Holi Moley!

 Today was my first full day in India and it’s been a blast so far. Last night after 26 hours in airports and airplanes and ~7 hours of broken sleep, I arrived

in New Delhi. Klari was smart and booked us the holiday inn in the airport; totally worth it. Biometrics and I don’t get along. I’m missing several fingerprints so it took forever to go through immigration. We ordered room service, showered, and slept after our long days. This morning we woke up, went through security and chilled at a lounge for an hour for breakfast. My priority pass expired; thanks Hilton Amex 🫤. We boarded a short flight to Jaipur on air India express. I liked the flight and the crew uniforms were cute. It was 55 min, so like a flight to Atlanta from Pensacola. We landed and then it took forever for the car to find us and take us to the hotel. Umaid Mahal is beautiful. So colorful and artistic. Sketchy street though. Due to 3 hours of sleep last night, I slept for 2.5-3 hours while Klari went to the bazaar. She agreed that it was a bit much for me while she was showing me her haul.

For dinner we ate on the rooftop of the hotel with others from our group. We had one long table then two round ones. There was music and dancing for 2 hours. I was chosen and danced with one of the women. A different one balanced several bowls on top of her head while dancing! Talked to many others and enjoyed the food. It took 30 minutes to get my mojito and then other tables were served food before we even ordered. Service was meh. I did get some lamb and naan which I enjoyed. I also ate some of Klari’s chicken and rice.

Tomorrow is Holi. I can’t wait for all the colors and fun!

If only I had my papyrus

 Today we woke up on our cruise. We had landed at Kom Ombo! Breakfast was pastries, sausage, and tea. We left the cruise at 7am. Having never been on a cruise before, they gave us a card for counting purposes. We passed through a market before arriving at the temple.

Kom Ombo is dedicated to Horus and Sobek. It was split into two, one half for each god. We got to see the story of Horus again. We read the cartouche of Cleopatra. Colors were still present at the top of the temple! We learned about the whispering rooms, where people would come to pray and priests would hide in the wall and answer as the god. We saw hieroglyphs depicting surgical instruments. There was an area that Heba described how they mummified crocodiles there! The museum afterwards had about a dozen mummified crocs of different sizes! Even eggs! Such a cool place and I’d love to see it again from a different TD’s point of view. We stopped by the market where I haggled (well Heba did) for a galabeya. It’s blue with long sleeves. There’s embroidery on the front of sunflowers  I paid $15 for it. Wearing it later, I found out one sleeve is smaller/tighter than the other. I’ll have to remedy that at home .

We spent the rest of the day on the boat. I napped in the morning because it was too windy up top. We had lunch. After lunch the boat stopped for some to get off and explore. I was on the top, listening to an audiobook and playing sudoku. I took some videos and pictures of us cruising the Nile. Sarah and I reenacted the Titanic pose; she made a TikTok with the music! I drank some wine and had them figure out a mojito. Whoops. I thought that would’ve been an easy drink. Both were $15 total.

I napped before dinner, which I had chicken, fish, eggplant, and cous cous. It was Meg’s birthday so we sang and ate cake. It was a fun experience. After dinner, we headed up to the lounge for the galabeya party. We danced with the crew, conga style then in a circle. There was a raffle. Since Sarah wasn’t there, I DANCED for her prize: a cheap Egypt wallet with a laminated calendar inside with Jesus on it. We laughed so hard when I found that. We took a group picture and danced some more. There was a photographer who took our pictures individually and as a couple.

Tomorrow is the big day: The Valley of the Kings!

What a boat-iful day!

Omg this morning was so nice. I was so well rested. I woke up after 8 hours of sleep to work on school. I sat on the balcony overlooking the entrance to the hotel, Aswan, and the Nile in the distance. What a sight. Breakfast was good, consisting of pastries, hibiscus tea, chicken sausage, fava beans, and falafel. Ate on the balcony by the pool and the temperature was great.

We left for the Nubian village on a ferry, the same type of boat we used the day before. We enjoyed some history of the area by Heba before we could enjoy the boat ride, taking videos and pictures. We saw cows and a donkey on the bank, ducks and gulls, and peaceful sites on our journey.

We arrived at the Nubian village and made our way to the primary school. They have Friday and Saturday off, so we didn’t get to see children (to Heba’s disappointment). We went into Mr. Wael’s class where he taught us the alphabet in Arabic, including the song (the last 3 symbols sound like HAIR WOW FAIR). We also learned numbers in Arabic AND Nubian. The irony of most of the world using Arabian numbers, and Arabic speaking countries using Indian numbers. 1 looks the same, 4 is a backwards 3, 5 is 0, 6 is 7,  7 is V, and 0 is • Heba wrote our names in Arabic and then we could donate to Mr. Wael to help support his classroom. The school was super colorful, with blues, reds, and yellows all around. On the second floor we could see, Mickey, Tom, and Jerry painted on the wall. The courtyard is the play yard for the kids.

Next we went to this house where they hosted us with tea and snacks. People could get henna and I ended up with braided thread in my hair. The house also was colorful, with the walls painted blue and colorful woven art on the walls. We were allowed to look around and see what the rooms were like. The rooms had thatched ceilings to have air flow, but also a few ceiling fans (I’m assuming for guests). At one point I wandered outside and saw Diane taking pictures with strangers. I mouthed if she was ok and she was smiling uncomfortably. Unfortunately that brought the guy’s attention to ME so I joined the picture with the son and his wife and Diane. Then the older gentleman took a selfie with me. I learned the younger man’s name was Romi. We danced in a circle while the hosts played music. It definitely reminded me of us dancing that night in the Moroccan Sahara desert. 

Next we went through the market to head to the boat. I bought a hot pad that was orange and blue, a basket for Deborah, and a keychain from a little boy for Robin. I did buy a Nubian dress for $60. I told Heba and she said I was cheated. We went back and after arguing, she ended up handing him the dress back and getting my money back. I now know not to spend more than $20, but preferred $15 on these dresses. I hope to buy one to wear to Saturday’s dinner, but if not, I’ll wear a Tunisian dress.

We then took the ferry to our cruise, that we’d be riding for the next 3 nights. We went down to the first floor to have lunch. It was a buffet. I ate rice, beef shawarma, fish, veal, olives, broccoli salad, cauliflower salad, potatoes, and dessert. We then went upstairs to rest/unpack until we met up to go for our Felucca sailboat ride.

That boat looked similar to our ferry beside that it had a giant sail. We enjoyed our trip up the river. It was a nice, peaceful ride with no destination. We linked up to a motor boat for a few minutes to get us going. Children on paddle boards would hold onto the boat and sing to us. It was more annoying than cute; what did they want from us? Then was the photo shoot. We lined up to take pictures with the sail, with the sunset and shore in the background. Damn, we looked good. Jessie and I got deep on the way back to the cruise. Yay for trauma bonding. Damn. It’ll be 20 years since Ivan this year. 

We got on the cruise, got the itinerary for tomorrow, and had food. It was a buffet and I had breaded chicken, fish in lemon sauce, moussaka, and dessert. Both times I had cubed mousse: strawberry and caramel, cheesecake or a tart, and something small and chocolate.

Im writing this the next morning because I started to work on school, but I downloaded the documents I need to read and take notes. I did for a bit, but I was sleepy and we leave the boat in 1.5 hours. Jessie’s 5am alarm woke me up. I turned it off and 25 minutes later another went off. I let it for a few minutes before I poked her to get it.

So yesterday we were on 3 different boats; how often does that happen?

Gods, glass, and good times

 Today we woke up at 2am to get on a plane and fly south. Our flight was at 6am out of CAI and with 34 people and checked bags, it was going to take some time. We had boxed breakfast (with questionable meat sandwich) at the hotel. You have to go through two different security checks: once immediately at the door, the other before our gate. Jessie was kind and bought us baklava while waiting. I fell asleep on the plane, trying to rest one last time before our busy day. 

