We have landed in London. This was the flight we were worried about because the bags were weight restricted. Lori and my bags were under weight and Kristin's bag was right on the weight they required. We breathed a sigh of relief as we ran off to the plane.
But then we realized something aweful. The baggage agent had put Kristin's name on the baggage tickets. This was a terrible thing, because Kristin has a history of her bags being lost. As soon as we saw that we knew we were doomed.
We landed on time in London and got an interesting view of the airport. We got to ride a trolley to the terminal. I think all the gates were full so they had to park the plane in the middle of no where.
By the time we got to the luggage terminal, our bags should have been there waiting for us. We walked in to find nothing but people. Then an announcment was made. I didn't understand it all, but the jist of it was that they had dropped something (bags or people I'm not sure which) off in the wrong place and they wanted us to move back the way we came to collect our bags at a different baggage pickup.
Shortly thereafter our fears about Kristin's curse on bags were proven valid. They announced that there would be a 40 minute delay before the bags could make it through. So that brings me to now. Lori, Kristin and I are sitting in a dark corner of the airport, where we are picking up a random wifi signal. We are taking full advantage of our gadgets to keep occupied in the time it takes for our bags to make the journey from the plane bag into our welcoming hands. AT least I hope there on the way. Kristin's bad luck may not have run out yet.
Oh look the bag ramp started. Goody! I hope they come soon, I am hungry.
The basic food on our trip has consisted of granola bars and pop tarts because the food here is expensive. Our food situation is shown very well by the conversation Kristin and I had this morning.
"Kathryn, do we eat tonight or tomorrow?" she asked, to which I replied, "We get to eat tomorrow night."
We did eat very well in Belfast. Pamela and Hugh fed us amazing food. So we are spoiled and it may be hard readapting to granola bars.
Well the bag ramp is moving and no bags are coming out.
After we get them, we head to the British museam to fulfill Kristin's dream of seeing mummies. Plus maybe we will see where they filmed the mummy 2.
Anyhow, we are going to finish Enchanted now. Keep on the lookout for another post in the next couple days, once we make it to a McDonald's with wifi.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Northrn Ireland - By Kristin
It’s 3:45 a.m. Ireland time and I’m sitting in the Clarion Hotel bathroom in Dublin writing so I don’t wake up Kate and Lori. After several days sleeping fine, my body has decided to reject our new time zone.
Ireland is gorgeous. Coffee table books don’t do the scenery justice. We stayed mostly in Belfast with my mom’s cousins in their country farmhouse. They did a great job showing us around Northern Ireland, including where my grandmother was born and raised. Sadly, my grandma’s childhood home has been knocked down and replaced with a newer townhome complex. (Don’t worry grandma, we won’t replace you with a newer townhome complex.)
Irish food is the best. Pam and Hugh introduced us to several excellent restaurants. I had fish and chips drenched in vinegar (the only proper way to eat them) in the dungeon of Belfast Castle, my first (and probably last) sip of Guinness at Bushmills Inn, and bread cooked like a funnel cake at another café in Belfast. I could get used to Irish food.
Today we depart for London. We are going to visit the mummies at the British Museum! I have to go now and try to wear 5 pounds of clothes so my bag doesn’t go over the plane’s weight limit.
We'll update again on Tuesday-the next time we think we will have internet.
Hugh making us breakfast.
Beautiful scenery of Northern Ireland.
Northern Coast.
Giant's Causeway.
Kristin making her way through Giant's Causeway.
Kristin, Kathryn, Hugh.
Lori doesn't care how silly she looks - as long
as she is warm.
Kristin and Kathryn.
The rocks look like giant flake bars.
Kristin, Hugh, Pam.
Walking back up from Giant's Causeway.
The remains of a castle - can't remember what
its called though.
Trying some Guinness.
Downtown Belfast.
Dublin's takeoff of the London Eye.
Top of the dome in the Victoria Center.
An old fountain that used to be in
a park in downtown Dublin.
Hugh with his Jay Leno wig on.
Lots of second and third cousins! Alan, Stephen,
Sam, Elizabeth, Hugh, Pam, Kathryn, Kristin.
