Amanda Goes to England

Memphis Airport

I left Memphis International Airport on 16 November. My first substantial flight, my first international flight. I nearly missed my connection in Detroit. They were looking for me at the gate there when I finally made it, said “Are you Amanda?” and informed someone on the plane that “Amanda’s here.” It made me feel strange but I was just glad I hadn’t missed my flight into Gatwick.

There’s not much to say about the flight itself, except that I didn’t sleep for the seven and a half hour flight.

Me on a Train

I arrived at London Gatwick on 17 November, a little worse for wear after the flight. The queue for foreigners coming through passport control was maddening to stand in when you haven’t slept in twenty-four hours.

The photo above is of me on my first ever train journey, from Gatwick to Victoria Station. Everything felt a bit surreal, because of the sleep deprivation and the disbelief that I was actually in England. I just kept looking out the windows at the overcast England day as the train made its way to Victoria, thinking “I’m in England, huh?” The rolling green hills and school children playing outside in their uniforms were my first real glimpses of the country.

Green Pea Soup @ Forum Cafe’

I arrived at the hostel, Astor Museum Inn, two hours before check-in. I felt half-dead at that point and was glad to be able to drop my things in the luggage room downstairs at the hostel. I asked the hostel manager, Liz, where I could grab a quick bite. So, my first meal in England was soup and bread at the Forum Cafe’, over on Great Russell Street. I was famished at that point and, so, I felt like a street urchin when I devoured the soup and bread they brought me. I didn’t even take the time to ask if it was vegetarian friendly!

To be honest with you, the first night I was in London was not fun-filled. I was exhausted and just wanted to stay in! So, I walked to a local Sainsbury’s, bought myself some bread, peanut butter, bananas, and Sainsbury’s own brand Jaffa Cakes, walked back in the rain, made a peanut butter and banana sandwich, was laughed at by one of the long-term Australians at the hostel, had to explain that I’m from Memphis and we eat those sandwiches here and chilled out for the evening.

So ended my arrival day in London.

Well, I hadn’t really thought about it, but I’ve had a couple of requests to start a photoblog about my holiday in England. Granted, it was only about a week and a half, but being a photographer girl, I have a lot to show for that short amount of time.

I have to wait a bit for the rest of my photos to be developed, before I can fully begin this blog. Perhaps that will give me some time to figure out precisely how this photoblog thing will work. I haven’t got a clue!

I should explain, I’ve always, ALWAYS wanted to go to England. I’ve tried to figure out a way to get there on a more permanant basis (or, at least, half a year.) Since that’s not the easiest thing for a lowly American to do, I had to settle for a vacation in England. I’m not well-to-do, financially speaking, but I had a bit of money tucked away. I looked at some plane fares, just to see what I was up against, and ended up finding some flight prices that were around the dollar amount I had saved up. It seemed like a spur of the moment decision to some people, but to many, they knew it was a long time coming.

So, I bought my ticket the last week of July (around my birthday) and realized I had a lot to do in order to get ready for this holiday. I had only ever been on one plane before – a forty-five minute flight from Memphis to Atlanta, when I was fourteen. I didn’t have a travel bag. I didn’t have a decent coat (I was, after all, traveling to England in November.) I didn’t even have a passport!

That’s where this photoblog will begin, with the momentous event of obtaining a US passport. It was a BIG deal for me.

August 3, 2006: I went to the local Chancery Clerk’s office, to get my passport application all squared away. I then put it in the mail, praying that it would arrive to the passport agency safely and in a timely manner.

August 23, 2006: I had my passport in hand!
(hey, the government can be efficient after all!)

Please bear with me. I don’t know if photoblogs are supposed to be this “wordy.” I’ll do my research to make sure I’m doing this thing up right.