We landed an hour and a half later. Egypt air has really comfy seats. We walked in on a jet bridge, but walked off downstairs outside. We bussed to the terminal, picked up our luggage and got on the bus. We drove to the docks to take our first boat ride of the trip. 

We got on a ferry to the Temple of Philae. It was big and beautiful, with tall carvings thousands of years old. We learned which direction to read hieroglyphs. We learned more stories of gods and goddesses like Isis, Osiris, Horus, and Hathor. It was sad to see the remnants where people scratched or tried to remove the symbols off the walls. There was graffiti from the 19th century and Byzantine crosses. At one point in time, people could worship Christ in a church and Isis in the temple and keep peace. I saw the temple of Augustus in the back. I was exhausted and hit a wall so when we broke for pictures and shopping, I went and sat down. We had been up for almost 9 hours by that time. 

We returned the same way we came and went to a perfumery. We had some lunch (bread/pita filled with falafel, potatoes, eggplant, or fava (beans?) I ate four halves. We got to smell lots of scents. They also had beautiful bottles for sale made out of blown glass. Candice helped make a camel and brought it home. I bought 50mL of Hathor scent for $72 I just need to dilute it 9:1 with alcohol to make perfume. 

Finally we got back to the hotel to rest. Some had a party by the pool. I napped. Again. They have us a welcome drink that tasted so bad. Like apple cider vinegar gone wrong. We went to dinner at 6. Got on a ferry at the same dock to take us to a Nubian restaurant across from the temple. We saw their light show and could occasionally hear music. We ate rice, bread, vegetables 2 different ways, and protein. I got sea bass that was great. Dessert was a custard. Sarah was goofy and brought over 4 so we could recreate last night’s photo with me and 7 desserts. This time it was 8. I wonder if this will be my schtick.

Time for sleep. I’m going to wake up early to work on Codex; the world doesn’t stop when you’re on vacation

I’m sphinxing about Egypt

 Today was the first official day of the Egypt trip. I roomed with Anne Marie in Giza; we didn’t get here until 1 am. We had boxed dinners waiting for us: 2 cheese sandwiches, apple and banana, olives, and a coke. The cheese sandwiches were like Olive Garden breadsticks cut in half with a few slices of cheese. We were hoping for extra pizza, but we were tired and couldn’t deal finding the room and fighting for a slice.

We had breakfast where all of us Morocco crew reunited. It got loud and joyful. So many hugs. I finally saw Jessie for the first time in forever (or 6 years). She scarfed some food down and we got on the bus. Heba introduced herself and I fell in love with her motherly nature. We drove to the pyramids while she told us about the history. It was really interesting, but too long (and too long since) to write everything down.

The pyramids were visible from our hotel! We pulled up and gathered around. All but 5 of us chose to go inside the pyramid. They crouched down stairs, went into an antechamber, more stairs, and a final room. Then they took the same way out. I’m tall and not doing that. Also there’s nothing there. No hieroglyphs. No sarcophagus. It’s empty. And hot and musty. Doesn’t seem enjoyable. 

We all took a group picture before they split off. Non pyramid crew took pictures with the stones, showing off their size. We walked around the entire pyramid, taking it all in. Peddlers tried to sell us things and get us to ride camels but LELELELELELE. (No) we got back on the bus with everyone and went higher up to see the smaller pyramids. They’re amazing in person. The bigger two have the same angles, down to the minutes. Just copy and paste.

Once at the top, a group went on a camel ride to take pictures on them in front of the pyramid. I was the no camel group. I rode in the Sahara in Morocco for a lot longer. So instead we took pictures “holding” the pyramids. They were fun! When everyone got back, we jumped on the bus for the Sphinx. 

The Sphinx is down in a valley; you can’t see it from the pyramids but you can see the pyramids from the Sphinx. We learned about the mummification temple right before we went to see it. How it’s made of alabaster floors, granite outer walls, and limestone inner walls. We learned more details of the process that we might have forgotten. Finally we went through and saw the mighty Sphinx! It met my expectations; some thought it was going to be smaller, some bigger. I imagined it exactly that size. We took pictures with it, some capturing the pyramids in the background. I became the “kissing” photographer because I could squat in the right position and get pictures of people kissing the Sphinx. I did that for 3 people, including a stranger. My knees were not happy. 

We stopped by a market for snacks on the way to the papyrus institute. I got wafers, date newton (like fig newtons) and some canned pineapple drink with real chunks. The guy tried and succeeded to overcharge me, but our guard saw him doing that and stopped him. I had given the cashier 2 50lb notes for my snacks. The guard opened my bag, argued with the cashier, took one 50 back for me, and pushed me out of the market. I was so grateful. The conversion rate at this time is 30/1. 30 e£ to $1

We went to the papyrus store and learned about the plant and how the papyrus is made. It takes weeks to make a sheet. It rolls up without cracking. It’s waterproof. The outer layer was used to make shoes and even Moses’ basket. They showed us this cool art that had glow in the dark art, some completely different than what was seen in normal light! They let us loose in the store. I wandered around looking at different art. I purposely have e£ so I don’t spend more money like in Morocco. Jo even found me to keep me accountable. In the end, I haggled and got a small map of Egypt (that may glow in the dark. I don’t remember) and two book marks with names in hieroglyphs on it. All together 1500. I charged my card (because the big bills were on the bus) and I got a text that it cost me $48.66! The two bookmarks are for me and Nona. I win at gifts. Again. 

Then we came back to the hotel to nap. We went to our welcome dinner and had so much good food. Baba ganoush, Cole slaw, beans, beets (which I didn’t eat), potatoes, and pita bread. Then we received meatballs, fries (pomme frites), and stuffed grape leaves. Then our actual food came and it was half a chicken. It was cooked over an open fire and was so good!! For dessert we had milk pudding. It was like warm rice pudding without the rice and with some broil on top. I got a silly picture with everyone’s bowl from our side of the table since I had finished mine and was going to finish Jessie’s and Sarah’s. We made a schtick for me to have EVERYONE’s bowl in front of me. 

Now I’m in bed, packed for tomorrow because we leave at 3am for the airport. Time for some sleep. Maybe tomorrow I’ll catch up on my Tuesday Frankfurt journey. 

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship.

Saturday

The day was upon us. The most awaited part of the trip. “Don’t buy that here, wait until we’re in Fes! All the Moroccan goods are made in Fes. We’ll have time to shop in Fes.” Fes is the oldest city in Morocco. It’s 1000 years older than the United States. The neighborhoods are identified by what CENTURY they were built in. 

We woke up early in the morning to go and see a panorama of Fes. (Fes is the city; fez is the hat.) it was big and compact. Such a different concept coming from the spread out cities of the States. We immediately drove to a ceramics place. We saw the whole process from mud to table (they legitimately made table tops). The mud had cat prints in it. The artists there start as apprentices and move up in this field. We saw amazing creations: mezuzahs, plates, bowls, tables, and so many fountains. They make ceramics and pottery along with tiles to create mosaics. And the style was so colorful and fun. We had fun in the store at the end. We left and entered the actual city. We wound through narrow streets six inches wider than me. We darted through markets and squeezed to the side when donkeys passed. Different areas had different markets: we passed produce and meat (including shark), clothing, technology, cooking ware, and more. We stopped and looked at mosques and a religious school. We looked at the courtyard and old dormitories. We gazed at the details in the wood and tiles. 

