I feel obligated to finish writing about the traveling portion of my trip, if only to get it all down for future reference and warning to myself against trying to travel with a backpack, a purse, and 2 fifty pound roller bags.
As I went to bed last night, I could only be thankful that the bed I was sleeping in with my 24+-hours-of-traveling-grime-covered clothing on was not going to be mine for longer than one night and that Chantel and Lyndsay had graciously volunteered to go back to the airport at midnight to collect all 9 missing bags. As it would have been too easy for them just get there and pick the bags up, that flight was delayed and Chantel and Lyndsay got to wait another hour or so in an empty baggage claim before hauling all 450 lbs of luggage back. So at 2:30 am, we all dragged ourselves out of bed and clank clank clanked all of our bags up three flights of narrow hostel stairs and barely had enough floor space to store all of them in our room.
Fast forward to 7:30 am when it seemed that a repeat button was hit and we started clank clank clanking the bags down the stairs to attempt to squeeze them all into 2 taxis. Then we squeezed them into the elevators at the train station and finally made it onto the train to Sevilla. Fortunately we're all such cute girls that there were tons of strapping young men practically fighting to help us lift each of the now 12 fifty lb bags into the overhead compartment... (ha ha. not).
To solidify the point about don't travel with this much luggage (EVER, no matter how much you think you need whatever you have in that bag), we finally arrived at Sevilla and had a showdown with the taxi drivers. Much to our chagrin, we lost the showdown and ended up having to take a separate cab each because, apparently, luggage can only be stored in the trunk. Mean taxi drivers: 1, Tired Americana chicas: 0.
Have I convinced you? Mike, Amelia and Dickson (the only people that my tired brain is remembering who are still coming abroad soon) have you learned my lesson?
But after a hot shower and a nap I was able to fully appreciate that I'M IN SEVILLA! Though it's a little cold and rainy right now, it is beautiful. The streets are lined in blossoming orange trees and another breathtaking building is around every corner. I've met up with the 35 other students from Cornell and UPenn in the program tonight over dinner and will begin orientation tomorrow. This is all slowly but surely becoming real to me, and I can't wait for what's next.
OH- and a few other of my travel companions have joined the blogosphere if you're looking for a few other perspectives:
Chantel: http://chantelmarissa.blogspot.com/
That´s a great recap of an exciting start. Glad to hear that you FINALLY got there ok.
ReplyDeleteI am checking this from Managua Nicarauga after a couple fun filled days in San Pedro Sula--including lots of armed guards and chase cars.
However, it also included a cool helicopter trip over a mountain lake in mid-jungle where we were visiting the world´s largest talipia farm. Think a very large Pymatuming... Operated by a reclusive Jewish guy from Switzerland. His security detail is made up of Israeli army guys.
Anyway, better run for now. Glad to hear you are doing well. Hasta pronto
Dad