryside was beautiful.

Travel Vaccinations

Did we have to get any special inoculations in preparation for this trip, you ask? Well, none were mandatory but the Travel Clinic strongly recommended all vaccinations and boosters be current. Our resident hypochondriac made sure she had her inoculations against hepatitis and typhoid, and a handy supply of Cipro antibiotics and probiotics. Not to mention the gallon of hand sanitizer gel. Um, are we ready yet?

Three weeks and counting . . .

The last of the official travel documents were delivered today.  Now with the cooperation of a certain ill-tempered Icelandic volcano, we are good to go....!

Eyjfajalajajofjalljoyfaflafolajalofjaljofolafajokull

Pre-trip planning

Got our Russian Visas! Plus Letters of Invitation required to enter the country written in Russian Cyrillic. $221 per person. The Belarus Visa will be another $160 each in cash when we get there. Egads, you'd think they're trying to keep out the riff-raff! All that for the privilege of dour lodgings, questionable sanitary food preparation, and contaminated drinking water from centuries-old lead pipes. Ah, but it will certainly be an adventure...can't wait!

Visa Photo Requirements:  no smile, no teeth, no kidding