Next we went to a jeweler. Silver is mined in Morocco along with other precious gems. He showed us necklaces and earrings. There were mirrors all around, plus some daggers, a cane, teapots, and other decor. It was a two floor shop, but very crowded. I bought my items and tried to stay out of the way. It was hard with people in front of me and breakable things behind me. I do have a reputation of being clumsy. It didn’t help when a SECOND group joined us in the shop. I honestly started having a minor panic attack. Ad asked us how we were doing with thumbs up; I put mine to the side. He grabbed my arm and we weaved through the shop to the entrance. We stood outside for me to calm and catch my breath. He explained that they’re used to being on top of each other, but he understands that in America we’re so spread out. Having someone in our personal space is uncomfortable. He took a smoke break while I drank water and dried my tears. Soon, everyone else was done and we set off for lunch. A Fes-specific food is pastilla. It’s like a pot pie, but phyllo dough. Savory on the inside with chicken and vegetables and sweet on the outside with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Oh we ALL loved that. It was so filling along with the appetizers. I’m hungry just thinking about it. It was a great break before we continued on. 

We weaved through the city and made our way to a ruggery. Or a place where they make rugs. I don’t really know what to call that. They showed us different designs and styles. Traditional vs modern. They told us about the craft and how long they take. It’s an arduous process, but a beautiful result. I ended up buying two: a runner for my kitchen and one for my entryway. We joked that it was “Say Yes to the Rug” with all my friends with me in the alcove helping me choose. They packaged them up tight and delivered them to the bus. Next, was a weaving place where they made cloth and fabrics. I learned that they use agave silk in their cloth. We watched a man work at the loom. We wandered and bought scarves, tried on fezes, and some even bought kaftans. It was a beautiful store (Ad checked on me here as well. I was fading again. He took me into an alcove outside where I was safe to sit and wait for the group.) We wove our way through the streets, past children trying to sell us wallets or figurines, men selling shoes, and regular beggars. We arrived at the tannery, our last stop. Oh how that place SMELLED. They gave us a mint sprig as we walked in and I wondered why. We walked through rooms where jackets and floor poofs were, but he led us to the top. There the smell was the strongest. We could see the open vats next door. Half were white, full of pigeon poop we soon learned. The others had dye for different colors and water and other processing steps. Interesting, but stinky. Others wandered, looking at wares, but I was exhausted. Found my friend Sarah falling in love with a green leather jacket. Damn, she looked great. We had to bargain down the jacket and he threw in a pair of shoes. Those became mine! I paid her do she didn’t feel as guilty about the jacket. It was a great purchase and something that will last. My shoes are now my go to slip-ons when I leave the house. Not originally my style, but I’m warming up to them.

We left the city and headed to a traditional hammam. We were close before, but we got a whole lot closer after this experience. It was a spa with a sauna, a cold tub, washing of hair, scrubbing with sand, and a massage. It felt amazing. I was comfortable during the whole time, but many of the other women weren’t. We were completely undressed. It was difficult to communicate to the staff because I did not speak French and they did not speak English. I almost fell asleep on the massage table. It was chaotic with over 20 women and a dozen employees, but we all were treated. I felt so good. We went back to the hotel and those of us who were skipping the night out stayed in and ordered room service. That was the first time I’ve ever ordered room service. I got a 4 cheese pizza and an Oreo milkshake. The pizza reminded me of skating rink pizza, just with better cheese. The milkshake was more liquidy and tasted like banana. To avoid that, I ended up chugging it. Both were $11. Where else can you get that cheap of room service?

Sunday- the last day

On our way out of Fes, we stopped at the royal palace of Fes. There they have infamous seven doors, each decorated slightly differently. We left Fes and headed for the coast. We made a very American stop: McDonald’s! Ad wanted us to experience their version, how they do it. I got a tasty chicken sandwich, fries, and a coke. The sandwich was so big. The fries weren’t as salty. Or as crispy. They also offered steak fries, jalapeño poppers, and Gouda bites. The chicken nuggets were full on real chicken! It was an experience. Definitely different than what we had eaten all week (almost was a preparation for the more processed foods back here in the States). We drove through Rabat, the capital, and saw the soon-to-be tallest tower in Morocco. We went to the king’s palace there, saw some government buildings. The city is mostly government centered; not a lot for tourists to do.

Last stop: Casablanca! We first stopped at a fountain to wander and take pictures with a giant, colorful sign. There was a rip-off Mickey Mouse mascot taking pictures with kids. We walked from there to a store for us to buy our final souvenirs. Some went across the street for the last coffee. Our only altercation happened that day. A local crazy person wouldn’t leave our group alone. At one point, he blocked our way to the bus. The bus driver was no where to be found. Locals tried walking him away, but he would return a few minutes later. He even grabbed onto one of our lady’s sweater. It was a bit nerve wracking. We got to the hotel and decompressed. It was time to figure out how to repack everything. I had a rolling suitcase, carry on bag, my rugs, and my medical bag. How could I fit everything in its respective place? We still had our goodbye dinner as well.

Of course, you can’t end your time in Casablanca without a reference to the movie. We ate dinner at Rick’s Cafe. The decor was very 40s. There was an area for a band downstairs. Waiters were in vests and fezes. And we had a several course meal. We also met Ad’s wife! She was so pretty; they’re a good looking couple. The menu is in my album on Facebook. It was yummy, refreshing, and an all around good time. We left and went to the mosque, the only one that allows anyone in. It was too late, so we couldn’t go inside, but we took pictures outside. We were there for the last prayer of the night. We took our last group picture and I had some with my roomie, Isi. We got back to the hotel and hugged and tipped our driver Mohcine and Adnane. A few tears were shed. We went up to our rooms, where we packed, napped, played games, or spent the last of our time together.

We got on the bus at 3:15 am. Our flight to Paris (which most of us were on) left at 7:30am. From there we split into our respective home flights. Six of us were on the Chicago flight. I slept maybe 4 hours. We got down and I had an hour to get through customs, go to another terminal, go through security, and make my flight. I was one of the last three on. I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t skip the customs line to catch up with the others who had one more flight. Nor would I have caught it if I stopped to pick up my checked bags to recheck them. I wanted to get home. I got back at 7:45ish, reported missing bags, and went home. 24 hours. 4 airports. 4 time zones (that I was on the ground). 4 hours of sleep. Finally home.

Present: 30 Sept

It’s been 11 days since we’ve been separated. Our group chat stays active on a daily basis. First because of Covid testing, but now with future travels together. Out of the 29 of us, 17 have signed up for Egypt 2024. Yalla!

Deserts, Devonians, and Dromedaries

Thursday was my favorite day of the trip. We woke up and went to see fossils (dundundun *Phineas and Ferb reference)! It was so cool to hear about how the desert used to be underwater. There are cephalopod and fish and jellyfish fossils all over the Erfoud area. We saw how they clean the pieces, how they break them open, and sometimes how they cut partitions to see what the inside looks like. Most of these pieces are in marble, so they showed us fixtures that they make with this material: tables, sinks, and art. They gave us 50% off their store and we went crazy. I was very happy to buy some dishes (not for eating) and decorations made with these fossils.

Spending all that time on the bus we had a DJ playing requests. Rock the Kashbah and Africa were givens. Bohemian Rhapsody and Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen were hits. So were Super Troopers and Mama Mia by ABBA. Other singalongs were Unwritten, Pocketful of Sunshine, Misery Business, Best Damn Thing, I Will Survive, and Dreams. The back of the bus had a great time. 

We drove to Rissani and saw the Ksar El Fida. It used to be a palace. We stopped at a desert oasis for pictures. Children were getting out of school and stopped us. They stood with their bikes watching us be silly and then board the bus. It was an interesting reverse tourism experience. We came back to the hotel for lunch and a rest.

We had to rest up for the next experiences. Later afternoon our group left in SUVs to go to the desert. We joked we were in a government caravan. We soon went off road and were racing around and on dunes. We even traveled 90 mph. Our car felt more like an amusement ride than a car. A few times my butt caught air I.e. I lifted off the car seat. Don’t worry; we were all wearing seatbelts. We twisted and turned and we’re thrown against each other. Our car was full of giggles. Meg, Maria, Nadine, and I were in the same car. The driver even put on a playlist called Music for Americans, which included pop songs from the past decade. He didn’t speak English.

