Catastrophic Day One

On the first morning of the Amazing Britain tour there were two big tour groups leaving our hotel (which had a too small lobby for ninety eight confused people).  I guess it took awhile to sort that many pieces of luggage onto the right buses, so we were a half hour late getting on the road.  Our tour director’s name was Frank.  That didn’t really seem foreign sounding enough for my sister, (who remembered Martin Short playing the role of the wedding planner on Father of the Bride, or some such movie), and so we started referring to Frank as “Fronk”.  Not to his face of course.  He was born in Ireland but raised in Liverpool, and his business card shows him wearing a kilt.  One mixed up dude.  Even though we have no one to compare him to, we both think he was an EXCELLENT tour guide.  There seemed to be no end to his knowledge of each place we visited and he very painstakingly gave us instructions about where we were going, the historical significance of each place, how long we would be there, how to get to where we wanted to go, and when to be back on the bus assuming we could find it (so please listen).  He would invariably repeat everything at least twice, usually three times.  And still when we started off we’d all be looking at eachother and asking “what time did he say?  which direction?  what??” Obviously he has dealt with many bus loads of attention deficit disorder tourists.  He was always polite and helpful had a great sense of humor. 

Our driver’s name was Paul and he was from Wales.  I don’t think it makes any difference what part of the UK they come from, they all learn to drive like demented maniacs.  We learned quite quickly that pedestrians do not have the right of way.  Buses can pass eachother going full tilt with only inches between them.  There is no space too small to try to fit a bus in between.  There are round-abouts everywhere just waiting to shoot you off in the wrong direction with dozens of signs pointing every which way.  We started off with seats on the left hand side near the centre of the bus, and every day each pair of us moved ahead and clockwise two seats.  Ann and I were both extremely excited for the day when we would move to the front seat on the right directly behind the driver.  However, when we finally got there, I couldn’t wait for the next move where I could once again be oblivious to oncoming traffic and hairpin turns. 

 After breakfast (at which I scoffed a couple of apples and a soon to be squished muffin for my backpack – road cookies which would soon resemble road kill), we left London and started our drive north through the Cotswold Hills en route to Stratford upon Avon.  It’s lovely that there are so many trees in England,  but not so lovely that they are huge and border all the roads so that the view is mostly blocked.  We saw some hills and some fields and a lot of sheep between the trees.  The couple sitting behind us was from Kentucky.  He looked a bit like Jimmy Carter, and she looked quite a lot like Snow White.  In front of us was a man whose career had been with the Peace Corps, with his wife who had been a nurse.  They met in Africa, of all places.  She was very French, he was very droll, and they now live in Charleston.  There were also people there from New Mexico, Las Vegas, Independence Missouri, and many other places in the States whose names elude me now but will no doubt pop into my brain at odd and inoportune moments.  Suffice it to say the group was predominantly Americans, but there were also people there from Vancouver, Winnipeg, different places in Ontario, Cornwall, and Newfoundland via Fort McMurray.  There were several people from New Zealand, and two young sisters, perhaps in their early twenties, from Australia. 

Our first rest stop or bathroom break was at a little place called Welcome Break, a complex of eating areas and cash machines and restrooms beside a big gift shop.  This is where I used my first traveller’s cheque and decided hauling out my passport as i.d. was going to be a supreme pain.  So one point goes to the people who told me to just use cash.  This is also where Ann struck up a conversation with a guy from Milverton, very close to where she lives!  They figured out some mutal acquaintences, and every time he saw her after that, he would point and say “Ontario, right??” 

Almost immediately after leaving this spot and starting to gain some speed on the highway there was a gut wrenching squeal from somewhere underneath the bus.  Paul was able to slow down and pull over and bring us to a stop on the side of the road.  He and Frank got off to investigate, and very shortly Frank popped back on the bus to inform us that we had had a “catastrophic wheel problem happen”.  He was just completely beside himself, urging us to be patient and not worry, and frantically calling people on his phone, and hopping on and off the bus to continue doing one or the other.  I think because he was so totally distraught it made the rest of us felt quite calm and complacent, which prompted him to tell us many times how much he appreciated our calm acceptance of this “bloody CATASTROPHE”.  Eventually a guy driving by in an empty bus stopped to see if he could help, and Frank had us all gather up our personal belongings and walk single file along the side of the road to board the other bus.   I’m sure he was very relieved that none of us died during this procedure.  The police would not allow the transfer of our suitcases on the highway.  We were driven to another rest stop much like the first one, called Cherwell, and here we had lunch (at a Burger King!) and hung around waiting for our bus to be towed, the new bus to arrive, and our luggage to be transferred. 

So, the good news about that kind of a start is that it’s very unlikely that things will go downhill from there!  Once we were finally on our way again, Frank was adamant that we would miss as little as possible.  He was very appologetic about the fact that we would have to give up on going to the Wedgwood china factory.  Most of us didn’t even know we were slated to go there.  So we went directly to Stratford Upon Avon and Shakespeare’s birthplace.  If we were supposed to see Anne Hathaway’s cottage, I guess I somehow missed it. 

