4am Adventure in London

So we arrive to Luton, and two security guys are able to open my luggage! Finally yay!! we needed to get to my friend Vwarhe’s place to pick up the bags I left there while in Rome and Spain. Well, we finally discover we can get the train to the center of London and then a bus to where my friend lives. Well by the time we figure out our methods of transportation is is pretty late, well we get to the train station and our train is of course pulling away when we get to the platform, so had to wait for an hour until one arrived at 1:36. So we get on the train for 45 minutes and finally get to King’s Cross station. Then we have to take a bus to elephant castle which took another 30 minutes. From elephant castle I actually use one of the red pay phones to call vwarhe to get directions..well her directions were not the best haha…we are able to get into the vicinity of where she lives but end up aimlessly walking around for an hour and half trying to find this place…luckily some lady let us use her phone and we were right by her place the whole time, it sucked because her street name was NOT labled so if I wasn’t able to use that ladies phone who knows if we would have ever found it. Well we finally get our bags and its around 4:45 then proceed to go to the train station (keep in mind no sleep) the first train doesn’t leave until 5:40 so Gina and I camp out by the tube station. We finally get on our train and arrive at Heathrow airport!! Finally on time for a flight!

Well things get complicated yet again…well I had my sisters luggage because she kept some at my Vwarhe’s and left it for her at the left baggage company at the airport….they were total jerks. They said my sister could not pick up her luggage if she didn’t have a ticket…well the only problem was there was no way to get my sister the ticket…I went around the airport to see if anyone could keep it but its against airport policy to do that…but ladies at a kiosk gave me the idea of putting it in the luggage, and when retrieving the bag saying she needs to get money out of the luggage and magically finding the ticket…the trick worked!

But after a marathon of a day from Barcelona to London, then our wandering around the streets of London with luggage surrounded by drunk people we made it back to America. I chatted with my parents, showed them pictures and got burger king on my first day back! Then I passed out at 8:30!

I can’t believe I am back in the US after being in two different countries all in the same day! What an experience traveling has been! It is hard to understand but I feel like I have really grown from all the experiences I have had the past few months! I am excited about the next chapter of my life and can’t wait to plan my next travel adventure! Until then, thanks everyone for reading my blog and keeping in touch while I was overseas! I am officially back in the states! I move to California in the middle of July so all my NC peeps get at me until then!

Barcelona

So it seems like it has been a trend on this trip to barely make our flight, well it was no different flying from Rome to Barcelona. In the morning we head out and take a tour of the Vatican, the Vatican museum and St. Peters. Everything was breathtaking, overwhelming and surreal…it was just that the tour took 3 hours because there is just so much to see so we were exhausted by the end. So we leave for the airport at a decent time to Rome, but buses we had to take to get to the airport took a while. Well we finally make it to the airport barely on time, luckily the line was long and there were a lot of people to check in to the flight. Well we were flying good ole ryan air and they require you to print of your boarding pass otherwise they will charge you 20 euros. Well everyone printed theirs off except my aunt because 1. she had to change her flight, and 2. we went online to print it and the option to print didn’t come up so she couldn’t. Well we get to the counter and the lady is rude and is like your name is different (she’s married so her passport had her old last name) (although she traveled from the US to the UK and rome with it mind you) so she was like technically I should charge you 200 euros to do the name change, and 20 euros for not having your boarding pass and another 20 for your bags….well the lady got rude and started mouthing off in italian but long story short she had to pay 40 euros for it and we made the flight!

We get to Barcelona, check into our hostel (which took forever) and finally go to eat after not eating before leaving Italy! We eat at this tapas café-I was exhausted at this point and was over the idea of eaten ( I mean it had already been 12 hours why not go for 20) so I initially didn’t see anything that pleased me on the menu ( I can be picky) so I initially ordered a milkshake, well everyone was like you need to eat then I ended up getting some fish which was good. Arlan and Gina had sandwhiches, Keji had this egg stuff, and aunty remi had everything (hahah just kidding) After food we headed to las ramblas and went to an Irish pub (I know weird but we thought they had a 2 for 1 special, but that ended at 8:30) had a drink then called it a night.

