Newark and London, Monday, November 10, 2025
Despite the government shutdown, despite the cancellation of 26% of the nation’s flights occurring at Newark Airport, despite the apparent radical absence of flight controllers, and despite the fact that we were flying with United…our flight took off on time and landed early! We had been apprehensive about flying in difficult times, and would have cancelled if we wouldn’t have had to swallow theater tickets for Othello and The Importance of Being Earnest.
As it turned out, it was a snap: up at 5, in the car at 5:15, at the airport parking at 6:10, though security at 6:40, and sitting comfortably in the United Club having breakfast soon thereafter. The flight went very fast. I sat next to a very nice guy who had spent his life in theater; he had grown up in Riverhead, his husband in Phoenix.
After the usual two-mile march through Heathrow, we were soon on the Elizabeth Line and heading for our hotel. It’s a short trip, and we splurged on our favorite hotel, the Londoner. They gave us a nice double upgrade, and our room looked out over the skyline (photo credit: Susan Jennings).
From left to right, you see the domes of the National Gallery, the London Eye, and, through the reflection, the Duke of York Column at the foot of Regent Street.
We had a nice bite in the Residen’t Lounge at the hotel, and then strolled through the still bustling streets around Piccadilly Circus…until, ready to drop, we returned home to plot our further adventures.