My flight was early in the morning so I hadn't slept well as I was nervous/excited for my trip. I flew into Vancouver, Canada where I had a four hour layover, I met a very nice woman from London and we talked for hours which helped pass the time. On my flight to London I sat next to the cutest couple who were from Vancouver, Canada on their way to Africa for their honeymoon. Very nice people and we talked a lot which was great, I have always wanted to go to Africa as many of you know. Of course we talked during the time I should have been sleeping. Once I arrived to London I was able to get a hotel with the help of the airport help desk. It killed me to pay 93 pounds but I figured it was worth it the first night as I was really tired. I quickly realized that I am an overpacker. My goal was to bring one backpack right? That didn't quite happen. I brought a full backpack and a small 22" roller suitcase that I checked so I could bring my sharp stuff and liquids. I am going to be here for almost 4 months. Well as I was navigating the London subway system I quickly figured out that light packing is so much better, especially when you are sleep deprived. All subways have stairs, lots of them, which does not work well for roller suitcases. A big backpack on my back, and lugging a suitcase up and down stairs, just picture it.. So needless to say I have given away somethings already that I thought were essential such as my 4 pound guidebooks. I had 3 transfers to get to my hotel, before my last transfer I was sitting next to an old woman, the subway was packed, packed, packed, and I was looking at my underground map and she started talking to me in some language I did not recognize. I shook my head and the young girl next to her who was her granddaughter, told me that she was speaking Romanian and she had said she wanted a guidebook like mine but the print was too small for her to read so we had a nice smile and laugh about that, little did I know what was to come. I laid my head down on my luggage for 1 second as I had about 10 stops before my stop and I fell asleep, next thing I know I wake up and I look and it is my stop, I jump up, and try to drag my luggage through the crowded throng of people on the subway, the little old Romanian lady who I had just shared a pleasant conversation with starts screaming Stop, Stop!! So of course everyone stares at me, as I was dragging my luggage I had been dragging along her bag with me unknowingly. Needless to say, the doors closed before I could get out, I said SHIT really loud while everyone was still staring at me and handed the old lady her bag, saying So sorry, so sorry, while she glared at me. I got off on the next stop lugging my luggage yet again up the million stairs to take the next subway back the way I just came so I could get to the right stop.
I arrived at my hotel after my subway adventure, which I must say I was quite proud of myself for navigating. When I reached the front of my hotel a young guy greeted me and asked if he could help me with my bags of course I wanted him to, at this point I wanted to bring him with me for the entire journey so he could help me with my bags but I hadn't exchanged any dollars for pounds yet so I wouldn't be able to tip him so I said no thanks although of course the hotel also had stairs in the entryway. He ignored me and lugged my suitcase up the stairs and to my room. I apologized that I didn't have any money yet, he said no problem, very charming and cute by the way. So I got myself settled and all I wanted to do was collapse on the bed but I got myself together and cleaned up, anyone who flies knows how gross you feel after flying and went out to explore London. I walked around town for about 6 hours and finally got back to my hotel. My prepurchased phone card did not work so I had to go back and buy one down the street. I spoke to the front desk person and she explained how to use it and that I would not be charged because I had this phone card. London is 8 hours ahead of us so I had to wait to call me family, so I called all of my family and told them I made it safely, took an amazing bubble bath and fell into a sleep coma. When I went to check out the next day they said there was some phone charges of 7.50 pounds which the exchange rate is about double for the pound to the US dollar so that was almost $15! As I was explaining what the girl had helped me the night before had explained to me they weren't buying it and I was feeling very frustrated, my admirer from the night before had come up while I was arguing with the front desk person standing less than a hands width away from me smiling adoringly at me. I was very emotional, lack of sleep, pissed off that they weren't listening to me and than just all of the adjustments. They charged me even with all of my protests. As I tried to blink back the tears of frustration, my new friend asked again, can I help with your luggage? I had found him and given him some money the night before after I had gotten some pounds, so of course I was thinking he just wants more money. He carried my bag down the stairs and when I went to pay him, he shook his head and said no, I just wanted to help you, and he shook his head and said he didn't agree with how they had acted to me. Humbled, yes I was, so I felt obligated to make small talk with him as he stared at me with a huge smile the whole time, I did not feel special with a huge back pack on my back and still feeling out of it. I had a nice chat with him and went on my way. Admirer 1 of my trip. = ) I went to the subway to get a Eurotrain ticket to Paris but they only had tickets available for the next day. So I had to go and try to find a hostel. After calling 7 hostels and all of them being full, I was feeling a bit panicked. I finally ended up at Holland Park hostel which was so amazing. Beautiful location and such amazing nice people.
The staff were so helpful and nice it was great, my first experience in a hostel was great. They had a restaurant at the hostel, very inexpensive prices which is not normal in London. I met really nice people, I had to get a cab early the next morning to get to the subway by 6:00. I had gone out with one of my roommates, beer and desserts. Warm nice showers clean rooms, I was really impressed. I took pics so I will have them on here for viewing. I couldn't sleep because there was a snorer and it was really windy and I was anxious about my alarm going off in the morning so I went up to the front desk lounge area at 2:30 and sat and chatted with the front desk receptionist until my cab came. So many nice people and I have been getting e-mails from them too so I can keep in contact. I will have to write about Paris my next posting as I purchased an hour of internet and it is almost out. So I got about one hour sleep before my train trip to London, so I get to the station that morning, get on the train and get settled only to have the actual owners of the seat come up and want to claim it, I had seat 66 but it was in car 18 not 4. Aaahhh, so I had to grab my luggage banging into to everyone racing to get to my car, the aisles are to narrow for the luggage, which is fun. I finally get to my actual seat, get settled and start taking off two layers of my 5 layers of clothes. I realize that I hadn't remembered deoderant so I apply that on the train, you have to realize that everything you do is being watched by someone, but at this point I don't care, I am just looking forward to some sleep on the 3 hour train ride. I look over and this woman next to me says are you British? I say no, American, she said you seem very together and confident so I thought you must be from here. I started laughing and say well I have you fooled, and explained to her what I had just done. So of course I spent the whole train trip talking to her and her son instead of sleeping. They were from Texas and she had met her son who was on leave from the army. Apparently sleep is overrated.. I will write about my Paris adventures on my next post. Paris is 9 hours ahead of Oregon, time change, jet lag and I actually have done amazingly well at enjoying myself, meeting lots of great people and getting around the city. I am taking the Eurail this morning from the subway right now to go down to Nice!! Yes I know I love my life right now!! I am learning so many things about myself, some that I like and some that I would like to change, which is the whole purpose of this trip. I am also reading an excellent book called, Eat, Pray, Love, which is perfect for my trip. I totally reccomend it to all my friends that are readers. Ok I better go, until next time. Much love, Marci
Marci