We first stopped at a nomad’s tent. This lifestyle is going out because of the modern world. No one is willing to buy things from people that take camels or donkeys to travel. They’d rather have it delivered by car or plane. More and more children leave and live permanently in houses. We looked around their tent and shacks. We were invited inside the big tent for tea. They had such warm hospitality. We were grateful for the experience. 

Next desert travel was to see musicians. These played on traditional Berber instruments and sang old songs. We drank tea and danced to the music. We gave them coins and quickly left for our next appointment. Thirty minutes before sunset, we met them: the 30 camels to take us into the Sahara. We each had our own dromedary. I was paired with Nadine. We rode up several dunes with our guide. He stopped often and took pictures with our phones of us and the camels. We settled our camels with others and climbed what felt like a GIANT dune and got close to our group. Nadine and I were huffing at the top. I could only whisper because I was parched. We watched the sunset. More pictures and videos were taken. We got back to the camels and bought tiny jars and filled them with the Sahara. We rode back to our cars. They were parked at a building with a courtyard. There was a bonfire and music (and of course, mint tea). I started dancing and had so much fun. The other Sarah joined the musicians on a drum. More people joined in on the dancing and it was so much fun. We made one last stop on the way home. In the middle of the desert, in the darkness of night, we saw millions of stars. The Big Dipper was huge and near the horizon. We saw Jupiter as well. It was an amazing time feeling so big and so small at the same time.

Now for some real talk. People are human. Humans get sick. Some humans are sick/disabled all the time. These things suck more when you’re in a foreign country, ESPECIALLY when you don’t speak the language(s) spoken there. Some women (~10) got their period on the trip. I got a cold/allergies with each day having a different symptom: sore throat, excess mucus/sneezing, congestion, coughing. Not fun and I felt like I was disturbing people. As you know, I also have mental problems. I had an anxiety attack Thursday night. I was overstimulated and needed to be by myself and I couldn’t. It was bottling up and I was close to exploding. I quickly ate dinner and then excused myself. I started crying on my way to my room and just cried for five minutes getting out all the feelings. It was a long, hot day and I was over it. I could hear a party going on outside. It was Tina and Mochine’s birthday. They had a band, cake, and dancing. I heard the next day that people jumped in the pool. It sounded like fun. But I was inside writing my previous post, enjoying my alone time. I was truly happy for my friends that night and I didn’t have FOMO. That party wasn’t right for me. Spoiler alert: I had an attack in Fes as well, but a small one. Ad helped me there. I was otherwise enjoying myself and the company of fellow travelers.

Friday

We drove to Fes with small stops along the way. We started with a camel farm. There were three mothers and three babies. I got to drink camel’s milk! I liked it more than cow’s milk. Sarah found a drum and played while people took pictures of the farm. We drove through Midelt where apples grow. They have a red apple on the west side and a green apple on the east side. We stopped a a place Ad called Little Switzerland. The buildings were definitely European and it has one of the first ski lifts ever. At lunch I had a Pepsi with an old pop top. I had never seen one before in person. I ate pasta carbonara, but two people at my table had camel tajine. They said it was delicious and comparable to pot roast. 

We drove through the Atlas Mountains and started seeing cedar trees. Some of these trees had monkeys! We made a stop to see Macaques. Ad threw fruit near them. There was a decorated Berber horse and Isi rode it like a Queen. As we got closer to Fes, the land reminded me of Italy. How the houses looked, how the fields were lined. The drastic comparison from the day before of the orange Sahara sand. We got to Hotel Escale and checked in. The restaurant was on the roof. We had a buffet. ISI’s and my room was a corner room with a balcony. It was niiiiice. 

Side story: Slowly our showers got their walls back. Only one shower had a curtain. The rest have been partially walled off and you’re lucky if there’s a lip keeping the water in. Many bathrooms have been soaked after we showered. These also had removable heads which aren’t as commonly used in the US, or if people have them, they don’t remove them as much. If I hadn’t locked the door, people would’ve walked into the bathroom and immediately seen me in the shower. The following day was they hyped up day: our day in Fes. 

Happy birthday to me

This was to be posted on September 10. Due to internet/data issues, it’s just now being posted.

 I have been 28 for a day and what an adventure it has been. I flew last night from Detroit to Paris. I got three hours of sleep. After a two hour layover flew from there to Marrakech (Mare-uh-kesh). 1.5 hours of sleep. Landed and met up with 10 other travelers on my flight. We got through customs, met up with our tour director Ad (Adnane), and got to the hotel. We debriefed the schedule for the night, freshened up, and left the hotel.

Our poor first bus driver had a death in the family so we had to get a replacement. We didn’t get to dinner until 45 minutes after we were supposed to. We had a blood orange drink on the rooftop and looked at a market. We went downstairs in a courtyard and had our meal. The other Sarah and I got a bottle of wine. For someone who doesn’t like wine, I drank half the bottle. I was thirsty! We got 3L of water to split between 7 people. I sat with Sarah, Ken, Krystal, Amber, Kylie, and Shailja. We had salads for a first course: tomato (pico de gallo), aubergine, zucchini, cucumbers (nope), potatoes, and tomatoes with sweet peppers. We had a whole discussion how cucumbers are melons but aren’t considered fruits. How physically they look like zucchini, but aren’t in the same family (lagomorphs?) We had two big dishes of meat: tender beef with plums and almonds and chicken with olives and lemons. The lemons were so tart and mistaken for olives with the vinegary flavor. And of course bread. We had oranges and dates, pancakes with sweet syrup, and biscuits/cookies for dessert. One table gave me some white wine (which is what Sarah and I wanted in the first place). We left full and happy. 

We then wandered/followed our guide through the busy market. It was almost 11pm and so full of people and foods and things and music. It was overwhelming, but interesting. We’ll see the difference of night and day tomorrow. 

It’s time to sleep. I’m rooming with Ighwiyisi. I think she goes by Yisi. I’ll get the spelling tomorrow. We gratefully are starting later (10am) and are having a day to learn all about Marra

Where’s Atlas?

 Writing this days later is terrible because everyday is starting to blend. It feels like we’ve been here a month even though our trip is about to end. Morocco is beautiful. Everyone is kind. Everything has been acceptable (not perfect. T.I.A. This is Africa)

Tuesday morning we left Marrakesh and headed towards Ouarzazate. To get there, we traveled through the Atlas Mountains. It became an inside joke between me and the other Sarah of “Where’s Atlas?” And every stop we’d name a different thing Atlas. The first stop was a cat. Next was a dog. Maybe a donkey was named Atlas. We stopped at several oases (plural of oasis) to see the palm trees. We stopped for panoramic views and warded off merchants peddling goods.

We left at 9:30; we ate lunch at about 3. We stopped at Ait-Ben-Haddou. That’s a famous place where so many movies were filmed (most of which I haven’t seen like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven). The village next to river was built in the 14th century. They had 5 kasbahs, places where caravans could stop and rest. It’s an official UNESCO site and is preserved to stay the way it was built. That means no running water or electricity. We crossed a river that looked dry, but was muddy in the middle. We were slipping and sliding all over. Ad said it had never been that way before; it was always dry before. I guess it had recently rained. 

In the theme of films, we past CLA studios, the third largest film industry in the world. If there’s a desert scene, people and movies come here to film. Adnane kept referencing Jason Momoa. Maybe Aquaman 2?

We stayed at a beautiful hotel. We were all excited to get in the pool and it was FREEZING! I walked around the shallow end after 45 minutes of slowly submerging myself. There was a great view of the surrounding area. We had a meal in the hotel restaurant for dinner then proceeded to celebrate ANOTHER traveler’s birthday. We ate cake, sang, and danced. Such a great way to end the day. 

Wednesday

We continued traveling through the Atlas Mountains, this time in the lower parts. We headed to Arfoud. We saw the Rose Valley (Desert Rose by Sting was hummed), Fig Oasis, and Oasis of Tinghir. 

