Well, today I woke up feeling much better. I managed to get to sleep sometime after midnight due to my excessive sleeping and what sounded like a rave coming from the bar downstairs. Either way, I got up around 8 so I could do some sightseeing around Greenwich and try to get over to abbey road. I decided to skip the free breakfast at the hostel due to my last experience and stopped in at this adorable little place called the Green Cafe. After reviewing the menu, I realized there's an 'in' and 'out' price difference -- and surprisingly, the in is like a pound more! Regardless, I got my chai latte for 'out' and grabbed a blueberry muffin for later on. The chai wasn't exactly my favorite but I enjoyed it either way. The weather was still overcast and mildly drizzling. I walked over to greenwich park and along the way you could see the construction they are completing in preparation for the olympics next year. They were getting the equestrian area ready and some other stuff that I just can't remember. Anyways, I walked up to the observatory where Jeff, the anthropologist I met on the flight to London, suggested i visit as it gives an extraordinary view of the city. He was definitely right on. Even though the clouds hovered over the city, the view couldn't be matched. It was simply incredible. Unfortunately the actual observatory wasn't open so I couldn't explore the planetarium or other attractions. Rather, I walked around to the flower garden which was so beautiful. So many flower arrangments and of course, my favorite, sunflowers. The sunflowers were quite funny, I'm not sure how but it seemed as though they made smiley faces in the center. After my walk, I packed my things up and left the hostel in hopes of making it over to abbey road before i flew out to Geneva. Unfortunately time, i thought, wasn't on my side so I decided to save my beatles dream of crossing abbey road, my favorite album by the way (side 2 on vinyl of course) and go to heathrow.
Fact: the lady that announces the stops on the tube should be recruited for the T. She makes me want to ride the tube all day just to listen how politely she announces, "cannon street station, please mind the gap between the train and the platform."
Also, a random london side note... I happened to pick up the metro newspaper and read some of it while riding to wherever i was goin at the time... Fantastic! Again, american newspapers should start writing as bluntly as the british. Entertaining for sure.
Okay, focus: Needless to say i arrived at the airport with plenty of time and waited around for awhile. Apparently the europeans got it down right and i zoomed through security... And got to keep on my shoes! Which, side note, when i left logan, the british lady in front of me was complaining about how us americans are absrud with our security measures and how logan is by far the worst airport to fly out of... I dont necessary disagree with her... Back to the story, though! So the last time I was at heathrow, besides a few days ago, was when I was 14. I traveled with my soccer team to spain and Denmark and heathrow was our connecting points. I really don't recall it being much of anything compared to Logan. Well, either I forgot or they expanded because it's huge! It's like a mall inside with harrods, every type of classy name brand label store, and tons of duty free shops. I thought I was at the mall of America or something! It's a good thing I made my transition from rural America to Boston before heathrow because i surely would have had an anxiety attack due to the mobs of people! I'm just not used to the crowds anymore, what can i say...
So my flight to Switzerland was actually really quite interesting. Now, some of you may know that I've only recently grown into somewhat enjoying flying, aka not having a panic attack every time i feel turbulence or hear the bells go off. Which, by the way, a pilot i sat next to on some flight back from Providence to Spokane, told me that 4 bells usually means an emergency. Well, that mustn't be universal because I definitely heard the 4 bells go off on my flight over and I was ready to grab my lifejacket but apparently it wasn't necessary. Distractions, apologies. There's a point to my rambling. you see when I got on the plane we were late to take off because the captain told us there was something wrong with the computers for the wings that help the plane land and they were doing a bunch of tests. That made me freak a bit, because I'm just good at that sort of thing but the thought of crash landing also wasn't one my to do list for this trip. luckily, the man next to me (who unfortunately I didn't get his name) started to inquire about my large bag and if i was backpacking through Europe. We talked about my journey and he gave me some great tips of things to see in geneva. Ironically, he's quite the sailor and spent 2 years in new zealand sailing with the switzerland team in the Americas cup. He also has sailed in newport, rhode island! Along with a laundry list of other places all over the world. He was just returning from a trip around the uk with his family and had the most unique carry on item: a lamp that you would see in some historical downtown area. Quite interesting. He had offered to give me a lift to the hostel but we lost each other after customs so I didn't ride with a stranger in a different country (don't worry, mom).
So i walk about of baggage claim and then that emotional rush overtook me: I was really alone in a foreign country and my years of French were long gone. I've felt this way before... And that was when i moved to pomeroy. Feeling lost and wondering, "can i really do this?" I had to get over my stubborn ways and ask for help. Trying to adjust to the whole language barrier and not be an arrogant American because I just wanted everyone to speak english and things be simple to understand, I found my way to what I hoped was the right train that i hoped would take me to the right place. Fortunately, geneva is pretty small. With some tears running down my face and frustration building for going at this journey alone, I soon learned that I was in first, not second, class but luckily I was only told to go to second class the next time. I got off where I assumed i was supposed to be and uttered a few curse words to myself as i thought, "so now what." I got out the map I was given at the airport and oriented myself. I only went the wrong way a few times before i landed at the city hostel geneva! What an awesome recommendation from one of my friends who shares the same name, kate sitarz: this hostel was so clean, so friendly, so wonderful! And just what I needed... Especially after my last hour and last hostel experience. I met 2 of my roommates, victoria who lives in england but is from Austin, Texas and Ti from china who also lives in London. They were really nice girls and Victoria gave me some tips for traveling in Italy. This ended up being my only meeting with them as i went out to explore and we didn't cross paths again.
Will post more on my geneva and Paris adventures at my next stop :)
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