An Unforgettable Summer: London Calling

5/24/10
Location: Cairo, Egypt to London, UK

Yet another travel day…it happens when you have six countries on your 25-day itinerary. Today we flew direct from Cairo to London and no connections was great. Plus, after this flight, we only have two more: London to Chicago, then Chicago to Minneapolis. Then, finito! Done with airplane food, security, customs, lines, and crying children. I would be perfectly fine not seeing another plane for a while, but I leave on June 5 for Washington, D.C. and start my summer internship just a couple days later. But, since that is a domestic flight and I should be a pro at air travel by now, it should be a lot less harrowing then the international flights that last for several hours at a minimum.

First impression of London? I loved it. The abundance of green grass and fresh air reminded me so much of Minnesota (with more culture and cuter accents, of course) and it was so wonderful to be back in a place with cool spring weather and to walk outside without being so much as glanced at. By the time we checked into our hotel, it was already mid-afternoon, so we had just a couple hours to explore before we would meet for a group dinner. LaRissa, Cori, Kelly, Anna, Caitlyn, and I decided to just walk around the area near our hotel and see what we could find. We got cash at an ATM, and then we found a bookstore called Waterstones that had over four floors of wall-to-wall books! Since we all love to read, we had a lot of fun checking out all of the new books, and the books we know and love that have different jackets. I discovered that one thing I don’t have in common with most of the girls on this trip is Jane Austen. Most of them just adore her and her novels, while I feel as Mark Twain (one of the greatest American writers to ever live, IMHO) does: “Jane Austen? Why I go so far as to say that any library is a good library that does not contain a volume by Jane Austen. Even if it contains no other book." It made me smile a little though, because it illuminates another quote I greatly like: “If you resist reading what you disagree with, how will you ever acquire deeper insights into what you believe? The things most worth reading are precisely those that challenge our convictions.” (Anonymous) Basically, reading is never, ever a waste of time.

After the bookstore, we found a cheap souvenir shop, which had shelves upon shelves of London memorabilia. I got an “I <3 LONDON” tee, along with a few more gifts for people back home. Good thing I had extra room in my suitcase for everything I’ve picked up on this trip! I love getting souvenirs because even though they are an additional cost, they represent the places I’ve been and the memories I made there. I will most likely never return to most of the countries we’ve traveled to, so I want things to remember them by in addition to my photos. For example, whenever I look at my marble and stone jewelry box, I’ll think of the Taj Mahal and the other ornate, beautiful buildings in India. Whenever I wear my Paua shell necklace, I’ll think of the stunningly, endlessly turquoise water in New Zealand it came from. Secondly, sometimes it’s just cool to say you got something from an exotic country, even if it doesn’t mean that much to you personally. Does my “I <3 LONDON” tee mean much to me or evoke a great story? No, but it means I was there and it’s a little more impressive than my “I <3 DC” one.

We had our group dinner at an English pub called The Marlborough Arms. I immediately decided I would order the fish and chips, since that’s one of the dishes the UK is known for. We had a couple drinks while waiting for our food and ended up having a long conversation with two Englishmen sitting next to us about everything from football (soccer to us) to American politics. I love talking to the locals everywhere we go because it gives you a glimpse into the everyday life of a native and they often tell you much more valuable information than the glossy brochures. Our food finally came; I was so hungry since the airplane food was well, airplane food. The fish and chips were so delicious. It was easily the best meal I’ve had since Australia. I loved trying the cuisine in India and Egypt, but I still like the taste of home best. The battered, flaky fish, fresh peas, and hot chips with a cold Smirnoff Ice was heaven on a plate.

After dinner, I talked to my mom at home for a bit to see how things were going with the family and how preparations for my brother Rob’s open house and graduation are coming. She filled me in about everyone, including my dog, who is like another child in our family. My dog Rex is an 8-year-old golden retriever, and over the past few months his eyesight has been deteriorating. Treats like pieces of popcorn or steak hit him in the face because he doesn’t see them coming, he’s running into vehicles and furniture, and sometimes he doesn’t even realize where you are until you say his name. It’s been so difficult to watch our Rexus, who isn’t even that old, go from the happy, confident hunting dog he was, to the sad, tentative dog he is now. My mom told me earlier on the trip that the vets are saying he likely has cancer, since other things like diabetes and detached retinas have been ruled out, and he only has 3-6 months to live. I didn’t think it would bother me much on the trip since I’m always so busy, but it’s just devastating to hear that Rex, who is so much more to us than a pet and has given us unconditional love and devotion for so many years, won’t be around by this time next year.

Hearing about what my dog is going through made me realize that while I truly love the places we’ve traveled to and I can see myself living in New Zealand or England, I never will want to live so far away from the ones I love so much. I know that I love the mountains, lakes, and gloriously fresh air in Queenstown, and I know that I love the rich history, greenery, and atmosphere of London, but what good are places you love if there are not people (and animals) you love there as well? I have had such an amazing time traveling this month, and I hope I can travel extensively in the future. But, I don’t think I’ll ever settle down halfway across the world from my home. My home is where the heart is, as they say, and my heart is in North Dakota and Minnesota with my family, friends, and boyfriend. I only have one life to live and I want to live it with them in it. I do value my ambitions and dreams very highly, but I’m confident they can be fulfilled some place where the ones I love are close enough to be involved in my life and visited regularly.