English gardens are delightful.  They’re lush and overgrown and a little bit wild.  This is a little pear tree in front of an apple tree and in amongst a lot of other stuff along a narrow little walkway leading to the house. 

It’s a very tourist saturated spot, and very controlled as to where you can go and what you can do.

This is a picture I took inside the house, after which I was informed that taking pictures inside was not allowed.  Ooops.  After that I lost interest. 

This was, I think,  the town square.  There were so many interesting little shops to visit – one of them was the Nutcracker, nothing but Christmas crafts.  That’s where I saw a man in a walking coma, obediently following his wife around.  There was another shop which sold magical supplies, some kind of Cauldron, although not the Leaky one.  They were all about ALMOST ripping off all things Harry Potter. 

And this is the jester landmark where we had to go left to find the bus.  My penchant for remembering the details and the significance of things astounds me.  We had only an hour and a half to spend here.  Which meant we had no time at all to stop at the Coventry Cathedrals.  Instead, we caught a glimpse of them as we flew by on the bus.  Poor Fronk, trying to make up time, directed the driver to a more major highway with the intent of speeding us along to our next destination, but we soon became part of a major traffic jam.  What are the odds?  I found myself hoping he wouldn’t try to shoot himself.  As soon as we were able to take an exit, we went on yet another detour, this time through Sherwood Forest (where people have cut down almost all of the trees) and past the church where Robin Hood supposedly married maid Marion.  Although no one can prove that this really did happen.  But no one can prove it didn’t, so the church is an attraction no matter what the real story is. 

That first afternoon was supposed to be our walking tour of York, but we didn’t arrive until around 7:30 p.m.  We were taken directly to the Churchill restaurant for a complimentary drink and a wonderful three course meal, and the promise that we would not be skipping our York site seeing – that would happen tomorrow morning.  The bus left to deliver our luggage, and perhaps here Fronk slipped off to hospital to make sure he hadn’t had a coronary.   Originally we were supposed to travel to Harrogate for over night, but we stayed right in York instead.  I really don’t remember a whole lot about our hotel in York, except that the room was small, I had the bed by the open window, and there were some very melodic singing pub crawlers in the street below us who carried on way into the wee hours of the morning.  A perfect end to a catastrophic day.     

Leaving Home

Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows how much I like my creature comforts and my home.  Combine that with a laziness way above the norm and you have a travel companion from hell, I would guess.  So, not wanting to be that hellish person for my sister’s sake, I made a solemn vow to myself to NOT whine and complain about ANYTHING.  I’ve saved it all up for here instead.  HAHA!! 

So here goes.  The WestJet flight to Toronto was over three hours of tiny tv screen watching with one cup of coffee, two cookies, and a half a cup of water.  Why I specifically remember those details, I have no idea.  Then when we began our descent, everything suddenly went mysteriously quiet, like the engines had been turned off.  Then I noticed that people weren’t talking.  And then I realized they were, but their voices sounded very far away, like a radio being played in another room.  I yawned, chewed some gum, swallowed hard, flexed my jaw – all those things you do to pop your ears, but nothing worked.  It was the weirdest thing, like how things are all muffled when your head is under water.  I could hear my own voice just fine, since it echoed inside my head, and I guess since it sounded so loud to me, I wasn’t really projecting it to anyone else.  So when I asked a taxi driver about going to the Park Plaza he offered me a flat rate of fifty dollars to take a limo downtown.  Good grief.  We finally got that sorted out, and he was able to direct me to the place where I could catch the hotel shuttle to the Park Plaza by the airport. 

When I walked in, there was Ann, having just finished checking us in.  She came down to Toronto on the Airbus and had just been dropped off.  Great timing!  The temperature in Toronto was a sizzling 30 degrees, and later we walked over to a Boston Pizza where the temperature inside was a few degrees below zero in the air conditioning.  I lost an earring somewhere.  Aren’t these details fascinating? 

Okay, on to the next morning.  There was some kind of construction going on in the room next door at 7:00 a.m.  What are the odds??  But despite the early wake up, we spent a nice leisurely morning preparing for our trans-atlantic flight, getting to the airport, getting something to eat, checking in, going through customs.  This is why I hate travelling.  I wish I could just be transported somewhere unconcious.  Wake me up when we get there and all that.  I’m not very good at keeping track of things like boarding passes and passports and carry on bags and water bottles and all the other paraphanalia.   Now we had heard so many horror stories about TransAt that we were totally prepared to simply endure the flight.  With me not complaining. But it was completely fine!  Our seats were right at the back where the plane narrowed to two seats instead of three on the side.  There were little screens on the seats in front of us.  The crew was all British, in flight attendant uniforms, including little pill box hats.  They served us an absolutely excellent meal and we watched two movies, one of which was Blades of Glory.  I found it hysterically funny.  Even though my headphones fell apart (what the hell, I could hear with only one ear anyway), and one of our tv screens wouldn’t work.  So we switched places a couple of times. And there was a larger screen in the middle of the plane, but it wasn’t great for the old neck muscles to keep looking to the right.  Then we thought we should maybe try to get some sleep after I copied down this information from the screen:

Local Time:  12:44 a.m.  Altitude 39,000 feet.  To Destination:  3:55 hours  Speed 608 mph  Distance travelled (or to travel, I can’t remember) 2020 miles.  Outside temperature:  68 degrees farenheit

But there were a lot of crying babies.  And we had a lot to talk about.  And they gave us a landing card to fill out.  And then they served us breakfast!! 

