While waiting for my first flight, I had a nice chat with my dad and got a chance to say my final farewells to both him and Cindy. The flight from Syracuse was smooth and short. When I pulled into JFK my first thought was... this place is a total shithole. I mean really... they have more temporary terminals than permanent ones and you walk for what feels like miles in these underventilated, overheated, enclosed archways. It's just a pit. I thought about making a Facebook Group to bring it to more people's attention (something like, "WTF Is Wrong with JFK?!"), and then I realized what a product of my generation I am that my first call to action would involve a social networking site. *sigh*
The layover at JFK was long but at least I had a chance to get lunch, charge my phone, and touch base with my mom and Brian. Speaking of getting lunch, at the end of the buffet line, there was a station with a plastic bag rack (like you see at a grocery store bagging station at the end of the checkout line). I looked down and there was an envelope containing some dude's passport and boarding pass. I started walking to their gate while overhearing final boarding annoucements for their flight. I immediately spot my guy as he is the only person in the terminal making a panic-filled sprint to erratic locations around the gate. I asked him if he was looking for his passport and held up the envelope. I had never seen someone so genuinely happy.
Flying from JFK To Amsterdam was the real stretch. Just under 8 hours. The seats were uncomfortable. The girl next to me was nice enough, but I really did not get as much sleep as I was hoping for. Luckily the flight got in 25 minutes early, giving me some breathing room for an already-tight layover. I ended up needing to go through a customs check point in Amsterdam (which I thought was odd since it was just a through point for me, but no matter).
My last flight was Amsterdam to Oslo. Pronounced aus-lau (think of Australia and loud without the "d"), NOT Oz-low like you are some idiot who has never been there before and isn't even positive what language everyone is speaking around you. Luckily, every other person spoke excellent English. I was sitting in an exit row, and it was really interesting because the flight attendant has to make sure you understand how to operate the door and has a 2 minute schpeel about everything, but the whole speech starts with figuring out what the row's common language is. I was luck that EVERYONE else in my row knew English - including an 8 year old girl. Nothing like being out language-ed by a kid to make you feel a bit subpar. The flight landed in Oslo at 845am. I picked up my bag and when to the customs processing point. There was a divided wall, half painted red with the writing "items to declare" and half painted green with the writing "nothing to declare." Me, having nothing of note, went to the green half which literally just led to a door going to the main part of the terminal. I never even saw a customs agent.
A lot of people have asked me what I am going to be doing on the ship. Aside from running the shows, coordinating daily production schedules, and managing guest entertainers, I am not terribly sure. But what I am sure of is that I will have a much better idea by tomorrow afternoon.
I had made really grand plans to skype with people from my hotel tonight, without really thinking about the fact that the outlets in Norway do not match the outlets in the USA. This is a non-issue on the ship because it uses US plugs, but for tonight... no power for my laptop. So I am writing this at the business center of my hotel for tonight. I have to be really careful when I am typing because the keyboard symbols are all in different locations than on a standard US keyboard. It took me about 60 seconds to find the AT symbol on one of these computers only to find out just now that it does not even exist on this keyboard. Oh well!
Two cool things about this hotel (pictures forthcoming when I can use my laptop)... On my floor when you get off the elevator there's a sign that says "shoe polish --->", and sure enough, right next to a little sitting area is an electric shoe polishing machine. Another cool thing is that there is this little alcove built into my hallway. I peered inside and it was an ironing station. I think this is genious because there is absolutely no reason to provide an individual iron and ironing board in each room like we tend to do in the US. So few people actually use them.
I have forgotten to notify credit card companies that my whereabouts are going to be sporadic. I will attempt to remedy this when I get on the ship tomorrow (and until them I am crossing my fingers that I have no need for credit cards until then).
Other than that, I cannot think of anything I have overlooked. Just give it time, I suppose.
Oh, and as soon as I know my mailing address I will be sure to post it here so all of you have it.
Tomorrow's a big day.... 1pm flight to Alesund, Norway which lands at 2pm. The ship leaves port at 4pm. Let's hope for no delays and a punctual port agent (I get to be one of those people who have one of those other people holding a sign with their name on it at the airport waiting for them at baggage claim). That's right! IM FAMOUS!
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One noteworthy thought that my dad brought to my attention while we were chatting yesterday morning...
Two years ago I was writing in this blog while I was living in LA. Distressed about not getting the job I had applied for at Macy's, feeling personally and professionally defeated, and constantly being hauntingly lonely. Now here I am, LESS than two years later and I have an amazing finance, a job within my desired industry, and the benefits of world travel. I am really really lucky. And I am really really nervous. But mostly I am really really excited for what tomorrow is going to bring.
Baby Groundhog.
Cougar Cub.