There and back again

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence,
as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
Kahlil Gibran

Every instant of our lives is essentially irreplaceable:

you must know this in order to concentrate on life.

André Gide

It's a Universal Travel Truth that layovers suck. They are like the face a baby makes when you let it taste a lemon. Or maybe that's just what my face looks like when I'm faced with a long layover. Either way, I consider anything longer than three hours to be long. Three hours tests my patience threshold, after which I resort to taking unnecessary trips to the bathroom just to do something other than sit in one spot, moping, staring at my computer, greatly appreciative of every single person who likes my incessant Facebook status updates. I'm generally not an airport shopper, and although I don't mind stopping to eat in a restaurant or grab a drink at a bar, I can only sit there for so long. Because I'm connecting to another flight, I'm constantly on edge about which gate it's going to be at, where all my stuff is, how much wi-fi costs and why I think it's just ridiculous that airports don't offer free wi-fi for more than twenty minutes.

I left for the airport around 10am on Sunday, leaving my family, and one of my sisters who was only 10 hours away from giving birth to my very first nephew (although at the time we didn't know boy or girl). I missed it! It was killing me. I think if I had had to board my 8-hr flight without knowing if the baby had been born yet, I would have completely fallen apart. But I did find out. And it was a boy, and his name is Junah, and he is gorgeous and perfect.

My visit home was all over the place. For the first few days it was calm and relaxing and amazing. Family and more family, and that was it. But things slid into weirdness (much of it good, but generally emotional and/or unexpected) as the week went on. Among other things, I had completely failed to get together with a friend I've known for a long time (and haven't seen as much the last couple years, but that's another blog post entirely) and felt guilty about it. I had also gone a little overboard with another unexpected get-together, pulling one of our (as part of a marginally larger, varying group) well-into-the-morning nights in the middle of the week. Those particular kinds of evenings go back a few years with other friends involved, so a '6am' is kind of nostalgic in itself. But oh, nostalgia, you complex monster.

I like nostalgia, but not when it's painful. Not when it makes you fuzzy-headed and emotional and feeling guilty for dwelling on things that will never exist that way again.

6am's usually were in the summer. They were never very frequent and always extremely spontaneous, at least for me, which was a certain part of their appeal. More often than not they involved indie band videos on YouTube (La Blogotheque Takeaway Shows), typewriter(s), poetry, records on the turntable, sometimes dancing, random food from the fridge around 3am, followed by strong coffee, a rotation of visitors amongst the 'regulars,' sometimes a backyard fire depending on the house, and always copious amounts of alcohol.

So, essentially, nostalgia laid siege to my relaxing week at home, with a multiplicity of mixed emotions about the past and uncertainty about the future. I was so happy to be back, then wrenched around when I became homesick for the first time since moving, when I arrived home, and not the other way around. I found myself trying to keep from drifting into 'coulda-woulda-shoulda' mode when the visit ended. I forgot how, by being away from home or any familiar place or people, your feelings about it/them sort of crystallize over time. Sometimes it's not easy to face changes, or things that may have become clearer in your absence.

So, perhaps the moral of the story is... traveling when there is some major family event going on, or when you're majorly stressed out for whatever reason, and having to deal with two 5+ hour layovers... not a good idea. I know sometimes it's unavoidable. The major problem is that I was alone, with nothing to do but think, in the already anxiety-laden atmosphere of several airport terminals over a stretch of time in which much more sleeping should have happened.

Despite all this, it's refreshing to be back in Edinburgh. Classes started this week, a routine revs up again, I've got great friends to hang out with, this city is gorgeous and calm again after the New Year (no more carnival noise, yippee!), all my stuff is here, and... my mobile phone works normally. There is something fresh about being back, as if I'm able to see it more clearly. Keeping focused on the present is the best thing here, and is probably best in any case. And I also was able to, in the feat of technological greatness known as Skype, to speak to four generations of my family all at the same time: My nana, my mom, my sister, and her new son. How amazing is that? I may not be there physically, but I could still, in some sense, meet my new nephew. Yes, everything really is alright. :)

Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks. ;) What's a blog if not a place to spill every once in a while, eh?

Cheers guys!
Kate xx

Hello London!

  

I love this city! On my first full day in the city, I started the morning at the National Gallery and took a walk through Westminster and around Southbank to get to Tate Modern. Luckily it didn't rain until later evening, but it was quite cloudy most of the time. Just a few photos!

I'm fairly positive I walked by Adam Godley! Having just watched Love Actually the other day, in which he plays the tiny-bit part of the teacher introducing the school nativity play, it was happily coincidental to see someone so fresh in memory.

Now I'm snacking on some Hobnobs and sipping an evening cuppa. By the way, does McVitie's still make mini Hobnobs? Those were the best...

