Arriving at Amanda's

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Friday 14 May

We had an early start this morning with the car arriving at 7am to take us to Heathrow airport to go to JFK, New York, finally on our way to see Amanda J

We got a good run to Heathrow and after a lack of cash in the purse to pay the taxi driver bungle, we were checking in at the British Airways counter. We had both checked in online, but weren’t sitting together, we managed to change our seats, get our shopping receipts stamped at customs for the VAT refund and through security we went.

A bit of duty free shopping and then to the comfort of the British Airways Business Lounge. The Qantas membership was paying off. Comfortable couches, food and drinks, newspapers, magazines, free wifi and the list goes on. We board the plane, a 30 minute delay before take off, but soon on our way to the United States of America.

Jason met us at JFK and we began the journey home. Three hours later we arrived at 154 Oliver Street, Newark, New Jersey. We settled in, had showers and then waited not so patiently for Amanda to arrive home from work. I sat in front of her bedroom window that looked out on to the street waiting for her. I saw her reflection in the windows of the café opposite and ran down the stairs, fumbling with the door handle, eventually swinging the door open to see the most awesome Dr Amanda J Meade. There were tears, big hugs and more tears, even a little snot and sobbing then another big hug.

The four of us caught up on 12 weeks of gossip, had a few shooters then wandered down the road for dinner. Drank sangria, ate food, chatted more, then back home for Veuve Cliquot Champagne and more shooters. After hours of chatting, Jason got our blow up mattresses sorted and made our beds for us. I lasted till midnight, which would have been 5am by my London body clock. I think was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

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