It’s raining so luggage loading was delayed. I wonder if they keep pet cages sitting in the rain?

The people sitting next to me are a small Asian girl and her punk boyfriend. He’s got an ungelled mohawk and she’s got a chain-strapped purse that she’s refusing to take off her shoulder. He’s reading a large book called “Cronenberg on Cronenberg” and she’s reading a “For Better or For Worse” compilation book. They are both 20-something. They are irritated when the flight attendant asks them to lower their shared armrest for take off – they obviously equate this hardship with the world’s other injustices as they roll their eyes and whisper about it for the next few minutes.

I am using the travel blanket and pillow combo that Cara gave me even though I am fairly hot. It is soft.

It’s midnight or later, I’m pretty tired but I think I will watch the movie.

I remember too late that I have gum in my bag. (I need to remember to send Elaine and Keith a thank you note for the travel themed gift bag they gave me – gum included.)

I am popping pieces of gum and the girl next to me is popping birth control pills.

Ooh, success! I have unpopped my ear!

I’m going to miss French things being following English ones.

15 minutes into the flight – the girl beside me does not like turbulence.

A flight attendant just said “1 pounds sterling”

Damn, the in flight movie is “My Life In Ruins,” which I was already disappointed by when I intentionally watched it at the theatre on my birthday. [Note: I watched it again, anyway]

The Captain comes on the intercom to say turbulence is like driving on a gravel road “and if you’re from the country like me, then you’re familiar with gravel roads.” And if you’re not from the country, I guess you can just keep digging your nails into your armrests.

This is all that is written in my notebook in terms of the flight. It went pretty well, despite the fact that there was turbulence, basically, from Toronto to London. It was the kind of flight where the Captain keeps the seatbelt sign lit for the duration. I slept on and off despite the fact that the turbulence meant the flight staff had to keep all the cabin lights on for the whole flight (it was a midnight [EST] to noon [GMT] flight). And the chain strap from the purse the girl beside me refused to take off  her shoulder fell onto me several times.

The only regret I have is that I put my camera in my backpack, which I stowed in the overhead compartment, instead of in my purse, which was under the seat in front of me. I have never flown into London during daylight. It was pretty cool to see, basically, every landmark in the city from the sky. I would have liked to have my camera for that but maybe on my way out I will fly during the day and get a second chance.