We left London on Thursday. This was also the first and only day we saw the Sun thus far into our trip and we didn’t even enjoy it as we spent half the day either traveling on buses or planes and were too busy to bask under the glory of our shy yellow friend! Anyway, our flight was in the early afternoon sometime. Airport security @ Stansted Airport is a bitch. I’ve been given grief at this airport more than any other airport I’ve been to. It wasn’t too bad for me outbound but Cece and Marie got held up and most of their make-up and toiletries (amongst other things) confiscated. When we arrived at Glasgow Prestwick airport (about 30 mins away from Glasgow city) everything changed and people were noticeably friendlier and the vibe a whole lot positive.

We picked our rental car from the Arnold Clark car rental company – a black Nissan Tiida – and made our way to Edinburgh. We got stuck in a bit of a jam once we hit Glasgow city, I think it was rush hour, but made a few ‘friends’ on the highway while rockin out to some tunes on my USB Mp3 car modulator. About an hour and half later we found ourselves in Edinburgh – somewhere, everywhere, but where we wanted to be – our hostel. Getting lost in the city does have its upside – we get to see parts of the city we wouldn’t normally see. The city has lots of churches and castles. Awesome architecture and ‘cleaner’ than Glasgow (which we’ll delve into later). Finally an hour later than expected we find our hostel (Belford Backpackers) and are greeted by Francisco, our ’sassy’ reception dude from Chile! Boy was he sassy with us! But hey I guess he was helpful. The “rooms” at our hostel was…interesting. Basically everyone shares a ceiling (and a view of the church’s stained glass ‘decor’) and you’re essentially sleeping in cubicles. You can hear everyone come and go, snore, chatter etc… For people like me who can sleep through an earthquake it shouldn’t be a problem plus do you really want to sleep while in Edinburgh?

The higher the bunk the closer to god

Perhaps it was cause it was a Thursday night but the so-called ‘happening’ spots we were recommended to go to by ‘Sassy’ weren’t as happening as we hoped. We ended on Haymarket and had dinner at this place whose name escapes me. After hanging out with the gals and having a few drinks we went to the pub next door and had a few drinks there too. We ended up staying there the rest of the night. There was a live band, a ‘naughty vending machine’ and Cece & I doing the “crossing guard dance” . We met some interesting people here and there, one of whom told me I should get ‘off the internet’ and do some recreational things like scuba diving. How we got talking about my ridiculous amount of time spent on the internet boggles me but I think it had to do with him hearing one of us say “OH EM GEE” (OMG). Forward to the cab ride back the hostel and the classic conversation had between me and the taxi driver about Jupiter, petri dishes, joobs, the joobicial system and being a Jupiterian. I think it all started with how he thought I was from Hawaii….

Belford Backpackers Hostel in the morning

PART 2 of SCOTLAND COMING UP….

Farewell to America (I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon – as in next year!) and hello again to the UK!

Met with C&C and M at Heathrow Terminal 4 on a fine rainy London afternoon (Airport no 6 or 7 on my trip). After several coffees later we decided to make our way to the hostel where we’d spend 3 wet days together.

Our hostel (Torquay) wasn’t too far from the Royal Oak tube station on the Hammersmith and City line. Our room faced the highway and a popular (and famous!) skate park  – Meanwhile 2 -  in central London. It was a quad room with a bathroom ensuite – cozy at first but not so cozy after several showers later and the room became a swamp. (semi) beggars can’t be choosers cause we paid only GBP11 / night which is pretty much a steal in central London. Personally, I like the noise of the highway (and the view of the skatepark), it’s quite soothing at night but I guess it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

