London Adventure I. : Travel Thoughts, the Day of Immense Bravery & Lovely Greenwich

!!! Warning: What you are about to read is based mainly on my very detailed travel diary. However, there are bits and pieces left out because of privacy, etc. So chances are that at times these posts might seem a little bit uneven in the level of detail. Basically, it's all very confused and not my most brilliant piece of writing. I am aware ;)

Also, I hope you are ready for how long this is. #sorrynotsorry If you're tired of reading, look at the photos.

I wonder if there will ever be a time when I’m actually on time or early for an important bus or a train. This time it wasn’t my fault though. It was the tube’s fault. The train I took on the way to the coach station stopped and it took a good couple of minutes for it to get moving again. (You must understand that for Prague underground it is very uncommon that the trains would stop and wait.) Not nerve-wracking at all!!! Not when you're catching an international coach, you're just about on the verge of being late and every second counts! It cost me a lot of energy not to lose my mind in that tunnel and not to get sick. Anyway, I made it and safely boarded the coach.

Just before getting on the road. Photo by my dad who was playing with his new phone.

Quit crazy-mental-freaking-out mode.
Resume normal-travelling-nervous mode.
The adventure begins.

A couple of notes that I took on the bus:

I’m not quite sure I’m fully grasping what’s happening here… I’m used to travelling to London - in my mind, you see? I am a daydreamer. Every night and day, it takes just a couple seconds and I am there, living a different life. And now, now I am on an actual physical journey. On a bus. The bus is moving. In a western direction.

I always wished I had some sort of a cool gang of friends to go on road trips with. But I don’t. I know people who do that kind of thing, but I’m not in their “gang”… Well, ladies and gentlemen, I travel alone. I’m that cool. If there's no one to go and have fun with me, I'll go and have fun by myself. That's how I roll 8-)

Oh, and let me just say: I looked amazing. Outfit of the day: black leggings (comfort is the key on an 18-hour-long bus ride), black mini skirt with a frilly kind of hem, fuchsia pink longer top (cinched with a slim black belt), my mother’s owl scarf and The Ultimate Denim Jacket of Doom!!! No one has ever looked so beautiful cute on a bus to London :)

Our Student Agency Fun & Relax line had some new films in their menu. So I finally watched The Great Gatsby. If you want to know what I thought about it, let me know in the comments and I will

Germany now. There is this sort of soft light outside from the setting sun :) very mild and tender thanks to the clouds. And I saw a rainbow :) a proper pretty one! Good omens :)

Day 1: 3rd June 2014 (Tue)

The night was uneasy an uncomfortable. If I say I slept for 4 hours, it's an exaggeration.

Early morning and I am watching Belgium passing by my windows. It looks pretty, like a peculiar cross between Germany and a random South-European country. And it speaks French at me, which indeed makes it feel very foreign :D Btw, there is nothing like eating a strudel from your mummy at 6 am in the middle of Belgium. And then France, then border controls and then we boarded Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. 35 minutes on a train and then tadaaaaa, we are now in Great Britain. On the actual island. Time shift one hour back. 2 hours to London.

As our coach was approaching London, I have just finished watching The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I have a habit of watching The Hobbit (hehe :)  any time I travel somewhere and they have it in the film selection. Because I find some of it really inspiring and encouraging. Especially the bits at the beginning where Gandalf is persuading Bilbo to join them on the quest. Things like: "The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there." You know, it's all very fitting for me right now, isn't it? :)

src

Anyway, I put on some music and locked my eyes on the outside. And small houses became bigger houses. Few scattered people became more and more people. People of all different colours, shapes and sizes. And I was getting more and more... scared – of the size of the crowds, of the streets I didn’t know.

