uk trip, part two, autumn edition --- cardiff ---> london ---> seattle

UGH leaving day. * sads* i'm always of two minds on this day. the one that is all "NOOOO I AM SO HAPPY HERE DO NOT MAKE ME GOOOOO" and the other that is very much  "if i miss my coach, i miss my flight and I CANNOT MISS THAT FLIGHT because NO RESERVATIONS AT HOTELS also TOO MANY CASH MONIES TO REBOOK"

guess which mind i listened to. sigh....

funny thing: my phone updated in the middle of the night or something and reset itself to british summer time. (the "fall back" had happened the previous day and we were on british standard the day of our flight.) so HAHAHAH WE GOT UP AT 5AM INSTEAD OF 6AM and PANICPANIC until we called the front desk to verify what time it actually was.

silly old phone.

speaking of coaches, leff and i were taking a dave's coaches to heathrow. okok, so it was national express. but, come on, you cannot begrudge me a "gavin and stacey" joke.

anyway, national express. YES, TAKE THIS! especially if you can get a fun fare and book at least a month in advance. it's really quite a nice coach!

we will use this again unless the coach from heathrow to reading/train from reading to cardiff is less expensive.(rates vary depending on WHO KNOWS REALLY so it's always smart to check many travel options for the best deal.) time wise, it's pretty much the same. (nice things to know:  national express does drop off/pick ups at all terminals at heathrow INCLUDING THE DREAD TERMINAL FIVE. sadly, there was no free wifi on our coach.)

on gloucester day we had crossed the severn on the new bridge. on leaving day, we crossed it on the old bridge. HI HEY HELLO NEW BRIDGE i wish i was not seeing you again so soon. *sads*

amazingly, leff and i were able to nap on the coach. well, ok, i texted some. WHEN AM I NOT TEXTING I AM A TEENAGER but there was some nap action. thankfully, we did not miss basingstoke. FANCY BUMPING INTO YOU BASINGSTOKE

things were uneventful on the way to heathrow, things were uneventful at heathrow. leff and i grabbed a bite at wagamama. i had a ginger beer

and chu chee chicken curry. of course. i have had this every time i have eaten at wagamama.

and then we moped around terminal five until our gate was called, killing time by filling out landing cards (see, i TOLD you snails were verboten!)

and wondering if anyone actually DID buy a gallon worth of hot sauce from the duty free.

i would like to say that the flight back was uneventful but HAHAHA NO OF COURSE IT WAS NOT at the gate, this was immediately stuck in my head because ARGH i have not been surrounded by such a loud, obnoxious crowd of braying assholes in such a long time.  even the nun who was on this flight was chagrined.

one bastard kept honking about how he couldn't wait to get back to the states so he could get "decent customer service". and i kept thinking, well, the REASONS the brits hated you, let me go out on a limb here,  totally just basing this on what i observed at the gate, but let's guess that 1) YOU SCREAM WHEN YOU TALK HONK 2) you probably did not research about the very small but vital cultural differences before traveling. 3) you more than likely ordered people around and did not say "please" and "thank you", you rude fucker. THIS MAKES YOU AN ASSHOLE

look, being an ugly american is one of my major pet peeves. OF COURSE there will be times when things are difficult or outside of your comfort zone THAT IS WHY YOU TRAVEL. it opens up your world. it pushes you and makes you learn to trust yourself and, ha, OTHER PEOPLE too. it is awesome but it is not always fun. and, yeah, occasionally you will make an ass of yourself but, here's the important thing, NO ONE REALLY CARES and most things can be smoothed over with good humor and apologies if required. fucking up often makes for a better trip, if i'm honest. GRACE AND DIGNITY, BITCHES! TRY TO HAVE SOME OF IT heh

if you aren't willing to accept these things, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD STAY AT HOME HONKING DUDE. i'm sure no one would mind. ugh.

sorry, /rant. but, like i said, PET PEEVE.

ugh, just, the flight was awful. BUT we found a new cab service that is quite lovely so it all came out in the wash.

huh, how can i end this on a high note? ah! well? i am still pronouncing the "t" in "literally" so i sound quite bonkers as i'm currently in the states and no one does that here. OH YES! there is a REALLY GOOD CHANCE that i will be seeing at least ONE brit in may! IT HAD BETTER BE TWO if the second one knows what's good for him. (heh) but more about that when things have been confirmed.

TOMORROW:  the last of the rhys updates! SADS!! and then we get back to a normal posting schedule. i'm sure you will all be relieved. heh.