Cheers,
Kate x

A lesson in stressful travel: The train to London

Yesterday morning I hopped the train at Edinburgh's Waverley Station and headed down to London. I was in a wonderful mood and ready to head south, but the journey wasn't without incident. I had an encounter with probably the gruffest, grumpiest ticket collector ever. Unfortunately I made a careless mistake and left part of my discount railcard in my flat. What I got for failing to read the small print and bringing along what amounted to only part of my railcard was a threat of a voided ticket and an up-front charge of £340 (I'm not actually sure where this number came from) for new tickets. Luckily, after explaining it was an honest mistake, he let it slide (phew!) and even though I had to blow quite a bit more on a new return (non-void) ticket, it's better than whatever that ridiculous £340 was! Perhaps that's how train companies make their money these days... but I refuse to be bitter. My only real complaint is with that particular guy's sideways sense of customer service. On the flip side, the other woman I talked to was wonderfully kind, so it cancels out. Ha, it is what it is.

Regardless, I arrived safe and sound in London in the afternoon, and despite seeing a rather bright and optimistic sunrise from the train earlier, it was rainy and heavy-skied all evening and into the night. I found my hotel, the Mornington Hotel right away, just off Hyde Park, and it's very nice. A lovely old pair of London townhouses that were remodeled and modernized inside to create a comfy little space with an adorable lounge downstairs that doubles as their homey Library Bar. I spent the evening walking around the very western end of Oxford Street, checking out all of the twinkling Christmas decorations and especially the inside of Selfridges. It's still high up on my to-do list to see Harrods all lit up, and perhaps Covent Garden too! I'm just loving the Christmassy atmosphere here, even if it is grey and rainy. Oh, London!

 



I've missed this city bunches. The last time I was here was 2011 and even since then, so much has changed. The skyline is different every time I visit! I just love it. I love the pubs, the fashionable people, Underground stations and the sound of the trains, the museums, and the fancy terraces, adorable mews and coffee shops. I'll never tire of it. :)

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

Cheers!
Kate x

Where did I pack the...?

Here goes: one of the only posts I'll probably ever do that does not include a photo! I'm pressed for time, you see. And technology. I don't know where my camera is at the moment--oh wait, I do, but it's buried in a carry-on bag full of things I couldn't fit in my regular suitcase. In fact, I don't know where I put the toothpaste, but I'm trusting it's in one of the bags, somewhere...

In a nutshell, I'm about to depart! Thought I'd throw out a quick update since I suddenly find myself with about an hour to spare and nothing more to pack. I could cuddle with my cat for a while, but he's napping and it would probably just piss him off. I got in a really nice last-minute coffee date with my mom and nana, and said goodbye to my sister and her lovely coffee shop. That's one place I will definitely miss -- the regulars there are like none other. Seriously, just about everybody knows everybody. There's some serious value to a place like that.

I finally started getting "nervous tummy," which my sister corrected me (correctly) and called "excited tummy." Not really wanting to eat anything, feeling a little anxious about all of the little things that really aren't all that important, but somehow seem hugely significant right now: Is my suitcase below the weight limit? Do I really need to bring that extra purse? Is mascara considered a liquid? Where is the toothpaste?

All in all, though, I feel really good. I feel prepared, and that's about all a person can ask for when she's about to embark on a big trip. And not just a big trip, but a long stay. A move, but a university move, which isn't really the same thing--but kind of. I find that the more I tell myself to go with the flow, the better I feel. So, to leave you with, three little day-of-departure tips that I'm finding useful right now.

1) Daily routines are important. I was distracted enough this morning with packing that I totally forgot to put makeup on. And not that makeup is a necessity -- I don't mind not wearing it. But the point is that it's a regular morning routine, and I didn't do it. So, to my surprise, late in the morning I was surprised by my appearance in the mirror, and felt like I had forgotten something. Moral of the story: stick with your routine and you'll feel better about the excitement and uncertainty that lies ahead.

2) Do a last-minute cull. You're getting down to the wire and you think your suitcase might be a little heavy or overstuffed. Open it up and make a snap decision or two about a few things you don't need. If you're like me, your last week or so has been, at least in some part every day consumed by thoughts of what to bring, what not to bring, what fits, what's too heavy, etc. When you've got a deadline (ie. actually have to getcho bad self to the airport), it's easier to just be done with it. Stop thinking, just pull a couple things out. It's so much nicer to have a little wiggle room in the suitcase.

3) Take some time to just relax. Scan your Facebook feed, have coffee with your mom, read a book, watch TV... just chill. It's good to get your mind off things for just a moment--just to pause--and refresh a little bit before hopping on the plane.

See you there!

Kate x

Second to last

To bring the blue velvet tennies, or no? The hardest part of packing has been limiting myself to things that I actually wear on a regular basis, since my wardrobe contains things I don't wear all the time, but am loathe to part with. Thus, the velvet tennies question.

My bags are mostly packed and still within weight limits, so I don't think it should be too hard from here on out. I've donated a bunch more stuff to the thrift store, gotten a haircut, packed away a bunch more stuff, cleaned some more...

