Travel Tidbit 1 - August 24th 2009 @ 8am
I was dropped off at the airport an hour ago, and so far I've checked in and been through security. Nice and quick, only long queue was security. Note to self: spray deoderants DO count as a liquid. Now I'm sat in Starbucks (where was no Caffe Nero) with a very delicious mango passionfruit drink, a steak and cheese panini and a fruit sald. All I have to do now is wait. My gate doesn't open until half eight. It hasn't even been assigned a number yet. Starbucks is up outside gate 20, so I'm hoping I get a high number, but knowing my luck it'll be gate 1.
Travel Tidbit 2 - 9.30am
I'm sat by my gate, which was conveniently right opposite Starbucks. I'm waiting for it to start boarding now. I'm sat by the window listening to an old lady next to me snoring and watching the baggage guys outside unload a KLM flight. Starting to fall asleep, but trying to resist. Just need to hold off for another hour, then I can (hopefully) sleep away an eight hour flight.
Travel Tidbit 3 - 5.55am
See that?! I'm now writing after I did before, but it's earlier! Time Travel! No matter what Neil says. Anyway, I'm on the plane, in the air. I've filled in the two forms they handed out, I'm all settled to fall asleep. Except that they have these little individual entertainment screens that have loads of films and games. Games! They have bejwelled and bookworm and zuma. Plus, I have a puzzle book, and my DS which has a gazillion games and books on it. Shouldn't get bored. Oooo, lunch! Hang on, at 6am?
Travel Tidbit 4 - 10.22am
Freaked out? Me? No way. I can handle a little turbulence. Just cos it's about fifty times worse than last time I flew. I'm not a wuss. I know it's perfectly safe up here. The invisible giant wading through the Atlantic has us firmly grasped in his invisible giant hand. He won't drop us. Wait, did the pilot just say 'hurricane'? He did! Great. Are hurricans stronger than giants?!
Travel Tidbit 5 - 12.45pm
These little screens are great...
Grrr stupid phone. I had a picture of the screen, but my phone has a tendency to corrupt pictures when it copies to my laptop. So no picture, but it's a touchscreen the size of an A5 notebook, and the photo I'd taken was of the moving map. There's an option on the screen that lets you see exactly where the plane is on a map. Very cool. That same option also tells you what altitude you're at (32909 ft when I took the picture), the ground speed (501 mph), the outside temperature (-38 celsius), headwind (60 mph), time 'til destination (4.05), local time at origin (2.11pm), local time at destination (9.11am), estimated time of arrival (1.16 pm) and distance travelled (1604 miles). Very very cool. Ooo, more food.
Travel Tidbit 6 - 3pm
I'm in New York, at JFK. I got off the plane, went through Customs, picked up my suitcase from baggage claim, went to the connecting flights area, tipped my backpack all over the floor looking for my second boarding pass, checked in my suitcase again, went through security again and walked about four gajillion miles to the end of the terminal. There I got a drink. And let me tell you, when Americans say large, they mean large. I got a smoothie, and when the woman asked if I wanted regular or large, I said what I normally say and got a large. Two minutes later, she handed me a cup the size of a family bottle of coke. It was hugemongous! Has taken an hour to drink. Very nice though. The Delta flight was good. Long, since I couldn't sleep. (I just brought myself one of those curved neck cushions). But I watched a few movies, got fed twice (plus some delicious peanuts) and watched the woman in front of me play 8 straight hours of bejewelled.
Travel Tidbit 7 - 5pm
I'm on the next flight. In a teeny tiny little plane. Quite scary actually, or it will be when we actually take off. We've been taxi-ing and waiting for a run way slot for ages.
Travel Tidbit 8 - 6.45pm
I'm in MAINE! I'm waiting for Holly to arrive, we're gonna share a taxi to campus. This airport is tiny and dead. I did have a picture but... stupid phone. I'm absolutely exhausted though. I feel like I could sleep a million years. I've been travelling for 18 hours, and I've been awake for 28. On no pro plus!
Travel Tidbit 9 - 8.15pm
We're at the university. I'm in my room, sat at my desk, near my very very high bed. We got here over an hour ago, but it's taken ages to get to the room. We were told an RA would be waiting at the hall to sort us out when we arrived, but there's no one here. Three nice lads let us into the building, and we stood in the lobby for a minute or two. No one. We used the courtesy phone to call every number we could find from office doors and posters. No answer anyway. Boiling hot, absolutely knackered and slightly cheesed off, we gave in and called the campus police. Three minutes later the International Students Programme Officer (I think that's her title. She's called Katie and she's very nice) showed up and opened the office, gave us our temporary room cards, turned back to the office to get the building cards and realised she had locked herself out of the office. So she ran off to get some help. Then Caroline showed up (she runs the Centre for Involvement and Activities) and let Katie into the office who got the other cards and FINALLY showed us to our rooms.
So here I am. It's now Tuesday night, and I'm sat at my desk again. I'm completely exhausted! Not to mention hot. It's been sweltering and stuffy all day. I was wondering around doing errands (getting my ID card - lovely picture - and setting up my email/internet) and I was almost literally melting. It's very hilly round here as well as being hot. I had pure liquid running down my face most of the day, I need to start carrying around a handkerchief or something. Lots of exercise. And I haven't been eating that much either. Eating junk, but not as much of it as I usually it. Maybe I'll actually leave here fitter, who knows?
Last night was fun. The hall put on Dominos pizza for us, and there were a few international students chatting away upstairs in the common room. Yummy pizza. LOvely people. Jaap (pronounced Yab) from the Netherlands, Geni from Winchester in England, Holly and Johnny from Keele, Jana from Canada and my roommate Sun from Korea. Plus Katie and Caroline. I eventually got to bed at about half eleven, and slept solidly until half twelve this afternoon. Errands today and then a spaghetti dinner upstairs. With even more international students. I think the whole lot is here now. As well as the guys from last night there's my other roommate Ai from Japan, Sisily (I think I've got that wrong) from France, Warren from Jamaica, a guy from Japan who's name I can't remember or pronounce, a guy from Korea I can't remember or pronounce, Shane from Canada, Francie from Germany, Martha from Germany and... Actually I think that's it. I'm sure I've missed someone, but I'll let you know.
The campus is gorgeous. A lot like Keele, but prettier. It's very green and hilly. And everyone is nice so far. I haven't been shy at all. One of my biggest fears is that I'd be too scared to speak to anyone, but I've been chatting away with strangers with no worries. It's like I left Colette behind in England and Cleo took over.
My room is good. Bigger than I was expecting. I'm going to have Heather as a roommate when she gets here Sunday. I was asleep when Ai arrived this morning so she took the spare bed in Sun's room. The bed is really high up though, but I'm in the process of getting a custodian to sort that out. The window only opens a few inches, and has netting the other side, so I'll be getting a fan this week. Big trip to Walmart, I can't wait.
I think that's all up to date now. I'm sure I've missed something. So much has been going on, and so much will be happening. It's all go! But I'm enjoying myself. I'm tired as hell, and hot beyond my comfort levels, and my ankle swelled up to the size of a melon yesterday and doesn't appear to be settling. I think it's gonna stay that way. But I'm happy. I'm happy and excited and eager to do more new things.
PS> Here are some shots I took on my camera from the second plane, mostly clouds.
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