Vacation Log - Part 6 (June 5th - 6th)
I had remembered stuff from things from the week, but promptly forgot them again. However, when I was writing up my Birmingham report the other day, I found a note that I had written in the back that was amusing.
Anyone at Decalogy will get this:
It's amazing at how nearly 1000 people can be highly entertained by a dancing stuffed bunny, a head in a jar, and a Cadbury Creme Egg.
With that said... one with what will end up being a short report (as long as I don't ramble too much...)
Tuesday, June 5th
Morning started out in a new bed, where I lay in quietly because I'm not sure if UKChris and UKSteve are awake yet. I'm dressed and writing in my log, and then I hear something downstairs. So I creep down (cause it's not my house and I feel wierd walking around by myself...) and they are both awake and playing on their computers. UKChris is working on her pictures from the night before, and UKSteve is in the midst of a video game.
I stare at the screen as images of Steve and Chris pop up, watching as UKChris cleans the images and makes the boys look even better. (And one day, we will actually get to see these pictures LOL!). UKChris then offers to make breakfast, so we go to the kitchen and chat while cooking, and I actually get a real English Breakfast that I can eat! YAY! No more hotel food!
After that, more picture staring and laughing and then UKSteve does me a huge favor and manages to seperate Oklahoma State of Mind and Lupe's Escape onto two seperate tracks for me (Itunes HATES that song and freezes my computer for 3 minutes during the blank space EVERY TIME. Sucks when I have my music on rotation while doing graphic work. I, however, ADORE Lupe's Escape and am now very glad to have it where I can listen to just it whenever I want to)
I said that these blogs wasn't KANE centric anymore, but dude, they still filter into everyday life!
So, after that, I head off to the train station where we get there about 5 minutes before the train is due to leave. I give UKChris a quick goodbye *cries* and manage NOT to fall into the train as I lug the suitcase of DOOM up into it. The train is pretty empty all the way to London, and then as I'm leaving, I forget that I put my hat on the overhead rack and left it on the train *cries more*. No more hat for Ali.
I somehow figure out how to get to my hotel from the TUBES (note.... suticase of DOOM does not like the stairways of the tubes. Neither does the hand pulling it. I miss the escalators and elevators in NY (most stations have one or the other these days.)
The hotel (Barkston Gardens Hotel), thankfully, is only about 2 blocks from the tube, so I'm able to get there. Check in. Walk through the rat's maze and DOWN a flight of stairs into the basement before I find my room (and no cheese at the end of the maze, but instead yummy chocolate crackers!).
I take a quick nap, mourn the loss of the jacuzzi tub once again looking at the tiny bathtub in the room, and proceed to watch a bit of TV. Mind you, I didn't get into London until 5pm, so all that tourist stuff was closed. I had a feeling I wouldn't get to really play tourist here when I gave up my Monday in London for Birmingham, but to me, it was a sacrifice worth taking. I can look at picture books if I want to see the sights. And hell, just gives me a reason to come back soon!
I leave the room and find the internet cafe across the street from the hotel and proceed to catch up on e-mail, Livejournal, and MySpace. Also chat with a bit with friends on GMAIL before deciding to go hunt down food. I end up walking all over Kensington, looking at menus and refusing to eat crap that I can get in the states. I want to at least say I ate in a London restaurant.
Then, about 9pm, I stumble across a place that I recognize. Not that it's like an American chain recognition, but actual "I've heard of this place!" recognition.
Ladies and Gents, I'm standing in front of the Troubadour. (www.troubadour.co.uk). And how do I recognize it? Seems that a certain band that I was going through withdrawl from had been here a year (or two?) ago. And, looking at my watch, I figure they are about to go on stage in Liverpool.
I took that as a sign that I needed to stop and eat, so I went inside. Didn't get anything to drink (I think my liver needed a rest) and instead got a wonderful omlette (which was served with a salad and fries. Ok...) and enjoyed the music that was floating into the main area from the stages. It helped a lot with the KANE withdrawl, being alone (german withdrawl), and made me a bit excited for Nashville because Jerrod had also been here, and I was going to see him in 2 days!