And seriously – the six hour plus flight went by so quickly it was quite amazing!  I lost my hearing again when we landed but that was a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.  Gatwick Airport.  On the other side of the ocean.  We went on a crazy long walk through the airport to get to customs and the passport check with our landing cards.  That done, we messed about for awhile trying to find the Trafalgar people who were supposed to meet us.  Had to make a phone call finally, and eventually made our way to a hotel links booth where we were finally whisked off to the Gatwick Express train to London.  Saturday morning, six a.m., London fog at sunrise.  There was not much to see except the tracks, some stations, the backs of houses and their backyards, and a lot of brick walls, but I will never forget that ride.  I felt like pinching myself to make sure I was awake and really there.  We were met by no less than three porters who took us and our luggage to a waiting van and from there to our hotel.  On the wrong side of the road.  Saying interesting things which included “BLOODY HELL!”  when the driver found out we were from Canada and not Boston, or whatever place it was he originally guessed. 

The room at the Hilton Olympia was small but nice, with a toilet that refused to flush properly, and leaked water from the tank onto the floor requiring several towels to mop it up and a visit from a maintenance man who assured us it was all fine, but it still didn’t flush properly.  We were kind of too tired to care.  We slept for about four hours.  The hearing returned in my left ear.  We were in freaking London England.  OMFG. 

In the afternoon we went down to the hotel lobby, checked in with the Trafalgar people, and then got tickets for the “Original Tour”, a double decker bus ride around London.  This included taking a local bus to the tour bus, and blindly following some other ladies who were doing the same thing, and then promptly losing them.  Which was unfortunate, since we sure could have used their help getting back to the place of origin and the right bus back to the hotel.  But it all worked out.  I refuse to whine about it.  People in London are very helpful.  The tour was a whirlwind ride around in circles it seemed with the tour director blathering away and us snapping pictures of so many things that later we had no idea what half of them were.  But it was just SO much fun to be a Canadian tourist in London, listening to the way they talk, hearing all about Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge. 

Isn’t this a great shot?  The backs of many heads, whipping down streets between large buildings. 

And this is a great one of our tour guide in front of a huge sign where you can advertise stuff.  For small fortunes I expect.  Or mega pounds.  It’s pretty impressive actually, if you’re not prone to migraines or motion sickness. 

A statue of a horseman with his head in the trees.  Great stuff. 

The Tower of London behind a tree.

Going over (or under) London bridge, depending how you look at it.

Westminster Abbey, the Tower of Big Ben – all that’s missing is the rosey red cheeks of the little childREN.  And yes, that song was going through my head for a good part of the tour.

The “Hung Drawn and Quartered” Pub.  With an authentic Englishman’s head obscuring the Hung part.  Although he could have been from somewhere else, come to think of it.  I don’t suppose a lot of Londoners ride these buses every day. 

 I believe these arches have something to do with Buckingham palace, but don’t quote me on it. 

Back at the hotel we headed for the restaurant/bar for fish and chips and a couple of rum and cokes, and looked at the pictures on our cameras and tried to remember what the hell we’d seen.  Then we had to get ourselves organized for the next day.  Wake up call at 5:45!  Suitcases to be out in the hallway for pick up at 6:15!  Breakfast at 6:30!  Already, they’re trying to kill us!!  But we are excited and happy and we are READY for this.  It’s been a long time coming.     

Honey I’m Home!!

And only just, but I’m feeling very blog deprived so I have to put in a small blurb here to update things.  Our trip to Scotland was AMAZING and very blog worthy.  More on that in the near future – three weeks worth of being away should translate into at least a month’s worth of blathering on and on about it. 

Funny that after spending so much time analyzing CI that it went completely out of my mind when I left before the final show.  I’m commenting on it here, since the last thing I wrote before leaving was on that subject.  I was back at my sisters before it crossed my mind to wonder who won.  And Ann said she couldn’t remember the name, but she didn’t think it was Brian.  Her son’s name is Brian, and she would have remembered that.  And that just illustrates one of the many symptoms of jet lag, aging and general brain deadness we’ve both been experiencing lately.  I ranted about Jaydee briefly (well, briefly for me) without checking things out – what a waste of a good rant, because Brian Melo DID win.  WOOOOHOOO!! 

And then the absolute best thing ever – two of my long lost cousins discovered my blog by accident and posted comments!   I am so appreciative and gratified and generally just plain delighted that they found some of the family history interesting and worthwhile.  Especially since I’ve just spent several days visiting my parents and looking through more old photo albums and scrap books and bringing home more memorabilia to comment on.  We have an incredibly interesting extended family, and there are so many shared memories!  Their mother/grandmother (my dad’s sister Marguerite) was one of my many beautiful aunts, and a personal favourite of mine.  It’s a long involved story how I came to possess her giant wooden spoon and fork that always hung on the wall in her kitchen, and for years have hung in mine, a treasured reminder of her.