Ireland is gorgeous. Coffee table books don’t do the scenery justice. We stayed mostly in Belfast with my mom’s cousins in their country farmhouse. They did a great job showing us around Northern Ireland, including where my grandmother was born and raised. Sadly, my grandma’s childhood home has been knocked down and replaced with a newer townhome complex. (Don’t worry grandma, we won’t replace you with a newer townhome complex.)
Irish food is the best. Pam and Hugh introduced us to several excellent restaurants. I had fish and chips drenched in vinegar (the only proper way to eat them) in the dungeon of Belfast Castle, my first (and probably last) sip of Guinness at Bushmills Inn, and bread cooked like a funnel cake at another café in Belfast. I could get used to Irish food.
Today we depart for London. We are going to visit the mummies at the British Museum! I have to go now and try to wear 5 pounds of clothes so my bag doesn’t go over the plane’s weight limit.
We'll update again on Tuesday-the next time we think we will have internet.
Hugh making us breakfast.
Beautiful scenery of Northern Ireland.
Northern Coast.
Giant's Causeway.
Kristin making her way through Giant's Causeway.
Kristin, Kathryn, Hugh.
Lori doesn't care how silly she looks - as long
as she is warm.
Kristin and Kathryn.
The rocks look like giant flake bars.
Kristin, Hugh, Pam.
Walking back up from Giant's Causeway.
The remains of a castle - can't remember what
its called though.
Trying some Guinness.
Downtown Belfast.
Dublin's takeoff of the London Eye.
Top of the dome in the Victoria Center.
An old fountain that used to be in
a park in downtown Dublin.
Hugh with his Jay Leno wig on.
Lots of second and third cousins! Alan, Stephen,
Sam, Elizabeth, Hugh, Pam, Kathryn, Kristin.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Kathryn's thoughts on Ireland
Well I just realized that I have been doing stuff all day and everyone in the USA just getting up.
How weird.
Anyhow here are my random thoughts of Dublin, Ireland.
1. It is not all that different from the US. I feel like I'm just in a different state rather than a totally different country.
2. The grass here is really green. No where that I've been in the US has grass a green as it is here.
3. The roads are crazy. I think they gave a child a crayon, told him to draw, then used the resulting picture to design the roads. I also think this child was obsessed with circles because every few hundred feet they have a roundabout.
4. People smoke too much. And they do it in places where they are not supposed to. I have inhaled so much second hand smoke today I might as well have smoked a cigarette myself.
5. I finally know where my family gets our super fast, slightly aggressive walk from. We always thought it was because my dad was military so we "marched" place. But now, after seeing how aggressive and furious the Irish walk, I think it's an inherited trait.
Well those are my thoughts of Dublin. We got to see quite a bit of it because we got lost in the city for several hours today. On the upside, we got to see Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral and the Liffy River; as well as admire the amazing structure of the buildings. They are truly incredible. Tomorrow we see a different side of Ireland. We go see our second cousins who live in the country. Until then, I am off to catch up on some sleep.
On the bus to the Castle.
The only intact tower left of the original Dublin Castle.
The throne.
Underground wall and moat.
The front garden.
Liffy River
Christ Church Cathedral
How weird.
Anyhow here are my random thoughts of Dublin, Ireland.
1. It is not all that different from the US. I feel like I'm just in a different state rather than a totally different country.
2. The grass here is really green. No where that I've been in the US has grass a green as it is here.
3. The roads are crazy. I think they gave a child a crayon, told him to draw, then used the resulting picture to design the roads. I also think this child was obsessed with circles because every few hundred feet they have a roundabout.
4. People smoke too much. And they do it in places where they are not supposed to. I have inhaled so much second hand smoke today I might as well have smoked a cigarette myself.
5. I finally know where my family gets our super fast, slightly aggressive walk from. We always thought it was because my dad was military so we "marched" place. But now, after seeing how aggressive and furious the Irish walk, I think it's an inherited trait.
Well those are my thoughts of Dublin. We got to see quite a bit of it because we got lost in the city for several hours today. On the upside, we got to see Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral and the Liffy River; as well as admire the amazing structure of the buildings. They are truly incredible. Tomorrow we see a different side of Ireland. We go see our second cousins who live in the country. Until then, I am off to catch up on some sleep.
On the bus to the Castle.