After that, I made my way back, took a nice bath, and turned in because I had an early start the next morning. Oh, on my way back, I stuck my head in a phone booth and saw naked lady call numbers, and I had to smirk. Back in freshmen year of college, I was in English 101 and we were told to interpret this poem. Here's the poem btw. I had interpreted it as a man trying to get a hooker for the night (because we were told NOT to read the "About this poem" section to the page.) I was promptly told I was wrong, and even after ALL my classmates supported my case (including one who was like "I've visited England and the phone booths are covered in those ads!), I failed the assignment. It was her interpretation (or in this case, the books) or nothing. Which really sucked and forever turned me off of poetry after that. I can't read a poem without remembering that day. But yes, my classmate was right, and I can be a bit smug in saying that I have a basis for my interpretation even if it was wrong. *shrugs*
MOVING ON!
Wednesday - June 6th
The LONGEST day of my life because of the flight. Woke up at 6 to be out the door at 7 to get a cab to Victoria Station. I like the hotel alot, and would definatly go back there (especially if I KANE caravan next time). Took the train to the airport, where I had breakfast of cookies and OJ.
I also realize I didn't see a rubber duck in any hotel room at ALL my entire time there. I feel disappointed. I couldn't free any ducks!
The flight was MUCH better. I had 2 seats all to myself. I also go pasta served to me for lunch in the first hour of the flight (and then the lady disappeared for 5 hours! WTF?!). I was starting to really cough alot now that I wasn't in bars and the hotel and my lungs were trying to heal themselves, so I needed water and there was no one to be found. But I ended up watching Music and Lyrics and Pursuit of Happyness, both of which were much better than I had thought they would be.
Had another lunch of a sandwhich and pretzels at what would now be Noon Central Standard Time. Then we land in North Carolina. The customs people are NOT READY to receive the plane, and hold us on the runway for a half hour before we pull in.
Now, in America, you actually have to GET your luggage, go through customs, and then go through security AGAIN to get on your connecting flight. WTF?! I'm already in the airport PAST security from CUSTOMS and you want to put me through security AGAIN?! Yeah. And my flight was BOARDING because CUSTOMS held us, and the security lines were like 425763429652 people long! *cries even more* I promptly threw a fit because I had been gearing up for one but was told by the airport people that "we don't care if you flight is boarding now. You get in line because we can't let you skip the line". (At least in NY if your boarding pass shows your flight is boarding, they let you go through the "perks/first class" line that never has anyone on it.)
So I'm standing in line, crying because I'm tired and cranky and coughing and needing coffee BADLY at this point, and the people on line take pity on me. The lady and guy in front of me was like "Go onto the first class line and say that because your flight is boarding, the people at the ticket agent said to go there. If they won't let you, we'll let you back in here." (have I said that I love people in the south? Really. I was born on the wrong latitude line...). So I do it, and the lady looked at me skeptically, but sees that I'm NOT LYING and my flight is supposed to take off in 15 minutes, so she lets me through. I blow kisses back to the people on line, then go through security, and run like HELL through the airport (think Home Alone).
Only to find my flight is delayed 30 minutes and hasn't started to board yet. *head desk* Oh well. I find coffee and regain my breath and try not to cough up my lungs.
Quick flight to Nashville (where I get seats to myself again) and then meet Josh C. for dinner. Tracy, his wife, is expecting and feeling ill, so she didn't join us. I end up getting a nice long road tour of Nashville to see the parts i haven't before (OMG the homes in Brentwood. I need to get rich and just get one of those. I wouldn't doubt if this is where all the big names live... it's like the pictures I've seen of the Hollywood Hills... with more land to each lot. And they are BEAUTIFUL! Josh, you're lucky I didn't have my camera...)
Then we get to Famous Dave's BBQ Pit and I proceed to have my 4th meal of the day. Mmmmm, ribs. I don't eat pork except for BBQ ribs. And these, my friends, were to DIE for. *drools just thinking about it*.
After that, we get Starbucks (at normal prices again THANK YOU GOD!) and then I go back to my room, then downstairs to the computers and fart around for a bit and read about the Liverpool gig and the Brighton gig (you girls are CRAZY I SWEAR! What were you thinking! LOL!), get to meet my co-workers from NCS finally! (working there 6 months and just meeting them in person for the first time!) Then it's off to bed because OMG CMA Fest starts tomorrow!
