Nick and Carolyn in Cardiff -- Update No. 1, Saturday 07 04 09

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So, here we are at last, ensconced in our bed and breakfast, Ty Rosa, in Cardiff. We've had a crazy couple of days to get to this point but somehow, someway, we managed to get where we needed to get...even if we had the same clothes on that we were wearing on Friday (Thursday for me).

I get rather wordy, I must warn you...but I have alot to cram into one post. Future posts won't be as bad, I promise.

My first travel day, I'm thrilled to say, went great! Slept great that night, set the alarm for 5:30, managed to throw self out of bed by 6, and the daughter and I headed for the airport by 7:15. Since Airport Freeway is a major working-person commuting-type freeway, we wanted to be sure to avoid any possibility of getting tangled up in traffic. Made it to the airport, Yay! said goodbye to the kid, found my gate, and Yay! got a coffee and settled down to say Hey! via computer until it was time to go.

The trip to Newark went fine. Boeing 737, nice plane, marvelled at how nicely I fit into seats now. An Englishman sat behind me--and wore white tennis shoes. WHITE! HA! LOL. Nice guy. The guy next to me was silent the whole way until we learned we'd have to circle and circle and circle the airport due to heavy clouding and bad winds. Then, he would not shut up. Grr.

I was in a happy mood though--I mean, headed to Hamburg to see Nick! And...I'd been reading a truly marvelous book, in fact far-more-marvelous than I truly expected. The book? NAMELESS, by Sam Storyteller. Yup! HIM! THAT GUY! It is a definite Keeper. I'm impressed as hell with the simple small town world he's created, the characters, the story itself. Knocked my socks off, quite unexpectedly. Get it. Now.

Okay, back to the adventure!

Landed, and then realized I came in on gate oh 17 or something like that and my international flight was leaving out of 136. ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX! ARGH! I was DYING to get on livejournal so I could see how the De-Socking was going. As you can imagine, I rather knew quite a bit about what was going on behind-the-scenes all this time (though the identity of a alot of the players--especially the dear Captain--was a total mystery...I only knew the fe that Nick had figured out). I never really posted much on the ask_world, because of that...and with Nick playing John Hart, well, I didn't want to accidently give any hints I knew who Hart was. The few times I did talk to Hart were, well, weird. I got to help with his projects, assisted Martha aka spiderine with getting Ducky to Germany (though lol she had no idea I was the go-between, nor where he was headed, tee hee!).

And the spaceship? Oh, the spaceship! I am pretty sure Nick put a good 20 hours into building that thing. At least. LOL. Nut, absolute nut.

So, of course since I was not surprised when I did make it clear across the airport and finally got logged on that all marvelous hilarious hell had broken loose. Didn't have much time to catch up (still haven't, oh well) as my plane was about to leave. Finding out who the Captain was though was a trip and a half! Quite a bit of brilliance going on there. Am sad it is over, but damn it was a good, fun run.

Onward! To Hamburg I went!

WHAT A GREAT FLIGHT! That was THE best transatlantic flight I've ever been on. A Continental flight, a Boeing 747. And yes, I always read up on the planes I fly. This puppy was spit and polish new, and was so fantastic it even had electrical outlets for computers. The food was huge in quantity (stuff stuff) and to my delight--I had my row to myself! After watching a couple of Big Bang Theory episodes, I eventually grabbed all the little pillows I had, a blankie, put the arm rests up, and curled up and actually got alot of sleep, about 5 good hours. Crazy, that! The two guys across from me--German, brothers--were quite amused with the way I was all sprawly on my row but really? It was great to be able to catch that much rest.

Got to Hamburg. Got luggage. Walked out--and Nick! There he was, standing at the same pole as he was the first time I met him, then my second trip. THE POLE! Okay more like a column. Fine. Whatever. And no, we did not attack each other, at least not in public. We shook hands.

*whistles*

ANYWAY!!! (oh, and yes--Nick was suitably floored by how I looked.*beams*)

We had to wait for the British Airways check-in desk to open, so we trotted upstairs and got some drinks, Nick got something to eat. Desk opened, we trotted downstairs, got our tickets, checked in our luggage--and it was, apparently, at that time that the course was set for us to find ourselves here in Cardiff without said luggage.

Best we can deduce--and Nick did most of that deducing--was that the people ahead of us were headed for Phoenix, AZ, had checked in online that they had 2 more pieces of luggage. The BA woman questioned that they only had X amount, the man shrugged...and, obviously, somehow, the *%$# woman (am not really angry, probably an honest mistake, but STILL!) put those extra tags she'd printed onto OUR LUGGAGE!

