An account of my whereabouts during my travels !

Thursday, December 14, 2006

i will follow you into the dark

(1 cider) I am sitting eating an extremely tasty and messy burger and drinking a pint of cold Strongbow. I feel rather like a loner as I am doing this in an Irish pub in Calgary by myself. Whilst an overly exuberant office party share jokes about the members of staff who have failed to grace the table with their presence. This has been the single most stressful day of my life (exaggeration may be at hand). I suppose I should start at the beginning but this might be long so bear with me, it also may turn into a huge rant…my apologies. So I ended up going out drinking with Alicia and Steph and a few other folk last night. I had a really good night and im pleased I didn’t stay in and sit on the internet. I didn’t drink that much but I didn’t get into bed until around 3. So I set my alarm for 5 (I set 2 alarms because I had a feeling something was going to go wrong) both alarms went off and I got up and dressed just fine. I then went downstairs to wait on the shuttle to the airport. They said they would be there at 6 so I was outside waiting at 5:45 at 6:05 I called just to make sure they were on route. She said he will be there soon. 6:30 rolls round and I call back, just to make sure iv not been forgotten, this time she’s a little angry “he has 7 people to pick up ma’am I just spoke to him he’s on his way” I apologise and hang up. I’m strange like that. 7am comes around, it’s getting light, people are walking to exams I’m wishing I was in bed. My flight is at 8:40am and my head is about to explode with worry if it doesn’t morph into sick and come out of my mouth. Then at 7:05 the guy nonchalantly shows up, heaves himself out of the car and without a sorry or explanation proceeds to ask for my $35. Yes I paid for this privilege. We then have to wait on a student he “forgot” to pick up from Haskell University to be dropped of via taxi. Finally we set off at 7:15. All I’m thinking is I’ll never make this flight. My head is jumping to all sorts of irrational ridiculous conclusions. A day in the airport, extortionate fines, Christmas alone ! Then the radio pipes up and plays the only Christmas song worth listening to. Arguably the only one that means something “so this is Christmas and what have we done, another year older and I new one just begun…” I’m cast back to the comfort of my home with this song being drowned out by laughter and warmth. My eyes well up and I want to cry…perhaps for the first time since I got here. It’s a mix of worry and the fact I have no-one to worry with. We speed along the highway and make it to the airport at 8:05am I run in and check in whilst the flight is boarding. There are no ques and I make it onto the flight on time. Wasn’t worth the stress but everything is just fine. I’m on my way. Woop. The transition in Dallas goes pretty smooth, I even pick up a rather tasty burrito. (+1 beer) the plane that I was on from Kansas is the same one that is going on to Calgary which was rather strange because I was the only person going on to Calgary. Very weird coincidence. But since it was an international flight I had to get off and back on. And when I got back on she took my i90 or whatever it is called…and I seem to have some sort of memory that they aren’t supposed too. So I said “do I not have to keep that?” and she said no. so I just hope there are no issues coming home. Back on the plane and on my way to Canada, I have a wee nap and listen to a few funny podcasts (8 out of 10 cats, ricky gervace, and chris moyles)I even had to stifle a few laughs. The view out of the window was beautiful all the way, because the wind was really strong we had to fly at a lower altitude and I could see land all the way. Which was ultimately rather strange as the flight took 4 hours and I never seen the sea once, a definite first for me. As he journey progressed the scenery got colder as did my feet, at one point im sure they were entirely numb. I seen some mountains and gorgeous frozen over lakes that looked like crystallized wallpaper patterns. There were so many houses out all by themselves along the way. I wondered what they do…the people that is. I wondered if they even feel a part of the same world as me. I wondered a lot more but I can’t articulate it right now. We arrived in Calgary and I was super excited, I headed to the shuttle bus desk but low and behold it really just wasn’t my day for buses, the last one had departed at 12:30 (it was now 2:00) and the next one was not until tomorrow at 12:30. Fernie is over 4 hours from the airport. For the second time I really wanted to just breakdown. The woman explained I could get the greyhound bus from town at 10pm. Although far from ideal, as an alternative to a night in Calgary airport, I was pretty chuffed. But my eyes didn’t seem to notice. I got some money out and headed for the bus stop which would take me to the train station which would in turn take me downtown where I would find the greyhound bus. Obviously this bus had a problem with me too, no change no ride. So I went inside to buy something to get some change and obviously when I returned the bus had moved on. The next one would be another hour. Still not the end of the world. I get on the bus and feel like I’m finally getting somewhere. The guy opposite starts to talk to himself too quiet for me to hear and I deliberate what he could be saying. I hope its poetry, song lyrics or even just a running commentary of his thoughts. I think how many beautiful things would be said everyday if folk just spoke out load. Then he speaks up and its apparent that he is polluting the air with racism and homophobia. Perfect. I arrive at the train station (Sorry for the step by step explanation but I think it expressed the banality of the situation pretty well) The train ride goes fine, but I manage to get off a few stops to early. I ask someone where I am and they really go out there way to help me out, plus the train was free so I just hop back on the next one. Once I get to the greyhound bus station, after a hazardous walk over icy paths with 2 big bags I buy my ticket for a reasonable $52. I check my bag in and head of in the search of cider! Which pretty much takes me to the first sentence of this blog. However this part of the day was going a little too well….I cant find my greyhound ticket. I loose my appetite and leave. I pick up 6 beers on my way back to the bus station, this way I can always drown my sorrows if the ticket is gone for good. Luckily some amazing person who I cannot thank enough found my ticket and handed it in. so now I am in the greyhound bus station typing up this adventure and have been since (beer 1). Its 7 and the bus isn’t until 10 but im staying put, I cant deal if anything else goes wrong. Well I just had to get that out. I hope everybody who reads this had a better day than me, and im thankful beyond verbal acknowledgement that my day went better than an extremely large portion of the worlds. That’s all for now, im sure my next update will be much more upbeat. Now I am going to drink 5 more beers whilst listening to music, contemplating life and people watching. As well as being sly because im not sure if its legal to drink in bus stations here. Hmmmmm.

p.s, im in Canada and im exited.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh! Debbie, Just read your blog, Poor You. I bet your so glad thats over.You are such a great writer. You explained everything so well.
We feel we have just watched lost and are dying for the next instalment.
LOL

Anonymous said...

The blog would'nt let me in on my password so I am anonymous.
Love,
Mum.

Anonymous said...

oh, poor little debbie! i'm glad you're safe now and that you're having a drink--you deserve it after all that trouble. i can't wait to hear the good news that you've made it safely to debi, who will take care of you from now on. love, alicia x

Anonymous said...

from puirty ...everybody hurts sometimes.hi sis sounds like you need a big hug so i am wishing you one over the web,i think you are very brave all the things you are doing in the usa and canada you are always with us all in our thoughts.the only news i have is that it is raining and has been for days we are lucky all the west coast of scotland is flooding the wind is strong too,not the best weather to be working in but what can you do.this time last year lorraine and i where in spain and the year before to,how i miss the sun and all you can eat food.keep your chin up sis and have a great holiday:)

Anonymous said...

Oh Debbie how are you able to write and concentrate with all that stress going on. I think you are very brave to cope with all that.-it sounds like its almost over.
Your Dad will probaly come to take you back to Kansas after reading all that-or he might send Stephen
lots of love and I guess you need it to-night

Debbie said...

i bought a new jacket. so im over it. ahaha, nah it was pretty crazy and thank you all for the comments, realy appreciated and i love you all :) oo im soppy. drinking ciders with Debi now as you can see from my other blog entry and im off out tonight, wooooooo. all is well in Debbie land. Thanks again everyone i loved all the comments