Jan 1, 2010
Joe Trumpey mentioned a roller coaster, I have NEVER been on one like this.
Flights- ohhh my God the flights.
We got up early and Brad, Corey, mom and I went for coffee at Starbucks thanks to Mark. They FORTUNATELY messed up my order, and instead of a small coffee, I got a small coffee with two shots of expresso, which was nice! We got to the Lansing airport two hours early, there were probably a total of 20 people in the building-including the staff. Check in was relatively easy and fast, then the four of us sat and chatted for a bit. Some man in a suite came up and asked us what we were doing. This led into a news story- I can only imagine. Luckily, I was unable to catch the story.
Eventually I did the security thing, they padded me down, but no one was there, so I could put my shoes back on as slooooow as I liked, no rush, no line pressuring me to move faster, it was lovely.
Up the escalator- last goodbyes- Spartan pub and wireless! Fancy.
The flight was short and I read “A People’s History of the United States”. I knew Columbus killed a lot of people, and didn’t really DISCOVER America, but this book does a really good job of making me never want to “celebrate” Columbus Day again.
In Detroit I found another plan to Pittsburgh. Spoke briefly with Corey, and was off. Another VERY short flight. Pittsburrgh provided me with no phone service, which was frusterating because I had told EVERYONE I would call from Pittsuburgh. I had to get a calling card- how silly- and got to speak quickly to a few very important people. Still didn’t feel real.
Window seat, but the flight was uncomfortable. The attendants were all female and kind of friendly, but it was a really long, flight, almost 8 hours to Paris.
As soon as I stepped out of the plan I could not stop smiling. I was in Paris. THIS is real. Im completely alone (minus the thousands of other people) and can no longer reach anyone at home. I am in Paris, next stop is Bangalore. I searched for my flights, and took a bus to a new terminal, did security again, and found my gate. I think all the gates near by were going to India, and there was very little space for people waiting. I grabbed a snack… which was a small salad. I paid with a 20 and got 5 euros back… haha I am pretty sure that was a damn expensive salad… it wasn’t that good either.
There was also one very large man at the video game station, who sat there for my whole wait, staring at the screen with his fingers pounding away on the controller…
Air France- I love Air France. They are amazing. All the flight attendants were very friendly men, and the food was delicious, the chairs were comfy, and it was lovely for a nine hour flight. Minus the 11 screaming children.
I got to Bangalore at 12:25 am India time, which was afternoon to me. I waited for my baggage which refused to arrive. The lady at the counter gave me a dob kit with an xl t shirt and a toothbrush. She asked for an address or phone number, neither of which I had… and we ended up calling Mahima- who-thank god-picked up her phone! After about an hour of trying to figure out what to do about the luggage, I really began to wonder if the mysterious driver of whose number I did not have, would still be there… I walked out the first door- hoping for signs… nothing. I looked around completely lost, and a little sad, thinking I would be sleeping at the airport for awhile, before I saw ANOTHER door, tons of people waiting, and my name. YES
Drove to Yelahanka, staring constantly out the window. We pulled up to a small house, and two other men were outside. The welcomed me, opened the door, flipped a switch and there was light… in my house… light blue. Completely empty. Big, lonely, creaky, leaky, deserted, super scary… Apparently the other students wouldn’t be there until the 3rd!
They said goodnight, and I laid down-wide awake, and cried. I was somewhere in Bangalore on New Years completely alone, in the dark, with no communication to anyone, and at least 5 hours before daylight would creep in… I listened to Jack Johnson and tried to read. I had a lot of regrets that night. Thinking everyone was right, why DIDN’T I go to New Zealand again? Why did I so obsessively demand on India? What was I thinking?
I looked out the window waiting for light, scared by the howling, yelping of the dogs outside and of any unfamiliar sound.
a really long flight later 