We wanted to take it low key the first evening there so we went to eat some Fish & Chips (the quintessentially British food – next to curry?!) The lady at the hostel (also named Maya) told us to go to Mr. Fish on Porchester Road so we did. It was good but it still wasn’t what I hoped it to be (served in newspaper and the works – but apparently it’s become a health hazard now to serve them that way!). We walked around a bit in that area but I think we went in the wrong direction because it was all residential-ish / business like buildings. Finally after not finding much to do (and the priority task to STAY AWAKE to cure our jet lag) we headed out to Camden town and hit a few pubs there (The Oxford Arms, Spread Eagle, Dublin Castle) and hopped on the tube back “home” before closing time – but not before a couple photo ops of course!
Of the 3 times I’ve been to London never did I go on one of those “bus tours” but the 2nd day we did just that and you know what, being a tourist is kinda awesome! I guess I got caught up trying to “blend in” so much in the past but whatever, fuck it. You cover A LOT of London on those tours and it gives you an audio guide as well. It’s London on speed…basically. We already started the day kinda late (4 girls, one bathroom, low water pressure etc..etc..) so we just stayed on the bus till it came full circle and hopped off somewhere in Bayswater where we ate pub grub and drank some ciders (and some of us swooned over the fellas sitting next to us..hoho).

We had big plans to go on the Bath – Windsor – Stonehenge tour the next morning. We booked the tickets through the Big Bus Tour lady (the same tour company we did the sight seeing tour the day before with). She was very helpful but unfortunately the actual service was crap and the tour wasn’t booked so we ended up looking like fools at 8 a.m. when they kicked us off the bus. M in all her pissed off glory went to complain at the main office (she was about to stab a bitch – no joke). I stayed with CC to look up other options online. M ran into two American dudes (Jay & Scott from Philly) who were also looking to go for the same tour (Stonehenge) so we got booked on one that was leaving at 1 p.m. – enough time for us to hang out at Victoria Station, have lunch, sleep etc…etc… Just when we thought shit couldn’t get any worse, it starts POURING all the way to Stonehenge! It was freezing cold, windy and to make matters worse the stupid tour bus driver told us to take everything with us off the bus! Basically anything we bought earlier got drenched. We didn’t even get to listen to the walking audio cause we were too busy a) holding on to our shit b) holding an umbrella c)both. It made for a funny experience though and I’m surprised (and happy) no one got seriously ill cause we were all going to SCOTLAND the next day.

TO BE CONTINUED……

I’m back in Malaysia now and mission USUK 2009 is completed. Finally some time to sit back and recall the past two weeks.

After my last post on Tuesday, September 29th – I left my Mexi-CAN clan and met with Theresa. She picked me up from BWI and we drove into DC (almost didn’t get there!) and we had supper at Sticky Rice on H Street. It’s a nice quaint place that serves Asian-fusion food where colourful people eat. I ordered the Osaka Tuna steak sandwich

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Apparently Tuesday  nights is karaoke night there but no embarrassing acts of ‘empty orchestra’ happened. Just some catch up time with a good friend and trying not to pass out from exhaustion, jet lag and everything between. After dinner, we still had to get back to her home away from home over in Gaithersburg and after head to VA. We had planned to go to Kings Dominion early next morning for T’s birthday but after tix had already been purchased online we find out its CLOSED! In a way it’s a blessing in disguise cause I was still suffering from major vertigo and I don’t think crazy roller coasters would’ve helped. Instead we spent the day at Tysons Corner mall and I got some shopping done.

Later T & I headed back to Baltimore to catch WAVVES at the Ottobar. The Mexi-CAN clan were there, and also a few other people I hadn’t seen in a looooooong time (and a few I hadn’t even met!) Wavves were pretty awesome. I expected a better turn out but the less the people the better for us cause we wouldn’t have been able to bop around up front the way we did. The new drummer, Zach Hill, is a killer skin king. He gave the performance an extra sound (compared to what I’ve seen of Wavves live on YouTube). It kinda almost drastically changed how the songs sound on record (that or maybe it was speakers blaring right next to me that shot my earlobes that support this statement of mine). Needless to say, after an expectedly good time, I just wanted to stick Nate Williams (who essentially is Wavves) into my luggage and take him home with me. I managed to catch him by the merch table after the show and dude is just…a dude. Despite the interwebz branding him an “asshole” or whatever. I could totally just ‘hang’ with him. I got him to sign my t-shirt in which he wrote “Maya, Fuck Jesus. XO NW“. BRO!

