It seems to me that having the ability to travel the globe once in a while is a luxury that should be taken with much appreciation. While that is more than true in my case, sometimes what I come to appreciate is not only the travel and adventures, but, in the end, the ability to come home. Modern travel is still something I'm in awe of. How one can get into this giant tube shaped object with two wings and be jet propelled across the globe into another world in a matter of hours is still something that I marvel at. My body seems to find this mode of transportation extremely undesirable though, and tries its hardest to protest the new time zone by putting me to sleep when I don't want to be, being alert and awake when I shouldn't be, and making me hungry at the most inappropriate times. As in the power of the body, however, it finally gives in after about four days and decides it will live, in peace, within this new time frame.
As in the case of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we all seem to have this need to run away from home once in a while. As adults, we call this a "vacation". To occasionally escape from the confines and obligations of everyday life and to leave behind the day to day routine in favor of adventure and the unknown is something we all try to achieve. Five weeks, however, seems to be a bit extreme. I do believe though, that if one is going to buy an airline ticket that costs more than the average monthly house payment and go somewhere seven time zones away, that staying long enough to make it worth it is certainly something to strive for. With that being said, this adventure has been one that I have come away from with more knowledge and appreciation of not only other cultures and customs and the ancestry we come from, but with the ability to make a true comparison of my own little corner of the world as well.
Having relatives in the United Kingdom who welcome us with open arms is a godsend as well. They give us enough information that we can actually act like we know what we are doing in another country. They are kind, sweet and giving as we descend upon them and change their daily routines in favor of leading us to places of interest and showing us more of their country. I am wondering why they don't realize that by giving us so many positives, that they are only asking for a return visit after such a convincing job of showing us all the wonderful things and sites around the U.K. We can never repay their kindnesses in full, but have vowed to make a visit here entirely worth their while if we can get them to make that long trek across the globe.
The main goal of this trip, of course, was The West Highland Way hike. Supposedly, it is "only" 95 miles. However, being married to one whose sense of adventure can tax even the most enthusiastic, we started one step earlier and extended it to 105 miles. Most take the train to Milngavie. We are not most and therefore walked from Glasgow instead, extending the wear and tear on the feet and knees by another 10 miles. What's another 10 miles? During this walk, I often questioned by own sanity. Why did I agree to do this? Certainly, there are better ways to get from point A to point B. I got to England in a rocket ship, yet it takes an entire day to walk 10 miles. I did see scenery that was some of the most picturesque in all of the country. Scotland is a charmingly green and lush country. It is a destination that I could go back to again and again. England itself possesses its own unique beauty. I have now visited here long enough to get to know most of the different areas. The train system that runs throughout the country is a wonderful mode of transportation. It is one of the things I wish the U.S. would provide more of. The people of the United Kingdom have always been welcoming and helpful. They love to strike up a conversation once they hear the American accent. Brief encounters with these people has been a pleasure and I often come away with a feeling of unity among people whose interests in life are not unlike mine. So even though my knees are paying the price of walking over rocks, up stairs and steps, climbing over fences and ladders and jumping a few waterfalls, I must say that the experience in itself provided for some stunning scenic views I would not otherwise have seen from a car, bus or train. The one thing I could have done without was the midges. These tiny little insects love to swarm around, and yet for something so small, can bite with ferociousness and leave you itching. However, unlike mosquitoes, they will only bite if you stop. As long as you keep moving, they won't bother with you. If I have to find an advantage in that, it is that you certainly get to the days destination a lot faster if you just keep going. That pint of hard cider at the end of the day can also certainly be a strong motivator. My next goal is to now find a way to import the stuff into my own refrigerator.