So.  Our holiday is over and we did not solve the Mc/Mac mystery.  I guess we’ll just have to go back.  But for now I’m happy to be home.       

CI Top 3 Results

And once again it is smack myself on the forehead time.  What was I thinking?  Of COURSE it’s Carly Rae who gets the boot.  She is one of the most unique and talented contestants to ever grace this show.  A show that seeks out generic mass appeal, remember?  The ideal idol winner is someone who can be shaped and formed and marketed.  Carly Rae will soon be free to do her own thing, and I hope she is wildly successful.

Now I can finally make a prediction that will come true.  I did say at one point way back when that it was time for a guy to win.  So I’m predicting that the idol winner will be male.  You heard it here first.  Or perhaps not.  Doesn’t matter, I’m finally right about something. 

CI Top 3

Last night was my personal last idol show for this season. I’ll be working tonight during the results testosterone extravaganza, (Ryan, Jacob and Kalan all perform) and then I’m across the ocean when the finale airs.  I think this is maybe the very least excited I’ve ever been about a top three – perhaps because I have other things to be excited about, but I know deep down if it was the only thing on earth I had going on in my life, I’d probably still be feeling like this.  There can only be one sane outcome.  But will they go the way of complete insanity like AI did when they crowned Taylor Hicks? Anything is possible. 

Farley’s pick for Jaydee made me want to go running upstairs screaming, but I got myself under control, because I also didn’t want to miss Burton with a Texas twang. I mean, when will I ever get to experience THAT again? Break It To Them Gently was a song that Jaydee definitely tried hard to connect with, but looking like he might burst into tears at the end didn’t totally convince me. It’s still the little golden boy playing Elvis for me. Sorry Zack. I think it’s that face, and the squinty eye, and God, I don’t know. ‘Fighting for my life’ and ‘I wanna go home’ and ‘guns’ and ‘fugitives’ – that’s way too many mixed messages and I just don’t believe any of it coming from a baby faced teenager.

And then we were treated to a pre-pubescent Johnny Cash before his voice changed, ‘having fun’ (!!) with Ring of Fire. Yeah. Yeehaw! (Zack).  All in black with a guitar and a hat! (Jake).  Stick to your guns and ride that palamino! (Farley). Horn imitation. (Sass). Well, we can’t all be cowboys.

For Brian , Jake picked Whiter Shade of Pale and since that’s a song from my century I thoroughly enjoyed hearing it. It was a little understated at the beginning, then he got going, then there was an instrumental interlude. Weird. Brian seemed extremely confident and relaxed, sang it well, and rose to the challenge once again. Someone said he inhabits the emotion. I’d like to comment on that but I don’t know wtf it means.

Lightning Crashes I’m sorry to say I don’t know at all. So, if that was explosive and spectacular, well that’s good. But it went right over my head. The first three judges gave him kudos, but Zack said he sounded super tired and pitchy and that his crown just took a sideways shift. Maybe! Or maybe he just doesn’t want to peak too soon Zack! Ever think of that?? haha. Whatever. His first performance was way better, that’s for sure.

Carly Rae gets her story telling song from Zack, At Seventeen, and seriously blows the guys out of the water with that one. Nice to see she’s deep sixed the racoon eye makeup and can make everybody cry. No one holds a candle to Carly when it comes to artistry and emotion. I would love to listen to her live. (Where I could pause when she’s finished, collect myself, and then rise out of my chair.) (Thank you Farley for suggesting all that – I can totally see it happening.) I will bring a bag full of kleenex.

White Flag is another song I really like, done to death or not. Carly Rae vows to never surrender, and I say to her via my tv – You Go Girl!!  It’s okay, I was alone in the room. I love how she’s able to go from small to big and back again in one song. If you know what I mean. I guess I could have said soft to loud, but it’s so much more than that.

Carly easily wins this go-round in my books. Brian comes in second. Jaydee finishes a distant third. I’ve been seriously out to lunch on my predictions many times, but just this one time PLEASE, to the powers that be, let me be right.

And if I’m wrong, what the hell. I’m going on vacation.

Pre-Trip E-Mail Excerpts

These are some of the obsessed ramblings of two sisters who had the insane notion that going on a trip to the UK together would be a brilliant thing to do. Ann made all the pertinent arrangements, like booking the tour and the hotel in Toronto, getting extra medical insurance and reserving our airplane seats.  I handed over my half of the money.  So that worked out well.  It took many many e-mails to get all of that accomplished.  And now that we’re down to the crunch, it’s kind of funny to look back a bit, to see where we were, and then at some of the more recent pre-trip correspondence to see how we’ve progressed.  Ah yes.  Progression.  What the hell does that mean again??

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From: Lin (sometime in May…..)

