May 17 & 18, 2026 — Days 1 & 2
Raleigh to Toronto to Heathrow, then on to Stroud, England ✈️🇬🇧
And we’re off! ✈️
Eugene picked us up around 2 p.m. and drove us to the airport, where everything went about as smoothly as you could hope for. Check-in was easy, security was quick, and before long we were relaxing in the United lounge until it was time to head to the gate.
Our first flight, from Raleigh to Toronto, was only about two hours. We had a short layover there before boarding our overnight flight to Heathrow. Once on board, we were greeted with a glass of champagne — not a bad way to start the trip! 🥂
I kept dinner light with an appetizer, cheese, and fruit, then pretty much called it a night. John went with the full dinner, which came a little later than mine, and then he was out for the night too. I dozed off and on, and while I didn’t get a ton of sleep, being able to lie flat made a huge difference. 😴
Thanks to the trade winds, according to the captain, we arrived about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Customs was easy, our luggage came through without any drama, and Marguerite and Joe’s flight had arrived early too. We all met up in Terminal 3 at Heathrow while waiting for Scott and Catherine to pick us up.
From Heathrow, it was about an hour and a half to their house in Stroud. Joe and I sat in the far back of the rented van and mostly chilled while everyone else chatted. I was doing just fine until about the last 20 minutes, when I could feel myself starting to nod off. Jet lag was officially creeping in! 💤
Once we arrived, we got a tour of the property, picked our room, and settled in for some catching up. Scott had made quiche, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs — though we have decided they should be called “Scott’s eggs” — and a salad. Everything was delicious and exactly what we needed after a long travel day. 🍽️
After lunch, we headed out to the Travel Shack, a cozy outdoor space Scott helped build. It has a great wood-fired oven, which we already knew would be put to good use later for pizza night. 🔥🍕
The afternoon was spent chatting, catching up, and, of course, planning more travel. Eventually, Scott got the fire going in the oven, and we all headed back out to the shack for homemade pizzas. They were amazing!
By the time we finished, it was getting close to 9 p.m., and everyone was ready to call it a night. We took quick showers and happily headed to bed.
Tomorrow is a full day with a couple of pub stops and lunch planned. It feels so good to be back with our friends again! 🍻