We made a special, unscheduled stop. We participated in a tea ceremony at an imam’s house with his wife. We sat on the floor and watched her make the ubiquitous mint tea. It was delightful. Afterwards, two randomly selected travelers were chosen to make it. That batch was even sweeter. I’m going to have to buy some and take it home with me. We ate lunch soon after. Lots of bread, olives, and skewered meat. Fruit is a common dessert: oranges with cinnamon, apples, bananas, grapes, and melon. 

We were met with laughter when we got on the bus and one of the women imitated Adnane. She even put on his striped bucket hat! When he got the mic back, he just did a mic drop. We drove away from our destination to see the Todra Gorges. They were gorge-ous (I had to do it. The pun was just there, ready to be said). Coincidentally, my dress matched the sides of limestone. The stream was cold and had different colored rocks. Merchants were peddling kaftans, scarves, jewelry, and more down in the gorge. To get there, we drove around the luscious Oasis of Tinghir. It was so beautiful. 

Through the last oasis we stopped and were gifted a box of dates by the driver’s friend. It was so good; sweet with the texture of icing. We arrived at the hotel, settled until dinner at 8:30. This hotel is outside of Erfoud, far enough to make it feel like the middle of nowhere. Because we’re closer to the Sahara, sand is everywhere. We’re blaming the weird coloring of the pool to the sand; we can’t see the bottom it’s so opaque. Our group had some issues at this hotel with stinky rooms, ants, no/just dripping water, and no A/C. Ad is amazing and fixes them as quickly as he can. People were moved as soon as they complained. Hump day was over and so was half our trip

‎هيا بنا let’s go

Sunday we walked around Marrakech. We were dropped off at a garden surrounding the tallest mosque in Marrakech. Every building is shorter than this mosque, no taller than 5 stories. We took a group photo at the fountain with the water men. These men had triangular hats with baubles which matched their kaftans. They were brightly colored. They traditionally gave water to those who wanted it for a few. They are covered with little gold bowls and have a goatskin filled with water. They are really only for tourists now with the rise of water bottles. 

Speaking of water, they charge you at every restaurant. With the difference of countries we were recommended to drink water bottles vs tap water. Many of us buy 1L to fill up the 0.5L bottles that we buy. Some men have bought 6 packs for the whole trip. It is a necessity with the heat and the walking. 

After pictures with the mosque, gardens, and watermen, we walked to the Bahia Palace. It isn’t decorated like a European castle; the rooms are all empty. It gave space to look at all the craftsmanship of the ceilings, walls, and floors. Such beautiful photo opportunities. We learned about the history of the kings that lived there and the French who set up offices there a hundred years ago. I hope to come back and see the grand courtyard.

We were tired and thirsty after that. Water break provided by Ad! We walked to a pharmacy/herbalist next. Oh the smells and the products. Morocco has native argan trees, so many of their products contained a higher concentration of oils than sold in the US. There were products for everything: asthma, snoring, allergies, rosacea, acne, hair loss, stress, concentration, moisturizer, anti-aging, and more (including libido). Afterwards it was almost like an auction. They gave us big baskets to put our products in and they called out the different options for us to wave our hands. Many of us spent hundreds of dollars on these products justifying “we can only get this in Morocco/it’s part of the experience!”

Afterwards we were starving and went to a restaurant called Kabana. Very good food, delicious mocktail, and a fun atmosphere. We sat on the roof (but under a covering) and several women wandered around to take photos. I ordered lamb and ricotta ravioli and it was great. I took some Parmesan truffle fries from some others and with the ravioli sauce *chef’s kiss* We then left for money exchange/ATM to grab cash. Next was hotel for relaxation before dinner. It had a pool so some had a dip; I had a nap.

We ate at 6. That was the restaurant name. We actually ate at 9pm. That’s the regular time to eat dinner here, late at night. I got a royal calzone (egg, bacon, cheese, basil?) which came with a salad. For dessert I had lemon sherbet with vodka. I didn’t leave until 12am. I was exhausted.

Monday was the excursion day. It was advertised as a cooking class, but it was so much more. We drove out to what felt like the middle of nowhere. We pulled up to an ochre building with a giant camel out front. We walked through the doors, down a small hall, into a beautiful courtyard. It was huge. It had all sorts of artsy statues and murals. There was a pool in the middle that we later found out was the shape of Fatima’s hand.

We were ushered into a hallway to get ready to cook. We put on aprons and they tied scarves around our heads. We of course had a cup of mint tea before we started. So good! The group went into this room with five stations in a semicircle. They grouped us and named us by cities. Our group was Rabat (the capital). It was Nadine, Jessica, Thalia, and me. We prepared chicken in a traditional tagine, a cone shaped lid on a plate, both made of clay. We chopped potatoes that were boiled, cut tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro for a salad; and a few of us helped knead bread. They even asked if I could work for them!! 😅 after the food was all done, we relaxed outside with a non-alcoholic mojito. Many wandered around for pictures with the art.

The group went to mini-Morocco: a collections of rooms displaying cities of Morocco. We learned about the Berber language, old “banks”, why the doors have a door within a door, history, and more. We saw a room full of doors, showing the intricacies and decorations. We enjoyed the tiles and displays. We even had a photo opportunity in an upside down room! It was so fun.

Finally it was time to eat. They had tables set for us. Platters with the tomato salad and potatoes were brought out. We munched on olives and bread. They brought out jars with our chicken. They shook the jar and poured it onto a bowl. It was so tender and fell off the bone. It was great company and a good bonding experience. 

Jafar was our instructor and guide and he made us feel at home. He danced with us, drank with us, and made us laugh. I would go back as a relaxation time and swim in the pool and eat food someone else had cooked. Before we left, they served us spiced coffee and I enjoyed it! I don’t usually like coffee, but I’d drink that again. 

We got back to the hotel exhausted. Half of us took off to see the Majorelle Garden. I took a nap. Buuuuuut it was only an hour and then I took a taxi with 3 others to the square. We saw a snake charmer and held snakes and got great photos. We were tourists and bought magnets, postcards, and coin pouches (that had camels with fezes on). We wandered the market, fending off sellers at every turn. Several of my tour mates were called names. Not bad in itself, but definitely an odd experience.

We returned to the hotel and got ready for dinner. It was Isi’s (my roommate) birthday and we ate dinner at Azar, an expensive place with a three course dinner and entertainment I.e. belly dancers. Food was phenomenal. We got there around 9 and left after midnight. That’s how most of our dinners have been like. That was our last night in Marrakesh

It’s Harry Freakin’ Potter!

On Sunday I went to one of two highlights of my trip: the Warner Brothers’ Harry Potter Studio. It was spectacular. I teared up several times. It was an experience I’ll never forget. 

I woke up at 7 to catch the train to get to the studios. There was a small delay that made us miss our first bus. I was panicking, but because I saw other HP fans on the train, I knew that another bus would come for us. We arrived at the station and waited for 15 minutes. The bus pulled up and we all piled in. I sat on the top level at the very front. I wanted to be the first person to see the Studio. The bus was full and we rode 15 minutes to the studio. A grin spread across my face when we pulled up. I was finally here. 

When you walk in, there’s a dragon hanging from the ceiling, the one from HP 7 pt2. There were costumes from the Fantastic Beasts series and you could go to the food hall or gift shop first. I grabbed a passport and headed toward the tour. I’ll try not to be detailed about everything I saw, but I was and am so excited.

