As I would imagine is fairly normal for someone in my position, my time in Cambridge was completely overshadowed by the travel to my destination. I have traveled to Canada, but it was by car. In Canada I managed to figure out how to use the rail system from point A to point B and back, but I was first able to thoroughly study a map and schedule in an almost completely deserted train stop. I had traveled on the marta train in Atlanta with my science honors course, but I would never have been able to keep up if I hadn't been following other people. I suppose it was natural that the thought of taking a connecting plane to Detroit where I would hook up with a transatlantic flight to London Heathrow, where I would have to travel by tube to King's Cross Station and then catch a train to Cambridge was a bit frightening.
My family drove me to the Columbia airport, about 2 hours from my house. We said our goodbyes, took a few last pictures, and I departed through security. Shortly after taking my seat to wait for boarding it was announced that DL5470 would be slightly delayed, and that anyone with connecting flights 7:10 or later should see their Delta agent. My connecting flight was at 7:00. The agent provided me with a corrected itinerary but left me on the earlier flight in case time was made up. I returned to my seat, now next to the first person I would talk to on this adventure. He was wearing his army fatigues. His family was in the area and he was waiting on someone to pick him up. Topics of our conversation included how terrible the weather in Dubai was, possible ways to harness the power of electricity, and on his part, superman. Something about some gold kryptonite...he talked a good bit about it, I had no idea what he was talking about, so I don't remember. He was a nice fellow though. The plane arrives early! And is then delayed at our airport due to weather. Eventually we board.
Now, the whole time I had been sitting in the terminal I had been eying this person who looked ridiculously familiar from Lander, but I couldn't place him. At some point he accosted me and confirmed he was from Lander. We'd never talked, but we were both making the same flight for different reasons. He studied in Winchester a few semesters ago, and he was going back to visit his now fiance.
The connecting plane was small, it held about 50 people. Of course the person that I sat next to was probably about 1.5 times my size (and I'm not small by any means...). It was a black dude with a fro going to LA to visit family. He ended up being pretty cool, he did specialization of shoes and such. Oh, he also talked about Superman. A good bit. Strange. The flight took off. I think my favorite part was actually on the ground--looking out the window and being able to tell that I was moving faster than I ever had before. The views from the window were pretty awesome too. A short flight, we landed in the Detroit airport about 6:40. I had studied a map of the Detroit airport while on the plane. I had a mission. Unlucky for me, the gate where my plane docked was about at the opposite side from where I needed to be. Detroit is a big airport. It's larger than most of the malls I've ever been in. I covered probably a mile in about 10 minutes (with the aid of the moving floors). I arrived at the proper Delta terminal, and the door was still open! "Did I make it?" "No." "Damn it." The Delta rep was very courteous, and through his conversation with his coworker I could make out that they had just let a last minute person onto the plane and the plane had clearance and had to leave. He then informed me that he was going to bump me up to business class and asked if I would like meal vouchers. "....Yes." Next flight left at 11:25, it was now about 7:10.
According to a map of the airport, a Taco Bell lay hidden in the furthest depths of the A concourse. I wasn't about to pass up another chance for delicious Taco Bell goodness. Since I was eating on Delta's money, I even got the XXL burrito. Now, it is a very large burrito. But it isn't very good. 4 or 5 beefy melts would have been better. Now anyway, back to the Lander student (who I now know as "Wes". however that's all I know and cannot find him on facebook, so I have no way to contact him for the possible meet up we had spoken of). At some point in my search for taco bell I had run in to him while he was in search for a smoking area. We split ways but established we'd meet later at the terminal for our flight. I met up with him probably about an hour and a half before our flight took off, and from there we took turns watching each others things while we went and did things we didn't want our luggage to go do with us.
Time to board finally arrived. With my business class I got to board first. I had no idea business class would be so luxurious. The seats lay down completely flat in your own area, so you don't bother anyone else no matter what position the seat is in. Blanket, pillow, a weird case thing full of random hygiene things that I took with me. An entire other seat full of space to put things...along with a US outlet! This really was a trip saver, as I will explain later. I finished up the last bit of the 7th Harry Potter book, watched several episodes of Durarara!! and put up with the airline supper. At this point I was physically exhausted, but too excited to get good sleep. At some point, about 2 or 3 eastern time, I laid the seat down and passed out for 3 or 4 hours. When I woke up, it was finally starting to hit me how far I was away from home.
I put up with the airline breakfast and pretty soon we were over the land. Foreign land. As we were flying into London, I'm pretty sure I saw Big Ben. If it wasn't, it was probably a close relative. We made our landing, and we got off the plane. I met up with Wes, but since I was in business class I had a fast track through customs. I waited in line about 10 minutes instead of over an hour, claimed my luggage, and headed out.
Not really. I walked out of customs and to the main level of the airport. I went to the elevator and spent about 5 minutes trying to go down one floor. People kept boarding with me and hitting up buttons or such when I needed to go down. Quite annoying. Eventually I made it to the underground. I bought a pass for five pounds and boarded the piccadilly line with complete service to "Cockfosters" (Ok look, it said this at every stop, and yes its perverted, but it made me laugh almost every time). After about 45 minutes I arrived at King's Cross. Sadly I didn't have time to find platform 9 3/4. I still hope to some time on this trip. I bought a one way ticket to Cambridge for 20 pounds. I then asked multiple people where I needed to be going. I figured out it was platform 1 and the train left in about 20 minutes. Well, I needed a bathroom. I found one, but it cost money to use. About 15p. Smallest note I had was 5 pounds. Luckily the machine was out of order and the guy working on it let me in for free. I boarded the train where I found three mates conversing, I asked them if this train was taking me to Cambridge and the confirmed it. Finally, the hard part of my trip was over!
NOT. Online the directions to my program said from London Heathrow to take the tube to King's Cross then a train to Cambridge. Since it ended there, I figured it was right in that area that I would find the College. This....was not the case. I found a map outside the train station, but it didn't help very much. "YOU ARE HERE" markings don't really help. You know why? Because they don't tell you what direction you are facing while you are looking at that sign. You must realize at this point I had all of my luggage with me. I had learned how to use the airports, how to use the tube, and how to use the train. I was not about to learn how to use the bus system. Brain was fried at this point. I walked approximately 2 miles and eventually, after finally enlisting the aid of someone else heading for the same destination located King's College.
Finally, the journey was over. After a quick registration where I received my credentials and cards I was sent to have tea and wait for the bus to Fitzwilliam dorms. Well the tea was wonderful, but the last bus left right before I was ready. They were going to ship us on taxis...I decided to just walk there instead. Compared to all of the walking I would do in the future, it wasn't that far. So I settled in my new abode.
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