Rome wasn’t built in a day: Day Six

I’m finally recapping the LAST day of my trip back in May.  Lol.  This post is hard for me to reminisce.  As a result, I had to take some time off from my friends in order to reflect and move forward.  The day started out late.  The groom stayed behind to take care of business, and the uncle of the bride decided to help him.  Our road trip crew got smaller, but off we went.  We were heading back to Rome.

We didn’t mean to head out late but it’s inevitable when you’re traveling with a group of people.  Our 4 hour drive meant we were anticipating on arriving close to rush hour.  Rome is a very busy metropolitan city, and the traffic alone can be hectic.  I knew my friend had a lot on her shoulders driving us down there, along with the fact we couldn’t help out because none of us knew how to drive stick shift.  But we made the commute as light-hearted as possible, snapping away pictures of the countryside and enjoying stories about the wedding that we might have missed.  

Our makeup artist friend had a hotel reservation in the center of Rome, not far from where he originally was located on day one.  It was my turn to pay for the hotel this time since my roommate on this trip took care of night one.  Our air b&b was also located in the center of Rome.  We didn’t want to book anything too far away from the Roma Termini station since that was our way back to the airport the next day.  Of course, this was one of the stressful parts of our trip.  Once we entered Rome, my friend warned us about the driving zones within the center of the city.  Because of the size of our group, along with our luggage, we didn’t want to park too far away in order to walk the streets with so many things to carry.  This part alone took over an hour, and it was wearing down our patience.  We finally settled on an indoor overnight parking garage and decided to cab it to our hotels.  I jumped in the same cab as the makeup artist so I could help him check in his hotel, and the girls took my luggage with them and went to check in our air b&b.  

Now we were back on track!  We decided to meet up by the Spanish steps so we could continue to sight-see as well as shop around for any souvenirs.  Again, time was slipping away from us due to lack of communication.  The other group was taking a while to meet up with us and we weren’t sure what was going on.  I finally got a hold of my friend and she told us they were on their way.  Me and the makeup artist were under the impression that maybe they decided to hangout on their own and meet up much later, (which would have been fine) since we were waiting around for a bit.  I decided to call back my friend to see how far along were they, and that’s when she mentioned that her aunt was having a hard time keeping up due to knee problems.  Whew!  At least we were now in the loop.

After being apart for close to an hour, we were finally together and trying to decide what to do next.  My hotel rommie wanted to check out some stores, and I wanted to grab a few souvenirs for my mom.  My friend was impatient due to the large crowds, and the makeup artist wanted to sight see.  My friend’s aunt needed to rest, so I sat with her on the Spanish Steps for a bit while everyone checked out the shops in the surrounding area.

Once they were done, we decided to venture out to the Trevi fountain for some picture taking.  Luckily it was not as packed as the first day we were here, but everyone loved snapping away.  My friend was again impatient due to the crowds, but I figured if we took our time we would be able to enjoy more of the experience with the others who have not seen the sights.  We slowly made our way to the Pantheon but arrived too late to go inside.  It is a pretty impressive structural building and I enjoyed my first encounter here.

Next we were on our way to the Piazza Navona.  At this point I stayed behind with the aunt while the others rushed over.  Again, I wasn’t sure what the plans were, so I was under the impression that we were chilling, but everything seemed rushed.  I knew we were going to have dinner at Ba Ghetto again (me and my friend dined there in March) but that wasn’t until later.  Well “later” was creeping up on us and we were not aware of what time it was.  The Piazza Navona was a very busy area that we lost two of our travelers.  We couldn’t find them anywhere.  We walked around the massive fountains but there were so many people here.  It was hard to locate them.  AGAIN our patience was being tested and it was getting the best of us.  I’m not sure any of us on this day were really enjoying ourselves.  It’s frustrating looking back on this.

