Nov 4th 2008
My plan was to begin by saying that i am sitting here in the aisle seat of my continental jet listening to music by john coltrane. however, since my music player doesnt seem to be working, i am instead sitting here listening to the movie Henry Poole is Here, making sure to keep my seatbelt on in case things get nuts. But lets start at the beginning.
I woke at 5am from one of those sleeps where it seems like you just closed your eyes and suddenly your alarm is going off. My dad kindly drove me to the Newark airport. Airports are interesing i decided. I found myself walking past random groups of people wondering, what business do you and your son have in aruba, sir? or I didnt know St maartens was spelled that way, why are there only two peopl sitting by that gate do they know each other? will they go the whole journey wihtout talking? Airports are prime people watching locations.
My luck can't seem to decide if it wants to comply with London rules or general real life rules. I got in, checked my bag, no trouble with the backpack as a carry on (thanks again jess)! The lady at checkin eyes me suspiciously and asks how old i am. 22, i reply. And then she just said something about me being a pretty girl. several questions arose here. why is this relevant to my age? why did you give me that look?`what are you thinking i legit slept 4 hours? The odd occurrences begin...
I can never seem to get through without some sort of trouble which eventually makes a scene. First I asked the man checking the passports if I needed to put all my liquids in a plastic bag, to which he replied “eh. .. well.. yeah. I mean you’re supposed to ..” and kind of shrugged along with some shifty eyes. Huh, I think. So I do that, because he was oh so forceful and convincing. Well, mainly because I didn’t want someone else to stop me. I put my shoes and jacket in the gray box so they can check if I am packing heat in my huge coat. I go to walk through the metal detector and the man on the other side tells me to take off my vest. Then my belt… a bit forward I thought. But my pants WILL fall down. This could get awkward. But I make it through, only to have a man whisk me and my bag away to a special kiosk where he pulls out a water bottle I had ( How could I have been so careless??!) . Luckily he just throws it away and lets me on my way.
Walking towards my gate, I stop for some yoghurt (I shall spell things british-ly from now on just to annoy you) at au bon pain (exactly what I wanted to eat and where I wanted it to be from: one point to my London luck). Then once I found my gate, I decide to go to the bathroom so as to avoid the creepy claustrophobic bathrooms as much as possible. I walk out and they call my row to board, so I just walk up to the desk and walk on with no waiting ( +1 pt to London).
I sit in my aisle seat on the plane, next to a British woman whose husband is sitting two rows up. She mentions to me and the man in the window seat about how they are separated and it is unfortunate how airlines do this and blah blah blah. Then an American lady a few rows up just asked some guy to move so that she could sit in the same row as her kids. “That’s how you do it,” says British lady, “English people aren’t brave.” Window man and I just kind of chuckle awkwardly, probably both thinking, God I hope she doesn’t ask us to switch. I felt so torn. I will happily switch seats with someone, but this would be going from an aisle seat to a middle seat. Who knew who would fill the surrounding seats? Smelly people? Small whiny kick your seat children? I just didn’t know. Not to mention the lack of leg room. And the fact that if I needed to go to the bathroom I would probably have to wake someone up. No. No I refused. I try to be a nice person, but I just will not give up my aisle seat. I felt guilty and defeated and selfish. (1 pt for American luck)
But what’s this! It seems the doors are closed and no one has sat next to this person’s husband! So my neighbor got to relocate, and I was guilt free and left with an empty seat next to me ( +1 to London). I also found out the entertainment was much better than I thought. I looked online and it said I would get my choice of Space Chimps or Get Smart and that is all. Well luckily I got my own little tv with many tv, movie and music options. (1 to lon) Thus far, continental is ok (though I smell a curry meal (-1) coming my way) but I feel like I am cheating on Richard Branson. I miss Virgin Atlantic. So I watch the movie Bullit while I eat my curry – I got the veggie meal even though I entered this preference online waaay too late ( +1 to lon). Bullit was my first Steve McQueen movie. He’s quite good. And Daniel Craig reminds me a lot of a poor man’s Steve McQueen.