I did see him and his ‘crew’ up at the bar before the gig playing pool but didn’t really approach them. When I saw them again up at the bar later in the evening after the show I asked them where they were off to after and they said “DC” in which I then made some stupid joke about how they should leave NOW cause DC’s quite a drive away. I don’t think it gelled too well cause all I got in turn was “it’s only an hour away”. Durrrr. Next thing you know I’m downing more Natty Boh’s and we’re all dancing to Wu Tang Clan. Some black dude (who had been living in Alaska for the past 8 years) came up to me later and totally praised my dancing said I was “feeling it”. Boy, this junk in the trunk doesn’t just sit there – it moves, it goes badonkadonk. U feeling ME now?

Jump forward and we’re back at Carolina’s place after a pretty crazy time and was treated to her and Monica doing a song and dance for us, something they had been rehearsing during the day while I was away attending to my retail needs with T. I managed to record this on video – but only the last few seconds of it.

The next morning we went to eat at this Mexican place just down the road. After 15 years or so I finally had my fix of ‘real’ Mexican food. Tacos Al Pastor, rez, chorizos, tortas, guacamole..etc..etc.. I think even the mineral water we drank was packaged in Mexico!

Ironically served on one of those plates you eat on at Chinese restaurants

In the afternoon by the time we all showered and ‘prettied’ ourselves up, we went to the harbour by Canton to catch the water taxi to get to Fells Point. FAIL. The water taxi never came and when it did we had left and ate at one of those harbourfront restaurants. A few hours later we had a BBQ over at Carol & Tom’s place. We went to Nacho Mama’s after and I finally had one of those Margarita’s in a hub cap. Awfully tasty and I don’t think I’ve ever been so ’soberly messed up’ as I did that evening cause when I woke up the next morning I was fully convinced I had 20/20 vision! Turns out I had left my contacts in the night before and I swear I don’t recall any of this happening. Joke is on me I guess.

Waiting for the water taxi that never came

More beligerence ensues into the night:- Martini’s, ‘ Cristal’, more cat nip – ow my system hurts thinking about it. I think I’m missing a day or two somewhere in here – but it seems like one big LOOOOOOOOONG day honestly, but a good one at that. Before I knew it, it was Saturday and we were at Little Havana’s drinking mimosas and Paul came to pick Rosie up. The troop split and I was saddened. It was more the times ’shared’ than what actually happened. Being back with my homeys (as one) after 13 years was just amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard. I didn’t even have to think half the time. Now that’s what I call a HOLIDAY..oops, I meant VACATION (sorry I’m writing about my trip to America).

The last night in the B-more – I decided I’d get in touch with a few ‘blasts from the pasts’ – one of whom suffered a recent motorcycle accident and couldn’t meet up and the other who dropped from the face of the earth (a few months before he was suppose to be my date to my sister’s wedding last year) – of whom still remains dropped from the earth it seems. I even received a message from the blast of all pasts – neither of whom I met with.

Links to relevant sites related to the above post:

• Blogger writes about the Wavves show @ the Ottobar, Sept 30 2009
  
• AV Club interview with Wavves
• Magic America photos 2009 via my Facebook.

A post about my UK (London / Edinburgh / Inverness / Glasgow) is next !!

P/S – thanks to Mel for pointing this out but apparently my “comments” section is all out of whacked. I dunno why – must be a script issue in which case I’m shit (or you’re shit) out of luck . I guess if u do have any comments or whatever there are other forms of contact.