The next day we explored las ramblas, walked along the beach, had paella and shopped in the markets. It was fun exploring and seeing Barcelona, we didn’t really do anything too touristy like go on tours because we were kind all toured out from Rome. Well later that night we decided to head out on the town to bring in my 22^nd birthday! It w

as me, Gina, Arlan, Aunty Remi, Keji, Anna, and Alana (two girls from our hostel) that headed out. We went to a place called blvd off las ramblas and danced the night away…the place had many different rooms so it was fun. I met a guy with the same birthday as me so that was exciting!

Well the next day on my actual birthday I woke up and one of the people that work at the hostel got me a chocolate filled crossiant, but that was about all the love I got on my birthday from strangers. I walked around saying “mi cupleanos” but I don’t think the Spanish are big on birthdays cause pretty much the response I got was “wanna cookie, I don’t give a crap” haha but we just went to eat lunch had the traditional paella again and shopped. My aunt had to leave go catch her flight to get home, but she ended up missing her flight, having to pay more money and for a more stressful journey so that sucked. But later that night we ended up going to a place to eat (me, arlan and gina got pasta because we were paellad out, but my sister got paella) well here is when our marathon begins…..

So after dinner we were all pretty exahuasted, my sister and arlan decide not to go out because they have to wake up at 5 in the morning to catch their flights.. But Gina and I decide to venture out for one drink since it was my birthday. Well we all end up getting on the same bus to get back to the city center. Arlan and my sister go their own way to get the bus back to the hostel and gina and I go to a bar her friend recommended to get some sangria.

So we get to the bar, and it was weird because there was no music just the chatter of voices. Gina and I sit down and split a whole 1.75 liters of sangria. Keep in mind at this point I am already tired…so after the sangria I could hardly keep my eyes open. Well were sitting there chatting and some random Panama guy came and talked to us and he was entertaining, but since I was falling asleep at the bar so I was ready to go so we hopped on a bus back…..well this bus ride turns out to be a 3 hour bus ride. I was half asleep and gina didn’t know where we were because I think the bus that we had been taking since we got to Barcelona went a different route. We asked for directions and everyone tried to help but the language barrier made it a but difficult. Long story short it was a 3 hour bus ride getting us back to the hostel at 5a FML! Atleast we can laugh about it now, but it was not fun while on it….

But the next afternnoon when I talk to arlan and keji they ended up being on the bus for three hours too (they had opera singer on their bus, so their bus was a little more entertaining...lol

Well it just gets better, so that morning after 4 hours of sleep Gina and I decide to check to go to lunch, then check out Gaudi church and leave to catch our plane at 7. Well we do everything and leave the hostel at 3pm (4 hours before our flight). Well to get to the Girona airport we were flying out of we had to take the underground, then a bus. Well we miss the 4:00 bus by 4 minutes and the next one didn’t come until 5, at this point we knew were were going to be cutting it close again because it takes an 1 15 to get to the airport.

Well meanwhile I realize that when we picked our luggage up from the hostel I had convently locked myself out of my luggage. I put my purse in my luggage and the keys for the lock inside my purse, so I had no access to my passport, mullah or anything. Well like most airports do, I figured they could break the lock at the aiport…NOT IN GIRONA…so we get off the bus and run to the ticket counter (its 6:25) and are denied….our ticket says gate closes at 6:35 but the lady is a total bia and would not let us checkin our bags….she’s like you are going to have to book another flight…COOL! So we go to check out our other flight options and the lady is like you can get on one at 10 for 200 Euros…about $300 dollars. Good joke! So gina and I call our dad’s and weigh our options out on the internet…I had to cut a slit in my luggage to get my passport out to book a flightwe end up going back to the ticket counter and of course there is a different lady there so we luckily were able to get a flight for a little cheaper 120 Euros…the flight we got on was probably one of the loudest flights I have been on. It was like we were on a party bus everyone chatting (but couldn’t understand them because they were talking Spanish) and everyone cheered when the plane landed. We land in Luton airport around 11:00

ROMA

So the next day in Rome we explored some of the other main sites such as the Trevi fountain, the pantheon, Spanish steps and some other churches. It was fun yet tiring seeing all the sites. When we were on the hunt for the trevi fountain we met a group of Italian boys who were fun at first, but then they got annoying. They couldn’t speak English so it was funny trying to translate everything using the Italian translator, but then they started following us (because they said they knew where the trevi fountain was)..well we started to get tired of them so I looked up how to say shut up and leave in Italian and said it to them halfway joking, but halfway serious, they didn’t get the hint though until we started to go to every store we passed and they finally left. One of the guys was totally in love with Arlan, but Arlan wasn’t having any of it and was like leave me alone, and tried to learn how to say “I have a boyfriend in Italian”.

