With Love

I got mini bottles of port wine, for you Mom and Dad, while in Porto and I have been schlepping these things across Europe and now halfway across the world. They walked with me to metro/bus/tube stations, flew with me, rode the train through Tuscany, got cried on in Naples, on my arm for a scooter ride, through Italian, British and Canadian airports. All the while I worried that they wouldn't let me take them. I've been teased at security that I was going to have to drink them before going through (which I had totally prepared myself for that possibility). I always have to make sure they're upright because they leak and I'm not even sure if they're any good but I feel a certain bond to them...is that weird?

On the road again...

Time to come home, looks like it'll take about 15ish hours. Love the in flight entertainment system! I watched 3 movies Hot Tub Time Machine, Iron Man 2 and The Back Up Plan. I had to use the restroom and can someone tell me how or why there is s#$t smeared all over the toilet seat! Disgusting and reaffirms my fear of public restrooms. I took one look and found a different bathroom after alerting the staff. Ewww, whose job is it to clean that up anyway?

Fancy Food

Tracy and I get to go on a dinner date to a fancy restaurant. I'm not as excited as she is because you could spend $2 on Taco Bell to fill me up and I'm pretty sure this is going to have a couple of zeros. She books it on Top Table which is a handy website that gets you 40% off at certain restaurants, this one happens to be her favorite. I don't know have the stuff on the menu but order the lobster tail, carrot compote with citrus and vanilla infused flavor and honey glazed veal sweetbread. I will admit that it tasted fantastic but I made the mistake of googling sweetbread because it didn't look or taste like bread...it's some sort of throat, thymus or pancreas that is breaded and fried...why did I ask?! Even though we had 40% off the total was still 100 pounds! Only once my friends.

Premature Alhiculation

My last Saturday in London and I feel the need to "get after it" or party a little bit. Giuseppe will go to dinner and a bar but not a club. I whine about having not been to one single club my whole trip to no avail. Tracy even has a friend (Jenny who came to my birthday and cooked us a propa British meal at her home), who has a boyfriend, who has a brother that manages an exclusive members only night club. Another new concept to me but apparently there is too much money in London to have normal night clubs. Oh well dinner and drinks it is, the babysitter is only there until 12:30 and that's when everything starts opening up anyway. Needless to say I was a little disappointed...until Tracy hooked it up. Jenny asked if I wanted to go without Tracy and (sorry Tra) I don't have a baby waiting at home for me, so I jumped ship. I didn't think I needed to pace myself for the whole night so my alcohol level was almost at capacity. I meet Jenny in front of the club, so excited to get after it. Her boyfriend orders me a drink, I ask for Captain and Coke and he kind of scoffed and said they had better rum than that. Slightly offended but not deterred from downing the drink that was almost all rum and a spritz of coke, we head over to VIP. Apparently there is an American actor here, can't remember the name but he was in Fantastic Four. This is everything I wanted, sigh. Oh they are bringing bottles to the table and pouring me a glass of chamagne, exciting! One sip and I knew that if I didn't get out of there soon I was going to have to grab one of the cups off the table and puke in it. Aaaaa I'm a total liability(that's what they call drunk people in London) So I ask for water and hope that they would bring it discreetly, but no, everyone sees and I get crap for it. One guy leans over and asks me "Have you traveled much?" and I ask "Besides here?" to which he responds "Wait a minute where are you from?" I say U.S. and he hands me more water and goes on to tell me how British girls are all alcoholics. At this point the water is not really helping, I'm really trying hard to focus on not being a D-bag, falling over or the dreaded yakking. Jenny looks concerned and asks me if I'm ok, I don't really want to admit the answer is no...I'm shammered and I didn't think that I drank that much. I tell her that I should probably go and that I've had a lovely time. Obviously I can't hang with the big kids. She negotiates with the club car to drop me off for free but it's a shared ride (I think they paid) and the gut drops me off 3 blocks away. Not a big deal except for the 7 inch heels and the unfortunate condition my stomach was in. Thought process: It would be kind of an awesome London experience to yak in the street. I don't remember these sidewalks being a switchback. Oh there's a wobbly bit, is it me or the sidewalk. Which I might add is a logical question considering that many sidewalks have wobbly panels. Alas I didn't yak in the street and I buzz the flat. Tracy says over the intercom, "What are you doing here, you've only been gone an hour!" In my defense it was two hours and then I yakked in the toilet and crawled upstairs to bed.

Dirrrty 30, Yikes

I wake up August 5^th to Tracy telling me "Good Morning and Happy Birthday!" and I start crying a little. "Oh my god I'm 30! I have no job, no husband, no children, no assets, nothing to show for 30 years!" Yes, between yesterday and today, panic has set in and I'm having a mini meltdown. To which Tracy responds with "Remember your life five years ago," I groan in remembrance, "remember how much things have changed and what you've accomplished," I nod a little, "many people live their lives in a sucky situation and never make any changes. You had the courage to change your life and get an education. I'm very proud of you and you should be proud of yourself aaaaand we have a wonderful day planned which includes a pedicure in 1950's shop." Oo, I'd briefly forgotten about The Powder Room (and to be proud of myself.) So I dried my eyes, popped open a Mtn. Dew and put on my London dress (according to Tracy). The day was nice and the Powder Room girls were adorable. We got ready to meet Jenny and Krista for happy hour and dinner. If things weren't ok before they definitely were after one of those pink drinks that tasted like a popsicle. I had to explain what a popsicle was, I guess they're called fruit lollies here. Followed up with dinner at a Lebanese restaurant it was a good day and my panic had subsided. (I have trouble arranging pics on here and don't want to figure it out.)

Traveling vs. Tourism

I lie low for a couple of days in London, just processing all that I had done and resting. I have time to contemplate what traveling means to me. I have wanderlust by nature but do not consider myself a tourist (at least on this trip). Here's why: When I travel, I don't have my normal defenses. I have to rely on other people and communication isn't always through speech. When I am alone, in a foreign country and without means for transportation I have to trust a voice on the end of the phone line, or a map, or a stranger and my instincts. At home I have a car, my familiar places, language and people. Almost nothing is uncomfortable. I use travel to make myself uncomfortable so that I can grow as a person. I learn to trust myself and my instincts. I learn that there is more good than bad and I have real experience instead of something I read or someone told me. It makes me feel strong and accomplished. Some people like to test themselves by surviving in the wilderness, I like to test myself in foreign countries. Of course I have some security by traveling with or to friends. I feel grateful to travel and to have friends.

Back in London

I arrive at Tracy's at 3am after a train and taxi from the airport, my flight had been delayed and I missed the direct train. Poor Tracy was worried for a little while, I assured her that if I could make my way through a non English speaking country by playing Charades I could navigate an English speaking country. I'm exhausted. Allie is much bigger than when I saw her last.