Unfortunately the kid in front of me reclined his seat all the way for a good chunk of the flight, though he asked me, so we will say that breaks even. However, whoever was behind me decided it would be fun to kick or punch my seat on and off for several hours (-2). BUT a lovely British man moved his smaller bag from the overhead compartment so I could fit my big backpack on it (+1). Then when I was hoping for a snack, I got not only a snack but a second full meal! With another lovely vegan cookie.
Now let’s just hope I can get to Jenna’s. Seeing as I can’t find the piece of paper with her address and phone number written on it. And the phone I have with me needs to be topped up so it won’t work. All I know is I have to get to Chalk Farm tube station and hope that she will be there waiting. Boy isn’t life exciting?
25.11.08
i am the worst
I am back in the US, safely, somewhat sickly, and sadly. It seems i am to do everything in preparation for Thanksgiving so there is not much time these days to upload photos or write. BUT i do plan on doing this at some point. I kept a journal for maybe half of my journey? so i will transcribe those, and then write about the rest of my adventures, mainly so i can remember them. Anyway, check back after Thanksgiving when i will hopefully have time to regale you with tales of my wonderful, fantastic, whirlwind trip.
10.11.08
Flight and arrival
So it seems my time just rolls over in this internet cafe. though i have to leave in 15 to 20 minutes so i can find my train. and find a WC. Here is what i wrote on the plane and such:
My plan was to begin by saying that i am sitting here in the aisle seat of my continental jet listening to music by john coltrane. however, since my music player doesnt seem to be working, i am instead sitting here listening to the movie Henry Poole is Here, making sure to keep my seatbelt on in case things get nuts. But lets start at the beginning.
I woke at 5am from one of those sleeps where it seems like you just closed your eyes and suddenly your alarm is going off. My dad kindly drove me to the Newark airport. Airports are interesing i decided. I found myself walking past random groups of people wondering, what business do you and your son have in aruba, sir? or I didnt know St maartens was spelled that way, why are there only two peopl sitting by that gate do they know each other? will they go the whole journey wihtout talking? Airports are prime people watching locations.
My luck can't seem to decide if it wants to comply with London rules or general real life rules. I got in, checked my bag, no trouble with the backpack as a carry on (thanks again jess)! The lady at checkin eyes me suspiciously and asks how old i am. 22, i reply. And then she just said something about me being a pretty girl. several questions arose here. why is this relevant to my age? why did you give me that look?`what are you thinking i legit slept 4 hours? The odd occurrences begin...
O dear. i have to go. this is certainly not the end of the first entry but i reall must go to the train station. hopefull i can continue this tonight in munich .sorry.
My plan was to begin by saying that i am sitting here in the aisle seat of my continental jet listening to music by john coltrane. however, since my music player doesnt seem to be working, i am instead sitting here listening to the movie Henry Poole is Here, making sure to keep my seatbelt on in case things get nuts. But lets start at the beginning.
I woke at 5am from one of those sleeps where it seems like you just closed your eyes and suddenly your alarm is going off. My dad kindly drove me to the Newark airport. Airports are interesing i decided. I found myself walking past random groups of people wondering, what business do you and your son have in aruba, sir? or I didnt know St maartens was spelled that way, why are there only two peopl sitting by that gate do they know each other? will they go the whole journey wihtout talking? Airports are prime people watching locations.
My luck can't seem to decide if it wants to comply with London rules or general real life rules. I got in, checked my bag, no trouble with the backpack as a carry on (thanks again jess)! The lady at checkin eyes me suspiciously and asks how old i am. 22, i reply. And then she just said something about me being a pretty girl. several questions arose here. why is this relevant to my age? why did you give me that look?`what are you thinking i legit slept 4 hours? The odd occurrences begin...
