Day One (Pictures)

12/27/2008 7:38 PM EST

For all of the nerves and anxiety I’ve shown building up to this trip, all the ups and downs, excitements and fears, one thing has remained the same – I LOVE flying!

I don’t love the hassle of packing, or of hauling bags around (thank you so much, Dad and Seth!) or the hours upon hours of waiting at the gate (security never takes me more than five minutes), but the flying, the actual plane, in the air… it always makes me feel so incredible.

The excitement starts to build as I walk down the gate connecting building to plane. The cool air from outside blows down the hall, a welcome respite from the hot and stuffy departure gate inside. The plane door is open and the rain running down windows and illuminated from outside looks like some sort of Christmas decoration, all yellow and shifting. Then I’m inside the plane and being directed to my seat.

When I checked in online, I thought I had chosen a great seat–near the front, by the window… but upon checking in my baggage, I was bumped up a level. Business class! However… would I still have my beloved window seat with this change? No, actually. I’m on the aisle now, one away from the window. Perfect for bathroom breaks, but not so good for a view. My row is right near the flaps, though, Emily.

As passengers filed past me, I hastily stowed my laptop bag in the overhead bins and took my seat, marveling at how much leg room I have—my feet barely reach the footrest extended in front of me. I’m also in the last row of business class—no one behind me! No one! I always hated when people in front of me put their seats back, so I never really did it myself, not wanting to upset anyone. Now, though, I can put my seat back as far as it will go, with no one to worry about.

My seat also comes with a leg rest! Not just the bar attached to the seat in front of me, but a genuine padded leg rest, like a Laz-E-Boy would have. And, get this (Mom)—adjustable lumbar support! Woo! The headrest also adjusts, up and down, and the sides bend in for support if I want to sleep.

And that’s just the seat comfort stuff! The seat in front has huge pockets, definitely big enough for magazines and water and books… In addition, we get our traditional care package with a travel toothbrush/paste, socks, eye mask, ear plugs, and a pen. The head phones are high-quality, and while not sound-cancelling, they do have padded ears that muffle the noise, definitely a step up from economy class (as seen when I walked through them to get to the bathroom). The seat comes with a tray that folds into the arm, power supplies for computers, a remote for in-flight entertainment that doubles as a phone (if you pay), and oh, did I mention the SPACE?

The crew began preparing for takeoff, and as they went through the pre-flight safety dance, I realized no one else would be boarding. The prized window seat beside me was empty! I was already buckled, though, and settled for leaning over the empty seat to stare out the window as we taxied to the runway.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of flying is the takeoff, with landing as the next favorite and mild turbulence (provided I don’t have a full drink) the third. The plane sat at the end of the runway, her engines revving. I could feel the thrum through my seat and chanted silently Let her go, let her fly! One by one, the cabin lights went out (customary for after-dark takeoffs, we were told), and the outside came into view. Anticipation was building, the silence before the show begins. I popped a life saver (mint) into my mouth to suck on, and the plane leapt forward.

As the engines roared in pleasure, the lights of the runway and O’Hare flashed past my rain-streaked window. I bounced and I grinned from sheer giddiness as we raced down the runway. Every bump rattled the plane, and we went faster and faster, rattling and shaking, until… nothing. No more bumping, just a sure, steady ascent into the fog. The engines were purring with content now, already fading into background noise, and only the slight tremors of turbulence were let to give us any indication of movement.

We’re in the air now, and I’m tired, tired and happy. I’m ready to get some sleep, but I’m waiting for the dinner that’s promised to come soon—chicken casserole or roast beef? Decisions, decisions! I think I’ll take the casserole, as I had roast beef for Christmas.

That’s another thing I like about flying—airline food. Most others hate it, but strangely enough, I find it satisfyingly yummy—except the Indian stuff on Air India. I enjoyed their continental choices, but the Indian food was far too spicy for me.


12/28/2008 1:58 AM EST

We’re getting ready to land—no seatbelt sign yet, but soon, the pilot said. According to the map, we’re near Birmingham, and I can feel the descent popping my ears. I pop another mint life saver to suck on, and I pity the baby behind me.

Twenty minutes to landing, and the flight attendant just interrupted his “Please take your seat” speech with an “Oh, for blo-” All the other crew were giggling.

The flight has been a peaceful one. I spent most of it in earplugs, dozing. Dinner was served around 9, and it was yummy, as I had expected. Except dessert. I think that’s the one thing I don’t like about airline food. It’s not their fault, though. I just don’t like apple pie (I tried it and could tell it was very yummy, just not my taste). They also had a travel-size Kit Kat, so I was happy.

