This will be the first of two passes through London and only a short one this time. Coming back will afford me a bit more time. This reminds me of passing through Prague years ago on the way to Romania. It was my first time in Europe and the stop in Prague was only for refueling of the Russian charter we were on, we being me and my colleagues with the UT Jazz Ensemble. I convinced myself and several other guys in the band that we couldn’t say we had been in Prague until we actually stepped foot on Czech soil. Once we were on the tarmac, under watchful eyes of Communist soldiers, I led the dash to the nearest soil I could see. We made it! We were officially in Czechoslovakia . . . but with 4 or 5 gun toting guards in pursuit. Could they have thought we were looking to defect?

This is all to say I’m not sure, in my jet lagged stupor, if I thought yet to step on London earth or not. Best take care of that before I go through security and have to put an asterisk next to London until I come through in October humming London Again Suite.