We first saw Privet Drive, where it all began. We saw the sign and, of course, the cupboard under the stairs. I took a picture with my “home.” We next walked in a room with all the iterations of posters for all the movies and the timeline of filming and premieres. It was 10 years of Magic and it touched millions of people. We watched a video about what to expect during the tour with the cast giving tips.  Then as every Hogwarts student first sees, we walked through the door of the Great Hall. It was fantastic and tall. There wasn’t a ceiling because of the magic candles and ceiling. It surprisingly was smaller than the movie made it seem, but it had the long tables (two removed so we could walk down the middle) and costumes representing all the houses. Theses were ACTUAL costumes from the film! Daniel Radcliffe really wore that outfit. Tom Felton really was in those robes. I did have a question for the guide because I noticed the Ravenclaw robes had ravens on it and not eagles. It specifically says in the books that Ravenclaw’s mascot is an eagle. Two guides didn’t have an answer; they had never noticed. Their best explanation was someone made a mistake at the beginning and had to continue for the rest of the films. That explains why all the merchandise always has ravens on it. The front of the Hall had professors’ costumes: Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, and more. Then the tour really started.

The passport from earlier helped guide through the sections. You could search for snitches among the sets and stamp at stations spread out among the tour. They revealed secrets, like how they made people fly on broomsticks or ride the Hogwarts Express. There were makeup stations, costumes among sets, and commemorations to the people behind the movies. In Dumbledore’s office, they had costumes from both iterations of Dumbledore: Michael Gambon and Richard Harris. There was a display of all the wands from all major characters. There was a board talking about all the animal actors on set and how they trained them. Lupin’s trunk actually packed itself; it wasn’t CGI. The Weasley’s house had a knife cutting carrots, dishing being washed, and a scarf being knitted. They had the animatronics in the Forbidden Forest and showed how they got a Patronus to be filmed. The final part of the first half of the tour was Platform 9 3/4. I got a picture of me running through platforms 9 and 10. I got to go through the Hogwarts Express and they had different compartments for each movie. At the end they had the very first compartment (with Harry and Ron from HP 1) across from the final costumes and scene from when the characters are all grown up (HP 7).

There was a back lot with a cafe for people to get a meal/snacks before they continued on. I of course bought butterbeer and enjoyed it with my packed lunch. It was nice to take a break off my feet. There was an outdoor lot with the Knight Bus, Privet Drive from the outside, the bridge, and the motorcycle with the sidecar. I checked them all out before heading to the second part of the tour.

This part had the models, prosthetics, and Gringotts. They first showed Warwick Davis and going through the process of becoming a goblin. They showed Hagrid’s animatronic head, which was added to Robbie Coltrane’s stunt double to make him taller. They showed how Lupin transformed into a werewolf. The models were cool and showed the process of how they made the sets. The Gringotts section reminded me of the ride in Universal; I was expecting to go on it when I passed through the doors. Did you know the marble in the bank was actually paper? So cool! The door from HP 1 (vault 394) was actually working, again no CGI! We got to see the Lestrange vault and how they made the multiplying props. They showed how they made both put together Gringotts and destroyed Gringotts. The most amazing part was the 1:24 model of Hogwarts. It took 8 weeks to build and they used it to film the closeup shots of the towers and buildings. I was awestruck. They had videos showing different scenes and the building of the set. Finally, you walk through a room with wand boxes that has all the names of people who worked on the films. 

I took 4 hours there and it was worth it. I checked out the entirety of the gift shop, but only left with some Fantastic Beasts memorabilia. I can’t wait to return with family and friends (and this time find all the golden snitches)!

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

So that was the shortest flight I’ve ever been on. It was 30 minutes when it was supposed to be an hour. I got to Birmingham safe and sound.

I stayed at Birmingham Central Backpackers which had a weird vibe. There were a lot of older people there and the only other woman was working the desk. The main room had oriental rugs, Chinese lanterns, Indian prayer flags, cowboy hats, and neon colored walls. I was overwhelmed. When I finally got the pass to my room, it was in another building. This wouldn’t normally be an issue, but it was dark, there were groups of people hanging outside and it was feeling really creepy. I got in safely, found my bed in the dark (there was no label) and got to sleep.

The next morning after sleeping in,I had breakfast of toast and juice and caught a train to Gloucester. I went to see the cathedral and it was worth it. It’s massive and gorgeous and so, so old. It was an Abbey before 700 AD! Like to have buildings as complex as this one a thousand years older than my country?! Insane! Anyway, I had a one-on-one tour around the cathedral with a guide named Rupert from Canada. I then explored in more detail for the next hour and a half. Surprise surprise, HP was also filmed here. I took a picture of the wall where the note from the Chamber of Secrets was. I took a picture of the “hallways” between classes. It was magical.

After I left the cathedral, I found The House of The Tailor of Gloucester. This was a museum dedicated to the Beatrix Potter book. I remember Peter Rabbit growing up and she was the first famous Potter I knew. It was cute and I bought a copy of the book. I had plenty of time to kill so I wandered through a museum and took pictures of the Roman artifacts along with medieval ones. I took another train and arrived in Cardiff.

I immediately headed out for the bay and the Millennium Centre. This was famous/important to me because it is in Doctor Who and Torchwood. I tried finding the entrance, but there was a fair going on where it should have been. I ate dinner and watched the sunset over the bay. I walked to my hostel, Nomad. So this one I knew where the toilet was, but not the shower. The Birmingham one, I knew where the showers were, but not the toilets. Strange layout. This was the smallest room I was in and it was a female only dorm; there were three of us in there. I planned out my next morning and went to bed, feet and body exhausted.

I also got free breakfast here and had a bowl of “cocoa crispies” this morning. I checked out and headed to the movie theatre. See I was going to see Horrible Histories. I read a few books, watched a few episodes, it was funny. I also wanted to enjoy Derek Jacobi as Claudius again (I CLAVDIVS). On my way, I saw lots of rainbow flags and flamboyant people. I stopped and looked it up; lo and behold it was Cardiff’s Pride parade! So I went and found the route and waited for an hour till it started. I had never been to a pride parade before and I forgot how much more March-like and political it was. I did meet and take pictures with Sisters from Bristol, Cardiff, and Glasgow (I knew Beer City Sisters well in Asheville). It was fun, but I could only take so much. I headed to the train station early, ate lunch, and got on my train to London.

I arrived in London and made my way to my hostel. I rode a double decker bus and checked in. I rested for an hour and then I headed out. I first went to 221B Baker Street to visit Sherlock Holmes. There was a line to go inside to the museum, but I just took pictures. I had dinner at Chik’n which was really good. I grabbed a bus and went to Harrods. My grandpa went there back in the 60s or 70s while he was deployed in Europe. He suggested I go here while I’m in town. It was HUGE. The escalator was done up in Egyptian motif and there were rooms upon rooms of expensive items. I almost got carried away in the book section (when do I not), but restrained myself. It again overwhelmed me and I left quickly. I made my way to the Thames to watch the sunset. I sat on the bridge near Big Ben, Parliament, and the Eye, watching the sky change colors. It was a nice, peaceful moment.

When the sun had gone down enough, I took the tube and a bus to grab bread and get back. I made sandwiches for tomorrow for my big day at the HP Studios. I’m ready to get back to Hogwarts!

5 Days Left

The first day I was in Ireland was a busy one, Damien White made sure of it. I woke up before 8 so we could get on the road by 8:15. Now, I’ve been overseas for a week now and it’s time I can relax and deflate a bit. So I did. I had an anxiety attack during breakfast, I think having the realization that I’m really doing this, that I’m with people who know members of my family more than me. It was a bit overwhelming. But after I calmed down, I was good for the rest of the day.

We went to Bunratty Castle which was built in the 1400s and was different from Alnwick. For one, no one lives here. It’s kept as a tourist attraction, but it’s very dark and small. A big American like me was not meant for that kind of castle. We learned Irish history and explored most of it on our own. We walked up two towers and saw the Shannon River and the surrounding lands. It was drizzling, but that didn’t keep my awe down. As one can see in my pictures, there were lots of different clocks all around. I took pictures because I’m interested in the construct of time and want to know more about when we started caring and adhering to clocks. Anyway...