We finally made it to the trevi fountain and did the typical throw the coin in the fountain, and it is supposed to ensure your trip back to Rome…not sure if that will happen because I have already seen everything there haha. But site seeing is so exhausting, we intended to go out but we were just so wiped and Rome isn’t really a part city so we stayed in to prepare for our travels to see Gina’s family the next day.

The next day we take a train to Cassino, to get to Alvito were Gina’s fam lives. Gina had to make a sign since she had never met her family before. We get picked up in a white truck and drive to the town of Alvito. It was a very small town (kinda like Cullowhee) with not too much there, but it was such a pretty town, very mountainious. We get to Gina’s family’s house and they have prepared the typical ten course Italian meal! The food was great there was pasta, pizza, mozzarella, bread, chicken, vegetables, salad, dessert, and fruit….the list goes on and were all so full! It was nice to have a true Italian meal! Well after lunch we start the marathon of meeting Gina’s fam and friends, it was fun yet overwhelming meeting everyone, because some of them didn’t speak English and they would just feed us more food everywhere we went, and we went to atleast 10 houses.

On the train ride back it was lots of fun, arlan and I reminisced about fun times with WCU soccer, Gina and I told stories from high school, my sister and I talked about what I would do to push her buttons and make her made growing up ( I still do hahah) and we just chatted about random things, so the trip to Alvito was definitely one of the highlights of the trip, I got to see true Italian culture!

When in Rome

So our travels to Rome can pretty much be summed up with “Go!GO!GO!” it was like we were running a marathon to get to the airport and make our flight. First we have our luggage and have to lug it up and down stairs at the train station. Luckily people were very helpful with carrying our bags so that made life so much easier. We were fine time wise until we had to wait for our train to the airport for a good amount of time. Our flight was at 8:25 and we got to the airport at 7:35 had to book it to the north terminal (seriously we were running) and check our bags in! Luckily the people at the kiosk were really nice and took my aunt’s and my overweight bags (luckily Keji and Gina’s bags are light so we can stuff all the things I buy in theirs hehe). We finally get to the gate at 8:00 (we were supposed to be there at 8:05) and phew we made our flight (BARELY)!

The flight was so bumpy, and it would have totally been justified if I threw up on this flight this time, but I was actually fine!

We arrive in Rome at 11:55pm. Going through the border they were pretty chill and didn’t even ask the reason for the visit. He just said chao and graci! So we get to the arrival area and are immediately greeted by shuttle service and taxi companies. We ended up getting a shuttle for an ok deal to the apt we rented for the four days.

So a week after I get back to the UK from graduation, Arlan alerts me that she might be coming over to Europe! Well she is in Rome with me RIGHT NOW. I am so PROUD of her. She flew all the way over here by herself and found the apartment we are staying in by herself and she doesn’t even speak Italian. I felt so bad because she arrived early in the morning since she was flying from Atlanta, but me, my aunt, gina and my sister (all flying from London) didn’t get to the apartment until after 1am, so she rode solo all day. I was so relieved to find Arlan waiting at the apt for us otherwise I don’t know what I would have done! We stayed up pretty late alerting families we have made it over, and skyping (if you don’t have skype, you should) (add me haha).

Rome is probably one of the most beautiful and ancient cities I have ever seen! The detail, history, and architecture is so beautiful. We took a tour of the Colisseum, Roman Forum, Palentine Hill, Arch of Constantine, and saw the Imperial forums. I was just in awe that I am actually in Rome seeing everything! It is amazing, and I am having so much fun! I am glad that I have been able to experience this trip with two of my best friends Arlan and Gina, and my sister and aunt.