Coming up next - Just how many people in line can I make listen to my Ipod?, Jerrod sends his message to the crazy Germans, and the pre-NCS party improptu hangout in Tootsie's!
Anyone at Decalogy will get this:
It's amazing at how nearly 1000 people can be highly entertained by a dancing stuffed bunny, a head in a jar, and a Cadbury Creme Egg.
With that said... one with what will end up being a short report (as long as I don't ramble too much...)
Tuesday, June 5th
Morning started out in a new bed, where I lay in quietly because I'm not sure if UKChris and UKSteve are awake yet. I'm dressed and writing in my log, and then I hear something downstairs. So I creep down (cause it's not my house and I feel wierd walking around by myself...) and they are both awake and playing on their computers. UKChris is working on her pictures from the night before, and UKSteve is in the midst of a video game.
I stare at the screen as images of Steve and Chris pop up, watching as UKChris cleans the images and makes the boys look even better. (And one day, we will actually get to see these pictures LOL!). UKChris then offers to make breakfast, so we go to the kitchen and chat while cooking, and I actually get a real English Breakfast that I can eat! YAY! No more hotel food!
After that, more picture staring and laughing and then UKSteve does me a huge favor and manages to seperate Oklahoma State of Mind and Lupe's Escape onto two seperate tracks for me (Itunes HATES that song and freezes my computer for 3 minutes during the blank space EVERY TIME. Sucks when I have my music on rotation while doing graphic work. I, however, ADORE Lupe's Escape and am now very glad to have it where I can listen to just it whenever I want to)
I said that these blogs wasn't KANE centric anymore, but dude, they still filter into everyday life!
So, after that, I head off to the train station where we get there about 5 minutes before the train is due to leave. I give UKChris a quick goodbye *cries* and manage NOT to fall into the train as I lug the suitcase of DOOM up into it. The train is pretty empty all the way to London, and then as I'm leaving, I forget that I put my hat on the overhead rack and left it on the train *cries more*. No more hat for Ali.
I somehow figure out how to get to my hotel from the TUBES (note.... suticase of DOOM does not like the stairways of the tubes. Neither does the hand pulling it. I miss the escalators and elevators in NY (most stations have one or the other these days.)
The hotel (Barkston Gardens Hotel), thankfully, is only about 2 blocks from the tube, so I'm able to get there. Check in. Walk through the rat's maze and DOWN a flight of stairs into the basement before I find my room (and no cheese at the end of the maze, but instead yummy chocolate crackers!).
I take a quick nap, mourn the loss of the jacuzzi tub once again looking at the tiny bathtub in the room, and proceed to watch a bit of TV. Mind you, I didn't get into London until 5pm, so all that tourist stuff was closed. I had a feeling I wouldn't get to really play tourist here when I gave up my Monday in London for Birmingham, but to me, it was a sacrifice worth taking. I can look at picture books if I want to see the sights. And hell, just gives me a reason to come back soon!
I leave the room and find the internet cafe across the street from the hotel and proceed to catch up on e-mail, Livejournal, and MySpace. Also chat with a bit with friends on GMAIL before deciding to go hunt down food. I end up walking all over Kensington, looking at menus and refusing to eat crap that I can get in the states. I want to at least say I ate in a London restaurant.
Then, about 9pm, I stumble across a place that I recognize. Not that it's like an American chain recognition, but actual "I've heard of this place!" recognition.
Ladies and Gents, I'm standing in front of the Troubadour. (www.troubadour.co.uk). And how do I recognize it? Seems that a certain band that I was going through withdrawl from had been here a year (or two?) ago. And, looking at my watch, I figure they are about to go on stage in Liverpool.
I took that as a sign that I needed to stop and eat, so I went inside. Didn't get anything to drink (I think my liver needed a rest) and instead got a wonderful omlette (which was served with a salad and fries. Ok...) and enjoyed the music that was floating into the main area from the stages. It helped a lot with the KANE withdrawl, being alone (german withdrawl), and made me a bit excited for Nashville because Jerrod had also been here, and I was going to see him in 2 days!
