So, I have been in 3 countries in less than 48 hours.
I said my final goodbyes to my family at the airport. Quite teary eyed, obviously. The whole time during take off I just reflected on the amazing experiences the south of France gave me-- and ever since I left- I have missed it so much. I already miss the bakeries on every corner.. being able to speak French .. the beautiful sunny weather. Needless to say the weather in London was a tad bit more cloudy than Aix was .. but it was really neat-- the 8 hours of it that I saw!
I met up with my friends Ian and Carrie and could finally rest and put my suitcase down after lugging it all around. Turned out to be about 55 pounds .. and they let me through, thank God. It was nice to be with friends and I got to meet Ian's grandmother who is so sweet and elderly but she has been all over the world and shared some wonderful stories with us and made us macaroni and cheese for dinner! We grabbed a pint of beer at a London pub and caught up and swapped travel stories!
They had an early flight to Lagos, Portugal and I had an early one to Sevilla, Spain. So in the spirit of true backpackin and livin like a college student in Europe should -- I spent the night in the Gatwick airport. What a sight-- because there are so so many people- you wouldnt believe- curled up in all corners, benches and hallways. Families with small children and lone travelers-- i found a nice nook and started a new book and updated my journal. I really prefer traveling alone I have decided. It may sound a little daunting because of all the media attention and terrible stories of abductions and such-- but if youre smart, as I think I am, then it can be quite a valuable and rewarding experience. I love meeting and talking to new people but I know which ones to avoid and when to be cautious. I was raised right and I am no dummy. Also, it is SO nice to be in total control of my adventures-- doing as I please and not accommodating a group--I feel like it is a wonderful chance for me to grow as an individual and its only been 2 days really and I am just so excited!
I arrived in Sevilla this afternoon. 6am flight. Ouch. But I made a nice friend with an Indian woman who was coming from visitng her investment banker son who went to the London School of Economics.. aka the BEST business school in the world .. and she and I had some great conversation on the plane about the world and traveling and I really cannot express enough how much I love listening to and learning from other people and their travels. There are so many places I want to go and see and hearing other people's experiences makes it all the more exciting. I also love learning about their opinions of Americans especially and I have got to say, I have had 100% positive feedback and have learned interesting things. This woman for example told me how she admired the tenacity of American youth and their willingness to open their minds. Another gentleman told me that he thought Americans were so friendly and outgoing and that they carry themselves well. Obviously there are people who give Americans a poor reputation but it makes me very proud to hear things like that-- especially when I know that I have kept in mind throughout my studies-- that I am a representative of my country and how I act and behave reflects on that.
Well, I am waiting for my room to be ready at my hostel in Sevilla! Going to power nap and shower before hitting the sights with kory!
A bientôt
