So yeah, I started a travel blog. I know that might sound a
little odd, considering up until last year I had never even been on an
airplane. But everything is different now! So last year I decided I was finally
going to travel to Europe. I have been planning this trip for about 20 years
(since I was 7 for those of you who can't do math!). Actually in all honesty, I
can't remember a time when I wasn't imagining traveling to exotic lands. And I
have been dreaming about traveling to Ireland since the first time I saw the
John Wayne film "The Quiet Man." So after years and years of planning
and dreaming I finally decided to just bite the bullet (metaphorically of
course, because that would be quite painful and probably ruin my teeth).
I blame my last boss (Grace) if I'm being completely honest.
She got to travel to Ireland for Christmas in 2013. And then to France in the
spring of 2014. I got to hear all about how beautiful Ireland was and how
amazing Paris was. It was excruciating! But it was also really inspiring! I
figured if my boss could do it, then so could I! That wasn't a dig at Grace by
the way! It's just that she and I are very similar. So I figured if she could
deal with all the stress of hostels and international flights then I could too!
So yes, I do realize this is a little late considering it's
been a year since my Europe trip. But I did move to a new state and get a new
job, so I have been busy. But the real reason it's taken me so long to write
about my travels is: I'm lazy. Yep, super lazy. Which just makes the fact that
I actually travelled to Europe all the more impressive doesn't it?
First things first, I flew from Shreveport to London in
September of last year. Now since this
was my first time flying, I was pretty nervous. I got to the airport super
early, just to be safe. The Shreveport airport is fairly small, and it was a
Tuesday afternoon, so it wasn't that busy. The TSA agent was really nice when
she examined my passport. I told her this was my first time flying and she wished
me good luck and gave me an encouraging smile.
The plane I flew on was pretty small, but I didn't mind. I
got a window seat and honestly it wasn't that scary. In fact, the actual flying
part was really nice. It was a beautiful day and clouds were lovely to look at.
The only annoying thing about flying is the actual plane. The tiny bathrooms and
the uncomfortable seats.
So I flew to Houston, and changed planes for my flight to
London. And I have to say, the Houston airport (George Bush Intercontinental)
SUCKS! For starters, it's HUGE! Which means getting from one gate to the other
takes FOREVER!! And the thing you really
need to know (that I didn't) is that there are shuttles to take you from one
side of the airport to the other. I didn't know about these, so I ended up
walking, which again, took FOREVER! Also there are some gates in this airport
that are inaccessible unless you take the shuttle, which can be pretty
confusing. Just FYI!
Anyway, I finally boarded my flight to London. I was flying
pretty late, around 9 pm. I figured I could sleep on the plane and be alert and
ready for London once I arrived around noon. This was a mistake. Mostly because
of my seating choice. I was at the back of the plane, which wasn't bad, since I
was really close to the bathrooms which was convenient. But I was in the center
aisle, which was bad. I have a bad back, so trying to get comfortable in an
aisle seat was next to impossible. Luckily I was on the side and the middle
seat next to me was unoccupied. So I got an extra blanket and pillow and could
stretch out a bit. But even so, I was so uncomfortable. What is up with that
stupid headrest pillow anyway?! You can't remove it (I asked) and it sucks! If
I had chosen a window seat, I could have leaned up against the side of the
plane and I probably would have been more comfortable. Oh, well, live and
learn.
I did discover something about myself while flying. I LOVE
takeoff! It is so exciting, going so fast and leaving the ground behind! I
realize that most people hate takeoff, but I really enjoy it!
What I do not enjoy is how dehydrated I get when I fly. I
think it is because it's so dry up there. Because I'm always sooo thirsty when
I fly. And the flight attendants do not bring that drink cart around enough!
And then of course if I do bring a water bottle and make sure to hydrate, that
just means I have to use the bathroom a lot. Which sucks because airplane
bathrooms are tiny and usually end up being occupied the second you get up to
use one.
But l digress, anyway, I finally made
it to London! I flew into Heathrow airport. And I have to say, it was really
nice! Very clean, nice atmosphere, and good bathrooms! The only annoying thing
was the line to get into the country. Super long! And even though I knew I
shouldn't have any problems entering the U.K. I was still nervous. But of
course everything went smoothly and I got my first stamp in my passport! I also
managed to find my bag without any trouble and the airport had free wifi. It
was only free for a limited time, but still, it was nice.
After that I bought a Visitor Oyster
Card (a prepaid card to use for the subway). Finding my way to the tube station
took a bit of time, but I finally managed it. The tube system can be a bit
confusing, but luckily I had done my research and I knew what train I needed to
get on. Of course figuring out where to scan my card took a bit of time, which
was more than a little embarrassing. But I finally managed to get onto my train
and I was off!
Another unpleasant fact was that
unless I wanted to unhook my backpacks (which was a hassle) I couldn't sit, I
had to stand. For what felt like forever. So that part wasn't fun. Plus trying
to stay balanced with 2 heavy backpacks wasn't easy!
Unfortunately, the closest stop to
the hostel I was staying in, was still about a 20 minute walk. Which was
uncomfortable, considering I had a giant backpack on my back and a smaller one
on my chest. I hadn't quite gotten used to walking around with it at that point.
Of course now I'm an old pro.
I also got lost a couple time walking
to my hostel. But I knew that was a possibility. Anyone who knows me, knows how
horrible my sense of direction is! Eventually though, I found my hostel (The
Astor Hyde Park Hostel in case you were wondering), got checked in, and then
collapsed on my bed. It had been the longest day ever! And it was only 3 in the
afternoon! I'll post about my first day and night in London a bit later, this
post ran a little long!
