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Here's the girls at our condo in Nice. Best 3 Days EVER! Worst Blogger Ever!
I admit it. Yes. I am the worst blogger ever. For all my love of writing and my love of talking about myself to everyone around me, I can't seem to keep up with this blogging thing. I thought I'd have time in the next few days to do some real blogging before I leave, but things keep popping up and I don't have time for anything. I'll recount my glorious day for you all.
*9am: Wake up, shower, breakfast (not all in the same minute, mind you)
*10am: Out the door with laundry, ready to hit the town - err, laundromat - and find out that it's windy as anything. The sky also looks menacing, as though rain is approaching. What?! In Normandy?!
*10:55am: As I am slow, it took me an hour to walk to the laundromat ... I also may have left after 10am, I'm not sure. Anyhow, I found that the laundromat is all metal-doored-up (what boarded up is now-a-days!). Alas, I have to wait until 2:30pm to do my laundry.
*10:59am: After being unable to find the bus stop to take me downtown, I took the bus back up to
Erin + Alison with the Cannon
April 28ish, Monaco. Alison was taking a picture of Erin on the other side of the cannon, so I took a picture of them! where I knew a stop was, crossed the street (with my massive suitcase with Canada stickers all over it - yes, My Name is Kara, and I AM CANADIAN!), and waited for the upcoming bus.
*11:18am: Arrival at the train station to buy my ticket to San Sebastian on Wednesday (May 24).
*11:29am: Waiting patiently in the seated area with my #400 ticket burning a hole in my hand
*11:41am: Still waiting ... bus pass will run out soon
*11:45am: GLORY! #400 has flashed on screen. Oh, it's the nice lady who I always get who speaks English and is really sweet!
*11:46am: Oh no ... No more tickets for Eurail passes to San Sebastian for Wednesday. None for that night either. What about May 25th? No, not that either. Options, options .... 12-25 reduction card? Not for May 24th. May 25? YES! I can use my Eurail to get from Irun to San Sebastian though - yes! Saves me money.
*11:59am: Exit train station with ginormous suitcase of laundry. Check ticket. Looks good, yes.
*12:03pm: Board bus ... Pass has expired, use next pass ... 3 more left. Still good.
*12:15pm: Exit bus at the square that holds the
Erin + Me in Barcelona
This is on the beach in Barcelona. We were super happy to be in the sun! laundromat, prepared to sit for 2.5 hours.
*12:30pm: Planning, planning, planning ... I made a handy calendar in my planning book! Super organized!
*12:41pm: Stare at ticket to San Sebastian, realize the 18 minute-12 euro-ticket says May 22 on it. What? The Paris-Irun one is May 25, correct. Irun-San Sebastian is May 22, incorrect. I now hold a ticket across the country to Spain that is useless because super-sweet-speaks-English woman printed it off wrong. Must get this fixed on Wednesday.
*12:50pm: Nice laundry people let me in early to start my laundry after seeing me sitting outside waiting when they came 1/2 an hour earlier! Things are looking up!
*1:45pm: 2 loads later, laundry is now in the dryer. Take a walk to the grocery store in the same square, but it is closed until 2:30pm. NOTE: French lunches last from 12pm-2:30pm, with some starting at 11:30pm (i.e. the International Office staff here at school). Back to the laundromat to wait for dryer to finish.
*2:25pm: All done! Back to Ango to unload and start to pack
*2:28pm: Rain. Wonderful. Try umbrella. It almost flips upside down, joy. Umbrella down, hood up.
*3:10pm: Back at Ango. See some randoms in
Alison and I in Barcelona
This was at Parc Guell. Such a beautiful day in a beautiful place! the hallway, miss the girls terribly 😞
*3:20pm: Mom calls! Much needed therapy!
*3:50pm-7:15pm: Packing. Realize I have too many clothes, am surprised by more hangers in the closet with clothes on them, unsure where they came from. Further realization is that my pots, pans and dishes will not be returning to Canada. Will likely be donated to next year's Laurier students as I do not want to throw them out.
Thus, I am now blogging. I am blogging and eating cereal, the only food I have that I can eat. Why, you ask? Well. My hot-plate is not working. Yes. Ango, the broken building has struck again. I reported it and have hopes that it will be fixed tomorrow and I can eat my pasta, rice, and tasteless potatoes for at least dinner. Another option: I will take said items with me along with my peanut butter for the first few weeks of my trip providing a working hostel kitchen.
My Current Thoughts: *How heavy will my suitcase be?
*Will Olga's Place in San Sebastian write me back to tell me I'm good for May 27 or will I be homeless?
Edit: Olga's Place
Alison and Erin in Barcelona
Oh, the horrors of the Barcelona bus station! This was a night full of M.A.S.H playin' and sketchy randoms! emailed me and I'm good for the 27th now :D Yesssss!
*Will I get a change of ticket for Irun-San Sebastian? Or will the crazy SNCF workers make me pay again? (likely)
*Will my hot-plate be fixed?
*Will the yellow-building make me pay for the hot-plate that broke while I was gone for 6 days? (likely)
*How much of my deposit will I get back?
*Will
la femme de menage find marks on my blankets and make me pay?
*Will I be able to keep my mouth shut when she is telling me what is wrong?
*Am I going back up to Paris to meet with Brad and Jessie at the beginning of June?
*Can I survive on my own?
Sadly enough, the last thought is the most prevalent. As I am 2 days away from being off on my own - although technically I've been alone since January - I'm beginning to wonder if I can do it on my own. I'm used to having others near me in case something goes wrong, and being all alone is scary.
I've never had to be alone in my life. It sounds infantile, I know, but remember that before this
Me on the Eiffel Tower
May 8. Paris. Saying goodbye to Erin in style! I got to the top of the Eiffel Tower and didn't faint, and got close to the 'edge' as you can see! semester, I've never lived away from home.
Yes. It will be exciting. And yes, I'll grow so much as a person. And yes, I'll come back with amazing stories, pictures, and experiences that only I experienced. But I'll be alone. I will be the only one to depend on. I may meet other people, or I may not.
I don't know.
Change of subject ... my cereal isn't finished yet. I decided to sew a maple leaf patch on my purse. I figure I don't have enough Canadian memorabilia on my person. What with my two patches and the big flag luggage tag that every Canadian traveller owns. And if you don't, you are disowning your country!!! Just kidding! Not true, not true.
Okay, I'm pretty exhausted from my busy day of laundrying and packing. My suitcase is a mammoth and it will be a challenge to get down the 2 flights of stairs in Ango. Too bad I can't pack the suitcase in the lobby! Where are my girls when I need them?! Monkey? All? Mr Smith? ANDREA?!!
Not here. Damn.
P.S. This will be the last post with pictures as I leave
French Flag
Yes, it's a beautiful picture. I have decided to use it for the front of my soon-to-be-produced scrapbook! my digital camera behind. From now on, you'll have to deal with having only my words at your benefit. Hence why I have thrown together a few pictures from the trips I haven't blogged and will not blog. No worries, I will recount them in my written journal so I can tell my stories!
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Alison
non-member comment
Monkey Love
Sorry I can't be there to give you some moral support and help with those bags! Sounds like you have some big bags. Also sounds like there is confusion with the French as usual. For your hotplate, try flipping the 'plaque' switch in the hallway cupboard. I had to do that a few times this semester. I am taking advantage of my home environment, listening to new music (James Blunt!) and eating homemade apple pie. I have confidence in you and your skills at surviving on your own. You will probably get lost a few times, we do anyways, and you will have a fantastic time! Love you and miss you! Stefan and I are kindred spirits btw...your favorite monkey, Alison