I can’t wait to see the rest of Rome and eat some more gelato. I had caffe (coffee) flavored today and it was soooo Good! I think I will try strawberry tomorrow! Well Ciao for now!

Last week in the UK

What a whirlwind my last week in the UK was. On Monday I greeted Gina at the train station with a welcome to Portsmouth sign (that was upside down, but that is besides the point)! As I was waiting some random kid asked me if I had an ID on me to buy him fags (cigarettes) I was so excited to see her! I took her back to my dorm (she didn’t have time to be jet lagged haha) and we headed straight to the Isle of Wight. We took a Hoover craft over (which was way cool) and the island was absolutely beautiful! It was just a journey to get to the hotspots because we had to take a bus to the edge of the island, but the long journey was so worth the view! After we got back we met up with Brenden (Gina’s friend who she knows from Ohio that has been living in London). It was an adventure because it was all three of us in my tiny room so it was like bumper carts getting ready. But after hanging out, we went to Liquid and Envy! It was a fun night other than the fact that I forgot my ID. I tried to get in using Fnaan’s id, but since I couldn’t spell her elaborate last name of W-O-L-D-E-G-I-O-R-G-I-S so the bouncer at Liquid would NOT let me in! I was a bit upset because when I had previously forgotten my ID I was let in but NO, not this night. So Gina and I had to walk all the way back where we ran into some characters that we eventually ended up seeing at the bar when I was finally let in! But liquid was a good night, I had LOTS of fun (lets just put it that way), the end of the night kinda sucked when I was told to go back to America because I was talking to another girls “crush” but it was a fun night otherwise!

The next night we headed out to the registry for a final night of pound pints! It was fun as usual, and I will definitely miss going there. After the registry we went back hung out in the Pier room and Charles got some pizzas!

On Wednesday, I had my final exam so that morning I woke up to study for it (for the first time haha). Then headed out to get lunch and do some shopping at PRIMARK (the prime cheap clothing spot out here)! I then headed to my exam wrote some stuff down for my essay exam, and was finally officially officially done! That night Gina helped me pack, Fnaan came over we watched the Hills, and then headed out of Portsmouth the next morning.

It was pretty sad leaving Portsmouth, I feel like I have grown as a person and experience so many things while out here. Also I have met great people that I really hope to keep in touch with!

Mary, Rachel, Charles, J, Mynhardt (new guy haha) and Lee have been the reason my experience in Portsmouth was so great! They are all great people and I am so glad to have met them!

London

I had been to London previously a few times before, so when my aunt and sister arrived I was able to show them everywhere! We were able to see all the main attractions, but this time we did the London Dungeon, which wasn’t scary. Personally, I feel like haunted trail the frat at western puts on is A LOT more scary! And Gina and I got on the LONDON EYE! Talk about SCARY, but BEAUTFIUL! The view you could see from the eye was amazing. I started to get a bit freaked out halfway through it since we were so high, but it was so worth it!

Funny quote from London “Tony Blair you there” hahaha (this occurred when on Downing street)-we were joking though!

Oxford

So this past weekend I ventured down to Oxford with Mary and Rachel to visit their friend Andrea. Oxford was lots of fun. We get there around 6ish, and go to Andrea's friend's bbq for international students. Lets just say worst barbeque I have ever attended. It wasn't because of the food, just how it was set up. Everyone was awkward, you had to grill your own meat, it just was not a great atmosphere. So we ended up getting free food, wine and beer and piecing out.

I was still hungry so we ended up getting some pizza from a restaurant in the city, then made our way back to Andrea's house. We ended up playing circle of death (which I haven't played in forever) so that was lots of fun. Then we went out to a bar called Kakui (or something like that) it had a tropical theme. It was a fun night of dancing, boys, and fun times. So I was very glad I went!

The next morning we woke up and planned on going on a boat, but it ended up not working out, so we went around Oxford, saw some Harry Potter sites, came back had taco night, then we made it back to Portsmouth right around midnight.

Otherwise this week I have been studying for a final I have tommorow, and then after that we will go out for Rachel's birthday. Then all weekend I will be studying for my LAST final ever on Wednesday literally (since I am technically graduated)and officially officially be done! yay, so party time after that!!!