Once we finally found everyone we had to head back.  My friend needed to retrieve some makeup from the makeup artist back at his hotel.  With the aunt not being able to move so quickly, we decided to walk back to the Spanish steps (me and her) while the others rushed to his hotel.  His place was located on the top of the steps barely two blocks away.  It took us some time to get there, and we even climbed up the steps to take more pictures while waiting to hear back from them.  My friend called me to let me know that they were going back to our air b&b to get ready since the reservations for dinner were at 9pm.  She advised that we take a cab back to the air b&b to meet them there instead.  Again, another frustrating incident of this day.  The cab driver dropped us off at the address we provided, but I’ve never seen the air b&b since I never checked in with the girls earlier that day.  The aunt lead us to a hotel and we rode up the elevator, but then she got confused.  I tried calling my friend but they were not answering.  The makeup artist called me because he just arrived from getting ready at his hotel.  He said the girls ran out of his hotel and he stayed behind.  It seemed that he was at our air b&b but no one was answering the doorbell.  It was then we me and the aunt realized we were at the wrong hotel.  A hotel employee ran up the stairs and yelled at us because we didn’t close the elevator doors correctly and it wasn’t allowing it to go back down.  I was getting upset on how this day was turning out.

When we FINALLY found the correct air b&b (which was an apartment complex) the girls were already dressed and ready to head out.  I told them to leave without me.  I had to get ready as well and was upset that they wouldn’t answer our calls earlier (they definitely jumped in the showers back to back).  I needed some time to recoup, but they insisted on waiting on me (which I hated).  I had some friends from Amsterdam that happened to be in Rome the same time we were here.  They wanted to catch with me over drinks.  I wanted to skip dinner and hangout with them but my friend wanted me to join them instead for dinner.  I went along.  I wish I hadn’t.

Dinner believe it or not was fine.  The food is always delish at Ba Ghetto and I was feeling good off the wine.  My Dutch friends wanted to know what time I would be done with dinner.  I told my friend I was going to join them for a bit.  The crew was going to go back to their hotels to get some sleep.  This day was indeed exhausting.  The rest is history.  I jumped in a cab and headed to Campo di Fiori to meet up with my friends.  There I enjoyed a glass of wine  and we talked about our time here in Rome.  I did not feel I was out long, but of course, some might argue that claim.  In the end, the night turned out disastrous for me and probably for the rest of the crew.  I wish I could have done things differently, but as they say, you live and you learn.  I think the only lesson I could pin point for me is that I should have followed my instincts and did my own thing after the wedding.  As I’m getting older I’m realizing it can be draining being around so many people.  I miss my time traveling alone. 

Foggia: Day Two

Luckily we got up in time to catch some pastries and fruit from our hotel before we met up with our 3^rd companion.  He was a makeup artist flown in from New York who happens to be a good friend of the bride.  We decided the night before to leave at a reasonable time since Roma Termini seemed chaotic.  Our new friend grabbed some grub outside the station, but I made the mistake of looking for something to munch on inside.  Not only were we in rush hour, but it’s not the same quick service we are used to in the States.  I decided to eat the snacks I brought along with me and hope we would have a bite to eat once we get there.  We had the fast train which would get us in Foggia in less than 4 hours.

I managed to bring my carry on to Rome, but my new friends both had two suitcases with them.  I helped the makeup artist with his and we made our way to the line.  There we met the 4^th traveler from the States who had arrived earlier in the week.  She seemed a bit upset so far, but was relieved when she knew we were all here together.  Unfortunately, we had no idea which line to get into, and had to wait for the announcement on the electric board to see where to go.  Everything was happening so fast, but we found the correct platform.  We had different carts, but our train was full so we couldn’t switch seats around.  We understood we had to get off at Foggia.

I tried to go to sleep but it didn’t go well.  As we were getting closer, I tried calling my friend but the signal was too weak.  The wifi on the train was a joke, and along with other hot spots in Europe, was not working properly.  Eventually, me and my friend DID manage to speak for a second, and she informed me someone else would be picking us up at the station when we arrived.  She warned me he would be running late.

We got off at our stop.  I noticed that the train would stop for barely two minutes to load and unload passengers.  It was nerve wrecking.  My friend informed the 4^th traveler that there would be no time to grab a bite to eat and to find something at the train station.  Since we knew our ride was going to be late, we found the café and settled in.  I waited patiently outside after I had my panini. 

Our ride happened to be the groom’s brother and yes, he was pretty late.  No worries.  I knew we weren’t far from our new home.  My new friends got a chance to see the REAL ITALY, which was eye opening to say the least.  They noticed what a small town my friend really lives in; not the massive Rome they had encountered earlier.

