As Kalpana pressed a button near the window next to her seat it slowly started darkening until it completely blocked the bright sunlight coming from the afternoon sun in Houston. Boeing 787, or Dreamliner as it is called, is a new breed of aircraft. The two most important features that affect us fliers are these larger automatic windows and higher cabin pressure, equal to 6,000 feet above sea level instead of 8,000 feet like other jet planes. We were on our way to London and I had specifically picked a flight from San Diego that connected in Houston with this 787 non-stop to London. I wanted to experience the plane in all its glory. For those who are interested, 787 is constructed of carbon fiber reinforced plastic body which makes it 20% more fuel efficient, the restrooms are also larger than usual, and the higher cabin pressure makes the flight more comfortable, meaning less headaches. Thus started our European journey for the summer of 2013.
Ten hours later we were at London Heathrow. Right outside customs we were greeted by a representative of Monograms, who was wearing a red jacket and noticed our red Monograms luggage tags. Yes, red is the color of Monograms. Throughout the trip we were able to recognize each other by the color red. As we were sipping a cup of coffee at the airport coffee shop the rep came back with our driver. Monograms is a travel company that gives you a more personalized travel experience. With our suitcases safely in the car, we were whisked away to our destination in central London, The London Hyde Park Hotel, now renamed the Double Tree by Hilton. At the hotel after a quick check-in we were taken to the Monograms desk where our local Monograms hostess, Giada, gave us an overview of the plan for our next three days in London. The first day of our arrival was rest and relaxation. The second day in the morning was scheduled a half day tour of London, and for the afternoon we had opted for a cruise on Thames river and a visit to the London Eye. We had planned to spend the third day with our friends Ashwin Tirodkar, who now lives in London, and his mom Madhubala, who was visiting from India.
After resting a little we started exploring the neighborhood. The hotel is located near the Notting Hill Gate of Kensington Park, which is adjoining the famous Hyde Park, off the famous Bayswater Road. Nearby on Queensway we found restaurants from all over the world. The whole area was bustling with shoppers. There were multiple Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Russian, East European, Thai, and organic restaurants. We had a fabulous lunch at an Indian restaurant called Masala Zone. I have never had such well prepared Indian meal at a restaurant in the U.S. or may be I was just very hungry!
Ten hours later we were at London Heathrow. Right outside customs we were greeted by a representative of Monograms, who was wearing a red jacket and noticed our red Monograms luggage tags. Yes, red is the color of Monograms. Throughout the trip we were able to recognize each other by the color red. As we were sipping a cup of coffee at the airport coffee shop the rep came back with our driver. Monograms is a travel company that gives you a more personalized travel experience. With our suitcases safely in the car, we were whisked away to our destination in central London, The London Hyde Park Hotel, now renamed the Double Tree by Hilton. At the hotel after a quick check-in we were taken to the Monograms desk where our local Monograms hostess, Giada, gave us an overview of the plan for our next three days in London. The first day of our arrival was rest and relaxation. The second day in the morning was scheduled a half day tour of London, and for the afternoon we had opted for a cruise on Thames river and a visit to the London Eye. We had planned to spend the third day with our friends Ashwin Tirodkar, who now lives in London, and his mom Madhubala, who was visiting from India.
After resting a little we started exploring the neighborhood. The hotel is located near the Notting Hill Gate of Kensington Park, which is adjoining the famous Hyde Park, off the famous Bayswater Road. Nearby on Queensway we found restaurants from all over the world. The whole area was bustling with shoppers. There were multiple Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Russian, East European, Thai, and organic restaurants. We had a fabulous lunch at an Indian restaurant called Masala Zone. I have never had such well prepared Indian meal at a restaurant in the U.S. or may be I was just very hungry!
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