travelling times

Here I am in Worcester England, sitting in the amazing Hive library after having a two hour tour of the building

It is one week since I left home on my latest journey.  I was determined to keep a running commentary of my trip and what I was experiencing but time is going to fast and I am putting a lot of effort into my work so personal blogging not really happening.  I also intended to keep a diary too but it has turned into a quick mindmap at the end of the day. 

Quick rundown
Flight on Singapore Airlines to London Heathrow...not terrible.  Great care  and kind people.  Air travel is an amazing experience, watching people and discovering different behaviours that you know you would NEVER EVER display or even expect.  OMG, the things people think are acceptable.  Treating the crew like their own personal waiters through the entire trip, demanding food every minute, eating all the chips and leaving shit everywhere, then farting a lot and yelling to each other across the cabin.  Crazy.  Sadly I was one in a row of 7 of them and I was gobsmacked

Heathrow...very efficient, through in no time, no border security, I could have been carrying anything and they would never ever know.  Once through passport you are totally ignored.  I can now see why Brits coming to NZ have a cow when they get questioned about rogue fruit in their bags.

Leicester with Louisa....lovely and fun with her.  Pretty much left to our own devices by the rest of them so we were able to enjoy pottering around, taking the dog walking and going to IKEA. We also went out for two meals and a great show at The Curve.  Guy came too.  Louisa is, as always generous to a fault.

Newcastle with Richard and Vicky.  Lovely fun.  Had a great night with them and the children.  Super visit with the Angela at the library and a bit of mooch around the town.  Very interesting, a bit grubby and wet.  Got some cool stuff to send home.

Birmingham...should have spent more time there.  Amazing library yet to open but I can tell it is going to be fantastic.  What a project to be proud of.  Spent a fantastic couple of hours with Fay whom I met in 2007.  Very proud of their achievement.  Lovely friendly people in Birmingham.

Worcester.   Haven't had a chance to explore yet. Will get out there soon once I have written up my notes.  Looked very pretty coming in and I am looking forward to walking along the river and seeing the sites

FOBA

I have this fear..the fear of being alone. My friend Alex made it up at the pub the other night when I was telling her about how hard it is going to be for me to be on my own traveling next year. I have won a scholarship which enables me to get out into the world and do some research and exploration. A wonderful once in a life time opportunity tinged with the fear of being on my own. I am very competent and capable of traveling solo and have no fears on that account. However, past experience has shown me that more than a couple of hours on my own is terrible. I get lethargic and morose without the energy and company of others and very bad demons enter my head. It is dark. This is a sad but unchangeable personality trait.

I love parties, family gatherings, work, chance meetings, children, old people, anyone I can talk to and hang out with. I am not a mad woman who talks to strangers in that awkward way but give me a smile and some encouragement and I can have a lough and make a nice connection with almost anyone. My deep need of people drives me. So, how the hell am I going to manage for one month with no friends or family on tap?

Well, I have come up with some plans... 1. Going to a conference in Amsterdam where I am hoping to know at least one or two people from NZ. I am doing the hard yards now making connections and hoping like hell there are people there I know and who are prepared to spend time with me. I am looking for a fun outgoing and energetic person who doesn't need a lot' alone time' themselves.

2. On the England leg of the journey I am impinging for days upon my lovely sister in law Louisa whose company I love. I am also planning that we will have a weekend away somewhere so I can get a people battery zap (as well as give her a break from her busy life and just hang out together exploring a new place for us both)

3. A colleague from NZ has also asked if she can join me on some of my journey, phew...that is a relief. Although she is quite different in her need for people and loves her alone time, I think this will work.

I admire people who travel for work who can spend time with others and then have those yawning hours from early evening to mid morning usually on their own. I am guessing you just do lots of work to fill in the time. My experience has been that when you are meeting people from other countries they don't always 'host' you outside the meeting so you are just left to your own devices.

4. Another thing I might do is beg some people to hook me up with people they know in various cities and make them spend time with me. That will take so chutzpah but I think I am up for it. The joys of aging for me(and there are few I can attest) is knowing and accepting myself, putting myself out there, asking for what I need and not worrying too much what people think of me. This is not easy for everyone, I struggle with it but for my sanity I am going to embrace it and see how it goes. My journey will appear on this page, as much for my own enjoyment as anything else.