We made it to my friend’s place!  She greeted us right away, but now her and the makeup artist had to get to work.  He had to do a pre-makeup look so he could have an idea on what to prepare for the big day tomorrow.  I eventually crashed on the couch, and the others napped in their room.

I knocked out so hard I didn’t know what was going on.  We had more guests arrive at the townhouse!  The bride’s aunt and uncle from Puerto Rico.  By this time, my friend had went to the hair salon to get her hair done.  The makeup artist rested up, and I started to get ready.  I knew they were throwing a big barbeque, but it was happening early in the evening.  Nap time was over.

Once my friend arrived we had a time limit.  We had to make our way to the countryside for the party.  Everyone had to be ready soon in order for us to get there at a reasonable hour.

My friend didn’t like what I had on so she let me borrow her maxi dress instead.  I swear, I can never figure out what to wear out here.

The countryside was beautiful!  We ended up at Cantina La Marchesa and saw what the commotion was about.  Someone was roasting lamb and goat and it looked delish.  There we got more comfortable with one another and started taking pictures to kill some time.  I have to say, this was the best part of our evening.  It was nice seeing old friends and talking to new ones about the wedding.  Everyone seemed excited about tomorrow.

There was music and food and lots of wine.  We got back home close to midnight.  My friend and the makeup artist had to get up at 6am in order to get the makeup process done.  We had changed into our pjs when the doorbell kept ringing and ringing.  My friend looked out the window and saw a crowd.  “OH NO!!”  “What?”, I asked.  “They’re here to serenade me!!” she yelled back.  Well this was a first for me!

My friend put on a robe and we were right behind her when she opened the door.  Sure enough, a group of 20 were standing out on the street and started singing songs while one of them played the guitar.  It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever witnessed!  The groom ran up and gave the bride flowers.  This was the last time he would be able to see her until the wedding… 

Paris jour deux!

I finally made plans with one of my friends in Paris.  She suggested I check out early out of my hotel and stay with her later on.  She wanted to meet after 8pm.  I told her I will message her once I get back from sightseeing.  Today on the agenda was the Montmartre neighborhood  to visit the Sacre Coeur.
AGAIN another hour and a half commute to this area.  What I found interesting this time is that I had to ride the bus to another train station altogether.  This bus stop was at a bus terminal which multiple buses passed through.  My bus ride took me on an expressway!  It’s amazing being able to view the Eiffel Tower along the horizon.  Once I got off, I went downstairs to catch my train on the metro.  I had to ride that line for 18 stops and then exit the station altogether.  Then I had to walk a couple of blocks before jumping on another line on the metro to head to Montmartre.  I was lost.  This part was frustrating for me because I felt I was not close enough to the area.  I contemplated on jumping on a cab to head towards Sacre Coeur but the Uber ride estimated this to be around 18 euros.  I figured a regular cab would have been over 20 euros and decided to save my money for later on when I would see my friend.  After a frustrating 30 minutes of walking in circles, I walked into Printemps department store to use the WiFi.  I had a migraine and decided to have a latte so I could calm down.  After carefully examining Google maps, I walked out and found the metro line I had to take.  5 stops later I exited  and saw a carousal.  I made it!!  What a relief!

I found the “wall of love” and joined the other tourists snapping away with pictures.  I immediately knew the neighborhood had a distinctive feel and started going in and out of boutique shops and specialty stores.  Once I found some stairs, I knew I had to hike upwards in order to get to the Sacre Coeur.  Luckily I was heading in the right direction and found it in time to join the line forming.  There were a ton of students around but I managed to walk in within a 10 minute wait.  I was completely blown away by the huge mosaic mural inside on the ceiling.  There was Jesus, extending his arms out!  I was moved.

I stayed and prayed for about an hour before I decided to venture out again.  This time when I exited, the line was wrapped around.  I did some souvenir shopping for a bit.  Unfortunately, it was nearing 7 pm and I knew I had to leave.  I had to meet up with my friend and in order to see her at 8pm, I had to leave now.  Another hour and a half later I made it back to my hotel and started packing my bag. 

