ENGLAND (ending)/New York

SUNDAY 8/16: Up at 4:30a. Leave hotel at 5:45a. Cab to airport. Just before walking inside I say "BYE BYE EUROPE!" Go to Costa Cafe in airport to have the advertised Gingerbread Latte (soooooooo good!), plus a handmade free-range egg sandwich. Nick has a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. Nick and I are in tears, laughing about this pic I took of him where he looks like a mole (living in a hole, digging up my soul now, going down, excavation....)!

On airplane from Lon to NY, I put the headphones on to listen to an 80s station and "London Calling" by The Clash plays first!

In NY, we have a 3-hour layover and decide to tram to downtown Manhattan, expecting it will take an hour there, we'll have an hour there, and an hour to get back. Then we realize we are on the subway for nearly 90 minutes and not yet in downtown Manhattan, so we get out and wait on the other side to go back. It's 90 degrees and even hotter at the subway stop. At one point a train on the original side stopped and the driver tried telling us something. I nudged Nick that she was saying something, which I couldn't hear, but he couldn't hear me either. As others started walking away, we spot a sign that says a certain line is not running this weekend. We have to exit, take the Uptown to a Brooklyn Bridge stop, and transfer to the J and then back to the A and back to the airport tram. Everyone and their grandmother was going to Rockaway Beach. We could not believe how crowded it was! All I could think was that I do NOT get the hoopla about NY! Of course our flight was departing from the last terminal (number 8). Our flight was scheduled to depart at 3:10p. We went through security, ran, and arrived just at that time, but the plane was gone. Fortunately, we made the standby for a flight a few hours later.

SATURDAY 8/15: Up at 4:00a. In line by 6:00a. We have to get numbers in both lines (because we can't pick up our tickets at will-call until 11:00a which indicate where to enter the stadium) and separate temporarily, Nick staying in one line, me staying in the other. We're numbers 14 & 15 in the F line and numbers 42 & 43 in the B/C line. I talked to a security guy named Fez! First I asked him if he knew there is a song on U2's current album called Fez - Being Born although they don't play it live? He did not know. Found out that the B/C line is bigger because the entrance has a 9,000 capacity whereas the F line entrance has only a 6,000 capacity. At 10:00a Nick leaves for the will-call queue, will-call opening at 11:00a again. We are disappointed to find out our tickets are for the B/C line, and I move out of the F line around 11:15a, along with some other fans in the same predicament, saying goodbye to some nice fans I met. One woman is an attorney with the Global Fund and shows me this incredible photo of herself with Bono in Rwanda! Luckily, I have been passing out my U2 "business cards" left and right--it makes it easier to say goodbye.

In the new line, I hold our place while Nick checks out of Wembley Plaza and into Hotel Ibis next door, since the Plaza's rates went up too high for that Saturday night. As I wait, I notice the clouds drifting by in the sky...something I love to do as an in-the-moment check on vacation. Luckily, Nick's friend Tom is in line with me. They met at the Tokyo shows, which I could not go to due to my first semester in law school on the 2006 tour. Ironically, it was just before the Hawaii show (which was just after the Tokyo shows) when Nick and I started dating. Our friend Z is there too, and also Lana. Later, Nick and I take separate hotel room breaks to change and freshen up for the show.

U2 LON 2
(Brono #72, Nick #43 - to match his number in line :)
PHOTOS
VIDEO including Bono singing to us
Bono-only video below

Being further in line than yesterday is frustrating with people lining up too close as the stadium doors open. We start to run and realize we have to go back for pitch wristbands, which we did not need yesterday. Security is plentiful and slow but we finally run to the front row of the outer rail, for which we were aiming. But, we end up more Edge side than Bono than I wanted to be, and I start to cry. I realize I am spoiled, tired, and partly my tears are about our trip ending and this being our last summer show.

We end up standing next to these French fans half our age, a gal and two guys. Laetitia is crying at the same time I am. I ask her what is wrong and she replies, "It's my last show this year!" Nick takes a funny picture of me and her bawling together. The guy (Benjamin) next to her is someone Nick recognizes from a PHOTO he took of Bono at Dublin 3. Ben is the front row guy in glasses. When Nick tells Ben, he is so appreciative! We give Ben our cards, and Ben tells the joke, "What is the difference between God & Bono? Bono exists!" This is now my favorite joke in the world!

Why don't I trust that things are meant to be as they happen? Bono ends up kneeling and singing the intro to BD right in front of us again, just like in Germany, even though it's not the center of the row! VIDEO of Bono singing to us and blip of Vertigo (although the camera never quite lands on me, Nick, or Tom, but you can see Benjamin, Laetitia, and Zbych w/Elmo). Check out this youtube VIDEO called "Highlight Moment" of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

Laetitia and Ben and Ben's other guy friend are all crying through most of the show! We've seen fans cry before but this is just so touching! I lose it during Where The Streets Have No Name for the first time on this tour. During One, our entire row is arm and arm, swaying to and fro. During the Desmond Tutu speech, our little group tries to follow along with his words, and we end up laughing hysterically. After the ended I embraced Fran for a long period because she kept crying. I told her she reminded me of myself at her age.

Then Tom, Lana, Nick and I go for a post-show beer (thanks Tom!) at our hotel bar, which is packed with U2 fans. It's nice they allow us and other fans to stand outside the bar near the street with the beers. We say goodbye to Lana and Tom as they walk to the Underground together. Nick and I go right to sleep as we have to get up early for our flight home.

FRIDAY 8/14: Went on Internet while Nick slept in. Went to will-call window line at 10:30a with will-call expecting to open at 11:00a. Met Manuel, a U2 fan Nick met online. By 12:30p, we went to the Red Zone 1 doors. We were 1st & 2nd in that line! We had fun meeting others, particularly Tracy and Richard, with whom we did a ticket exchange. Wembley was the first venue to have a self-scanning process for the tickets. It was such a rush running to front row center again.

U2 LON 1
(Brono #71, Nick #42 - to match his age :)
VIDEO
PHOTOS

Bono was ON FIRE! I think he enjoyed the show more than the rest of the band and the audience combined! Nick said he'd never seen Bono work so hard and earlier in the tour Nick was saying Bono seemed tired. Before No Line On The Horizon, he said, "Ali Baba!" which Eleonora said refers to his spouse Ali. Chris Starr calls Ali my new best friend since Nick and I've met her three times. At one point Bono indicated he wanted a flag on stage and like half a dozen were thrown up there. Nick notices that if they play Elevation, Bono first says into the microphone, "Going up!"

THURSDAY 8/13: Breakfast and check out by 7:45a. Walk to bus station across the street and take bus to airport. The bus ride out of town is similarly scenic as the train ride into town. Bye beautiful Ljubljana!

Fly to London. Hour bus ride plus take Underground to Wembley Plaza hotel. Immediately go to stadium, which is right next door, to meet fans Nick met online for ticket exchange at the will-call window. But there are problems and no meetings occur at this time. Go to pub to eat. I have a Caesar salad and Nick has chicken yakitori, plus two Foster's beers. And for once we get a second beer, because of the happy-hour prices.

Take swim in the hotel's lovely heated pool and jacuzzi!! And take a sauna and steam bath!! Sleep like babies. Wait, Nick and I ask...don't babies wake up every few hours? Haha.