Adios Seattle. Hola Adventure!
Trip Start
Apr 18, 2007
1
4
54
Trip End
Ongoing
London,
United Kingdom
Monday, April 23, 2007
I write to you, my faithful fans.....fan....okay... MOM, from Stansted airport in my last hours in an English speaking country for Lord knows how long. I am here for the night in order to catch my 7AM-$50-Ryanair flight to Sevilla, Espaņa. I just bought my way into a 24 hour restaurant via the purchase of an apple, sat down to eat a sandwich, realized it needed condiments, dragged all my luggage with me to the condiments table to find it full of, what else, but english condiments that did not suit my fancy, then returned empty handed to my table to only to discover that my meal had been swept away by an overzealous cockeyed busser. With a pout and a pretty please I was able to secure myself another apple, but, I'm sorry to report, the sandwich was a lost cause.....*sigh*
Now trying not to stare as I try to the decipher what language the young gentlemen chattering incomprehensibly away next to me....... I am praying its not Spanish.
Anyway onward with the story, before my battery dies. It's been four days since my first and last entry. But, rest assured, it has been full of excitement, both good and bad. It wouldn't be a Sandratastic adventure otherwise.
You last left your antagonistic protagonist in Bellevue, Washington, USA on her way out the door to SeaTac airport to catch a non-stop British Airways flight ($777) to London Heathrow. From that point, I was quickly hustled out the door by my anxious mother and made a record time departure; only returning once for some forgotten essential item. As soon as the car door shut (we had yet to leave the driveway) I proceeded to burst into a deluge of tears that did not stop 'til I was forced to by fear of public scrutiny at the airport. I'm still not exactly sure what set me off, but I have chocked it up to nerves, sleep deprivation, hay fever and the fact that I'm a spoiled brat. : )
What ever it was, I was able to pull it together in time to take the news that my flight had been delayed an hour with an affect that was at least a distant cousin to dignity. Shaken by my unexpected emotionality, my parents tremulously suggested we take refuge from the woes of impending departure in the near by 13 Coins.
I accepted and off we went to 13 Coins. Energized by a parent-funded high-end meal, I reentered the airport, my usual sunny attitude restored. This was immediately put to the test when I was informed by a British Airways agent that the English immigration officials may deny me entrance to the country because I had documents with me proving that I would be leaving the country. After a few more inquires, and the agent assuring me that, yes, this rule still applied to me even if I am cute, it seemed there was nothing more I could do. So, with a shrug I reverted to my usual modus operandi: "Don't worry about problems until they happen," (yes this is foreshadowing) cheerily hugged my parents goodbye, and Tigger-bounced through security, down to my gate and onto the plane.
We soon took off and I let one last tear slip as I watched the only place I had ever called home fade into the mist of the evening clouds. After a wistful sigh and surrendering the arm rest to my biggy-sized seating companion, I settled into my seat, tuned into "Dream Girls" (appropriately titled for my next mission) and pressed the overhead button for sandman assistance. Sleep came swift and soon delivered me to London with only hazy memories of inedible "Chicken Tarragon" and extreme thirst set to the groovy "Dream Girls" soundtrack.
***This episode has been brought to you by Loving, Indulgent Parents Incorperated. Without thier generous contributions none of this would be possible. Thanks Mom and Dad!
