"Oh to be in England now that spring is here"

Robert Browning expressed it so well. I am in England and it is spring. My blogs that follow for the next few weeks will describe my travels in England and in and around Paris. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy having the experiences and then writing about them.

What a great treat to find that after a tiring flight from Vancouver there is an express train from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station. Well it seems that getting from A to B at Heathrow is a bit more about following the crowd than it is about following the signs. The trip to the station takes many twists and turns through hallways that all look the same with few signs to distinguish where they lead. But, experienced traveller that I am, I used all my skills to follow the crowd and ask directions of everyone in sight. I did reach the train without too much stress and the 15 minute ride is definitely a convenient way to get into London. Convenient, but not cheap by Canadian standards. The ride cost about $30 Canadian (twenty pounds). That is one fact that has become very evident in the short time I have been here. The European economic crisis makes everything expensive.
To pay $300 for a room so small that I can reach from side to side with only about 12" of space left at the end of my spread arms made me shudder to the bottom of my wallet. However, I am very lucky to be able to have this amazing trip and afterwards I get to go home to a much more comfortable economy. I heard on the news that many people here are paying 'interest only' mortgages, which means they have no chance of ever owning their homes and in fact are losing them to the banks.
That's one of the many advantages of travel. I get to experience how others live, see the wonderful sights, and to also develop a greater appreciation for what I have at home.