Greetings from the 4 Seasons London. I am not used to traveling Europe in such luxury (LOL)

We finished in Switzerland, taking the train on Tuesday to Bern, then going to a suburb (Guemlingen). Back at the hotel, I had a lovely present from Rudi (Thank you so much), but we were unable to get together. The Baur Au Lac is really a great place, very centrally located overlooking the lake. The tram is 1 blk away, and there are nice restaurants around. My associate and I had dinner at an interesting Italian restaurant that he had scoped out earlier in the trip.

Wednesday
Asked for wakeup call at 0615 to catch the 0810 BA flight ZRH-LON. Taxi was called for 0645--we end up with a hotel limousine (about a 20 year old stretch Mercedes--quite an interesting one, with jump seats!). Off to the airport--my associate was in business, I was in coach. Of course, this being Europe, the checkin position cannot take care of this, so they send me to the cashier, who takes my $105 and reissues my boarding pass (having eliminated my American number )

Off we go to get a cup of coffee. My associate, being diabetic, needs to eat promptly, so we go to the cafe to use up some SFR coins. I have a pretzel (they are soooo good).

Board the 757 about 20 mins early, and sit in row 5. Can't quite tell how far back b/c goes. Take off about 20 mins late--they pass a cart of newspapers, take coats, but no pre-take-off juice. They come around w/a menu (only one thing on it--cheese omelet with dry leathery ham and a tomato chopped compote). Tray full of cold stuff, then 20 mins later they come around w/the foil dishes of the hot stuff (clever how it nests in the bread plate). One last pass w/coffee/tea, and we're in the holding pattern.

We land about 20 mins early--go through immigration (my associate travels the EU on an Irish passport, so he walks on through, while I get caught behind much of the Swiss contingent fm the plane). I meet him at luggage, where my non-priority tagged bags beat his priority tagged bags (there is some revenge). He talks up the Heathrow Express, so we schlep over to it. Only 2 of the automatic ticket machines are working, so, with him assuring me that they sell tickets on board, we go on board.

Although it is fast, new, and I see parts of London that I never have before, I'm not sold--it seems pricy.

We get off at Paddington, and join the taxi queue. 25 mins later, we finally work our way up to the front. The driver said that there was an accident on the main access road to the station that snarled traffic. (Truly, it was no faster than the tube, factoring in the taxi wait).

We are delivered to the 4 Seasons, where to much --welcome Mr. ________ )--my associate is a regular here, we find that since they were full the nite before, they have no rooms. My associate puts up a bit of a stink...he gets a suite with a rollaway that he pronounces is fine (it is quite nice, I must admit). We change clothes, and off to meetings...

more later

jl