O dear. i have to go. this is certainly not the end of the first entry but i reall must go to the train station. hopefull i can continue this tonight in munich .sorry.
europe omg
Ok friends, so here is the deal. I have not been able to keep up with posting blogs (clearly), and i have not been able to keep up with my journal. BUT i am going to catch up today on mz train to munich hopefully. we shall see how it goes.
thus far, mz internet access has been limited. i commandeered mz friends laptops quite bit in london but i would spend like two hours on it and the whole ordeal would be just to check mz email and book hostels. or look up trains. or planes. or buses. or taxis. or crayz things like that.
also the z and y are changed on austrain kezboards. so just get used to it. i have ten minutes left at this internet cafe and i am trzing to not waste time correcting these things. also the apostrophe is this -- ä . i maz go another hour since i have time to kill and my train to munich doesnt leave for another hour and twenty.
i am legitmatelz a 3 minute walk from this train station. i stayed in a place called ä pension adlerhof ä last night. it is in turkish neighborhood of salzburg. and right by two erotica shops YES. sketchy. but the hotel itself was fine. it should be. it cost a lot, as i was convinced to stay in a single room. enough of this luxury, though i must saz it was worth it. i finallz got two almost full nights of sleep as before that i was sleeping like a spy might. catching anything from fifteen minutes to three hours whenever i could. ) i would like to point out that i woke up on hte plane to salzburg to ensure i got mz junk airline food. nothing against british airways, i like you guys. but most airline food is junk.
right. so pension adlerhof. i need to look it up on the website again but i am pretty sure it was an original pre war building where people planned things and had meetings. this explains whhy my room smelled a little like old people, smoke, and nazis.
a lot of stuff in salzburg had to be rebuilt because of bombings. stupid wars. this is why i am a crazy hippie and not terriblz religious - i also have been seeing lots of churches that have been whitewashed and junk because of iconclasm. stupid zealots. just leave buildings alone. and people. man, everyone needs to just chill out.
but yeah. i am not sure how this internet cafe junk works, though i feel like i really need to wash my hands (dirty keyboard) and take a shower and wash my clothes (poeple smoke EVERYWHERE. my god. it makes me want to throw up. donät smoke). but i dont know if the comp just kicks me off after an hour or if i go up and pay more. i f i just pay more later, i may transfer a journal entry onto here. as that is my plan for the remainder of the trip. i plan on keeping this journal, and transferring entries when i can. if they dont get done by the time i get home then i will just do it when i get home.
omg 1 minute left, bye
thus far, mz internet access has been limited. i commandeered mz friends laptops quite bit in london but i would spend like two hours on it and the whole ordeal would be just to check mz email and book hostels. or look up trains. or planes. or buses. or taxis. or crayz things like that.
also the z and y are changed on austrain kezboards. so just get used to it. i have ten minutes left at this internet cafe and i am trzing to not waste time correcting these things. also the apostrophe is this -- ä . i maz go another hour since i have time to kill and my train to munich doesnt leave for another hour and twenty.
i am legitmatelz a 3 minute walk from this train station. i stayed in a place called ä pension adlerhof ä last night. it is in turkish neighborhood of salzburg. and right by two erotica shops YES. sketchy. but the hotel itself was fine. it should be. it cost a lot, as i was convinced to stay in a single room. enough of this luxury, though i must saz it was worth it. i finallz got two almost full nights of sleep as before that i was sleeping like a spy might. catching anything from fifteen minutes to three hours whenever i could. ) i would like to point out that i woke up on hte plane to salzburg to ensure i got mz junk airline food. nothing against british airways, i like you guys. but most airline food is junk.
right. so pension adlerhof. i need to look it up on the website again but i am pretty sure it was an original pre war building where people planned things and had meetings. this explains whhy my room smelled a little like old people, smoke, and nazis.
a lot of stuff in salzburg had to be rebuilt because of bombings. stupid wars. this is why i am a crazy hippie and not terriblz religious - i also have been seeing lots of churches that have been whitewashed and junk because of iconclasm. stupid zealots. just leave buildings alone. and people. man, everyone needs to just chill out.
