thoughts on riding on airplanes and other things of that sort

Leading up to England, it never really registered that I was going. To England. As in, England is a real place. I woke up early, grabbed my bag, and got in the car with my family. We walked into the airport as if it was an everyday thing. Stand in line after line, have your ID ready... I register how strange it is that I feel nothing about this experience so far, so I settle for raising my eyebrows at my mom in what I hope is a convincing, "can you believe we're actually going to ENGLAND??!" face.

The worst part of going through the airport is when you have to take off your shoes. Oh, the inconvenience of it all! And the line is so long behind you, while the airport employees side-eye you the whole time, because who knows what you're hiding in your socks. So you spend extra time trying to look more casual than anybody ever really does, hopping along the line with your shoe half on so you aren't inconveniencing anyone else...

The airplane itself is a mind over matter activity. In my mind, I can't figure out how an airplane even works, but rather than live in fear, I decide everything is going to work out perfectly. And it does! The flight attendants are friendly, the leg room isn't too small (well, it is actually, but you grin and bear it), and no one next to you smells bad. The hardest time was when I fell asleep and woke up just as the attendant with the water passed me and I was so thirsty I could taste the sand of the Sahara in my mouth. And also trying to use a neck pillow.

Suddenly, without warning, we're landing in England. (So it is a real place?) And then the panic sets in. We're really here? We didn't turn around? What am I going to do in England? I've never been here before!! But there's no turning back, and you have to remind yourself why you thought England was cool in the first place. Because it is cool. Amazingly, stunningly, happy ever after cool... and oh, red telephone booths? Well then, everything is a-ok.

p.s. i can't wait to tell you all my adventures in Cambridge! 
p.p.s. marie, if you want to read it, you should probably follow it as well. all the cool people are doing it.