The lands also have reconstructed homes from different areas of the Irish countryside. There were lower, middle, and upper farmhouses. They ranged from a one room building with a leaky roof to a four bedroom house with one bedroom being up in a loft. Damien even stoked a fire in one house. A fiddler came by and played some jolly tunes, which gathered an audience. We checked out the schoolhouse which wasn’t unlike the one Damien grew up attending. They recreated a Georgian townfront and we walked those cobbled roads. We finished our morning there and headed west.

Our next destination was the Cliffs of Moher, but we had to get through the country first. We stopped at a pub and had a small lunch. We stopped and took pictures of towers (Damien could tell you if they were Norman or not by their windows). We made our way to Fenore beach. Some ridiculous people were in wet suits and surfing. It was really windy by now, but thankfully no rain. I was bold and ran into the Atlantic barefoot. I’ve now put my right foot in the east coast of England and my left in the west coast of Ireland. I stood above the British Isles.

After many winding roads through the countryside and along the coast we made it to the cliffs. They were HUGE. They were GORGEOUS. It was sunshiny and mild. We walked both sides to see the different views. This was a goal of my trip and it couldn’t have been better conditions for it. We watched a video in the visitors’ center about the wildlife around here. I didn’t know dolphins came this far north! Puffins, humpback whales, gulls, and seals are common at the Cliffs of Moher. It was so bright with the sun reflecting off the Atlantic. It was perfect.

Yesterday was my chill day. It was raining all day, so I slept late and watched tv all day. I got educated in Irish media by watching all the first season of Derry Girls, an episode of Fawlty Towers, and Fr Ted. Damien and Catherine’s grandkids came over and I talked to them for a bit. They’re both under the age of 10 and love superheroes. It was nice meeting and talking to Peter, their dad. He said I remind him of my cousin Lynn. We chatted lots with his father: politics, books, movies. No subject was left untouched. It was nice meeting the infamous Whites.

My last day in Ireland, we packed up in the morning and headed to Dublin for the day. Damien and I showed up first, so we went to the Collins Barracks branch of the National Museum of Ireland. Got to learn lots of Irish military history. I didn’t know how involved the Irish were in almost every war, including the American Civil War (on both sides). Saw a beautiful exhibit on Irish clothes the last 250 years. I always find it amazing how long fabric can last. Many of these pieces were intricate and gorgeous. At the turn of the century I recognized the styles from Downton Abbey. That museum was a labyrinth and it took me forever to get back to the Whites. I found them and we left to take the tram.

They wanted to show me how the tram worked, so we rode to the end of the line. They were telling me how Dublin wasn’t this industrialized 30 years ago. It’s grown so fast. We rode through the financial district and got off near Trinity College. We wandered the streets full of tourists, weaving in and out of crowds. I hate it when giant groups of people stop in the middle of the walkway. We walked around Trinity College and their daughter had attended it. We checked out a museum then went to my favorite part of this stay: the Book of Kells and the Library. It’s huge and gorgeous and wooden and smells of so many old books. The Book of Kells was beautiful and amazing. It’s the gospels written before 900 AD in Ireland. There’s so many details and the lettering is like calligraphy. It’s old and it’s important. Damien and Catherine has never been, but they loved it. How could they have missed it before?

I’m waiting on my plane to take me back to England. I’ve enjoyed my stay with the Whites and I can’t wait to see them again!

Home again, home again jiggety jig

So tonight is my second night in Ireland and what a day it’s been. Let me rewind to catch up to the present.

Friday I arrived in Burnley, England, an hour north of Manchester. We ate dinner, played board and video games, and caught up. Saturday we woke up and got pies from the market. Jessica got her coveted pork and apple, Liam got pork, and I got chicken and mushroom. Didn’t know I was going to eat this cold. Didn’t know how displeased I would be. We wandered town centre then went to the Singing Ringing Tree on the outskirts of Burnley. For those who don’t know, this “tree” is a beautiful, metal sculpture made out of pipes that play haunting music when the wind blows through. It is smaller than the internet made it seem, maybe 10 feet tall. It was super windy, but there was a beautiful view of the English countryside.

From there we (Jess, Liam, and I) went to Hurstwood and hiked in the woods. We climbed a HUGE hill and looked at the view from the reservoir. Exhausted, we went home and chilled until tea (supper/dinner). Jess and Liam took me to get curry and it was great. Spicy and authentic. We went to the store and bought a few items for when Rose, the child Jess takes care of, comes over and sweets for us. Repeat of the night before with Mario Kart and Netflix thrown in.

Sunday we woke up and drove to see Jess’s mum and have a proper English dinner. Jess’s best friend Chloe tagged along. We met her mum and her brother James at their house and walked over to the Dining Room for dinner. I had roast beef, roasted potatoes, mash, carrots, leafy greens, and Yorkshire pudding. So good. I also saved room for pudding and had salted caramel cheesecake. We left lunch happy and full and picked up Rose. We came back to Burnley stuffed and ready to nap it off. We took Rose to the park, snuck out and got waffles, and had a great last night.

That morning we woke up SUPER early and took a bus to Todmorden. We picked up another kiddo to occupy Rose and had my first English breakfast. I’m still not with it with beans and toast. Everything else was good. We went to another friends’ place and chatted while the children played. We left, printed off my boarding pass, and headed to Manchester. I said my goodbyes and off I was to Dublin.

I landed and got my first stamp in my passport this trip! I met the Whites at the gate and they were as lovely as can be. I’ll tell you how we’re connected next time. We rode 2 hours from Dublin to Birr and arrived at their lovely home. It’s huge in Irish standards and fairly modern. We also had Indian food with Twix ice cream for dessert. It was so nice to talk to people who know all about my people. They were closer to my great-grandma than I ever was. I’ve loved hearing the history.

Keep up for the next adventures in Ireland and more trip anxieties.

From South to North, From East to West

Just a small town girl

Living in a lonely world

She took the midnight train

Going anywhere...

Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’”

The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind, but I’m finally rested enough to catch up on my journey. I’m going to start where I left off with the trains to Edinburgh and hope I don’t overwhelm this next story with details galore. 

As the song lyrics suggested, I took the midnight train, this one to Edinburgh. I saw the sunrise over the English countryside and had breakfast in a First Class car (that was the cheapest option!). I also met a Sara(h) from Auckland, New Zealand who was moving her whole life to Aberdeen in two suitcases. We chatted for a bit and dozed on and off throughout our journey. When I got to Edinburgh, I had a bed waiting for me in my hostel. I passed out for 2 hours after showering and changing out of my 48 hour outfit. 

I could’ve slept longer, but I didn’t want to miss my day in the city. And what a day it was. I went on a free walking tour around the city. Learned the history of the city, history of Presbyterianism, and history of words and phrases (“tripping the alarm”, “loo”, “s***faced”). Our guide was funny and informative and helped out us Potter fans to sites of JK Rowling’s inspiration. I took pictures of gravestones with famous last names from the books. I passed and quickly snapped a photo of The Elephant House, where Rowling wrote the first two books.

On the tour I met Rasa, a lawyer on holiday from Lithuania. She suggested we go eat, and since I wanted an authentic Scottish experience, we went to a recommended restaurant and ate haggis. She was fine with it; it reminded her of home. I had to get matter over mind. It was spicy as in lots of flavors. I did have it over bacon and onion mash with carrots/pumpkin/something orange on top (which I was not a fan of). I ate it all, but it took longer than I normally do. It was unexpected, wasn’t how I thought it would look, which I feel helped its case in matter over mind. Either way, I do feel I need to try it somewhere else and get a second opinion. I’m staying open

While in Edinburgh, the LARGEST ARTS FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD was happening. It’s called the Fringe and there were performances all over the city. Rasa and I were handed so many flyers, but there was so much going on we were overwhelmed. We found a comedy show and that started our night of laughter. We belly-laughed at Angus Dunican, chuckled at Emily Woods, and had fun with Thaniya Moore and Sian Davies. These were all FREE shows, but they asked for money at the end because people gotta eat. I tipped what I could, but having limited cash, I don’t believe I gave them what they were worth. I saw some interesting performances (one about Ursula from Little Mermaid and the other Doctor Who themed), but they were out of the way and expensive. It’s an amazing experience and I believe I would have enjoyed it if I stayed longer in Edinburgh.