It started raining. Heh, actually the first time it rained was the minute we set foot into UK border control in Calais, before boarding the train. We went through French control, then back into the coach, they moved us about 20 metres further into the UK control and then just as we got off the bus again, it started raining. We all looked at each other like: “Seriously, Britain?” :D Then there was no rain until we were about to get off the bus in Victoria Greenline Coach Station. A proper English welcome :)

It took about a century for all the passengers to collect their luggage and then it took another million years for me and Andrej to find each other. (Andrej is the other half of my pal Elizabeth and I would be staying with them.)  In the end, I had to find the main hall of the Victoria train station and there he was. The plan was he would take my luggage from me and I would take a train and go meet up with my other friend, Majka. So I gave him my stuff and he went off. I had considered asking him for help with the Oyster Card and the train… But I wasn't sure whether it would actually help me – having a complete stranger, who doesn’t know the type of nerves I get, watching me go buy things… Well, he went away. And I set about buying an Oyster Card and then finding the train. I had no idea if I would be able to make it or not. Everything was so big and scary. But I tried to take one step at a time. No need to rush.

I found one of the Oyster places, but the first time round I couldn't make myself go in and I had to walk away. I just went on a little stroll around the station, went outside and around it (saw people queuing for cabs under a roof thing) and then back in. Meanwhile, Majka texted me about the train – what direction it was and the times of the nearest 2 departures. That helped! I understood the departures boards and the platforms. And then I took a deep breath and went into the Oyster shop. I said: “I’d like to buy an Oyster Card, please.” He asked how much credit, I said £30, I paid, he gave me the card and it was done :) Easy peasy! Super brave Maree obtaining herself means of transport! :) #proud

And then I decided to be even braver a try to catch the earlier of the trains, which was due in 2 minutes. I followed some people, touched in with the card and got on the correct platform!, hopped on a train and within a couple of minutes I was safely on my way to Majka. And then I got a bit teary when I was proudly texting mum and sharing my achievements. It was a bit overwhelming for me. The size of it, the multitude of people… And me in the middle of it all, taking care of myself, fighting. For myself. Doing things that no-one in my family has ever done before.

I keep latching onto anything and everything that I am even remotely familiar with: a building I recognize, a brand or a shop that I’ve seen and advert for… Like I’m desperately holding onto anything that I know. Because there is so much of the stuff that I don’t know. It’s soooo big. So vast. And crowded.

The train ride was good. I got off at Blackheath, touched out on my way out of the station (Yeah, baby! Riding trains like a pro! 8-) And then I met up with Majka. I cried.

I cried, because there was a friendly, welcoming face, somebody I knew, waiting for me, expecting me,… and considering me a hero for what I have just achieved. I cried because I could finally allow myself to release all the tension and fear and nerves, because I wasn't alone any more. It took me a while to adjust, but everything was fine, because I had somebody with me, who knew where we were going. And that was Greenwich Park :)

There was no rain any more. The air was clear and fresh and the royal park was… green. So beautifully green :) and big :) We went through to the observatory where there is a view point and this magnificent scenery of London opened before us, and it caused some minor London-fangirling on my side :) Right in front of us was the Old Royal Navy College that got so beautifully damaged in "Thor: The Dark World". Eeeek! :) And then just across the water, the glistening and shining Canary Wharf – with One Canada Square, where the Doctor fought the Daleks in the Battle of Canary Wharf and where Rose supposedly perished ;) And to the right there was the O2 Arena… It was all so beautiful and it made me very happy. The unbelievable had happened and I was in London… All giddy and smiley :) And Majka was happy, because I was happy (just coz I saw some buildings, all right :D )

We walked down the hill and  then we sat down and had lunch. I had been quite hungry, but in the middle of all the travelling didn’t really feel safe enough to eat. Until then.

I got a bit obsessed with the polaroid filter. Oops O:)

Then we walked towards the river aka the bit where the alien ship crashed and the people were running away from the water gate :D pretty :) Here is a bunch of photos:

We went into the Visitor’s Centre, where there is a little exhibition about the ORNC and Greenwich. Aaaaand, just for me, there was a special short term exhibition about films that were made here :)) Heavily featuring a certain Thor movie that I had recently seen ;) That made my film-loving heart jump with joy.

