TravelinGirl

I'm home, I'm home!! - Wasn't sure if I felt more like blogging or watching completely american drivel on TV (because I can), so decided to split the difference. Quick update - spent Wed. night and Thursday night at the Tooch's. I have no words for how grateful I am (but may come up with some later). I also have to say that while Wed. night was fine (a bit of drinking, much talking, much laughing and a realization that I was feeling very at home...), Thursday was bad. Ok, Thursday itself wasn't bad, and started innocently enough, but the aftermath was felt for days. In the "I'm never going to have another drop of alcohol as long as I live" sort of aftermath way.

It started innocently with the blog entry below - I went into the office and sorted through enough email to get down from roughly 1000 to roughly 500 (without actually reading any). From there we went for lunch to the pub down the street from the Tooch's (we being Brian/Marijo - sp?/Cathy/Tooch and eventually Nicky) flat. I know I had at least 5 ciders over the course of a number of hours. And there were many interesting (and some not so interesting) discussions. Then Tooch went home with Nicky, and Marijo went home to write. From there I somehow figured out that food might be a good idea, so the 3 intrepid drinkers went to a restaurant and ordered wine with dinner. Was this the beginning of the end? Probably not so much the wine + cider combo, but the actual amounts involved was what led to my downfall. I don't remember much more of the evening except the idea that we may have had philosophical discussions in a graveyard, but this may be misremembered on my part (as I don't remember the actual conversations).

Friday was not a happy day. It's not good to wake up too hot. This is a precursor to bad things to come. Let us just say that having too much alcohol on top of previous intestinal difficulties only days before leads one to a VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY uncomfortable morning, and much of the afternoon. It also led me to forget my stupid money belt. Which meant that everyone had to go back to the house to look for it for me, and meant that Terry (who had agreed to pick me up at 1:00) had to A) put me up, B) drive me all over hell and C) entertain me at a point where I was less than the gracious guest that my grandmother taught me to be. All this reaffirms that I am a flaming idiot. Thankfully I'm not this much of a flaming idiot all the time, but what can I say? When I screw something up, I go down in GREAT BIG flames.

Saturday was kinda fun. Terry and I went to run errands (ok, that wasn't the fun part, but it was actually surprisingly nice to be doing something so normal instead of being compelled to see/learn/do/visit something). From there we went to Brighton which is a beach town. We walked on the boardwalk (similar to the one in Santa Cruz) and played a video game or two. From there we went back to his place for Chinese takeout and watched Mission Impossible 2. How lovely to be so mundane and normal for a while!

The flight home was uneventful (woo hoo). And now I'm home. And I've probably never taken such a long shower, and been so happy to see my things. Traveling was wonderful, and I'll probably have some better observations later, but it's also good to be home.

posted by Unknown @ 8:16 PM