but yeah. i am not sure how this internet cafe junk works, though i feel like i really need to wash my hands (dirty keyboard) and take a shower and wash my clothes (poeple smoke EVERYWHERE. my god. it makes me want to throw up. donät smoke). but i dont know if the comp just kicks me off after an hour or if i go up and pay more. i f i just pay more later, i may transfer a journal entry onto here. as that is my plan for the remainder of the trip. i plan on keeping this journal, and transferring entries when i can. if they dont get done by the time i get home then i will just do it when i get home.
omg 1 minute left, bye
3.11.08
FULL itinerary
i have decided to include a full itinerary because some have asked for it. So in case you are particularly interested, or, for some of you, if you are trying to meet up at some point in europe, here it is:
T. Nov 4th- arrive in london at night, find jenna esposito and reunite
W. 5th- london (and guy fawkes day fun)
Th 6th- London
Fr 7th- trip to Cambridge , but still staying in London
Sa 8th- early morning flight to Salzburg, Austria
Sun 9th- Salzburg
M 10th- Train from Sazlburg to Munich
T 11th- bus tour of Ludwig's castles in Bavaria, then Munich for the night
W- 12th- big train ride from Munich to Prague
Th 13th- Prague
Fr 14th- Prague, train to Vienna late afternoon
Sa 15th- trip to Bratislava from Vienna
Su 16th- Vienna
M17h- Vienna
T 18th- Vienna , flight back to london in afternoon
W 19th - Sun 23rd London, or somewhere in England. maybe two concerts.
fly home sun the 23rd around noon. :(
ok , so for those of you in europe, if you want to jump in on anything - particularly the middle bit, let me know. hope you can work it out.
now back to packing. yuck.
p.s. a spider was in my car today. and i did so well keeping calm. i pulled over when it started crawling around my sunroof, and was scuttling towards the area right above my head. i was able to jump out of the car on a side road and reposition myself with a tissue. it tried to hide, but it was futile, this is why you stay outside spiders. i will not kill you if you are outside. but the minute you invade my space and threaten jumping onto my face while i am driving, well, i am afraid you have to go.
T. Nov 4th- arrive in london at night, find jenna esposito and reunite
W. 5th- london (and guy fawkes day fun)
Th 6th- London
Fr 7th- trip to Cambridge , but still staying in London
Sa 8th- early morning flight to Salzburg, Austria
Sun 9th- Salzburg
M 10th- Train from Sazlburg to Munich
T 11th- bus tour of Ludwig's castles in Bavaria, then Munich for the night
W- 12th- big train ride from Munich to Prague
Th 13th- Prague
Fr 14th- Prague, train to Vienna late afternoon
Sa 15th- trip to Bratislava from Vienna
Su 16th- Vienna
M17h- Vienna
T 18th- Vienna , flight back to london in afternoon
W 19th - Sun 23rd London, or somewhere in England. maybe two concerts.
fly home sun the 23rd around noon. :(
ok , so for those of you in europe, if you want to jump in on anything - particularly the middle bit, let me know. hope you can work it out.
now back to packing. yuck.
p.s. a spider was in my car today. and i did so well keeping calm. i pulled over when it started crawling around my sunroof, and was scuttling towards the area right above my head. i was able to jump out of the car on a side road and reposition myself with a tissue. it tried to hide, but it was futile, this is why you stay outside spiders. i will not kill you if you are outside. but the minute you invade my space and threaten jumping onto my face while i am driving, well, i am afraid you have to go.
2.11.08
what's new pussycat?
As i write a list of what to bring with me to Europe, i flip through the channels on my television. It lands on NJN, the new jersey pbs -type channel, which often plays old concerts and occasionally some old britcoms. Well, lo and behold, on it tonight i notice a man in a red shirt and tight black pants singing Great Balls of Fire. No, not Jerry Lee Lewis (though he is alive and kicking as witnessed at the D.C. Fourth of July concert this summer).
It was none other than Tom Jones.
