Greetings from Heathrow!

Just hanging out at Heathrow airport waiting for my flight to Dubai. My friend, Ruth, met me here, bought me lunch and left me with enough British coins to access the Internet and grab a Diet Coke!

I love her!

Watched The Reader on my overnight flight, popped a couple Tylenol PM and slept like a baby. Will do the same again tonight. Am definitely looking forward to a bed, though; methinks, there'll be a nap in store for me tomorrow when I arrive in Dubai!

Most stores are closed, anyway, between 1 and 4 so I'll be fit as a fiddle for evening drinks and dinner!

"Du-Buh-Bye!"

Where it began, I can't begin to know it...no, wait, that's the beginning of a Neil Diamond song! And I actually do know where my interest in travel began. It started in 1972, at age 13, when my parents put me on an airplane to Houston. My Aunt Jean and Uncle Marv left the Chicago area in fall, with travel trailer in tow, and headed south for the winter. I believe they did a Mexican Caravan with Good Sam's Club before settling in Galveston. I flew down on Spring break to tag along on the ride home but not before we stopped in New Orleans for a few days.

Awe, ain't I cute and check-out all that hair!
(That's my mom in the background)

Not sure if my parents put me on a plane alone, because they knew I could handle it or if they just did it hoping for the best, but here I am thirty some years later heading off to Dubai on my own and this would be, I don't know, the 5th or 6th time I've done such a thing. I know some people think it's kinda crazy, and it's not that I can say I never give it a second thought, because I do, but I just, somehow, believe all will be well, and I also tell myself I'm not the first person to do this. People travel all over the world all the time, and a lot of them do it alone. It's probably actually easier to do it alone, at least for me, because I can move a lot faster than when there's someone in tow.

My goal during this trip is to make blog entries and post photos as much as possible. I leave out of LAX on Monday night the 16th headed to London for a 9-hour layover where I'll meet-up with my friend, Ruth, who just moved there. Internet access in airports can be rather expensive so the first you'll hear from me will more than likely not take place until Wednesday when I arrive in Dubai. The apartment hotel where I'm staying has free Internet access in their business center. I'm back and forth on whether or not to take my laptop...currently, I'm leaving it home, because I just don't want the hassle of lugging it with me.

Eenie-meenie-minie-moe if it don't fit, it can't go!

"Du-To-The-Bai"

On two week's notice, I'm puttin' the cray in CRAY-ZEE and headin' to Dubai a week from this Monday. My friend, Burleise, is on scholarship in the MBA program at NYU making her way to Abu Dhabi and Dubai over spring break interviewing for potential, summer internships.

Just for fun, last Saturday morning, I played around on Kayak.com finding a roundtrip, Continental, codeshare flight on Virgin Atlantic by way of Orbitz.com for HELL-TO-THE-LO...$716! (By the way, as of this evening, Friday, the fare's dropped two bucks to $714).

I leave Monday evening the 16th nonstop to London arriving around noon. My friend, Ruth, just last month, moved from Denver to London so I selected an 8-hour layover at Heathrow where she'll be meeting me for lunch or a drink or drinks and lunch or what the hell...maybe just drinks!

Flying overnight on Tuesday, I arrive in Dubai Wednesday morning.

While obsessing over whether or not I should spend the money and make the trek, couchsurfing for a place to rest my head appeared to be a good idea; however, once I began maneuvering through the online, check-out process prior to throwing down my American Express card, I was offered several hotel packages (including the flights I'd selected) causing quite the quiver in my mouse-click finger.

It was at this point, staying home, surpassed optional!

Ultimately, I clicked on roundtrip airfare, a visit with Ruth, a visit with Burleise, 5 nights in an apartment hotel with all kitchen facilities and supplies including washer and dryer and, not to mention, near 18,000 Continental OnePass miles all for the price of $1266.00!

Can you say, "Stimulus Package"?

Mmhm...I knew you could!

In the interim, I've heard the downturn in the global economy along with debtor's prison laws have lead to 3000 automobiles left abandoned in the parking lot of Dubai International Airport. I have also learned one need be a resident of Dubai and in possession of a license to purchase alcohol over-the-counter.

On the upside, upon my arrival, I can purchase alcohol in the airport's duty-free shop and who knows maybe they'll come up with their own stimulus package between now and then sending me home with an abandoned Bentley!

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts...please keep me in yours.

My goal is to "backpack" to the Middle East so doubt I'll be bringing along my laptop relying on Internet access wherever and whenever available, but I'll plan on resuscitating www.thelarrychronicles.blogspot.com beginning with a copy of this email.

Viva la over 90% of Americans are still employed!

Larry

"Quote of the day February 9, 2009"

"Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities".

Aristotle

"Quote of the Day February 4, 2009"

"It is easier to be wise for others than for ourselves".

Francois De La Rochefoucauld

"Quote of the Day February 3, 2009"

"The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship".

Sir Francis Bacon

"Quote of the Day February 2, 2009"

"Beauty is not so much what you see as what you dream".

Walloon Proverb