YAY!  More and more it’s looking like we HAVE to go on this trip!  
I ordered a treadmill from Sears today, arriving Saturday, so they said.  Hopefully W and I are able to get the damn thing put together before September.  I also went today and bought a $199.00 suitcase (OMFG – no suitcase is worth that much) on sale for $79.  Which is still a lot, but it’s a whole lot lighter than the one I have now.  And I don’t think I’ll be loading this one up with books and plates and bird houses.  Although you never know.  AND, I got a red backpack with Canada written on it.  So am I ready yet??  Every day I seem to think of something new that needs to be done.  I’ve also been Googling all the key words/places from the tour book and I’m quite amazed at all the stuff we’re going to see.  You don’t really realize it just reading it over.  Just under Viking York there’s the ancient walls, mansion house, shambles and minster.  Really, look those all up, you’ll be impressed.  Also the Durham Norman Cathedral and Jedburgh Abbey.  I don’t know why I’m even going, I’ve already seen it all.  I guess I’ll just go for the awesome plane ride.  haha
 
From: Ann 

I am impressed!!!  Good work on the knapsack!  It’s always good to wear Canada stuff.   We went to Ron & Jo’s for dinner last night.  We saw their pictures from Italy.  Lots of cathedrals!  Anyway, they were quite good — all 250 out of 400 of them!  Man, I can’t imagine taking that many pictures, but they were gone 3 weeks.  Anyway, better go.  Let me know anything else about our trip that won’t surprise me when I actually see it!!!  Hahaha! 

From: Ann  – July 16th:  TO PACK:
Shampoo  Crème Rinse  Skin cream  Sunscreen
Tylenol  Gravol  Tums  Toothpaste
Tooth Brush  Hair Brushes  Makeup  Razor(s) ??
Blow Dryer  Curling Iron  Immodium  Laxatives
Hair spray  Mousse  Baby powder  Deodorant
Advil  Bandaids  Anxiety Pills  Medication
Nail Clippers  Nail File  Tweezers  Stomach Pills
Tooth Floss  PolysporinSunglasses Playing Cards Travel Game (?)Binoculars (?) Camera Batteries
Travel Diary (?) Addresses for Postcards (?)
Snacks Passport Health Insurance Stamps (?)
Back-Pack Book Magazine E-Ticket (Flight)
Jewellery Sheep Shears Wrist Bands
E-Mail Addresses Laundry Soap? Umbrella ??

Clothes: 10 Days / 10 Nights
Jacket (rain) 2 Pants 2 Bathing Suit ???
Sandals 1 Shorts 2 Tops 12
Running Shoes 1 Capris 2
Sweaters 4
Jeans 2 Underwear 1 Nightie 2
Socks 3 Bra 2 Kilts 3

To Do Before:
Clear Pictures off Camera Leave copy of itinerary at home
Get $$ (pounds) from bank Call the Queen

From Lin: (August 3rd)

Sheep Shears!!!  Thank God you remembered that – it completely slipped my mind.  LMAO  I’ve added a few things to the list (I think these things aren’t on yours…).  I can’t live without q-tips.  I’m bringing my own bar of soap for my stupid sensitive skin.  And my coritsone cream and zovirax for cold sores.  I’m such a walking health disaster.  Also, I will bring hand sanitizer and wipes, the plug in converter thing which I already bought, and a TIDE PEN!!!  That should make each of our shirts last at least three meals each!!! HAHA!!  I also have ‘bursh’ on my list, but I’ll bring a brush instead.  And I’ll bring glasses cleaner spray and a couple of cloths.  On account of my being an anal optician.  I also have small (but larger than travel size) redken shampoo and conditioner if you want to share that.  I haven’t ever tried it.  Maybe I should do that first….
Do you realize our trip is just over a month away?????????  As you can see, I’m at least making an attempt at getting organized.  

From: Ann  

O.K.!!!  Good things to add — I still haven’t found the Queen’s number, but we have time to get that…  I RECEIVED OUR TICKETS, HOTEL RESERVATION, TRAFALGAR GIFT BAGS AND WALLET THINGY via courier yesterday!  There’s good information which I’ll try to scan some & send to you.  Can you remember if the hotel rooms have hair dryers?  I thought you had said once that they did.

From: Lin   

Good Gawd – I can’t remember about the hair dryers – I don’t remember seeing that at all actually.  Must have been something I made up.    Do we have health insurance?  Do I need to get more?  Maybe the queen knows.  LOL.  She’s damned hard to reach these days.  Did you get the stuff for both of us?  Or should I expect to get something too?  I’m feeling very neglected.  Sniff.   

From: Ann

I got the stuff for both of us!  I should have had it couriered to you!  haha!  Did you get 2 other e-mails from me or just one or none?  If you didn’t get 2, I’ll send the one you didn’t get if you let me know what the subject is of the one you did get!!  Confusing?  When you pre-register with Trafalgar, you’ll need your passport!  We have medical insurance – I’ll send you the e-mail info.