The only intact tower left of the original Dublin Castle.
The throne.
Underground wall and moat.
The front garden.
Liffy River
Christ Church Cathedral
The first day- A blog by Kathryn
I must say traveling to Europe is sososososososo...so much easier and less hectic than traveling to Honduras. We made the two legs of the trip (LA to Chicago then Chicago to Dublin) in one piece. Our bags made it through with no troubles except that Kristin's suitcase wheel broke.
It hasn't been quite as adventurous yet as the last trip, but we are having fun. Today will be interesting. We are going to try and stay up till 7ish so we can sleep through the night to get on Irish time. We are about to head into the city to see some sights on no sleep.
Here are some random pictures from our long day/days of travel (i must repeat time zone jumps confuse me and it doesn't help that i am really tired)
Lori's cubby in LAX.
Our very cute dinner that reminded us of prison meals.
Kristin making cheese and cracker airplanes with dinner.
Lori :)
Well I have to unplug my computer, the plug is starting to smell burnt and I don't want my computer to fry.
Have a nice day.
It hasn't been quite as adventurous yet as the last trip, but we are having fun. Today will be interesting. We are going to try and stay up till 7ish so we can sleep through the night to get on Irish time. We are about to head into the city to see some sights on no sleep.
Here are some random pictures from our long day/days of travel (i must repeat time zone jumps confuse me and it doesn't help that i am really tired)
Lori's cubby in LAX.
Our very cute dinner that reminded us of prison meals.
Kristin making cheese and cracker airplanes with dinner.
Lori :)
Well I have to unplug my computer, the plug is starting to smell burnt and I don't want my computer to fry.
Have a nice day.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sailing! By Kathryn
Well I am completely confused. Lack of sleep plus time zone jumps don't equal sanity so I am going to try and put a coherent blog together. Here we go.
I spent Sunday and Monday in LA with Lori and Kristin visiting friends and preparing for our journey.
Monday Mr. Shultz, an amazing man, from Lori and Kristin's church, took us sailing. It was fun, despite the fact that we didn't get out of the harbor due to lack of wind. But we had fun drifting. Oh, and we saw seals.
I got to steer the sailboat (really a yacht). I was surprised he even let me dock it (it is a $500,000 boat). You can tell by the picture how crowded the dock was, so I was really hoping I wouldn't crash into all the other boats and getting myself into a couple million dollar debt at the age of 17. But it all went well, the boat didn't even get scratched.
In front of the 47 foot sailboat.
Mr. Shultz teaching Kathryn how to sail.
Lori, Dakota, and Kathryn.
Now, per Lori's orders, I will post about the first day of our trip (which will be a very short blog) on a separate post.
I spent Sunday and Monday in LA with Lori and Kristin visiting friends and preparing for our journey.
Monday Mr. Shultz, an amazing man, from Lori and Kristin's church, took us sailing. It was fun, despite the fact that we didn't get out of the harbor due to lack of wind. But we had fun drifting. Oh, and we saw seals.
I got to steer the sailboat (really a yacht). I was surprised he even let me dock it (it is a $500,000 boat). You can tell by the picture how crowded the dock was, so I was really hoping I wouldn't crash into all the other boats and getting myself into a couple million dollar debt at the age of 17. But it all went well, the boat didn't even get scratched.
In front of the 47 foot sailboat.
Mr. Shultz teaching Kathryn how to sail.
Lori, Dakota, and Kathryn.
Now, per Lori's orders, I will post about the first day of our trip (which will be a very short blog) on a separate post.
The End of an Era
Kristin and I went to Universal Studios again yesterday with Dakota and Winnie. Even though I have done everything in the park a hundred times, it was still bittersweet knowing it was probably the last time I will be there for a long, long time.
Winnie- Ready for a sunny day in L.A.
My former backyard.
Jurassic Park!
Waiting for Waterworld (my favorite
show!) to start.
Shrek!
Winnie- Ready for a sunny day in L.A.
My former backyard.
Jurassic Park!
Waiting for Waterworld (my favorite
show!) to start.
Shrek!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
UTILA PARADISE IS FINALLY DONE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLwCVpA7z4
To watch in high quality, click (or copy and paste) the link above then click "watch in high quality" under the video.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)