After that, I made my way back, took a nice bath, and turned in because I had an early start the next morning. Oh, on my way back, I stuck my head in a phone booth and saw naked lady call numbers, and I had to smirk. Back in freshmen year of college, I was in English 101 and we were told to interpret this poem. Here's the poem btw. I had interpreted it as a man trying to get a hooker for the night (because we were told NOT to read the "About this poem" section to the page.) I was promptly told I was wrong, and even after ALL my classmates supported my case (including one who was like "I've visited England and the phone booths are covered in those ads!), I failed the assignment. It was her interpretation (or in this case, the books) or nothing. Which really sucked and forever turned me off of poetry after that. I can't read a poem without remembering that day. But yes, my classmate was right, and I can be a bit smug in saying that I have a basis for my interpretation even if it was wrong. *shrugs*
MOVING ON!
Wednesday - June 6th
The LONGEST day of my life because of the flight. Woke up at 6 to be out the door at 7 to get a cab to Victoria Station. I like the hotel alot, and would definatly go back there (especially if I KANE caravan next time). Took the train to the airport, where I had breakfast of cookies and OJ.
I also realize I didn't see a rubber duck in any hotel room at ALL my entire time there. I feel disappointed. I couldn't free any ducks!
The flight was MUCH better. I had 2 seats all to myself. I also go pasta served to me for lunch in the first hour of the flight (and then the lady disappeared for 5 hours! WTF?!). I was starting to really cough alot now that I wasn't in bars and the hotel and my lungs were trying to heal themselves, so I needed water and there was no one to be found. But I ended up watching Music and Lyrics and Pursuit of Happyness, both of which were much better than I had thought they would be.
Had another lunch of a sandwhich and pretzels at what would now be Noon Central Standard Time. Then we land in North Carolina. The customs people are NOT READY to receive the plane, and hold us on the runway for a half hour before we pull in.
Now, in America, you actually have to GET your luggage, go through customs, and then go through security AGAIN to get on your connecting flight. WTF?! I'm already in the airport PAST security from CUSTOMS and you want to put me through security AGAIN?! Yeah. And my flight was BOARDING because CUSTOMS held us, and the security lines were like 425763429652 people long! *cries even more* I promptly threw a fit because I had been gearing up for one but was told by the airport people that "we don't care if you flight is boarding now. You get in line because we can't let you skip the line". (At least in NY if your boarding pass shows your flight is boarding, they let you go through the "perks/first class" line that never has anyone on it.)
So I'm standing in line, crying because I'm tired and cranky and coughing and needing coffee BADLY at this point, and the people on line take pity on me. The lady and guy in front of me was like "Go onto the first class line and say that because your flight is boarding, the people at the ticket agent said to go there. If they won't let you, we'll let you back in here." (have I said that I love people in the south? Really. I was born on the wrong latitude line...). So I do it, and the lady looked at me skeptically, but sees that I'm NOT LYING and my flight is supposed to take off in 15 minutes, so she lets me through. I blow kisses back to the people on line, then go through security, and run like HELL through the airport (think Home Alone).
Only to find my flight is delayed 30 minutes and hasn't started to board yet. *head desk* Oh well. I find coffee and regain my breath and try not to cough up my lungs.
Quick flight to Nashville (where I get seats to myself again) and then meet Josh C. for dinner. Tracy, his wife, is expecting and feeling ill, so she didn't join us. I end up getting a nice long road tour of Nashville to see the parts i haven't before (OMG the homes in Brentwood. I need to get rich and just get one of those. I wouldn't doubt if this is where all the big names live... it's like the pictures I've seen of the Hollywood Hills... with more land to each lot. And they are BEAUTIFUL! Josh, you're lucky I didn't have my camera...)
Then we get to Famous Dave's BBQ Pit and I proceed to have my 4th meal of the day. Mmmmm, ribs. I don't eat pork except for BBQ ribs. And these, my friends, were to DIE for. *drools just thinking about it*.
After that, we get Starbucks (at normal prices again THANK YOU GOD!) and then I go back to my room, then downstairs to the computers and fart around for a bit and read about the Liverpool gig and the Brighton gig (you girls are CRAZY I SWEAR! What were you thinking! LOL!), get to meet my co-workers from NCS finally! (working there 6 months and just meeting them in person for the first time!) Then it's off to bed because OMG CMA Fest starts tomorrow!
Coming up next - Just how many people in line can I make listen to my Ipod?, Jerrod sends his message to the crazy Germans, and the pre-NCS party improptu hangout in Tootsie's!