From Lin:

My head is all over the place and at least six times a day I think of something I need to tell you, and then promptly forget about it. 
But here are some random thoughts:
I have a travel alarm clock.
I am making a travel journal and starting it before I leave including a map and itinerary. 
Have you informed your credit card people of the dates you will be using your credit card in the UK?  Apparently you have to do this or the card will probably be declined there until you call your bank.  How annoying.  
I am going to bring a small container of powdered laundry detergent.  AND  the afforemention TIDE PEN!!  I hope haggis stains come out of stuff.    lol.  I am bringing disposable glasses wipes. And general wipes and hand sanitizer.  Are you going to use your trafalgar bag, or your back pack?  I’m thinking a backpack would be easier….
I guess medication has to be brought in it’s original containers, plus with written prescriptions from your doctor.  Another annoyance. I wonder if the medications print outs with my name on them would be good enough? 
I have one plug in converter – which will work in all of Europe because it’s universal, so if we decide to take off to Italy we’ll still be able to curl our hair….do you think we might need two of them?  To plug in more than one thing at a time?  It’s easy enough to pick up another one.
I probably won’t have room in my suitcase for clothes, so can I borrow yours??  LOL
Also – very important – have you thought about which extras you want to go on?  I’m a big fan of doing everything that’s available right now – but especially Rosslyn Chapel, the Loch Lommond Boat thing, and the Lake Windemere Cruise/Steam train thing.  This is why I’m bringing my ridiculously high limit credit card, on which we can put all these extra excursions. 
Another tip – Laurie said to change our watches as soon as we get on the plane to local time in London and DON’T GO TO SLEEP until the next night.  Don’t even nap.  It helps you get over jet lag faster.  Sounds bizarre to me and more like severe sleep deprivation.  I tried to explain to her that I can sleep 15 hours straight no problem, whereas staying awake for that long could cause some freaky mood swings. 
Anyway, we do have a so called leisure day in London after arriving, so maybe we could go watch the restoration construction of Big Ben.  That should put us into restive comas. 
I know this is a rambling mess, but the other alternative is to phone you and not shut up for 2 hours.  I hope this doesn’t make you seriously question your sanity for planning a trip with me. 

From: Ann

• yes – bring the alarm clock
• you may want to phone the bank and order some pounds sterling in case they don’t keep it in great supply.  I don’t know how much — maybe 200 ???  Just to get us started & then someone said not to get travellers’ cheques, just use your debit card or credit card – saves some hassle.  What did Laurie do?
• I know when we went south, I just took my regular little container with all my pills mixed up in there.  Maybe it was smaller than 3 ounces, I don’t know…  I think I will still do that, only put in a zip-loc bag.  Might be a good idea to take along some extra zip-locs…
• I think one converter would be fine.  I intend to get my hair so short that I won’t have to use anything but gel & spray.  I intend to look like a frizzy-floozy the entire time!!  So I think one would be fine.
• I was thinking of packing the Trafalgar bag for souvenirs or dirty underwear (in case we don’t like the tour — some kind of satisfaction in stuffing the bag with smelly crap!!)  But as far as using it for the trip, the knap sack would be FAR better….
• Yes, you can borrow my clothes, you bastard…
• the extras — YES!!!  We are definitely meant to travel together!  Those are the ones I would have picked.  The cable trip to the top of Britain kind of appeals to me now, but I’d likely get stomach camps if we were actually to do it!
• I’m going to book my air bus today.  I’ll try to get the one that arrives @ 4:30 p.m., as I think in one of your earlier e-mails you said your flight arrives around 4:00, so that should get us there around the same time.
• I’ll take a few envelopes for our tour guide tips.  If we have anything left to give them at the end!!

From: Lin

The alarm clock and the camera take the same batteries, so I’ll bring a couple extra (AA’s).  I will get some pounds (the good spendable kind).  I think Laurie got some kind of a Euro package – I’ll find out.  Margaret went to Colorado, and they did not question small things in zip lock bags.  I’m getting my hair done a week before and hopefully it will be short enough that I don’t have to fuss with it.  The humidity will no doubt make it look like I don’t know what the word “fuss” even means.
My flight from Edmonton arrives @3:41 p.m.  (West Jet WS 654) Now I suppose we need to find out what terminal that is (doh) and we can just meet at the Airbus place?  I’ve had computer problems for the last 24 hours, and couldn’t log on to msn and was freaking out.  Like I’ve forgotten what a telephone is or something. 
Talk to you soon….with more live updates.  haha

From: Ann

Well, as far as meeting in Toronto, I believe the air bus will take me directly to our hotel as long as it’s on the airport strip.  So would it be easier just to meet at the hotel, rather than try to rendezvous at the airport?  You could just grab a cab…?  NO, I’m SURE there will be free shuttles from the airport to Park Plaza…  You just have to stand on the sidewalk outside the airport & look for the Park Plaza bus & show them our reservation confirmation.  Either way is fine — let me know what you prefer.

Alison, Murray & I leave for Fredericton, New Brunswick cuz Alison’s team came in 2nd in Ontario & qualified for the Eastern Canadians which occur August 24, 25, 26.  So we’re driving out.  Should be back on the 27th!  And then Murray leaves on Sep 1st & we leave on Sep 6th!!!  All this packing is going to confuse the hell out of me, so look for lots of e-mails that last week before we go!

