5 Star Return

Today got off to a great start. At breakfast I was wearing a Colorado shirt, and a man came by to say hello. He was born and raised in Lyons and works for UNC in Greeley. I told him I worked in Greeley a while back, and it brought back memories of my time there. I had to smile, thinking of my friend Jerry, who had gone to Ireland and rented a car. Let’s just say, he’s the reason the car rental guy inspected the left side of my car so closely.

The check-in to United and the check-out from the UK were smooth and unexpectedly quick. I found a lounge and waited for my flight. I like to wait until the end to board. I figure I’m going to be sitting for 9 hours, so why extend that time waiting for other people to find their seat on the plane. As I approached my seat, I couldn’t believe my luck. Empty seats were everywhere, including next to me. I think it was probably the best long haul flight of my life (except when I was young and got bumped to first class). I was able to stand up and watch movies, walk around as much as I wanted without having to step over people, and the flight attendants were super gracious. They kept me well supplied with hot tea and snacks. When we arrived in Denver, I was refreshed and excited to continue my very long day. I wish every flight was like that one.

And that’s a wrap on UK 2025 for me. Here’s my top 10 favorite moments and curiosities:

10. Realizing that the song Penny Lane describes the surroundings of a real bus stop
9. The engineering of canal locks and a giant boat wheel
8. Sharing the funness of ABBA in concert
7. Eating proper fish and chips-fry me to the moon
6. Stonehenge rocks!
5. Traipsing around 1st century Roman ruins 20 centuries later
4. Walking through stone circles and earth mounds from 3400 BC
3. Buying my own personal ghost at the Ghost Emporium in York
2. Finally figuring out the meaning of this sign in England: Cat’s Eyes Removed
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