So I set out to a lovely lil hostel in south Kensington London, individual room, had to share the bathroom with 30 Swedish 15/16yr olds..for two nights
Was very tempting to sleep all day but that’s just stupid, kicked myself out of bed and walked around, always came across something interesting- incredible exhibits of classic/modern art for free or less than six pounds; about 20 mimes and circ de solie types hanging off trees and wires; a bunch of students with bongos, beer and a frisbee in the park (such a cliché, right? Weird but true) not to mention the beautiful buildings- ok, it's lame to blog about buildings and stuff but it took my breath away...maybe it was just all the walking?
Just let me brag about some of the folks I've met, then I can tell you about some of the not so great people...met super cool nomad lawyer in a laundrette who use to live in Aus, she was so worried about my safety she gave me her number I case I get into trouble (me? never, haha) Groovy lady in the park with the bongo students whose husband of twenty years has a gambling problem..Sounds less inspiring than meeting her was...hope she's ok. Met thoughtful, articulate African dude who insisted he wasn't trying to chat me up as he handed me his business card, harmless, maybe I’ll check out his facebook or something. Hilarious Essex lass in a pub with her boyfriend playing pool, I'm the first Aussie she's met- very happy to represent.
Thank you to the innumerable strangers; shop assistants and cabbies who have given me actually helpful directions, even walking with me and going out of their way to help me...I must've looked extremely pathetic for such empathy
I know I said I would tell you about some of the less helpful, more gloomy and downright bitchy and bastardy characters, but they are definitely outnumbered and it’s just the usual boring tales you don’t need me to tell you, just unhappy jerks or they are actually really great but were having a shitty day types.
Stayed in my first proper hostel place, sharing with five of the funniest chicks ever...helped me book my flight to Warsaw, used Foxy's laptop and everything, pretty cool, given knowing each other for all of two hours..40 thirteen year olds on a school sleep away invaded that night, the building didn't stop buzzing until 2am, up early to drop stuff I didn't need to take to Warsaw (thereby saving £25 fee for check in, robbery much?) with my cousin.
Had are shit time getting trains in London's peak hour, so much so that I changed direction to get onto the central line no sooner than necessary, I couldn't contain my horrified laughter as a young guy forced a place for himself at the doorway of the train, only for the two doors to close on his butt-ouch.
More drama to get to ..?Sounds like pancreas...lol, where I found The Best iced chocolate – not exactly low cal breakfast but the kids had invaded the hostel dining and kitchen.
Got overground train to kooky little Luton airport. Met 40ish married guy from Ireland as we waited for our different flights in an open booth at a starbucks, he had been in Belarus or Belgium...bell something, quite funny and warned me about Irish weather..I tend to pick on (sit with)people who are also travelling alone, nice change to have the perks of a travel buddy e.g.-someone to watch your (locked) bag as you fetch a drink or go to the toilet, without the hassle of compromise, sharing and fighting..I’ve never travelled before now but I do see a lot of agitation between people that are travelling together. I gave him my newspaper I got free on the train as I read my all time favourite book I’ve had for several years and read at least a dozen times – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, good travel size and always find a new angle of the story, funny too-keeps your spirits up on a long journey
...why am I telling you all this? Because I left my darling book on my flight to Warsaw, I couldn’t be more heartbroken...I take comfort hoping someone has adopted my dear copy and given it a good home.
Ok so even though my seatbelt is always half an inch too small on cheaper airlines, being a chunky traveller occasionally comes with the slightly humiliating yet oh-so-nice spare seat next to me on a crowded flight...haha, bloke in window seat wasnt exactly svelte either so I think we were equally relieved, I would have asked, but neither of us understood a word of each others languages.
Landed in Warsaw, looked around for a bus to central station to get to Lublin, fyi: pronounced "loob-linn" not "lubb-lyn" as I unfortunately pronounced as I requested directions...nice but terrifyingly loud taxi driver attempted to coach me as we sat in traffic- the polish language, as a complete outsider, is designed to intimidate, isnt it? Joke...kinda
The station was much more of a test than the airport, with absolutely no signs in English translation...not that there should be english everywhere...
so I wandered around for almost an hour, asking if anyone could translate my ticket and tell me where I should be, conversations went something like this:
Me: (approaching with caution and apology) do you speak English?
Stranger: a liddle bit
Me: could you tell me if this (pointing down) is my platform (point at ticket)
Stranger: (looks irritated) UP (fingers imitate climbing stairs) LEFT (hand left) TABLEU (draws square above their head)
oh, as though I wouldn’t have tried that before looking like an idiot and basically putting a giant sign on my back saying 'hello, I’m a tourist from one of those greedy country's you hate, please steal my bag'
The sign (tableu) is in polish.
As is much more likely to find bi-lingual young adults rather than older generation, I continued asking people in my age group, my confidence fading in matched pace with my growing anxiety of missing my train, fun eh?
But then, I approached a girl in her twenties and asked, with very little hope, ''...english?..'' her responce "yes" clear, and the best word id ever heard, ever! "oh thank god" I laughed, ''do you speak polish?'' -yes "oh wow, please tell me if I'm in the right place..and so on, Natalia, my total saviour and soon to be famous actress/current full time waitress, ran all around the station with me to find where I should be, translating signs and talking to station guards for me..amazing.. She sat with me for almost an hour chatting and made sure I had the right train-lots of confusion because it was 45minutes delayed..Waved goodbye for now after our exchange of email addresses...amazing! Amazing!
