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

January 2023

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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

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wales

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Oh C. Don't you know not to chat to customs agents? Keep it to yes or no answers! DO NOT VOLUNTEER INFORMATION.

Also, it's weird that he asked if you were there alone. It must have been b/c you were chatty! I've never been asked that!

Makes my recent travel excitement seem totally dull and uneventful (probably had to do with me not actually trying to leave my country), poor you guys for your troubles!

Coming off an international flight? It's because if the babies cease to be blissed out, their mummies will explode. Or else burst into tears and not be able to get hold of themselves for hours. Nobody wants that in Customs. Nobody.

CA frowns: He's from Germany? How did you meet.
Me frowns: Uh, on the...livejournal?

...

THAT is adorable!

Hope all is fine and you're having a wonderful time!

Hugs to you both!

Oh, you engaged the customs agent! That did make me lol, having to explain LJ to the filth.

Glad you made it hon - and I hope your luggage soon follows.

(And Welcome!)

Yeep! Glad that you didn't get the third degree re customs.

OMG YOU TWO ARE MADE OF CUTE. Your luggage issue, however, is not. ::sadface::

HAVE FUN.

See i'd be panicking at that point in the convo with the customs agent! But prob because an australian guy went to see his long term gf in america and they put him in jail because he couldn't prove he was really her bf - he had emails, but they could have been FAKED or whatever - and then they deported him!

Am glad you both made it there safe and sound, even if everything else did not!

I have. Of course, I haven't traveled trans-Atlantic since...yes, I'm mumbling. Let's just say there were not such things as cell phones at the time. And cable referred to a physical thing that telephones used to stay in touch with one another. And Doctor Who had already been on the air many, many years.

I was traveling on a diplomatic passport, with my uncle who was in the State Department. I always thought they asked if I were alone because I was only 19 and had a diplomatic passport. But it was in London and now I wonder if British Customs agents don't just like to ask that kind of question.

I offer Nick coffee-drink-spilling solidarity-sympathy-type-stuff! Back in my teens, Mom and I went to a Savannah bookstore and I got a nice mocha, had it all mixed up how I wanted it... And then proceeded to bump it just right to spill the ENTIRE thing right in my lap on my favorite jeans.

And so, that was the first time I rode in a taxi! Mom spared me walking or going on public transportation with the front of my jeans soaked in mocha.

I always get: are you going to other countries? how long are you staying? business or pleasure? where are you staying? and that's pretty much it.

o good grief!
that is why i always take a change of clothes in my carry-on bag
BUT you guys are having an adventure and all the crazy stuff is part of that
HAVE MORE FUN!

As I was just in London and Cardiff two weeks ago, I can't wait to hear part 2! Not that I would want to wait anyway....

The customs agent in London asked me if I was alone, also. I didn't chat with her, though - I'm too used to going through Russian customs (*shudder*).

I'm glad you're all excited and stuff :)
sorry to hear about the luggage issue though :(

oh and...erm...I tried to add you to my twitter account and it says you've blocked me? :-( my twitter name is jelbytoad like my email addy...

LOL I swear it didn't go exactly like that. He asked me alot of other stuff--he asked ALOT. Where I worked, how long, all this crap I really was surprised he asked. Grin. But he did ask the above--I just shared most of what was in my head with you guys. LOL.

Ahh we take it all in stride. It is kinda sweet, these cool white giant shirts we were given, presumably to sleep in(?) or wear about town(!!!!). I sure as heck hope we get it today. We had to go shopping last night (in the Welsh equivalent to Wal-Mart--even owned by them. OMG that company is everywhere!)

LOL both were sound asleep! Totally oblivious. Probably were exhausted from screaming on the plane, grin. I was definitely more annoyed that the newly-opened side had no troubles zooming through and all I wanted was to get my luggage and eat something real. LOL.

Except, neither of those actually happened. LOL.

We got those too! From Delta. Made me feel like a ship's sail. Oh so very pretty. Walmart is taking over the world, just like *shudders* Starbucks

We're waiting for that killer breakfast Nick said he showed you... LOL! Showered and ready to rock! In our same jeans! But hey at least we have clean shirts, socks and undies, right? :)

Driving here is a real trip. So far so good but I have to very consciously not veer over to the left too much. LOL!! Today though? We are walking! Yay!

He asked me so much! In Germany, they stamp your book and send you on, that's it!

I hope it gets here today too. Thank heavens I did pack the one extra shirt in my backpack. LOL. But my poor Brian and Nick's poor Bebe? I am expecting Bebe will be pure goo, poor thing.

Oh, and we WERE going to ask you where the heck all the trash cans were...but Stuart, our host, explained why there are simply not to be found in London, few elsewhere. Bomb, IRA-style. Was a favorite way to blow things to bits apparently. But coming from countries heavily into recycling, Nick and I were all about the disbelief that a recycling program wasn't in effect here like where we're from. LOL!!!!