I just know I’m going to forget all these arrangements & have to look everything up again.  We’ll have to do a SYNOPSIS of our ITINERARY PRIOR to our DEPARTURE so we’re BOTH ON THE SAME PAGE.  (a little Bruce Power business talk there…)

From: Lin

It’s quite amazing that I’ve had such a long time to prepare and yet I’m still thinking of things I need to do.  Just making sure you will be bringing my e-tickets and all the Trafalgar stuff.  I only have my flight info from here to Toronto and back.  Plus all the stuff you e-mailed of course, and I did pre-register for the tour on line.  I got my hair all cut off, so the trip will likely be over before it’s long enough to acutally curl, but I’ll bring my brush curling iron anyway and my little blow dryer, and shampoo and conditioner.  (Redken – it’s really nice.)  I got 100 pounds in cash and 100 pounds in traveller’s cheques, plus I’ll have my Visa which I intend to use for everything anyway, AND the bank said there should be no problem using my debit card if I need to.  I also have a collect number to call the bank if there’s any problem with my Visa.  Which there damned well better not be. I’m bringing the converter.  I have copies of my pill prescriptions just in case and have them in the original containers, but I have to bring a pill organizer too.  Alarm clock, batteries, some laundry soap but I really don’t think we’ll use it – but you never know. It’s pretty small.  Would probably only wash one pair of my gigantic underwear anyway.  HAHA!  I got a bigger memory stick for my camera.  I have glasses cleaner disposable cloths.  That’s freakin’ important. And I bought you a special cloth one with dogs on it.  Mine has cats.  Because God forbid we should get them mixed up and spread glasses germs. 
 
Laurie from work insisted on lending me a flat leather purse that goes over my head from right shoulder to left front.  If you can picture that.  I think it will be useful, but I’ll bring the backpack too as carry on luggage.  I have a photocopy of my passport and my visa card.  It has also been suggested we have photocopies of our tickets.  Good grief.  We will be weighted down with paper.  W. left late this afternoon, and I got to talk to his friend Colin who is going with him this trip, and he has been on a trip to Scotland!!  He told me (among a gazillion other things, like how nice the weather is there at this time of year) that we should take a double decker bus tour around London when we get there.  He said it’s totally cheap and you drive around and see everything with the bus driver pointing things out. You can also get off at various places to look around, and just catch the next tour bus that goes by. If we’re awake, I think we should look into that!
 
So, are you even at home yet???  You must be if Murray leaves tomorrow.  Man.  What a travel happy bunch.  Dana said she’d drive me to the airport on Thursday, but I told her I’d be way less stressed if I took a cab because knowing me, even though I don’t leave until 10:30 I’ll probably have an unbearable urge to be there at 7:00.  She just laughed a lot.  And she wants to know why Alison isn’t on Facebook and when we’re taking THEM to the UK.  So.  Right at this exact moment in time I can’t think of anything else I need to ask or tell you.  Do I sound like I’m ready to fly across the ocean?   I’ll be sitting here biting my fingernails until you reply.  LOL   I do love to exaggerate.  Sorry.  I think I’m pretty prepared actually.  But it never hurts to obsess.

From: Ann

Good morning!  Yes, we’re back, safe & sound!  The girls did well – won 6-0, lost 1-0, 2-0, won 8-1 and then lost in the playoff round 1-0, so were out!  They did well, but they should have won a couple of the lost games, but I guess nervous & they do lack confidence!   No one was batting well.   Hamilton won it, and our girls have beaten Hamilton several times before, so it was a little disappointing.  Got to tour Fredericton in the rain on Friday when things were supposed to start, but got rained out!  We did however go to Canadian Tire for a windshield wiper & bought a box of glasses @ 60% off!  Murray said that way the drive wouldn’t have been for nothing in case it never stopped raining! 

OK!  Now on to the important stuff!  Are you bringing enough shampoo/creme rinse for both of us?  I can bring sunscreen, bug spray, polysporin – no sense in doubling up on that stuff.  I have a little kit with scissors, nail clippers, etc I can bring.  I also have a little sewing kit and I can bring immodium & laxatives!  The rest on the list is more personal preference stuff.  I also have playing cards & I bought a little travel Yahtze game — I don’t know – it appealed to me as it doesn’t take much brain power.  Hope you like Yahtze! 

