So, As most of you know, my flights left Montreal on Saturday and arrived in Aberdeen Sunday, with a brief -1 hour - layover in Frankfurt, Germany (from 6:00 until 7:00 AM Frankfurt time). Unfortunately, things didn't quite turn out as planned.
The first flight was fine - uneventful even (though slow as heck). We left Montreal around 6:00 PM (instead of the 5:00 we had listed on our tickets). I rode in the aisle of the center part of the plane, no windows for me. I shared the middle seats with a perfectly charming French couple from the Saguenay region. They were an older couple on their way to Croatia on an 18 day vacation. Other than having a slightly turbulent flight, the flight over was decent.
Once in Frankfurt, however, the stress was on: we disembarked at 6:50 AM, and I needed to get through the terminal and to the proper gate for my next flight by 7:05 for boarding... can you say stress? The only real obstacle was - aside from getting to the right place before my connecting flight left me in Frankfurt - the scan station. Somehow, I must have flirted with the right airport personnel because they bumped me through to the front of the line, yay me! I barely - barely - made it to my gate, and then I was snet down a few flights of stairs to a bus, where they bussed us to the actual plane.
The second flight was also uneventful. I arrived on time in Aberdeen, about 8:35 AM, UK time. I got through customs without incident and caught a cab from the airport to my B&B. The owner/proprietor met me and showed me to my room - which is nice; floral themed and coloured in beige and reds, but nice nonetheless. He seems an okay sort, though he constantly looks both frazzled and lost.
When I went to call the parents, as promised, I ran into an unexpected snag: where to find a phone. The B&B didn't offer one, and the proprietor wasn't sure where to find one either. So, off I went to try and find one.
I succeeded about half a kilometer away from the guest house and called the parents (I still feel guilty about calling them at what amounted to 3-something in the morning). The call was both a good thing and a bad. The good was to reassure them that I was safe; the bad was the reminder of how alone I am/was. I know tons of people move away from their families/whatever all the time, but I guess I'm just not built for it. I loathe the feelings of isolation and otherness I experienced. I truly loathe it. I think it's easier when you're moving somewhere and you have stuff to do, or have someone you're meeting there, etc. The just being in a strange place all alone, it not comforting. I think, had this been merely a vacation, I'd have dealt better, but I can't be certain. All I can compare it to was my time in the Dominican Republic, and that wasn't as hard for me because not only did I have others with whom I interacted daily, I also knew I'd be back to familiar places in short order. (It's not even like I can strike up a conversation with anyone in the place I'm staying... I've only seen one other person staying here, and he wolfed down his breakfast and was out the door before 7:30 this morning). The proprietor isn't mush better, while frazzled, he couldn't seem less interested in speaking with anyone staying on his premises. (Aren't B&B operators supposed to be outgoing and friendly?).
Returning to my lodgings, I grabbed a nap (okay, so at 5 hours, I can't really call it a nap...) and then ventured out again to find some things I needed: a phone, food, and one of those adaptor converter things (I forgot the one I had at home). I managed the former 2, but was unable to find the last - which sucked, as my battery life on my laptop wouldn't be enough to last the week without the recharge. Resolved, I decided to ask the proprietor in the morning about locations - I figured he'd know some of spots, as there most likely are lots of tourists who lose theirs, don't think to pack them, or simply forget about the incompatibility between UK plugs and those from elsewhere.
Once 'home' again, I plugged in my cell to charge it, and called the parents once more to provide them with my number; I'm sure you can get it off them, should you desire my digits here in the UK. Once again, the feelings of isolation after speaking with them was heavy. I really hope I get over this feeling of loneliness soon, it's depressing.
Aside from that, there was nothing much else to do, so I went puttered around in my room until midnight and caught some more sleep.
Thus was my exciting first day on this journey..... only 385 days left before I can go back to Canada or move on to somewhere else... but either way, tomorrow will be better, I hope.
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