And WHY NO STREET SIGNS SMIRNOFF? OMG!!!!! LOL.

LOL! No that went fine! My computer did get a special go-over when Nick and I left Hamburg but that took two seconds. Grin.

Mmmm can smell breakfast now! YUM!!!!

LOL today is a VERY touristy day--lots of OMG That's where Jack STOOD! Or OMG! There's...that! And this! And oh there! OH WOW!

And lots of "John Barrowman drives down this way!" And "Wow, I bet John Barrowman has _________ _________ and/or _____________!" That would be Nick's excitement, btw. LOL.

And no, no signs of Mr. Barrowman, yet. LOL.

OMG that is horrible! that poor guy, and her too! I couldn't imagine going through all this planning and NOT seeing Nick at the end of it. Shudder. Plus, the expense of those flights--yikes!

We are hopeful--I really need to look up this luggage info, but dang it, all these messages!

OH LOLOL OMG!!!! Your momma saved the day. LOL. Fortunately Nick caught the cup in time not to lose everything.

This time.

*waves*

My daughter made me take extra shirt, socks, and underwear. THANK HEAVENS FOR THAT! I will never ever NOT do that again. I didn't have to buy a shirt but we bought Nick a couple. He rather likes them and cracks me up--bought a plaid shirt.

Plaid really is quite the thing for guys here to wear. Seriously. It is EVERYWHERE!

Oh hey! What brought you here? Have fun?

LOL most of that conversation was in my head, but when I get nervous or excited, I do tend to overtalk. So I probably did tell him more than he ever wanted to hear. LOL.

Russian customs. There's a story there...

LOL I didn't know it was YOU! I thought it was some high school boy, based on the picture. I tend to block anyone and everyone I don't know cuz I get so many! Seriously, I didn't want to scandalize some cute young boy... LOL!

I will take care of it! HUGS!

lol. It's quite a recent photo, I was probably 21 at the time. Then again, I do know I look a bit babyfaced. :) lol. It's okay. :) Thanks for adding me :)

haha
there's nothing wrong with plaid

<waves in passing>

That's quite some customs saga, but I'm glad you made it. I was wondering why you didn't go to customs together, but the European Union ones are very perfunctory in comparison to the out-of-EU, so I'm not surprised you had to wait.

Croeso y Cymru!

Damn to the luggage hassles, but yay to all the rest!

Have fun!

Whee! Customs fail, OMG. But great to get the update.

If you can't get on top of the Milennium Centre, break into Altolusso for me!!!

Hope Bebe makes it back from Phoenix today.

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!

I was on vacation. Hung in London for a day (there was a tube strike on the WHOLE time, so I got to walk 25 km :-P), then swung over to Cardiff to see

chinese_lily. I adored Cardiff. And

chinese_lily is great. I spent a day in Pembroke with

svenjaliv, as well. Then I went to a tiny village in Yorkshire to see another friend for a few days, to Edinburgh for three days to bum around by myself, and finished off with another day in London. Hectic, crazy, and fabulous.

Russian customs... yeah, that IS a story (http://aseas-words.livejournal.com/2887.html). I am an American living in Russia, and I take trips to Europe 5 or 6 times a year, so I deserve it, I guess. Still.

HOLY SHIT. I KNOW. NICK/CAROLINE/SCOTT/JOHN. MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

ALSO, PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

You have a more serious demeanor than I do, at least to the Brits, eh? LOL.

Laverbread? Weird.

London needs at least a week. heck yeah.

Yowsa, that's quite an adventure so far! Boo for luggage!fail and annoying times at Customs, but yay for everything else!

Keep having an awesome time! I hope Brian and Bebe (and everything else you both packed) make it back to you soon!

LJ ATE MY REPLY. But it went something like: SAM! PLANES WITH PLUGS! YOU AND NICK ARE WOOBIE AND I LOVE YOUR FACES EVEN THOUGH NICK WOULD PROBABLY NOT AGREE ON HIS WOOB STATUS.

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. :)

LOL I reaallllyy need to get cracking on more posts. I promise, today! I meant to yesterday but dang all the madness of the reactions to CoE (and drinking too much Pimms last night) have made me stumble a bit. LOL!!!

Nick has woobieness, I promise LOL!!!!

Yup, nick zoomed straight through.

We had so much fun. We LOVED it there, loved London too--not nearly enough time there (to say the least).

Why didn't you warn us that the people there are so amazing, huh?????!?!?!?!? We loved that most of all!

:D Sounds lovely

Why didn't you warn us that the people there are so amazing

We sort of take it for granted.

Next time, bring more time so we can meet up!

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

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