I think this is a good sign for my trip, as my time in London was a popular time for the Tom Jones impression; which, as you probably know is somewhere on video floating around the trash bin of the BBC. (i did a tom jones impersonation along with the turkey impression and other things on video when i auditioned for a game show in england 2 years ago. yup. i am among the most embarrassing ,awkward, and ridiculous people you know).
Man, that Tom Jones had something. I can see where all the crazy panty throwing ladies are coming from. Sadly, he has since had so much plastic surgery that his doctor truly told him that if he continued like this, his face would literally fall off.
Whoopsiedaisy Tommy. At least we will always have "Thunderball."
I was getting anxious for this trip, as i have a tendency to get nervous before things actually happen, but Tom has put my mind at ease. At least for now.
I have to pack everything tomorrow. I leave on Tuesday morning, at a time when i would normally just be hitting my REM sleep. I don't have all my transportation booked. I don't have hostels booked. I don't have any clue what i want to see anywhere, but you know what, it's europe. no matter what happens everything will be great. And i can guarantee i will have some interesting stories for you; life hasn't let me down yet. Wierd situations gravitate to me.
Which brings me to my next point:
I hope to be regularly posting blogs about my 2 and a half week jaunt in Europe. I considered putting it up with my original blog from London, but i decided to do it here. So check in every now and then if you want to read stories about me trying to speak german to old people, me falling down stairs in a castle, or me searching for a vegetarian meal in the home of sausage. The possibilities are endless my friends, but please, do read, and more importantly, write comments so i am inspired to continue documenting my journey.
Let's be honest, this plan is nearly entirely selfish, it just forces me to keep a journal of my fun, which i would otherwise not do. So comment on things, i am pretty sure you can use it as a tax write off.
Here is my general itinerary, so you can have a little teaser:
London for a few days, Salzburg, Munich, bus tour of crazy king ludwig's castles in bavaria, a 6 hour train ride to prague , prague coincidentally, bratislava, vienna, london, and home.
the end is subject to change. as in it may not end.
It was none other than Tom Jones.
I think this is a good sign for my trip, as my time in London was a popular time for the Tom Jones impression; which, as you probably know is somewhere on video floating around the trash bin of the BBC. (i did a tom jones impersonation along with the turkey impression and other things on video when i auditioned for a game show in england 2 years ago. yup. i am among the most embarrassing ,awkward, and ridiculous people you know).
Man, that Tom Jones had something. I can see where all the crazy panty throwing ladies are coming from. Sadly, he has since had so much plastic surgery that his doctor truly told him that if he continued like this, his face would literally fall off.
Whoopsiedaisy Tommy. At least we will always have "Thunderball."
I was getting anxious for this trip, as i have a tendency to get nervous before things actually happen, but Tom has put my mind at ease. At least for now.
I have to pack everything tomorrow. I leave on Tuesday morning, at a time when i would normally just be hitting my REM sleep. I don't have all my transportation booked. I don't have hostels booked. I don't have any clue what i want to see anywhere, but you know what, it's europe. no matter what happens everything will be great. And i can guarantee i will have some interesting stories for you; life hasn't let me down yet. Wierd situations gravitate to me.
Which brings me to my next point:
I hope to be regularly posting blogs about my 2 and a half week jaunt in Europe. I considered putting it up with my original blog from London, but i decided to do it here. So check in every now and then if you want to read stories about me trying to speak german to old people, me falling down stairs in a castle, or me searching for a vegetarian meal in the home of sausage. The possibilities are endless my friends, but please, do read, and more importantly, write comments so i am inspired to continue documenting my journey.
Let's be honest, this plan is nearly entirely selfish, it just forces me to keep a journal of my fun, which i would otherwise not do. So comment on things, i am pretty sure you can use it as a tax write off.
Here is my general itinerary, so you can have a little teaser:
London for a few days, Salzburg, Munich, bus tour of crazy king ludwig's castles in bavaria, a 6 hour train ride to prague , prague coincidentally, bratislava, vienna, london, and home.
the end is subject to change. as in it may not end.
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