I let my friend know I was running behind schedule and checked out of the hotel.  This time, I had to take the bus again, just like my first night here, and go back to the same metro line I used when I came in from the airport.  18 stops later I made it to the metro and rode that line for a while before transferring onto another line.  I grew upset when I noticed I was heading towards the wrong direction.  I had to jump off and make my way to the other side of the platform.  I was frustrated because this train was taking longer than usual.  It was now nearing 9:30pm.  I was running behind BIG TIME.

My train finally came.  I felt so bad rushing.  Once off the metro I had to jump on a tram for 5 more rides.  I noticed the familiar McDonalds and ran inside to connect to the wifi.  I called my friend to let her know I was near.  She seemed fine when I met her at her place.  I quickly got ready for our night out.

We took the metro and got off at Opera.  We made our way to Harry’s New York bar for some cocktails.  It was nice catching up with her.

Me and my friend went next door to a piano bar.  This place was crazy!  Everyone was dancing and singing along.  We stayed the rest of the night here because we didn’t want to leave.    

I probably slept for an hour and a half.  I was nervous about my flight again.  I decided to play it safe and leave earlier than anticipated.  I figured I’ll knock out on my flight home.  I rode the tram, jumped on the metro and headed towards the airport.

Luckily everything went smoothly on my way back home.  What a trip!  I had some bumps on the road but overall I loved seeing my friends in Italy and Paris.  I also got a chance to experience some new places.  I’m a lucky girl…

A Plane, a train, and a bus ride to Paris

I woke up SUPER NERVOUS the day I flew out of Rome.  We had to get up early because we were driving back to Rome from Milan.  A five hour drive is NOT the ideal situation to catch a flight.  Of course anything can happen, and I thought of every scenario.  Luckily my bff knew I would be a mess, so we quickly checked out of our apartment and hit the road.

Our drive there was fine until we got closer to the airport.  That’s when it started to rain HARD.  I tried to remain calm but my friend kept talking to me to get my mind off of the weather.  Once I arrived at the airport, she helped me with my luggage and even waited in line with me for a bit at the ticket counter.  We hugged goodbye and then I was on my own.

I killed some time with a glass of wine at a restaurant and bought a souvenir for my mom.  I felt a sudden urge of guilt since I forgot to get something for her in Milan.  Hopefully she’ll understand…

I boarded my flight and off I went.  Luckily the rain wasn’t severe and I landed two hours later in Paris.  By now it was after 6:30pm and I wanted to reach out to my Parisan friends to see if they would put me up for the night.  Unfortunately, they were not available.  I found a spot at a café and tried booking a hotel at the airport.  After a frustrating 40 minutes I settled on a good price for a hotel but wasn’t quite sure where it was.  I knew I made a costly mistake.  My hotel was an hour and a half away from the airport!  I had to catch my train.

I rode the train for a while.  It was now dark and I had no idea where I was going.  Once I got off a stop I had to catch a bus.  I have never done this before in Paris.  According to google maps I had to ride through 17 stops before I get off!  Oh my goodness.  Traveling with a suitcase didn’t help either.  I felt so exposed.  I couldn’t hide the fact that I was a tourist.

To make matters worse, my stop was at the end of the line for this bus route.  I finally got off on a nearly empty bus and saw a Holiday Inn.  I did not know where my hotel was, but I knew I was near.  I went inside and asked the concierge if they had an idea.  Luckily my hotel was right behind the Holiday Inn.  I felt relieved.

I checked in and got to my room.  It was now 10pm.  I still had no idea what part of Paris I was at.  I asked the front desk man if I was still in Paris and he looked at me strangely.  “You are in the Business district of Paris”, he replied.  My hotel was a French version of an extended stay.  It had a small fridge and stovetop.  I actually was impressed because it was very roomy and wide.  I decided to venture out in the morning and call it a night.  I was exhausted. 

Two Days in Paris AGAIN! Part One

I knew I was in trouble once I stepped into my hotel room.  I connected to the wifi right away and started messaging my best friend in Italy that I had arrived.  I was laying down and knew I was in trouble.  I was pretty exhausted and by now it was 2pm.  I decided to take a nap despite my time restriction.  I wanted to check out two museums but my body wouldn’t allow it. 

Once I woke up I quickly jumped in the shower and was on my way.  I had grabbed some coffee when I checked in but I usually drink two cups per day.  I needed another pick me up.  I went to the concierge and bought another cup.  I needed some pep in my step!  According to google maps the Musee des Art Decoratifs closed by 6pm and I was jumping on the train a little after 4pm.

