Flying officially creeps me out.
Firstly, let me apologise for lack of blogging as of late. If you could only see how many drafts of posts I have in my inbox. Undoubtedly shows my lack of concentration and need to write anything.
So to get away from England and all the hubbub of English life, I have gone to see my girlfriend for 5 weeks - something we have been attempting to plan for SEVERAL MONTHS. I am now here, but it took a long time to get here.
On the morning of 27/06, I got up at 4am to check I had everything packed and ready to go. I had woken up my mum after I spent the night coughing (something I still have), who asked me why the hell I was up so damn early! By 5am, my dad's friend came round to take me to the airport. Now this guy has a reputation of being a little unsafe at driving. The last time he drove me to the airport, we went through a red light and almost got hit by another car. This time round, he went through another red light and took a corner at 35mph almost two wheeling it. This raises the question why - it's 5am! There is a distinct lack of cars on the road! Calm it down. However, he was driving after getting no sleep during the night, after he gambled with my dad in the casino til he came to pick me up.
Upon our approach to the airport, we almost went the complete opposite direction of the airport after steering into the wrong lane. So instead of Heathrow, we were heading toward Slough, famous for the BBC programme The Office. Luckily I pointed it out to him and he reacted to it a few seconds later - talk about slow reactions! Getting to the terminal was pretty smooth from then on.
After the drop off, I find the queue to the American Airlines check in - it was pretty long. 30 minutes of non stop Radiohead song kept me sane for the time being. After checking in and then going toward the gates, I found a few books to read (A Matter of Death and Life and American Psycho), and a new journal to write some entries in, I was ready to go. Gate 16 was where the plan was, so I headed in that direction. However, things were going to get a little odd, and I could sense the 9/11 hurtfulness in the air.
I was directed toward two tables, one where I was told to empty my pockets and the other where my bag was checked. The two people in front of me who were also checked were ethnic minorties. Told to take my shoes off, they were checked with a piece of cloth for any particles of a chemical kind. I was clean. Then it came to my bag - I had most of my toiletries in there and lots of stuff I had bought at the shops. I was clean again and went to go sit down.
When I sat down, I stared at the people getting their boarding passes. People who were sent to get checked were mostly ethnic minorities or lone travellers. Every 5 ethnic minorities came a white person. Does this not seem a little unfair to single out people? It hurts to see it and then to experience it as well. In the end, you cannot help but think that this is the way things will be on a trip to America.
Once I got on the plane, all I could think of was the film United 93. This pretty much explains how shit scared I was of the journey. Despite my ability to not sleep on planes, I managed to get 3 hours, on and off. The plane left Heathrow at 9.30am, 30 minutes late. Upon touch down at 11am, I would be cutting it fine to get to my connecting flight. Immigration seemed to take forever, and it wasn't until 11.45am that I would be allowed to collect my luggage and run to the Air Train. Asking an Air Train expert, I was told that I would need to travel to the central station, swap over and head to terminal 4. Telling her my flight was a 12.30 (it was 12 at the time) I was told to HAUL ASS to the terminal. And haul ass I would. Getting on two Air Trains, the second trip would make me feel very nervous and panic as I was heading back to where I started. Banging my head on the wall of the train, the train went around the corner and started to go through to the terminals. Readying myself to run to the check in, some security guard got in my way of the door and had to wait until his slow ass got off first. Running to the check in (after having to look at several boards as to where it was), this is how the conversation went:
Guy at counter - Where you flying to sir?
Me - Detroit, flight 1917
GAC - (to lady in charge) Are we still accepting passengers for this flight?
Lady - Yeah, it doesn't leave for another ten minutes.
GAC - Are you sure? What about baggage?
Lady - It doesn't leave for another ten minutes.
This carried on for another five minutes - one moron who didn't know when the flight was leaving. I mean quit holding onto the suspense!! After I got my boarding ticket, I ran all the way to the gate, only to be stopped and have my boarding pass checked by a black lady. "Woah woah woah, just slow down," she said. Erm! My flight is leaving right about NOW! "Your plane doesn't leave for another forty minutes." Right at this point, my face went into 'what the fuck' mode, to think I had run all the way from the stupid AA terminal to here, only to be told my stupid flight was delayed! UGH! I wasn't impressed.
Once I got on the plane, I got a huge headache and attempted to sleep it off in two hours. Except some little kid was kicking my seat, which got me all riled up for some shouting in my English accent. It stopped part way through, but still - PARENTS! CONTROL YOUR DAMN KIDS.
Getting off the plane at DTW, I was so happy. The weather was humid, but a slight breeze was drifting through. Not recgonising much of the airport, I saw a tram system operating right inside the terminal. It was very fancy!
Walking into baggage claim, I saw someone just standing behind a pretty big guy. It was Ashley. Oh maaaan! It was so awesome to hold her once again. We embraced for a bit, before walking hand in hand to the luggage pick up. I had finally arrived at my destination and it felt like home from home a little.
Nevertheless, I still miss home today. I am still stressed out and now with Ashley being slightly ill, I've had to look after her. I know things will get better ( I am here for 5 weeks mind you), and I know I'll still be in love. Right now, I need to unwind.