I went back to the hostel, packed, and passed out after a long day, finally getting a full night’s sleep. I still woke up at dawn to catch the 7 o’clock train to Alnmouth so I could get to Alnwick and go to the castle. I arrived in Alnmouth at 8 and wandered around the village. I put my foot in the Atlantic on the East coast of England while it was raining. It was serene. Nothing opened until 10, so I wandered around enjoying the silence and internally monologuing. I took the bus, stored my pack at a shop, and headed over to Alnwick Castle. 

I could go on and on about this castle. It was amazing. But first let’s correct something before we go on, something I didn’t correct until this morning. It’s pronounced “All-nick” not “Aln-wick”. No idea, didn’t ask why, English is strange. This castle has been around since 1096 and the currently family has lived there for over 700 years. It was strange to see modern photos of family interspersed with paintings from the 15th through 19th centuries. It’s been in shows and movies: Hogwarts in the first two HP movies, Brancaster Castle in Downton Abbey, along with Robin Hood with Kevin Costner and a Transformers movie. I didn’t get to see the gardens, but the current duchess started her own “Poison Garden” where everything that grows in it will kill or harm humans. I went to the Castle only and wish I could’ve seen more. 

I grabbed a train to Burnley and met my childhood friend Jess and her fiancé Liam at the train station. We swung in and out of the store for some items and headed home for tea (dinner/supper). We ate and laughed. Jessica and I went for a walk around the area and came back and played games. We chatted and have been catching up since the last we saw each other. It’s been great and now it’s time for sleep. Will update in a few days before I leave for Ireland on Monday. 

Good Life

Woke up in London yesterday

Found myself in a city near Piccadilly

Don’t really know how I got here

I got some pictures on my phone

                           

One Republic “Good Life”

If I’ve learned anything from my YAV year, it’s resiliency. I had many hard challenges, many nights calling my parents crying because “I can’t do this.” My Community was there for me and helped me bounce back and tackle those challenges in a new light. As I type this I’m experiencing a different kind of resiliency that comes with traveling solo. 

I’ve gotten 2 hours of sleep in the past 24 hours. My legs have been hurting from either moving too much (walking around London or a museum) or not enough (flying for 7 hours). Sometimes it has felt like my legs were going to buckle under me, but I kept moving. I’m also chafing, which is not a pleasant feeling. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for the past 36 hours and probably don’t smell the greatest. I’ve been carrying a ~20 lb backpack around a major city. Just Sarah things.

I flew from Tampa to Detroit last night. I came off that plane and immediately got on the one to go to London. It was at 10:30 at night. I’m ready to sleep. And what happens? They turn on all the lights in the cabin. And pass out dinner. At 11 pm. What?! So woke up and ate “dinner” and tried to wind back down. I thought my years of band would help with sleeping upright, until I remembered that I would curl up under the seat and never sleep “properly.” So I got about 2 hours of sleep. When I finally got the best sleeping position, guess what? The lights came back on again and it was time for breakfast. 4 hours after dinner. Come on. 

I landed and took the Underground to the Natural History Museum (see pictures attached in Facebook post). I was tired, but I knew if I kept my brain active, I would be fine. Being a rainy day, SO MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE. It was ridiculous. I wandered for 2.5 hours until my legs and stomach couldn’t take it anymore (thankfully I stored my pack for the day. Extra weight wouldn’t have helped). I decided to go get food and maybe see the sights next to the Thames. Big Ben and Westminister Cathedral are both under construction. I’m pretty sure I could the pub that I went to last time I was in London (which was 7 years ago). I left and picked up my stuff to head back to the airport.

I passed on the first two trains that came by because they were FILLED with people. I couldn’t afford to wait forever though, so I squished in the next train. I spent the next 45 minutes standing, squished in a corner, my feet perpendicular to each other, and really close to people. I thought it was packed at our stop? It got so much worse than a can of sardines. Got to the airport and couldn’t find my terminal. I finally found it. Here’s the worst thing that’s happened to me: my flight to Edinburgh...was yesterday. I somehow mixed up the dates and it was £235 to get on tonight’s flight (which btw I was still getting emails about. Grrr...)

I did what I’ve done many times and many more in the future: I called my dad. I wasn’t full on panicking like I once would have. I just needed assurance that things would be ok. I immediately called the hostel and they will have a bed for me. I’m currently in the train station about to take a ~10 hour journey to get from London to Edinburgh. The things I do to stick with my structure/schedule. 

Hopefully, the worst has been done and it will be smoother sailing from here on out. But if there’s another incident, I know I have the resiliency and intuition to move forward. 

P.S. I did panic when I got to the train station because my tickets were on my phone and my phone was at 5%. I couldn’t print them off; the train line wasn’t a print option. Thankfully I met this wonderful Indian women who let me borrow her power pack for me to charge sufficiently to get on the train.

Just. Enough.

These are two words I catch myself saying often during this year. "I'm just an intern. Will this be enough?" Two words that have become part of my everyday speech that make life harder.

By using just I'm diminishing my work. I'm diminishing who I am as a person. "I just did my job. I'm just the intern. I'm just here for a year. I'm just me." By putting this word into my lexicon, I am tearing down everything I've done. I don't give myself credit for the work I've done. I don't give myself credit for who I am as a person. I didn't start catching myself saying it until the winter, but when I did, I heard myself saying it everywhere. At work, at home, talking to my family, talking to my supervisor. I made everything seem simpler than it was by using one word: just.

On the flip side of that coin was enough. "Is this enough food? Do I have enough money? Am I enough?" These questions hurt me and I didn't know it. From a culture of abundance, all I could see was where I was lacking. I come from a big family. Dinner was something we all did together. But I specifically remember counting all the rolls on the table or dumplings in the soup, wondering how much I would get and would it be fair. Coming here has been a lesson in equity; my enough is different than your enough and both are enough.

This has not been an easy year and I have struggled in different places. The biggest part is "Am I enough?" The easy answer is yes, but it's hard to see that when I'm so focused on the details. I do the best I can and even if I fail, it was enough. I've done what seemed that menial tasks and they were enough. It's been hard to switch my mind to see how much I've done instead of how much I need to do.

I've been planning an interfaith LGBT panel that happens in a week. I've contacted different people in the community who have different spiritual and LGBT identities and are bringing them together to talk about the intersection of these identities. I have done all that I can and more. Now I have to accept that it is enough, no matter the outcome. It will happen, people will attend, and there will be an impact. Will it be what I want? Probably not, but it will be just enough.

End of May or Early June, Picture Perfect Afternoon We Shared

Even though we've been busy, we've made sure to have fun and see local sights. These were the highlights of May and early June. These were fun group bonding times and I won't forget what I learned from these experiences.

On top of Tennent Mountain. Erin wanted to go hiking for her birthday.
So we went on a 5 mile (3 hour) hike on a trail.

View of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Black Balsam Knob.
It was a beautiful day with a wonderful breeze. It was ~15 degrees cooler up there.

Wolf at the WNC Nature Center. On Memorial Day, Erin and I checked out the  Nature Center.

Otter! These were some of our favorite animals. So playful!

Bears, Oh My! We saw bears (outside of the ones in trees in our backyard)!

Willy Wonka Day at Brooks Howell Home
L-R: Augustus Gloop, Charlie Bucket, Mike Teevee, Oompa Loompa

Original stove at Thomas Wolfe Memorial.
We had been by at the beginning of the year, but wanted to return to see what was inside.

One of the rooms in the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Home.
We learned who Thomas Wolfe was and why this house is an important landmark.

One of the sunrooms in the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Home.
Thomas Wolfe's story is sad, but is writing is beautiful. It's now on my To-Read List.