There was a line at the entrance and the security guard was giving people a hard time to get inside the Christian Dior exhibit.  I asked if I could go in, but he insisted I needed two hours to see the exhibit and there wasn’t enough time.  By now it was nearing 4:45pm, but I told him I didn’t mind rushing through.  He shrugged his shoulders and stepped aside.  Off I went!

I was nervous because the people at the ticket counter gave me uncertain looks as well, but I ignored them and asked for a ticket.  I did not come all the way down here to be shunned away especially if I knew I had some time on me.  Once I walked through the entrance, it hit me what all the fuss was about.  There were so many people coming from all directions!  I tried to walk ahead of the crowds but it sometimes got overwhelming.  I made my way through each room, snapping away on my camera phone.  I even took pictures of some of the descriptions of the exhibits so I could read later on in my own time.  

Once I walked through every room I had time to go back to previous rooms and capture more insight on the history of Dior.  I felt better that I had the chance to do a double take.  Feeling rushed is the worse.  Every gown was so beautiful!  Every designer that designed after Christian Dior left behind their own trademark.  It was a fashion girl’s dream to see such a splendid exhibition.  I truly enjoyed it.  I made plans with a friend I made back in September last time I was in Paris.  He was getting off work around 7pm.  We had decided for him to meet me back at my 

hotel since I was pretty unfamiliar with the area he lived in.  This time I booked my hotel in the Gare du Nord area.  Very touristy, but it was what I could afford.

I hung out in the lobby to kill some time before my friend arrived.  This concierge was very informative.  He made me laugh and was giving me tips on how to get around in the city.  I had not branched out in the neighborhood, but I usually like to do that so I could see what’s around me.  Again, time was against me.

My friend finally made it and I was starving!  I realized I had not ate all day.  Luckily my friend was hungry as well and I let him choose where to eat.  Unfortunately, being a native Parisian, he was not very impressed with the selection of restaurants in my area so we jumped on the metro and headed towards Opera.  
This area was magical!!  I absolutely loved it.  Most of the shops and hotels were high end.  But the Christmas decorations is what got me.  I was in Paris during Christmas time and it was absolutely breathtaking! 

We settled at a wine bar that wasn’t too busy.  I noticed, just like Italians do, most bars were packed, even the outdoor patios despite the weather being nippy.  We sat inside, but I was impressed at how comfortable everyone seemed sitting outside.

My friend ordered for me and I got duck.  My first real French meal and it was delish!  I was very satisfied.  We caught up on what was new, but unfortunately that also meant what was new with politics.  As you can imagine, the conversation got pretty intense, but the focus was more on me not knowing enough about the news.  I felt bad I couldn’t answer some of his questions, but looking back, I’m glad he asked me the tough questions that he did.  If I want to continue to travel, by now I have to expect that this will be a reoccurring topic for me to discuss.  I need to be well informed period.  Me stating where I stand in politics is not enough.  I need to understand how our politics in our country impacts the world on a grand scale.  At the end of the day, everyone is impacted by the decisions we make here.

Once our political conversation ended, so did our dinner.  We went for a walk around the Place  Vendôme me and went inside the Ritz Carlton hotel for a sneak peak.  I loved my first night in Paris!

Quick stop in Iceland: Part Two

I woke up 2 hours later.  I didn’t know where I was at first.  The sun was shining bright in my room.  I looked at the time.  1pm.  I went straight for the shower.  I didn’t want to be stuck in my room all day.  After I showered up I headed back to the main receptionist area in the other tower.  There were a few people lounging around, but it was mostly dead.  I asked the new receptionist if I could get a cab and head into town.  I figured what else could I do?  I just missed the complimentary lunch, but I was fine.  

Once the cab arrived I managed to ask him a few questions.  The town seemed very small indeed.  I walked into a retail shop and did some window shopping.  I was trying to get a feel of the place.

I slowly hopped from one shop to the next.  I walked into a souvenir shop and the lady there was very friendly.  I asked as many questions as I could.  Unfortunately, I have not done much research on Iceland, and felt bad that I was unprepared.  I was pretty clueless.  The lady warned me that most of the shops close by 6pm.  By now the sun was already setting.  She recommended a nearby museum down the street about the history of Keflavik.  I quickly ran over.  I wanted to see as much as I could. 