I ordered 200 pounds from the bank & have notified VISA & my Meridian bank people that I’m away (I want to use my money for the trip, instead of “our” money – Meridian is where a portion of my cheque goes every 2 weeks).  That’s a good idea about the pill prescriptions, in case something gets lost.  I have your e-ticket & all that stuff that I’ll bring.  I also bought a new knap-sack in London yesterday with a zippered area on the inside that goes against my back.  The purse thing sounds great — it will be a pain to take the knap sack on & off.  Oh well.  Jo (the eternal boozer) suggested yesterday to save money, we pack a mickey of whatever (spiced rum? Bailey’s?) either in the mickey or in water bottles for our suitcases & then we could have a couple of drinks in the room instead of buying as many.  What do you think of that?  She also dropped off one of those little circular hanger things with clothespins to hang up washed stuff.  I can bring that if you think we’ll use it.  She said they used it quite a bit in Portugal (I think) but then they were gone longer….  My hair is now shorter than it’s been in years!  I likely won’t even need a hair dryer!  I do however need to take mousse & I have a big honkin bottle!  Do you use mousse?  Cuz I likely have enough for both of us.  It’s Joico so it’s good stuff if you want to share…

The double decker sounds great.  We will have time it sounds like the first day!  If I get time today I’ll go over all our e-mails & make a summary of what we’re doing…  the administrative assistant surfaces again….  As long as we have our passports & tickets & health insurance, the other stuff is dispensible!  even your huge underwear, unless we’re climbing steep stairs with multitides of Englishmen in hot pursuit.  I have NOT looked at anything on the itinerary, so I’m counting on you to lead me when we’re there!  haha!  Anyway, I’m going to start putting things together.  My goal is to be completely packed by Monday afternoon!  The only thing I’m short on is shorts!  It’s a damned challenge to find flippin shorts these days….  Anyway, hope you have time to write back before work! 

From: Lin

Yes, I’m bringing enough shampoo and creme rinse for everyone on the tour.  haha.  I hadn’t thought of bug spray etc. so that’s good, but I’ll bring some after-bite.  I can’t remember exactly how to play Yatze, but even in my brain frazzled state it might all come back to me.  I hadn’t even thought of taking booze!!  I hardly ever drink anymore – it just puts me to sleep.  Wine with dinner will likely be all I care about.  And our pub night in Bristol of course, where it’s close to the end of the tour and we can make fools of ourselves and be memorable.  lol  The clothes hanging thing might come in handy – as long as it doesn’t take up a lot of room – although I’m thinking we probably won’t have time to get things dry.  The only place we stay 2 nights is Edinburgh.  I’m sure if you leave it at home we’ll need it desperately. I don’t use mousse normally, but I got my hair all chopped off too, and I’m still experimenting to see what works.  She razored the back and all I can do with that is stick it straight out – come to think of it, that’s pretty much all I can do with my whole head.  They may be referring to us as the two fat “bald” ladies.  haha  Anyway, I’m bringing a couple of hair products – a thickening spray and a ‘texture volume shine’ magic goop stuff.  If it’s really humid, nothing will work anyway.  In which case you will only be allowed to take pictures of me facing away from the camera.  (Oh look, there’s Lin gazing at the distant landscape once again!)  (Studiously ignoring the panting Scottsmen at her feet!) (Or was that the day she wore her underwear for the third time in a row causing fellow tour participants to lose conciousness…..)
 
You are going to think I’m crazy but I have printed out my ‘anticipation’ blogs where I went through the entire tour and researched all of it, and even found pictures of everything.  And I’ve already made up a travel diary outlined by the days and where we are.  So there will be absolutely no surprises with me along.  I don’t know where these compulsions come from.  If you never travel with me again I will totally understand.  (Sob)  And I’m not bringing shorts.  I don’t think anyone, even my worst enemies, need to be subjected to that.  And if you’re wearing them I certainly don’t want anyone comparing our legs.  Because they WILL of course.  There’s multitudes of Englishmen just wandering around over there with nothing better to do……I could look it up if you want. 
 
I have the day off today!!  There were three of us scheduled and that makes no sense for a long weekend – the last long weekend Sunday I was there alone and bored out of my skull.  So they told me to stay home.  So I don’t work now until Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and that’s it!  I am SO excited to get going!!!  I’m going to look through all your e-mails too and double check everything and try to get things together in my suitcase and back pack and purse and HEAD. 
 
I wonder when we have to check out of our hotel in Toronto?  And when we have to be at the airport on Friday?  And are you bringing a book?  I have one called “No Great Mischief” by Allistair MacLeod, a novel built around a Scottish family history – how completely GAY is that???? But it won the Dublin Literary Award so it must be good.  And it’s actually their life in Nova Scotia and other places in Canada.   Okay, I’ve got some sewing repairs/alterations to do on a couple of things – I’ve been meaning to do them for weeks. So!  – things to do.  I have wasted enough time – not just mine, yours too, reading all this blather.  TTYL

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Well, you get the picture I guess.  We have three more days to send e-mails back and forth.  I figure another dozen or so each should do it.  I wonder if I should mention the Tide Pen and the converter fifty more times.  And now I really am going to get off my ass FOR REAL and do some REAL packing.  Because suddenly THE TRIP has become larger than life.  I have this weird feeling that when we’re on our way back we’ll be looking at eachother going “ummmm….what just happened here??” But it’s just like anything else in life – the anticipation and the rehashing can be way more fun than the thing itself.  So why not milk it for all it’s worth?  And hopefully I’ve come so close already to reaching my fun quota for the year that I won’t be nearly so annoying as there’s the potential to become after our return.  Well.  Good luck with that.  Snort.  First trip anywhere foreign and interesting for me EVER??  I will be unbearable.  You have been warned.