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Well, we are nearing the end of our trip. I'm currently on a train, hurling toward Edinburgh. I should be in round 2000 GMT but I wish it were now.
Boy and I had a bit of a recap in RDU yesterday, mulling over the highs and lows and what, if anything, had we learned. As we are now based between two train cars with our luggage rather than sitting in a seat within a car, what we have learned is to never fly in and out of London, particularly Heathrow. No, I did not get trapped in the evil Terminal 5 that you Americans keep hearing about as that terminal is for poshos (or at least richies) only. No, our tale is much more mundane and typical of average people like me and Boy. The tale of the forces of nature (fate?) colluding against our dreams: plane departs late, must circle over London for half an hour, miss our train back up to Edinburgh, drop my mobile, have to pay out the arse for another ticket to get home.
This was, for me, a good holiday. It involved eating (and drinking) and spending time with folk, things which I love to do the most. It was horrible cos Boy was sick most of the journey and cos he didn't get a chance to enjoy himself in a way he really likes. So this holiday was for me and he was pretty terrific about letting me have just about what I wanted -- including a "bon voyage" meal at IHOP which subsequently gave me the runs. (Ooooo, never again. Well, I say that now but I'm highly forgetful.)
I called this rambling little entry "Home" mostly because this trip brought up so many thoughts about what I consider home. This was my first trip back to the East Coast, to where I used to call home, Durham, North Carolina, in two years. Some things were great about being back -- time with friends, the familiarity of some favourite places/haunts (Whole Foods! Cosmic Cantina! The Cave!). But I found the aggressive and sprawling expansion there distasteful and wanton.
Of course there is expansion in Edinburgh and Durham (and its surrounding cities) are not the only American cities that are expanding rapidly (Las Vegas is crazy). But the expansion in Edinburgh is a bit different. We tend to build up and not so much out. I doubt many Edinburgh expats would be confused and lost in their city due to the high number of new roads but I certainly was when I went back to Durham and Raleigh.
I don't know. I have a lot to say but tiredness/jet lag is nipping at me. Will you all be patient with me? I come back and conclude my thoughts soon.
Boy and I had a bit of a recap in RDU yesterday, mulling over the highs and lows and what, if anything, had we learned. As we are now based between two train cars with our luggage rather than sitting in a seat within a car, what we have learned is to never fly in and out of London, particularly Heathrow. No, I did not get trapped in the evil Terminal 5 that you Americans keep hearing about as that terminal is for poshos (or at least richies) only. No, our tale is much more mundane and typical of average people like me and Boy. The tale of the forces of nature (fate?) colluding against our dreams: plane departs late, must circle over London for half an hour, miss our train back up to Edinburgh, drop my mobile, have to pay out the arse for another ticket to get home.
This was, for me, a good holiday. It involved eating (and drinking) and spending time with folk, things which I love to do the most. It was horrible cos Boy was sick most of the journey and cos he didn't get a chance to enjoy himself in a way he really likes. So this holiday was for me and he was pretty terrific about letting me have just about what I wanted -- including a "bon voyage" meal at IHOP which subsequently gave me the runs. (Ooooo, never again. Well, I say that now but I'm highly forgetful.)
I called this rambling little entry "Home" mostly because this trip brought up so many thoughts about what I consider home. This was my first trip back to the East Coast, to where I used to call home, Durham, North Carolina, in two years. Some things were great about being back -- time with friends, the familiarity of some favourite places/haunts (Whole Foods! Cosmic Cantina! The Cave!). But I found the aggressive and sprawling expansion there distasteful and wanton.
Of course there is expansion in Edinburgh and Durham (and its surrounding cities) are not the only American cities that are expanding rapidly (Las Vegas is crazy). But the expansion in Edinburgh is a bit different. We tend to build up and not so much out. I doubt many Edinburgh expats would be confused and lost in their city due to the high number of new roads but I certainly was when I went back to Durham and Raleigh.
I don't know. I have a lot to say but tiredness/jet lag is nipping at me. Will you all be patient with me? I come back and conclude my thoughts soon.
posted by Autumn at 6.4.08
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