Coming and going

Recently, my sister-in-law arrived for an extended visit. She will be with us for at least six months, maybe more. After I picked her up at the airport I got to thinking about making the same trip to pick up other family members we hope will visit us while we live here. I thought I would jot down some of the thoughts I had, in hopes of making getting here (and me getting to you) easier. Kayla arrived at Gatwick, which is one of two international airports near London (Heathrow is the other, just in case you didn't know). I was quite nervous to go and get her, afraid of the traffic, affraid of getting lost, and things of that sort. However, just the opposite happened; I had an easy time getting to the airport, an easy time finding a parking spot, and a relatively easy time getting Kayla away from the over zealous immigration officers who seemed suspicious of her. From my experience and the advice from others, Gatwick is easier to get to than Heathrow is. Both airports are about 100 miles from us, but the closest international airports. It took me about two hours to get to Gatwick from my house; which brings me to my next point - arrival time. Kayla's flight was due in at about 9:30 am, which meant that I had to leave my house at about 7:30. I would just like any of you travelers to keep that in mind when scheduling your flights. Two hours driving time for us...that is not to say we would prefer you find your own ride out to our place, the drive is very beautiful and not difficult; it just takes two hours. I imagine if anybody arrived before 9:30, they would end up sitting in the airport for a while because any earlier would be REALLY difficult for me. :) For those of you who might be more adventurous and want to try to ride the tube (the London Underground) out of London and have us meet you, don't bother. I have heard, and it seems logical, that any thiefs would spot a wary traveller quickly and you might become a target. Especially being tired, slightly disoriented, and carrying lots of things with you. When we rode the tube into London to go sightseeing we had a great time and didn't feel endangered at all. However, after travelling for so long and being in unfamiliar territory, it would be easy to get robbed, harassed, or otherwise irritated. Save the ride on the tube for sightseeing. All right, that's all I have for now. I do have some tips for planning your sightseeing if anyone needs it; of course, with access to the internet you can find about anything! E