The long awaited flight home was another test in patience. That virtue, I'm afraid, is one I was not blessed with. I find it difficult to wait, stand in endless lines and witness timetables and schedules that do not coincide with the written promise to get me home in the most direct and efficient manner possible. The first leg of the flight from London to Toronto didn't leave for an hour and a half after it was supposed to. No explanation on why I had to sit in a crowded airport longer than necessary was ever given. However, there was one extremely pleasant surprise to this otherwise slow start to the journey home. After going through numerous lines, having my passport checked over and over again, looking at my boarding pass, going through security, I was finally at the departure gate. Every boarding pass was scanned, every one passed through without a problem, and the line kept moving. Presenting mine to the agent, he scanned it routinely and then stopped cold, making some remark under his breath and looking intently at the computer screen. He studied the boarding pass again, clicked a few keys on the computer and then promptly, and without hesitation, tore my boarding pass in half. I asked him what was wrong with it. He said, "Nothing. You just got a better seat." He then handed it to me and I moved on, well aware of the stopped line of people behind me. Eric was in a line next to me. I asked him if they changed his seat assignment. He said yes. I looked at it to see where I had been moved to. It said 8G. Somehow, I thought I just got moved further up so that I could get to our very close connecting flight a little faster. I saw Kari and Chad, who had gone through the line ahead of us. I asked if they got moved up. They said no. We were all supposed to be sitting together, back in the confines of row 41. They got up and asked the agent why parents were moved, but not them. No explanation was given, only the conveyance of a message that it was not their decision and no, they would not be moved up with us. Not having really looked at the new boarding pass other than to see what row I was in, I had no idea what my "better seat" meant. Kari asked if she could see it. Looking at it she said, "Mom, this is a first class/executive ticket." I saw where it said that, but still didn't really believe it.
Then she showed me hers. In the same spot where it said "Economy Class" on hers, mine now read, "First Class/Executive". I still wondered if it was right. So when they called for first class passengers to board, we got up and headed to the gate. I presented this boarding pass, was given a smile and let on through with all the others. "Wow", I thought, "it really is!" I won't go into all the details of all the amenities of this now prestigious place on the plane, but suffice it to say that since I normally don't travel this way, I had to study the brochure placed in the magazine rack of my seat to see what all those buttons actually did. It was definitely the easiest 7 1/2 hour flight I have ever had. Being able to fully recline, sleep, be served numerous meals and snacks and be constantly attended to is a travel method I could get used to. A real plus! After arriving in Toronto at exactly the same time as our Portland flight was leaving, it was obvious we would be in for another adventure in how to get home. Again, standing in a line with all the others who had missed their connections as well, I wondered how long it would be before I actually touched US soil. We were given new boarding passes to Vancouver, B.C. and told that when we arrived, the airline would get us a hotel room and fly us to Portland the next day. None of the details would be known until we arrived in Vancouver. In the meantime, take your bags and go stand in another endless line and check them through to Vancouver instead of PDX. Two hours later, we were finally at the departure gate. However, we were not scheduled to leave until 11:00 p.m. Again, leaving later than promised, the 4 1/2 hour flight to Vancouver arrived at 1:30 a.m. Pacific time. It was now 9:30 a.m. in the U.K. and we had gotten up at 7:00 a.m. the day before. Again, more waiting, more lines to stand in and we were given a voucher for our hotel accommodation. Thankfully, it was located within the airport and so we didn't need to be shuttled anywhere. By the time we got to the room, it was 2:30 a.m. The flight to Portland left at 8:40. After figuring in check in times, more lines, etc. we estimated that a shower and a four hour nap was all that was going to be afforded on this stay. Up and out early, we got through it all. The plane, again, left a little later than scheduled, and we arrived in Portland at 10:00 a.m. We drove from Portland to Salem, had lunch, then headed down the road to Roseburg. Keeping the driver awake and alert was the main focus of all the passengers. A quick trip to the grocery store was necessary and then we finally got home around 5:00 p.m. I managed to stay awake doing a few things around the house until 9:00 p.m. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. ready to go, and so, got up and got moving. I will say that this upside down and backward time zone change will take a few days to sort out. Body rebellion once again consumes me and I will take it slowly until I can convince it that this really is where I want to be.
So this journey, both to the U.K. and through more airports than I was scheduled to see, finally comes to an end. I hope that through this adventure you felt I took you with me. I really did want all of you there and this was the closest way I could do that. Thanks for riding along, reading along and sharing your comments. Thanks for the chats, emails and other communication while we were gone. I look forward to seeing some of you in person in the near future. Just let me get a few more naps in first. Mission accomplished on the England/Scotland Expedition, but as stated earlier, just like Dorothy who had the need to leave home for a while, upon returning, I will have to whole heartedly agree, there really is no place like home!!