Blissfully unaware that the tag tickets we now possessed had the proof that our luggage was destined for a different journey than our own, we hopped onto the train thing. (Before, we had to take a bus--this was nice). We happily headed into Hamburg, happily secure that we'd checked our luggage in early so it would be SAFELY out of the way...and oh gosh, what did we do? Not much time for Hamburg but we did watch the swans swim, sighed that the spot where we shared our first kiss in October of 2006 was now covered up by construction (wail), then went and got a Starbucks that was Very Very Well Done in the mall thing there.

Nick I think doesn't wish to confess this, but too bad...before we could even settle in the nice comfy chairs he somehow, I do not know how, SPILLED his iced coffee! And sat in it--and yes, that would be the same jeans he has on now. I am sure he figured he could trade those off for clean jeans later that day...

He didn't spill that much fortunately, and then we headed up to the bookstore, browsed the pretty extensive English collection, chose a short story collection (I have truly missed being read to during these last months when John Hart has inhabited Nick's body), and trotted over to snag a bagel sandwich.

Thank goodness we did this. Why? That would be the last true meal we would have until...this evening at Pizza Hut.

Still blissfully unaware of the travails ahead, Nick and I took our sandwiches with us, got back to the airport, and enjoyed our bagels (really, they were cream cheese and vegetables which is really good--Nick had a plain bagel and mine was Spinat). Got on the plain, tra la la blissful unawareness continues...and headed at last for LONDON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me tell you something, for Nick, going through Customs took five minutes. For me? AN HOUR OMG! I won't tell you all that happened there, but let's just say, it pisses me off that people with babies, perfectly content babies, are allowed to go through right away, EVEN THOUGH THE BABIES ARE TOTALLY BLISSED OUT!

And then! Right when I was up to go next, the worker dude opened up another line and as my side waited for ANOTHER TEN MINTUES he let TWENTY PEOPLE GO AHEAD OF US OMG!!!!!!!!

We revolted. The worker dude, seriously shocked I was still standing there, moved all of us pissed-off (and not pissed in the British sense) people go through at last.

My interview went something like this:

Customs Agent, in bored, but still professional voice: Here for business or pleasure?
Me, fresh from the revolution, all bouncy now (and still, blissfully unaware of What Was To Come: Pleasure! Here at last to have a lot of fun I am so excited, Customs Agent man! I am so happy!
CA: How long is your visit.
Me: A whole week! Well, not really a week. Almost. Til Thursday!
CA: Is this the address where you are staying.
Me: Yup, sure is! (I kinda left out the part about staying in London one night, but I was sure he didn't care about that or that we had tickets to see Derren Brown...) It's going to be awesome!
CA: Are you here alone.
Me: Yes! I mean, No! I came with someone but he's through already.
CA: Who are you here with.
Me: My boyfriend! He is awesome, we adore each other! We're here to see Derren Brown and everything Torchwood and Doctor Who!
CA: Where is he.
Me: He's German!
CA: Where is he.
Me: He's GERMAN! He went through already.
CA frowns: He's from Germany? How did you meet.
Me frowns: Uh, on the...livejournal?
CA staring at me: And how long have you known him? (frowns again)
Me: five years, almost! we do this all the time, really. It's okay.

I got the stamp at this point.

Released! And off we go to meet back up--Nick was waiting waiting waiting at the luggage carousel...for luggage that never came.

And that is all for tonight kids...it is 1 a.m., Nick and I are tired as since that moment at the luggage carousel, everything started to go crazy. Stay tuned for... Bliss turns to Disbelief at the Carousel, the Wilds of London Part I, a story of Mystery, Magic, and the Rowdy Brits, and what happens when two exhausted people forget to turn on their alarm clocks.

Goodnight, all!

C and N

Comments

[annemjw.livejournal.com]

My father has this theory about going overseas (great words of wisdom, so brace yourself): Everything Takes Longer And Costs More.

This has served my family well over the years! :)

Sounds like it's worked out though, and you are definitely having fun (I am good at subtle between-the-lines reading, I am).

Hope it is awesome and the weather is good and all that nice stuff!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Am so behind on comments because of the CoE madness lol but your dad is right!

Funny how getting to germany where the exchange rate isn't nearly as bad, I feel a huge sense of relief! LOL.

VERY fun. germany is quite time now though...but that is okay. Day-to-day existing with Nick is heavenly too. :)

[annemjw.livejournal.com]

:D Sounds lovely