Indeed the museum was very interesting.  I learned about how both Norwegian and Danish ruled Iceland for nearly seven centuries.  Once I finished up, I ran down the strip again to see which shops I missed.  Sure enough, by 6pm, things got quiet in town.  I went inside a hotel and asked if they could call me a cab.  I headed back hungry.  By now it was pitch black outside. 

I ran into two guys from Wisconsin who were heading to the restaurant that had our complimentary dinner.  We all walked over together.  They were supposed to be on a flight to Berlin but obviously were stuck like me.  We shared some laughs about the whole situation.  The airlines gave us a $20 food voucher, and of course, everything was over-priced so we had to pay the difference.  I settled on some fish and chips.

We walked back to the main tower again.  The Wisconsin guys joked that the bar in our hotel lobby was known to be the hot spot in town.  We decided to have a couple of drinks to see if there was any action going on.  As figured, mostly other passengers that missed their flights joined us.  I did enjoy my time there.  The plan was to break night so we wouldn’t miss our shuttle bus at 3am.  I almost felt we were set to fail.  If we miss this bus, we would have to figure out how to get back to the airport.  If we miss our flight, I couldn’t afford the consequences.

Once it hit 11pm I was growing tired.  I went back to my room and grabbed my luggage.  I came back to join everyone and got comfortable on the couch in the lobby.  The crowd at the bar kept drinking away.  I eventually nodded off.

I got up around 2:30am.  The Wisconsin guys decided to grab their luggage as well.  Little by little, more passengers started gathering in the lobby with their belongings.  We waited and waited until our shuttle bus arrived.  The driver came late, around 3:30am.  My nerves were starting to act up.  I just hate flying.

Once we got to the airport, the baggage check-in was a nightmare.  None of the self-service stations were working.  I befriended another passenger who was also heading to Paris to visit his daughter.  I noticed he only had a recyclable tote bag as his luggage.  I wondered if I could ever travel so lightly.

We started to walk over to our gate when I realized I wanted to grabbed something to eat before our flight.  The cafes were pricey, but I settled on an avocado sandwich.  I did not want to have coffee at all.  I wanted to sleep through the flight.

I was exhausted.  We finally were boarding.  I ran to my seat and quickly put on my blindfold.  I wanted to be sleeping by the time the flight took off.  Luckily it wasn’t so bad since this plane was huge.  I knocked out.

Once we landed, me and my new friend went to claim my luggage.  Since we were both heading into town via train, we decided to ride together.  He wanted to find a photo booth to take a passport picture.  He wanted to get the Navigo pass.  He was planning on doing a lot of activities with his daughter, and apparently it saves a lot in cost when it came to tourist attractions throughout the city.  I’ve never heard of it, but I tagged along to find out where he could get his picture taken.

This part turned into an ordeal.  It took almost an hour to find a photo booth that worked, and then to find the office at the airport where he could pick up his pass.  I was growing impatient, but figured after this, I would be on my own anyway.  

We finished up with the Navigo part and headed to the metro.  I forget how far the airport is from the city.  Almost 20 stops away to the center.  We said our goodbyes and I was on my own.  I decided to get a cab because I didn’t want to get lost.  The hotel was a few blocks away from the Gare du Nord, but I didn’t want to walk around in circles.  I knew my fare would be cheap, so I didn’t mind the stress-free hassle I would have endured.  I already wasted some valuable time.  Now I’m finally here!  In Paris!!    

Mural at the hotel 

In Keflavik 

At the Duus Museum 

The troll obsession is real!  Lol 

London/ Paris: Day 4 Part One

I sprung out of bed to check on my phone.  Nothing.  No charge whatsoever.  It stayed at 20 percent.  I was panicking.  I quickly got ready and made my way downstairs to have breakfast.  I was puzzled because I wasn’t sure if it was my phone that was the problem or my chord.  I had difficulty charging my blue tooth as well.  I was praying it was the chord.  I called my friend up to see if she had any suggestions.  She advised that if I did run out to get a chord, to buy an Apple chord and not a cheaper version since they may not work with my iphone.  That’s it!!  I needed to find an Apple store!