Gina arrives here on Monday! I am super excited for her to get her and explore with her. My sister gets here on Wednesday, and I will officially be done with school. My aunt will be here on Thursday, and then on Friday we will travel to Rome for four days, then Spain for three days!! I will be in Spain on my birthday so excited about that!!

TOday is my Dad's Birthday!! Happy Birthday Dad!!

Trip Home for Graduation!!!

It has just been a whirlwind of events these past two weeks. First off the craziness began with an event they have over here that they call Carnage. Everyone buys a TShirt for 10 pounds and it gets you into all the bars/pubs that night for free! Lets just say I had a great time and SASHA was definitely in town…..

On May 2nd 2009, I got to see a LIVE football match in England! I got to watch Portsmouth vs. Arsenal! It was such a great experience! I love how Soccer (football) is so big over here the game was so fun!!! Later that night....Gilmore from good ole Green Hope came to visit me at Portsmouth because she was studying in Italy, so we went to a pub got traditional British food, and just chilled (we were both exhausted). Then on Tuesday I met up with her in London and stayed in the same hostel as her! I pretty much packed a bunch of my stuff from my school in Portsmouth, so when I come to the states at the end for good I don’t have a lot of stuff. Lets just say 100lbs worth of luggage and the tube (the underground) don’t mix. I had to lug my two suitcases, a carry on and a backpack on a total of three trains. Keep in mind when you come from the underground not all stations have elevators so I had to lug them up stairs and escalators. Thank the lord there are some friendly people in London otherwise I do not know how I would’ve have made it. But I got to the hostel dripping sweat and exhausted so we hung out walked around and went to a pub for dinner, then in the AM it was get on two more trains the next morning (with all my luggage again) to get to the airport!

Well this past week I came all the way from the UK to the states. The flight over to the states was ok. The good thing is I managed not to throw up this time!!! Yay! But I did feel like I was going to throw up and had a PLASTIC bag ready this time (refer to first blog), but of course since I was actually prepared but I didn’t need it! I land and get picked up at the airport by my mom and brother, and it was like I had never left, America , everything was the same haha. But it was a bit sad because I pulled up to my house and there was a for sale sign in the front of the house, and upstairs all the wall paper and rugs were gone (parentals moving to cali)! But like I said earlier everything was back to normal. I instantly hopped to my car (haven’t driven in 3 months) and went to the mall (I had to find a dress for graduation). But I ended up landing at 2:40 and had one of the longest days ever because it was extended by five hours.

On Thursday of being back to the states, I had to get my glasses fixed, eat some panera bread (which I have missed), hang out with my grandma who got into town, pick up my sister from the airport and do some grocery shopping. Later that evening I went over to the Fantozzi’s for dinner to discuss Gina’s upcoming trip to England/Europe! Gina’s mom made a lovely vodka sauce pasta which was very tasty, and Gina’s dad who calls me BukiRaton was funny as usual going on about how he was a bit upset that Nasa changed the launch date for a shuttle! Haha!

Well Finally Friday arrived! I was looking most towards going to school and seeing my “family”, my KKSBs!! The 4 ½ drive was long, but it gave me time to reflect on the experiences I have had in England, and think about all the good times I have had in Cullowhee (hey you tend to do that when you know things are coming to an end). But it was great because I finally get to Cullowhee, pull up to the rabbit ridge apartments and the first person I see is my partner in crime ARLAN WHITTLE! Yay! And the excitement just continued because then I got to see Fowkes, Nikki, Ditt, Liz, LA, Lombie, J Train, mummilicous …but it was great catching up with everyone and telling about my experiences. After catching up Arlan and I hit up the soccer office to chat it up with Tammy D, then we ended up going to the baseball game with Arlan, we only stayed for a lilttle bit, but then went to El Pac (which I have actually missed) and got some tall ones and hung out with Matt and Cody and eventually Ma! Later that night, I wanted to go out to John’s on main or the rusty but everyone was partied out from the night before so we ended up going to Rachel’s grad party which was fun, and then me and Marianne (My Suitttte) went to the Peaks and partied it up. I got to see some more of my favorite people and even got in a game of beer pong (don’t want to talk about it though).

