I Suffered -- and How!

You may have heard about a certain ashy volcano in Iceland that contrived to shut down European airspace for several days. Millions were stranded. Some were forced to take trains (gasp). I happened to be in England on a business trip at just that time.
Okay, so I wasn’t stuck at the airport for five days straight. And I didn’t have to spend thousands of my own dollars on either a hotel room, food, or a new flight. But that isn’t to say I didn’t suffer. Let us count the ways.

1. The bed in my room at the Park Plaza County Hall (my third hotel of the trip) had only two pillows. Two! So obviously there was some kind of pillow drought. What with all of the flights being grounded, apparently they couldn’t fly in any new down from … wherever all those plucked geese are kept.

2. The room service menu (also at PPCH) had a really rubbish dessert offering. Which did not even include Banoffee Pie. Consequently I ordered dessert once, ate one bite of it, and never ordered another again. Seriously.

3. I didn’t manage to get any Pimms. In spite of the purported ash cloud, every day was a bright sunny day, without a cloud (or aeroplane trail) in the sky. And yet I never got to sip Pimms riverside. Clearly, this is partly my fault. I should have made that happen. But whosever fault it was, clearly I was hard done by to spend an entire two weeks Pimms-less while the sun shone.

4. Eurostar travel was so chock-a-block with stranded fliers that I couldn't even use the bonus time for a cheeky trip to Paris. Which left me, indeed, "stuck" in London. I can imagine worse fates!

So that’s that, then.

Job done.

Curry. Check.

Yummy chicken korma. Followed this up with chicken tikka masala a few nights later (thanks, Dave for helping me with the tough decisions!). I have only a day and a half left now. Wonder if I can fit in a few more…

Cheese & Pickle Sandwich…es. Check.

Thanks to Jo for making some lovely ones and bringing them along to the sunny picnic in Wisley. And to John & Nat for taking me to Pret for a posh cheddar and pickle encore.

Full English. Check. Check. Check…

When didn’t I have it (that might be easier)? OK, there were a few days here and there where I opted for continental so that I could have pain au chocolat (since it’s all rubbish in the US). Wonder if I can bring some home…

Afternoon tea. Check.

It wasn’t quite right sadly. Cole and I took tea at our first hotel (oops, our second, actually. you know your stay has run over when you have more than one hotel), but the chef must have been French or something. It was tasty, but a bit over the top on the chocolate. It was chocolate everything. Who am I to complain about chocolate? And I am sure you’re thinking that there is no such thing as too much chocolate. Sadly that proved to be untrue. The scones had chocolate chips in them. (what?!) and they were served with (what else?) chocolate ganache (WHAT?!). Oh, don’t get me wrong, there was a tiny little offering of clotted cream as well, but it seemed more like an afterthought or a precursory nod toward the convention. Most disappointing. And… more chocolate: éclairs, mousse, cakes. No lemon curd even. Ah, well. The tea itself was of course very nice.

Not quite right tea treats

Banoffee Pie. Check.

Frankly, I haven’t had enough of this. I’ve only had it once. Probably only because it wasn’t offered at most of the restaurants I visited. Clearly I am hanging out in the wrong places! The one I did have (coincidentally at the hotel that served the not-right afternoon tea) was bliss.

Absolutely perfect.

Prawn Mayonnaise Sandwich. Check.

Steak and ale pie. Check.

Walkers Sensations Thai Sweet Chili crisps. Check. A whole bag. At midnight. After having afternoon tea and then skipping dinner.

Flapjack. Check, sort of.

I had some nice little mini bites from M&S – and they were tasty, but not the same thing as something freshly baked. May need to revisit this.

Visits: Jo & Tom. Sus & family. Pete & Cat. Brian. John, John, Nat, Natalia, Nicola, Ali, Karin, Greg, Andy, and Justin. Check.

5 Lbs gained. Check.

Oh, and … Work stuff done. Check.