They had just served breakfast and she was vomiting. This little kid was vomiting in a bag and doing so very loudly. We are 40 minutes from touchdown and she is sick NOW. The flight attendants are checking seat belts and tray tables and doing a great job of ignoring the heaving of the eight year old into the bag. Me, not so much. All of a sudden, the Latino attendant, who doesn’t like me, takes it upon herself to sit my seat in the upright position. The only thing is, it is already in the upright position. See, I am a large man, and the seat leans back because if the weight. All joking aside, this is reality. She then looks at me and say: “Quit pushing back on the seat. You have to sit it up.” I say ok, and I sit all the way forward so she can “do her job.” She leaves and another attendant comes and does the same thing. I politely inform her that this has already happened and I cant help that my seat sits back a bit further than everyone else’s. She then informs me: “Sir, we already know that you are not working well with us, please just let me do my job.” Third time.
We landed in Manchester and all the kids start clapping loudly and screaming for joy, even the sickly one. We deplane and I hit the bathroom to freshen up (deodorant, brushing my teeth, etc.). We all go through customs and claim our bags. Hallelujah, my bag made it England. I proceed to the ATM to pull out British pounds and then make my way to the train station. After about a mile, I get to the train station and try to pull up my ticket. Not happening. See, I purchased the ticket about two months ago and there is like a “will call” electronic retrieval process. So I go to the ticketing agent and she informs me that my ticket that I purchased is not god for today, but my return ticket will be okay. So now, I have to purchase a single one way ticket to Retford, and it ends up costing me about twenty pounds ($40). The British rail system is a work of art. I am noticing that the Europeans pretty much simplify everything. I haven’t been in the UK (other than flying through) since I was 16. The train ride was methodic and boring but efficient and didn’t waste any time. I changed trains in Leeds and was on my way to Retford. We arrived in Retford around 1pm (or 1300). Andrew was picking me up but he didn’t arrive until 1:30pm, because that is when I told him the train would arrive. Little did I know the trains change schedules over two months. So I waited in the cold for a half hour and Andrew picked me up. We made our way to Mattersey and chatted a while about what the weekend would look like. We arrived and he gave me a brief tour of the campus…basically, it is about four buildings. There is a pub around the corner. Andrew showed me my small room, literally about 10 feet by 8 feet. With a bed and a sink. I unpacked and was so excited to get online and call Shauna. I opened my Mac book, still not broken, and connected to their WiFi here on campus and…nothing. I have no internet and therefore no way to contact Shauna or hear her voice.
I worked for about 2 hours trying to get it working…no avail. I took a nap and went to the pub around 5pm (or 17:00). I walked in and they informed me they would start dinner around 6pm (or 18:00). So, I walked back to the room and got a shower and tried to get the internet working again…nothing. I am really depressed right now. I cant do anything but write and study and watch DVDs I brought…I want to talk to Shauna so bad and am cursing this trip.
I went back to the pub at 6pm and ordered dinner. I wasn’t very good but I told them it was and they were very kind to me. I took a walk after dinner and the countryside here is gorgeous. I will take pictures tomorrow. I went back to my room, worked on the internet again and got nowhere…cursed this stupid trip because I am lonely and I miss Shauna and she should be with me at all times…I really miss her. I cant even tell her that I have no internet and she is probably worried about me…big sigh.
I put in the Simpsons season eight DVD and fell asleep. Around 10pm, I got up and journaled the day. Oh God, help me through tomorrow.