I've been spending a good deal of time with this guy. 

And I'm finally starting to cross items off the list faster than I can add them. It's starting to look really good, actually, and with that, I'm feeling a little more at ease. It was really wonderful to go visit my favorite Kate at Shear Chaos Salon, a little treat from my mom as a last-minute get-ready-to-travel bonus. Is there anything quite like a really good shampoo/head massage? Pff, not likely!

This may be my final post Stateside, so perhaps the next you'll hear from me, I'll be travel-weary and exhausted, but excited beyond comprehension to finally be in Edinburgh. :D

Cheers!
Kate x

Pack it up, pack it in

Somehow, this photo makes this look a lot more contained than it feels!

With only three days until departure (!!!) the stress of packing and cleaning (ie. moving -- I'm sure there are those of you who know this well) has slightly eclipsed the excitement, but I'm ticking things off my seemingly monumental to-do list and getting down to the nitty gritty. And some of the stuff on that list is fun! Like a haircut tomorrow (nothing serious, just a trim), and a belated farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in the area (from the museum), and probably at least one more get-together with at least one, if not more, of my favorite people. Laundry is getting laundered! Skype is installed! Bags are getting packed! Belongings are (mostly) boxed! My cat is freaking out!

It's all coming together. ;)

I'm currently without a phone that takes decent photos, or an iPod that takes photos at all--so Instagram is on hold until I get my iPhone up and running in Scotland. But until then... I hope you'll keep track of whatever updates I can muster via the Artsy Abroad Facebook page and I simply cannot wait to do my first posts from Edinburgh!

Cheers!
Kate x


Days to Edinburgh move-in: 4 (so close I can taste it)

A little of this, a little of that

My attention has been pulled in various directions today--my first proper nothing-needs-doing day off in weeks--starting with a lovely little message in my Edinburgh mailbox about setting up my student email and welcome booklets! Nothing gets me more amped than reading about the logistics and the practicalities of life in a new city. I know, I know, it sounds like it should be the opposite, right? Finding out where the closest grocery stores are, how to open a bank account, what the most affordable public transportation is, who will meet me at the airport and so on... it's all rather boring in and of itself. But when you're talking something like Edinburgh (or throw in anywhere from San Francisco to Tokyo to the two two hours away from you that you've always wanted to live in), even the little things sound like great fun.

At least to me. ;)

My youngest sister made from-scratch pancakes for my mom and I this morning, meanwhile discussing other logistics and practicalities -- the kind pertaining to camping in less than a week! So looking forward to my sibling road trip to Montana. We leave next Saturday!

And then, to top it off, after a quick trip to the store for dinner items and things like Off Deep Woods bug spray, I got home and popped in a CD I've been listening to constantly for the last couple of days. An odd choice, but so it is: Ralph Vaughan Williams' The Wasps performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. One of my favorite classical tunes is "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and second up is "The Lark Ascending." Kind of chill-yet-exciting classical stuff, very English, and just what I happen to be into today.

And on an English note, my other purchase of note from yesterday:

Great Houses of London by James Stourton, photographed by Fritz von der Schulenburg, and published by Frances Lincoln. It's an amazing, gorgeous book. It's no secret I'm a self-proclaimed Anglophile (it just happened), and although I don't usually find it necessary to own architecture and interior photography books (I love to look at them, but usually can't justify their cost) this one just drew me in. I just wanted to be in every single image. I want to visit all of these houses. I want to be in London right. now.

I want to be a lot of places right now, it seems. It's this summer, the weather, the plans and determination to go somewhere very soon. It all adds up. I've got the travel bug, full force! And of course I can't wait to share all that comes next.

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 76

Bon week-end!

Is the English saying "toodle-oo," as in, "adios!" derived from the French à tout à l'heure? I've been brushing up on le français and came across that phrase for the first time (why was I never taught that one?) and when I said it out loud a few times, I couldn't say it without laughing. Regardless, a little sleuthing revealed that it's probably not -- that "toodle-oo" is as much a British derivation of "toddle" or "to tootle" someplace (as in "tootling down to the local pub"), but it can't just be coincidence, right?

Anyway.

The photo is from my first trip abroad in 2006, from an extremely long evening walk through Paris on one of the nights we decided to see as much as physically possible on foot.

+ + +

A small piece of pertinent Scotland info: university finance queries and documents are starting to roll in.  I know it's not very exciting -- at all, actually -- but it does indicate that this is real, like. Real-real. I've officially declared intent to enroll, so it's all looking a little more official as the days pass.

The anticipation of summer sometimes feels equal parts stressful and carefree, simply because everything seems to happen in the summer and you also want to be able to do so much. It's going to go by very quickly, but come the end of July, most of the work will be done, and I can seriously start looking forward. And perhaps a little short trip to Paris will be in order... de pratiquer la langue. ;)

A tout à l'heure!

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 105