I asked the concierge if she knew where the closest Apple store was.  She told me there was one at the Westfield shopping mall, not far from the hotel.  I was starting to panic.  My train was scheduled to leave for Paris at 1:30pm.  I figured I should to the station by 12pm just in case.  Although I printed out my tickets beforehand, it stated to check in at least 30 minutes prior to departing.  I was weary and considered getting there much earlier. 

I had to catch a bus to the mall.  I rushed back upstairs and grabbed my suitcase.  The concierge insisted I could leave my bag behind.  She thought I had plenty of time to go to the mall and come back for it  in order to leave for Paris.  Luckily, there was a metro Underground station at the mall.  I told her I will checkout and take my bag.  I’ll just take it from there.

I was SUPER NERVOUS.  I just wanted to know what was wrong with my phone.  After a 10 minute wait, the bus finally arrived.  Sure enough, just like the concierge said, the mall was a 15 minute bus ride away.  I rushed into a gigantic mall and asked around for the Apple store.  I came across a young lady working at a spa kiosk.  She told me the directions to the Apple store, but insisted I try her samples spa treatment.  I was hesitant because I was in a hurry, but then I said why not.  I was finally at the mall and needed to calm down a bit.  She lathered up my hands and then followed up with a exfoliator.  I have to admit, it was working.  Once we started small talking, she asked me where I was from.  I told her Chicago and she got excited.  She was a singer and had applied for a visa to come to Chicago to go to school.  Unfortunately her visa was denied.  I didn’t know what to say.  She seemed sad about the denial.  I apologized but her eyes said it all.  She was crushed.  For the time being, she will stay in the UK but my heart felt for her.

I rushed upstairs to the Apple store.  By now it was 11am.  I ran up to one of the associates, but the staff was getting bombarded.  I had to wait my turn before she got my information for an appointment.  Currently the wait was for an hour for them to look at my phone.  I was going into panic mode.  I knew no matter what, I had to leave the mall at 12pm.  I got desperate and asked the associate if I could use her phone cord to see if my iphone would take the charge.  She seemed skeptical about handing hers over to me, but I told her if it works, then I knew that was the issue and could get out of her hair.  Unfortunately my stomach dropped.  I plugged her cord to my adaptor with the UK converter plug and nothing happened.  UGH!

I waited for my turn.  What made it worse was that the associate told me they would text me when my turn was up.  I told her I had to keep my phone off because it was not fully charged.  This lady was driving me crazy.  “Well then, check up with me every 20 minutes,” she said.  I went and sat down to mope.

I moped until I noticed a display of ipads.  Again, I was desperate.  I unplugged one of the cords and plugged it up to my phone.  To my surprise it was charging.  I was so excited.  I waited for it to charge up a bit before I turned my phone on.  All of the sudden, I got a flood of texts.  My mom, my friend in Italy, my co-workers.  People kept asking me if I was ok.  I didn’t know what was happening but I messaged my friend in Italy that I was fine.  “Be careful!  There was a terrorist attack on the tube!”  I didn’t think too much about it.  I told her I was fine and turned my phone back off so it would charge faster.  Whenever I turned my phone back on to see if I received my appointment text, my phone would blow up again with messages.  I finally swiped over to an ipad next to me to see what was the commotion about.  Sure enough, the tube was in lock down due to the explosion this morning.  It was all over the internet.  I was in shock.  When did this happen??

I decided to message back everyone that was concerned about me.  I then posted on Facebook that I was fine and en route to Paris.  I didn’t want to think about what was going on.  I was worried about catching the train out of Westfield to get to St. Pancras International station.  

After an hour my phone was fully charged.  I went up to another associate since the one I talked to earlier was nowhere in sight.  “Um, we texted you 4x this past hour.”  WHAT??  I explained to him that I was 10 feet away from them and that the other associate knew what was wrong with my phone.  I couldn’t leave it on since it wasn’t fully charged.  I was beyond frustrated at this point.  Unfortunately, he explained there was nothing he could do but to put my name back on the waiting list.  I was livid.  “Where is there an Apple store in Paris??  I have to catch a train!”  He wrote down the address and off I ran.  I had to get out of there and find my way to St. Pancras.