So to get away from England and all the hubbub of English life, I have gone to see my girlfriend for 5 weeks - something we have been attempting to plan for SEVERAL MONTHS. I am now here, but it took a long time to get here.
On the morning of 27/06, I got up at 4am to check I had everything packed and ready to go. I had woken up my mum after I spent the night coughing (something I still have), who asked me why the hell I was up so damn early! By 5am, my dad's friend came round to take me to the airport. Now this guy has a reputation of being a little unsafe at driving. The last time he drove me to the airport, we went through a red light and almost got hit by another car. This time round, he went through another red light and took a corner at 35mph almost two wheeling it. This raises the question why - it's 5am! There is a distinct lack of cars on the road! Calm it down. However, he was driving after getting no sleep during the night, after he gambled with my dad in the casino til he came to pick me up.
Upon our approach to the airport, we almost went the complete opposite direction of the airport after steering into the wrong lane. So instead of Heathrow, we were heading toward Slough, famous for the BBC programme The Office. Luckily I pointed it out to him and he reacted to it a few seconds later - talk about slow reactions! Getting to the terminal was pretty smooth from then on.
After the drop off, I find the queue to the American Airlines check in - it was pretty long. 30 minutes of non stop Radiohead song kept me sane for the time being. After checking in and then going toward the gates, I found a few books to read (A Matter of Death and Life and American Psycho), and a new journal to write some entries in, I was ready to go. Gate 16 was where the plan was, so I headed in that direction. However, things were going to get a little odd, and I could sense the 9/11 hurtfulness in the air.
I was directed toward two tables, one where I was told to empty my pockets and the other where my bag was checked. The two people in front of me who were also checked were ethnic minorties. Told to take my shoes off, they were checked with a piece of cloth for any particles of a chemical kind. I was clean. Then it came to my bag - I had most of my toiletries in there and lots of stuff I had bought at the shops. I was clean again and went to go sit down.
When I sat down, I stared at the people getting their boarding passes. People who were sent to get checked were mostly ethnic minorities or lone travellers. Every 5 ethnic minorities came a white person. Does this not seem a little unfair to single out people? It hurts to see it and then to experience it as well. In the end, you cannot help but think that this is the way things will be on a trip to America.
Once I got on the plane, all I could think of was the film United 93. This pretty much explains how shit scared I was of the journey. Despite my ability to not sleep on planes, I managed to get 3 hours, on and off. The plane left Heathrow at 9.30am, 30 minutes late. Upon touch down at 11am, I would be cutting it fine to get to my connecting flight. Immigration seemed to take forever, and it wasn't until 11.45am that I would be allowed to collect my luggage and run to the Air Train. Asking an Air Train expert, I was told that I would need to travel to the central station, swap over and head to terminal 4. Telling her my flight was a 12.30 (it was 12 at the time) I was told to HAUL ASS to the terminal. And haul ass I would. Getting on two Air Trains, the second trip would make me feel very nervous and panic as I was heading back to where I started. Banging my head on the wall of the train, the train went around the corner and started to go through to the terminals. Readying myself to run to the check in, some security guard got in my way of the door and had to wait until his slow ass got off first. Running to the check in (after having to look at several boards as to where it was), this is how the conversation went:
Guy at counter - Where you flying to sir?
Me - Detroit, flight 1917
GAC - (to lady in charge) Are we still accepting passengers for this flight?
Lady - Yeah, it doesn't leave for another ten minutes.
GAC - Are you sure? What about baggage?
Lady - It doesn't leave for another ten minutes.
This carried on for another five minutes - one moron who didn't know when the flight was leaving. I mean quit holding onto the suspense!! After I got my boarding ticket, I ran all the way to the gate, only to be stopped and have my boarding pass checked by a black lady. "Woah woah woah, just slow down," she said. Erm! My flight is leaving right about NOW! "Your plane doesn't leave for another forty minutes." Right at this point, my face went into 'what the fuck' mode, to think I had run all the way from the stupid AA terminal to here, only to be told my stupid flight was delayed! UGH! I wasn't impressed.
Once I got on the plane, I got a huge headache and attempted to sleep it off in two hours. Except some little kid was kicking my seat, which got me all riled up for some shouting in my English accent. It stopped part way through, but still - PARENTS! CONTROL YOUR DAMN KIDS.
Getting off the plane at DTW, I was so happy. The weather was humid, but a slight breeze was drifting through. Not recgonising much of the airport, I saw a tram system operating right inside the terminal. It was very fancy!
Walking into baggage claim, I saw someone just standing behind a pretty big guy. It was Ashley. Oh maaaan! It was so awesome to hold her once again. We embraced for a bit, before walking hand in hand to the luggage pick up. I had finally arrived at my destination and it felt like home from home a little.
Nevertheless, I still miss home today. I am still stressed out and now with Ashley being slightly ill, I've had to look after her. I know things will get better ( I am here for 5 weeks mind you), and I know I'll still be in love. Right now, I need to unwind.
posted by Tez @ Thursday, June 29, 2006
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