Angela's Andean Adventures.
North America Trip 2003 - Part 5.
The End of the Holiday!
I'm starting this on Sunday having arrived safely back in London and will complete
the last bit tomorrow. I had a good flight home which only took 7 hours in this
direction, landing at Gatwick at 7.20 this morning. From there I took the Gatwick
Express into Victoria, stowed my case and am at present at Charing Cross (where
I knew I could find an internet cafe) and from here I am off to see my friends Eddy
and Rosa at El Inca cafe.
My last couple of days in Savannah were very enjoyable with the warm sunny weather
lasting apart from a cooler breeze setting in. We had a lovely time on Thursday
- first going on a one hour cruise on the Georgia Queen paddle steamer. When the
boat set off up river we were seated at the front of the boat but could not stay
there long as we were almost blown overboard by the breeze! Coming back later the
difference was incredible as we were sheltered from the breeze and sitting in a
suntrap. Amazingly on board near us were people from Wales and Swindon which makes
one realise what a small world we live in at times.
After leaving the boat we headed into town as our next plan was a carriage ride
around the old part of Savannah. We detoured through one of the candy stores offering
free samples of Savannah's famous pralines though. These are really delicious but
really expensive at 15 dollars per pound. Just buying one each of these cost us
5 dollars.
We had to wait half an hour before going on the carriage ride so passed the time
eating ice-cream and looking at paintings in an art gallery. The actual carriage
ride was lovely and lasted nearly an hour, taking in the most historical places
and a tour guide talking continuously telling us the history of the city.
After that we returned home as Layla had a dance class for two people at 7 pm
until 8.30 but as it happened both students cancelled at the last minute, so Layla
offered to do a dance class just for me. For the next hour we did a lot of slow movements
to some Hindu music which is often used in yoga. We purposely kept the exercises
light and airy so that I would not pull any muscles - what with the long journey
home ahead of me. Afterwards we were quite hungry so went to an Indian restaurant
nearby for supper.
On Friday we had arranged to meet her friend Michelle at the coffee shop they
go to frequently in the mornings. We enjoyed several cups of coffee and cranberry
scones and afterwards went for a walk around a beautiful park nearby. We returned
home so that Layla could get organised for her classes that day, and then she dropped
me in town so that I could spend my last afternoon sightseeing, and she would pick
me up in the same place three hours later.
I went into a Spanish tapas bar for lunch and then looked at some shops and bought
a few things. I also managed to find the square which had a famous Indian chief
buried there, and paid my respects at his grave. Then at 4 pm we returned home as
Layla's friend Tumi was due to arrive any minute, as he usually stays at her house
when playing in Savannah. In fact we got there just 10 minutes before him, even
stopping on the way so that I could get a few things to cook that evening. Layla
had to go to work at 6 at the Casbah so I listened to music (Andean of course!)
with Tumi all evening and he told me lots about Ecuador which has really fired up
my interest to go there one day. Later I cooked a Peruvian dish for supper, saving
some for Layla for when she returned from work.
The next morning we had an early start as Tumi would be selling Ecuadorian crafts
and playing music at a huge flea-market outside of town as by this time we had decided
to go with him so that I could hear him play, instead of the early start to Atlanta
previously planned, and we would be continuing direct to Atlanta from there without
returning home. As it was just him, he would be playing panpipes in accompaniment
to his CDs, as his fellow band members were at another flea market in Colombia that
weekend.
We left about 8 o'clock as we had 15 miles to travel and all vendors had
to be there by 9 o'clock. I enjoyed browsing round at the flea market spending quite
a bit of time in the livestock sections. There was one big shed completely devoted
to puppies of all different breeds and I especially fell in love with a blue eyed
Siberian husky puppy who was on sale at 400 dollars. I also had a lot of fun in
the bird house with had lots of parrots, most very friendly and used to people.
Layla took a couple of photos of me holding a beautiful Cockatoo whilst we were
in there.
Then at 11 o'clock we said our goodbyes to Tumi and set off for the long drive
to Atlanta. After an hour and a half of driving we stopped at a Waffle House for
breakfast, and then continued to Atlanta airport which took a further 3 hours, the
airport being on our side of Atlanta and thus avoiding possible delays in the city.