Luckily, I found the metro station at the mall.  By the time I got to St. Pancras station, I had to go through passport control.  I knew there was more to this.  Luckily I gave myself enough time or I would have misjudged this altogether.  My anxiety was in full swing that I had a glass of wine at the station to calm down.   I messaged my friend that I was off to Paris when I had Wi-Fi.  Once I boarded on, I tried to relax.  Paris here I come!

 

London: Day 1

Last night my mom cried to me.  I felt bad.  She cried because she knows how much I love to travel and go to concerts.  After the scare in London’s tube recently and the horrifying ordeal in Las Vegas, she cried telling me how much she prays for me and my brother's safety.  I cannot imagine a mother having to worry about such incidents.  I confessed that I am not going to stop doing the things I love because of terrorists but I know it’s not the words she wanted to hear.

London is not immune to terrorism as are other large cities.  I know from experience that my mom does not like me traveling solo, but for me, I NEED this.  I need these experiences for ME, for my personal growth, to toughen me up and to learn from.  I may not be traveling down the road to motherhood (or marriage for that matter) but in the meantime I NEED to go out and LIVE. 

I flew out on Monday on September 11^th .  I even went to work that day to get my mind off of flying.  My anxiety was in full swing that Sunday getting my suitcase in order, but as usual, I forgot to bring my European converter plug.  Trust me I write this stuff down but I was more concerned about having my chargers for my iphone and BlueTooth ready.  HELPFUL TIP:  My mom advised me for future travel to leave the converters in my empty suitcase and not store them away in some drawer.  Good tip mom!

My flight was late in the evening at 10:30pm.  I had time to go home from work, shower up and head out via blue line on the CTA.  I’m not far from the airport so I don’t mind at all.  But my nerves kicked in BIG TIME.  I knew I had to have my glass of red wine while I waited.  Unfortunately, I did not see the foreign currency exchange since I was flying out of a different terminal.  I hate it because it meant I would have to do this in London’s Heathrow airport.  Hey I’m a city girl at heart and I always think the worse.  I don’t want anyone following me out of the airport (anxiety worries) knowing I was carrying cash.

Since technically I was flying into the future (landing in London at 12:30pm) I knew half my day was going to consist of finding my hotel with limited wifi.  I ALWAYS print out my Google maps and although I do purchase travel packages through my phone carrier, I use my data for emergency only.  Most of the time I search for hotspots like Starbucks and McDonalds to help me out along the way.

I figured out the tube (London’s metro train) and found my hotel.  I knew immediately by the length of the tube how much London was bigger in comparison to Chicago.  Close to 9 million people in population!  Holy cow!

I checked in and quickly freshened up.  I purposely chose my hotel near Earl’s Court station which consisted of the Piccadilly line and the District line.  These Underground lines helped me get to my points of interest.  First stop- Victoria and Albert museum!  

I thankfully made it in the museum around 3:30pm.  Most of the museums closed at 5:30pm, so I knew right away this was going to be it for me today.  I enjoyed this museum very much and even had time to charge up my phone a bit before it closed.  I couldn’t help myself!  I took a ton of pictures inside.

Once the museum closed up I went to a nearby café.  I normally take 2 cups of coffee a day, and had one earlier on flight.  But I was already feeling sluggish.  I knew from my Google maps that Harrods luxury department store was nearby and wanted to see for myself this iconic retail shop.

Never in a million years did I imagine such a department store!  I must have seen every designer’s full collection!  I also was surprised by the number of visitors shopping inside.  I wanted to get some souvenirs for friends and family and decided on tea from Harrods own line.

Afterwards it was close to 7:30pm.  I decided to head back to the hotel to take a nap.  I knew I wanted to go out for a cocktail later on, but since it was a Tuesday night, my options were limited.  I decided to head to Sky Garden around 9:30pm.

By this time it was pouring raining!  I ran back to the hotel to grab my umbrella.  I had read about London’s infamous showers but this was a sight to see!  Most people on the streets were barely carrying an umbrella.  I assumed they must be used to it.

I had to ask around but luckily found Sky Garden and headed up to their  rooftop terrace.  I LOVED the view, I just wish it wasn’t raining so much.  Regardless I made some friends right away and they showed me to the other bars that were in Sky Garden.  The space was impressive.  So far, London was sweet!