Official ‘day 1′ in the B-more. I’m pretty on time with the hours – except right now I’m up and it’s 3 something in the morning here. I’m experiencing a sort of ‘vertigo’ and it sucks. Also, the crimson jimson is in full swing. I’ve been feeling nauseous and ughherr… other than that everything has been super so far. There’s been more reminiscing than actual ‘catching up’. There’s been a ridiculous amount of laughing. I wish I could update more but I’m usually too busy attending to one vice or the other…in short, the weather has been great (minus the sudden downpour while walking home from brunch), the food portions are disturbingly HUGE, the people friendly, sports seems to be the topic of conversation every corner I turn, I have trouble differentiating the guys here (former frat-boy, football playing/watching, typical “American” dudes)…..also the TV in the living room is huge but apparently it’s “ONLY” 42″…WT? Apparently size matters…

[cut/pasted from notepad while lounging about in the comfort of the sofa bed @ Carolina's place in the B-more]

Friday night we decided we’d go out for a few drinks and by the time I got home I was only a few hours away for heading out to the airport so I decide I’d pull an all-nighter. Brilliant right? ha ha ha. At the time I thought I could probably sleep a full 8 hours or so on the plane – WRONG…8 was actually maybe 2/3 hours with 15 minute nap intervals every now and then.

So I arrive in Stansted (the flight landed 45 minutes early). For a change I was one of the early people in the immigration line. I was also one of the last to get my suitcase. I decided I’d hang out a bit at the cafe before I boarded the bus into town. I ordered a cappucino – I figured I would need some caffeine to get me through the airport sleepover. The bus into town was packed and some Irish dude (flashback!) sat next to me. He was fighting on the phone the whole time though – eventually when that was over he started to talk to me (Ahhh the fighting Irish)…. moving along. I eventually get to Victoria Station and well, this is when shit gets bad. For starters, a few of the escalators weren’t working so I had to CARRY my friggin luggage all the way down… a few times I had to walk UP some stairs. It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just one piece but I packed like an asshole this time In the process of my incredible luggage workout, I dropped my oyster card so when I finally got to Terminal 4 @ Heathrow I told the guy what happened and he so rudely replied “So what do you want me to do about it?” The rest of the conversation goes something like this:

ME: Do I have to pay a penalty?
HIM: Well you have to pay for your ticket.
ME: Ok, where do I pay for it?
HIM: At the ticket office.
ME: Where’s the ticket office? (note I am still on the side where the trains are and logically there aren’t any ticket offices/machines on that side cause well, you have to pay to get IN before you get out right?)
HIM: Here (he gives me this dirty look)
ME: Ok. How much do I have to pay?
HIM: How am I suppose to know? I don’t know where you’re coming from?
ME: Victoria Station.
HIM: And where do you want to go?
ME: (irritated by this very DUH moment) Uhm… I’m here. Terminal 4 – I’m trying to get out.

So as I’m about to pay him the 4 pounds, I start telling him about how the escalators at Victoria Station were not working and how inconvenient it was etc..etc.. (what possessed me to do this I don’t know – I was fucking pissed off by this time)… the fucker decides to piss me off even more and say something along the lines of ‘it’s not my problem’ and I’m not sure if I understood him correctly with his err… ‘ethnic’ accent, but I swear he said something like ‘The workers at Victoria Station are probably underpaid to care’….

Jump to present time – I need a shower badly. They do have free showers here but I dunno – it smells funny in there. I am so close to splurge on the “YOTEL”. It’s about 35-45 pounds for 4 hours but at least in that 4 hours I can take a shower, charge my phone(s), get online for FREE and even sleep for a bit if time permits. As I type this however, I’ve made a nice comfy spot on some seats, however, construction men are moving heavy machinery in front of me (the noise = bad but some of the men aren’t too painful to look at! heh) I think I may just splurge on YOTEL….

Photo post laterzzz..

Sunday …again.

Alright, it’s not so bad. I’ts about 2 p.m. in Detroit and I don’t feel so jet lagged (yet). My flight from London went pretty smooth. It’s weird to have free inflight entertainment having gotten use to no frills – pay for everything – kind of flights. I watched 3 movies on board – The Proposal (meh), Adventureland (ok) and I Love You, Man (again)… That made 5 of 8 hours go by quite fast. I also watched an episode of 30 Rock and an episode of the United States of Tara.

It’s so weird to be back in the States. I’m feeling bloated as hell (plane food) and I’m in dire need of a good…well, you know what. Also, the lady in the store I bought water from was uber nice. I’m shocked at the courtesy to the point I felt It was a joke.