I did manage to make a mess, though. Somehow, I got two big drops of salad dressing on my shirt. Thank goodness I packed lots of Tide to Go and Shout wipes! It’s STILL dark, so I may cut this update short. If that happens, I’ll pick it up on the train.

I’m marveling at how little I did of what I brought to entertain me. Isn’t that how it always is? I brought a book, Red Seas Under Red Skies, the sequel to one of my current favorites (The Lies of Locke Lamora). I had bought it months ago, and it’s been agonizingly tempting to have it sitting on my shelf, untouched. It was a paperback, though, and mine, so I could easily take it with me. I saved it for three months, instead reading library books.

Didn’t even crack it open!

I brought three magazines and read half of one (skimmed the other half) in the airport, while waiting for the plane. I also bought a little Sudoku book and did a couple of those. Uh-oh, lights out… wait…

Since dawn is breaking, it’s light enough to try and write some more. Where was I? Oh, yes, in-flight entertainment. I also have 2+ days of audio books on my iPod, as well as plenty of music. In the gate, I had wanted to listen, but I didn’t want to use up the battery, so I resisted.

It feels like we’re going faster now, even though we should be—we ARE descending. Down through the clouds, I see lights again! Can’t see the sun, no more writing.

Dip as we go down, then rattle and bump as our ride ends, the flaps all up for drag—very smooth landing! A+, Mr. Pilot!


12/29/08, 3:30 AM EST

Well, I’ve landed, acquired my luggage, and boarded the train that will take me into central London. Oops—picked a seat facing backwards. Oh well. I’m also £3 richer than I should be—the ticket machine gave me three £2 coins as change instead of three £1 coins. I feel rather guilty, but there was no one I could explain the error to.

I am incredibly proud of myself. No one, absolutely no one, had to help me pull my luggage off the carousel and onto my trolley! I also, even more impressive, didn’t have to huff and puff. It was a real piece of cake!

I think Heathrow’s had some upgrades, though (ED., 12/29/08 6:15 PM: Yep, added a whole new terminal that wasn’t there last time). Everything looks new and modern and swanky, from the huge lights to the triple-sized luggage carousel, to the train that took us from the landing terminal to baggage claim. I like it.

So, anyway, back to the plane. I didn’t listen to my iPod or read. Instead, I played a couple rounds of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” (I’m horrible at British trivia!) and wrote a bit, but mostly, I slept. Now I’m writing again and wishing I had some water left.

According to the people back at the O’Hare gate, our plane was delayed (by about an hour) because it was stuck in a long holding pattern and almost diverted due to the bad weather. It did arrive, though.

We also had a high school band flying with us. That was quite annoying in the airport, but they didn’t make any noise I noticed on the plane itself, aside from a cheer when the flight attendant welcomed them over the PA. There were two babies behind me, but they didn’t get fussy until landing, so that was good.


12/29/08 12:35 PM EST

So, I’m sitting in the lobby of my hotel now, and I’m rather frustrated. This hotel promised wireless internet. It delivered – lobby only. However, it refuses to let my computer connect. I have ‘limited or no connectivity’ because it’s not providing the numbers I need. Sigh. I ended up hiking down to a McDonald’s to take advantage of their free wifi (and it was lunch time), but my battery cut out because McDonald’s doesn’t have outlets. Sorry, Mom, for the interruption in our conversation. That’s why.

I’ve hiked all around London today, and my feet are sore. First, I tried to score a SIM card for my phone. Sadly, the shop I saw was closed since it’s Sunday (but they had their lights on, naughty, tricky little shop). Then I went to the BUNAC hostel, which is supposed to be my home for the next week. The door was locked and nobody answered when I tried buzzing. Hmm…

BUNAC center is next, where I’m supposed to go tomorrow for my orientation. I arrived at 4:30 (it took 40 minutes to get there), but they were also closed. Then I got to hike back. The closest tube station to the center is closed because they’re working on it, so I got to use the Barbican instead.

There is something very… I don’t know, Londony, about watching the underground trains come shooting out of the tunnels. They are very distinctive, and I had to smile at the familiar sight. The London Underground is my absolute favorite part of this city.