There I checked in early, which is a double check-in procedure since September
11th. After checking in and getting my boarding pass I had to then go to the screening
centre where all luggage is checked by machine. I sure hope that none of my undeveloped
films were in the suitcase as a notice warned they would be destroyed by the machine.
I could only hope they were in my hand baggage as I knew that somewhere were 2 undeveloped
films in addition to the almost completed one in my camera. Several of the cases
were being opened and checked and I was hoping they would not do that with mine,
having done a war-dance on it at Layla's to get it zipped closed! Fortunately they
didn't open it but the guy lifting it onto the trolley going to the plane gasped
at the weight!
Then we went to a cafe for coffee and sandwiches before Layla and I said our
goodbyes. I spent about half an hour looking in the gift shops and then headed for
the train as my plane would be leaving from the most far distant concourse. I had
a fair wait until boarding was in progress and it was great to finally sink into
my seat - a window seat which is always my preference - and a gap between me and
another lady in the same row. The flight home was good - British Airways look after
their passengers so beautifully - but I was unable to sleep more than about an hour. I
ended up listening to Andean music all the way home and reading for a while. Each
passenger had a TV screen in the back of the headrest of the passenger in front,
with films throughout the flight but the best two films I had already seen at the
cinema (Homicide Cop and Pirates of the Caribbean). I will continue this email tomorrow
as it is going to be a pretty late breakfast at El Inca unless I get going!
Well unfortunately I was unable to see Eddy and Rosa when I arrived at El Inca
as they had gone shopping. Serves me right for wanting to surprise them instead
of letting them know. I waited 40 minutes in case they returned and in the end left
a note for them, as I had to get across to Canary Wharf next to meet Jorge and Viviana.
Before reaching Oval station Jorge phoned and confirmed they would be waiting for
me in the tube station at Canary Wharf.
When we met it was lovely to meet his wife Viviana for the first time who had
returned from Peru with him in August. We went to their home first so that they
could show it to me and then picking up their wedding photos to look at over lunch
we all set off by bus to a favourite restaurant of theirs. When we got off the bus
I realised we were in Bethnal Green and very close to where another friend Claire
lives. We had lunch at Nando's which I think is Portuguese, where they specialise
in barbecued marinated chicken which was so delicious that we ended up placing our
order again after we had finished and enjoyed a second portion! It was great to
see their wedding photos. They could not have got married in a more wonderful place
- at Huanchaco, the beach I so fell in love with whilst in Trujillo earlier this
year.
Finally as we made our way back to their home it was beginning to get dark and
I was struggling to stay awake on the bus and still had a few hours of travel before
I would get home. I said goodbye to Viviana and Jorge accompanied me to the tube
station - with me admiring the scenery as we walked. Canary wharf is very modern
looking with pools and fountain and two large shopping malls to be explored at some
future visit. I will see them again just before Christmas as I have invited them
to Bath for a few days when Jorge has holiday from both work and studies.
From there I had to return to Victoria and pick up my case and thereafter it
was quite a struggle being lumbered with that, plus another pull along bag plus
a backpack full of things. The wheels on the suitcase were damaged during the outward
flight which meant they did not roll properly and it took all my strength to drag
it along. Fortunately there are plenty of gentlemen about because as soon as I attempted
to get all my things down stairs to the tube trains, someone appeared and carried
the heavy case down for me.
Once at Paddington my intention was to ask if I could change my two separate
tickets into one direct journey to Bath, but I noticed there was a train already
on the platform so decided to take a chance and get on it. The worst that could
happen would be having to get off at Reading and taking another train. Again I was
lucky that a kind man helped me with the heavy case, even carrying it through a
whole packed carriage until I could find a seat where I could keep watch on the
case during the ride home. The next two hours was an almighty struggle to stay awake
as by this time I was really tired, having only had a couple of hours sleep in the
past 36 hours. I finally arrived in Bath at 8 pm where Colin met me at the station,
returning to his house first so that we could have a cup of coffee and exchange
news and then I drove home and even managed to unpack before finally sinking into
bed and a good night's sleep. Today I am back at work. Well that's it I guess until
the next holiday or weekend away. The next holiday adventure will be Peru and Bolivia
in summer of 2004.
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