Back outside the sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the Thames was flowing, .. All was good in the universe. I felt so grateful and blessed to be able to be there :) And that I got a little film exhibition as a special treat :)

This is one of my top 5 favourite photos from all the hundreds that I took on my trip.

Me & Majka, all smiles :)

Majka then took me for a cup of coffee into a bookshop, coz… Why not? :D And I was very brave and didn’t buy any books! Although I was planning to buy one somewhere on the trip and there were many trying to catch my attention, I just didn't want to start spending bigger bulks of money as soon as I arrived. How brave am I?

I had a phone call with Elizabeth and it became apparent that we would not be able to meet up in the city and I would have to get home (or the nearest tube station rather) by myself. It was the most practical solution to them finishing up late God knows where and me being on the other side of London. I wasn't too happy about it and the idea of getting the tube on my own for the first time made me nervous and worried. But hey, I did the train and it was all right. Just needed to get back into the brave mode and up my game a little bit more. We walked back up the hill and through the park (where we did not find Queen Elizabeth’s Oak :( #disappoint ) and back to Blackheath. We said goodbye and I set off on another journey.

Gathering clouds.

The train ride back to Victoria was easy. I already knew how to do that :) And then Victoria Station, during rush hour… There were people everywhere. Walking, hurrying in all possible directions… I managed to find the my line and the right platform – all thanks to reading “The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-time”. Honestly, that book saved my life! It helped me so much! E.g. it taught me that to find the right platform I need to know the geographical direction of where I want to go and mine was westbound :)

The platform was so busy and full of people!!! And there was a voice announcing what train was coming, in what direction, mind the gap, watch over your belongings, please report suspicious behaviour, and Welcome to Victoria Station…. ! :D Live. Like there was an actual person saying these things! What a gig :) So, I took a train and went to where I needed to go. What of it, right? :) Luckily, the people here, mind their own business and not me.

I was early, so I found a place to sit down and while I was waiting for Andrej & Elizabeth, I caught up on some writing. I also got very cold and tired *sigh* About an hour later, A&E popped up. That was the historic moment of me and her meeting for the first time. It didn’t feel very historic. In fact, it felt slightly weird. But that's fine. It had been a long day for all of us. I wasn't expecting fireworks. I was just glad I was there and getting closer to what was to be my shelter and home for the next couple of days.

The home turned out to be a shared house, or rather one tiny, minuscule room where all 3 of us would be staying. I … decided not to care and worry about things. I was too tired to get upset. There was about a million things about that house and that situation that were stressing me out, but I made a conscious decision not to care. After all, it was a huge favour from them to let me stay. If it wasn't for their help, none of this London magic would be happening.

A & E cooked dinner. It was very tasty :) and I made myself eat, even though I didn’t really feel hungry. I knew that any food I could get in would be useful. We managed to tidy the room that was smaller on the inside, found space for me to put my stuff and I took a shower, which made me feel better and smell nice :) After 2 long days of travelling it was exactly what I needed. I just thanked God that I was healthy and safe and I went to bed.

Conclusion: I have had a nerve-wrackingly brave and awesome day in London!

P.S. Things I lost on Day 1:

• my Doctor Who badge :( This is an international tragedy indeed. I was going to wear it proudly on my jacket and maybe it would spark a conversation with a fellow Whovian. Well, not anymore :'( 
• my ring. My favourite ring that I wear every time I go out and I tend to play with it if I get a bit nervous. A ring that I got from my godmother who brought it for me as a gift from Jerusalem. I may have left it in one of the bathrooms where we stopped on the way, or... I've no idea :(
• illusions about internet friendship...
• fear of the tube :)

I will see you soon with another installment of my novel. And let me assure you: you are reading the abridged version! So please, no complaints about the length of these posts. However if you have any comments or further questions, please leave them below. I will be happy to read them and answer ;) x
______

Next up in London Adventure: The Day of Extreme Hardship & Kensington