I haven’t talked about the hotel yet, have I? There’s not much to say, really. It’s a rundown piece of crap pretending to be something greater than it is. The room itself reminds me of a roadside motel my family once stayed at on a long trip. Since I got this night free with my flight, I shouldn’t complain, but really, it’s nothing to crow over. The lobbies (there are two of them) are really quite nice, all polished and wood and nice young men in uniform to hold the doors for you. Once you step into the green-carpet-walled elevators, though, you realize that this hotel is not as nice as it would like to be. The only thing it really has going for it is the location. It is just a block from the British Museum, diagonally, and a different block from a tube station. McDonald’s is several blocks down the street, with a Carphone Warehouse (for phones and hopefully my own internet connection) across the street from that. A block or two away from the British Museum is the BUNAC hostel. I’ll take pictures of my hotel room once I return tonight (and repack my things).

I’m quite tired, so even though it’s only 5:30ish over here, I think I’m going to try to get some sleep. I don’t think I’m too jetlaggy, but we’ll see how I am in the morning.

It's gotta be a winner when they screw the pictures into the wall, right?

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29/12/08 10:00 AM GMT

On GMT now, so I’m writing the date the British way. Gotta get used to it!

Last night was certainly interesting. Dinner was Baskin Robbins’ Fudge Brownie ice cream from a vending machine—I was hungry, and none of the other vending machines took bills. It was good, though. I watched Secret Millionaires too. It’s about these super rich British people who go undercover in poor places to learn about ways they could really make a difference with their money. One man gave £225,000 to a shelter for the elderly and disabled in Glasgow, which allowed them to rebuild it with much better facilities for their special-needs patrons, and another man paid for an incentive program for teens who had dropped out of school and now went to a learning center. Good behaviour and grades could earn them things like snowboarding trips (they got to choose), and if they passed at least one GCSE (tests taken at the end of high school), then they could come work at his office for a month and see that there really was more to life than drugs and delinquency (that millionaire had been a bit of a juvenile delinquent himself, but managed to pull himself out of it).

After dinner and repacking, I rescheduled my arrival at the BUNAC hostel (needed to get orientated first!) and took pictures for everyone to see. The hotel towels were stained and had other people’s hairs stuck to them! Ew! Then it was time for bed.

I woke up around midnight, GMT, so I read a bit from a magazine before dozing off again. That mattress was not very comfortable, but it worked.

More than anything right now, I want a place to settle down in. I don’t like living out of a suitcase. Even more than a consistent internet connection, I want a place to unpack.

The continental breakfast that came with my room wasn’t that great. I could have cereal (4 varieties, all too crushed to identify), toast (barely toasted and chilled), or rolls (soft and pretty good, but also cold) with butter (too frozen to spread) or jam, and orange slices that looked pre-chewed. Not very appetizing.

I’m currently at the BUNAC office, waiting for orientation to begin. There’s a very loud girl behind me, talking about how she’s graduated and wants a career job already and stuff… she has five things of luggage and can’t pronounce Westminster and keeps talking about how she Western Unioned money to herself. Maybe I’m only cringing so much because I still don’t have a home. Anyway, orientation is starting, so I’m stopping.

29/12/08 6:30 GMT

I wish I hadn’t complained so much about the hotel. The hostel is even worse, and I’m going to be here longer!

Hostel beats Hotel: The bathroom facilities look cleaner. The dirt in the shower looks like it’s easily washed away, and not actually mold like in the hotel. The toilet flushes with one try. Wireless internet works, and in my room, even!

Hotel beats Hostel: I had my own room (I have my own room now, but with the potential for up to three additional roommates). Hotel was rundown and crappy, but at least they vacuumed. There’s something gross on the desk next to my arm, the dresser drawers scare me (one of them has socks in it still, even though I’m the only one in this room), and the carpet has visible crumbs, in addition to all the suspicious stains.

However… I’m much more relaxed here at the hostel. I’m still living out of my suitcases, because there is no way I’m unpacking even a little into those drawers. Nevertheless, I’ve been able to sit and relax, and I think that’s helped a lot. Maybe I needed the internet connection after all, or maybe I just needed the smaller community of BUNAC, where other people are interested in who I am, as opposed to the hotel where it’s so big and bustling. In any event, I feel very much improved. Tomorrow, I look for a vacuum and cleaning supplies. Supposedly, they’re around here somewhere.

My bed. I've been assured the bedding is clean, just out of the wash, which is probably why it's so wrinkled. Since I'm the only one in my room at the moment, I chose the mattress that lacked stains. I'm wondering if I shouldn't switch to the one beside the desk now, though, since there's no seat here. I have to sit on the bed anyway to use my computer. This mattress is scarrier, though, and it's right by the definitely not-airtight window.

I might leave for Salisbury sooner than anticipated. I'll be staying with Mother Ann for the first night, at least, so I know it'll be in much better condition.

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