Well next is what I came back for the states for GRADUATION DAY!!!!!! Ok so since my body was still in a different time zone I ended up waking up at 5:00am, ughh and I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I laid on Arlan’s futon for 2 hours before I went into her room to wake her and cody up and play Vitamin C’s graduation song. They didn’t like that too much and told me to go away, but I thought it was funny! But Arlan and I went to grad rehearsal (had no idea what was going on). Came back got ready, then it was Graduation time! It was so crazy that after 4 years at this place that it was really coming to an end. This place has filled me with memories of winning championships, lasting friendships, hard times, sad times, life lessons, parties, new experiences, new people and many firsts in my life, and I will forever hold on to the memories I have made in Cullowhee NC. It is a town unique in its own, and a town I will probably never live in EVER again haha, but it is a town I have grown to love and has been my home, and my heart for four years. Graduation was a sad time. College is great, and just realizing that I am done with this part of my life made me sad. When they started playing our alma mater and told us to look up at our parents is when I lost it and started to cry (and I never cry). The last time I cried was on my last college soccer game! But I had so much fun, and am just so appreciative of all the family and friends that came to graduation or came by my house to show their support. It makes me very appreciative that I have so many great people in my life that truly care for me.

My time in the states was very short lived. On Monday evening it was already time for me to head back to the uk! But boy oh boy did I cut it close. Lets just say I got to the airport at 5:00 and my flight was at 6:10, and keep in mind it was an international flight. But luckily we live close to the airport and it was not to busy so I made my flight! Wahoo!! I slept most of the way on the flight, and AGAIN I felt sick, but since I was prepared of course I didn’t throw up! But my adverture doesn’t end here! I thought I already experienced my longest day everrrr but nooooo…..

So I had an overnight flight and landed in the UK at 6:45 am (1:45 US time), ask what time I get back to my living quarters??? 1:30. So I get on the underground with only one luggage this time yay, and go to Victoria to get a train to Portsmouth (which is like 1 ½ train ride). Well what do ya know, once I get to Victoria all trains or delayed/cancelled because a train broke down, and there was an accident on one of the train tracks. So I am like ughhh I am tired, jet-lagged, cranky and sick, I just want to get back to Portsmouth…so I try to weigh my other options and I am like maybe I can get a bus. I go check out the buses and they had one that would leave in an hour, so the plan was to go return my train ticket and get a bus. But I get back to the train station and they said that a train to Portsmouth would be leaving and they are taking the fast route due to the train being broken down. And I was like sweet! That will get me to Portsmouth in an hour. I scratch the bus idea and get on the train! Well I am on the train and right when we are about to get to Portsmouth the conductor gets on and says :sorry for any inconvenience, but we will have to take an alternate route, so all passengers needing to get to Portsmouth you will need to switch trains”….Whatttt! was my reaction, so I had to get on another train to get to Portsmouth, and 3 ½ hours later I finally made it! I finally get to my living quarters and what do you know everyone is outside because there was a fire arlarm. So I had to wait outside with my suitcase for another 30 minutes until I finally got to my room!

But I am back in Portsmouth but exhausted, and jet lagged! I have had to do two assignments since I have gotten back that I finally turned in so I am temporarily free, except for my two exams I have, one on May 28th and June 3rd but I am not too worried…But hold up are you a bit confused? Thought I graduated already? Haha see when you study abroad the semesters don’t match up so I am technically graduated but technically not since the credit hours I get over here complete my degree-so that makes even more harder to get motivated since I already participated in commencement! Phew..

But I got one more month here and I am going to live it up! But I counting down the days till Gina gets here! I can not wait we are going to have so much fun. My sister and Aunt will also be here and they are traveling to Italy and Spain with us so that will be even more fun ! And Arlan MIGHT be coming ahhhh, so even more EXCITEMENT! So I really hope she can come out here because that would be even more fun!!!

So what a long blog, but I had a lot to fill yall in on! Congrats to the class of ’09 I’ll miss the whee….. everyone have a great summer, and to my soccer girls-train hard this summer!! I’m feeling Back to Back Champions what what!