Duetchland?

So the flight for Germany left at 7:30 am on Friday. That meant we had to leave for the airport right around 4 am. Which meant sleep was hard to come by. Actually, my roommates and I went out for a bit with the thinking that we weren’t going to get a lot of sleep as it was. I got just one hour.

You have to take a bus to get to Stansted Airport. It was a cold morning – the coldest it has been and between the lack of sleep and the frigid air tucking itself behind my earlobes and refusing to leave, it was difficult to get warm. The bus was a godsend (and I am not religious). It was a balmy temperature, had spacious seating and the pleasant mrrr it made as it slowly departed central London created a climate as conducive for sleeping as almost any bed – at least at that moment.

We arrived at Stansted with plenty of time and approached the kiosk. No lines. Things were going swimmingly. That is until I actually tried to check in. They claimed to have record of my attempt to purchase a ticket but said that my credit card denied the charge. The result? I had no ticket to Germany. Surely it wasn’t a full flight. Can I just buy a ticket now? It was going to cost me 230 pounds for one weekend. That is more than my Spring Break trip cost me and that trip lasts more than a week.

Here’s the real trouble. I was pretty central to this whole trip because my flat mates and I were planning on staying with Pat who is my friend. So could they stay there without me? Should I fork over nearly $500? I decided I couldn’t do it. Not even to make them more comfortable. Dolan is friendly and he was going to be meeting them at the gate. Besides, he met them all when he visited London and they all got along quite well. It’s the reason one of the girls actually planned the trip. I never made it to Germany.

Apparently Dolan met them at the gate dressed in some skirt-type getup wearing a funny hat. It was all part of Carnival. I was told he said (and repeated throughout the entire weekend) “I can’t believe Waitey isn’t here.” But I guess they had a great time and it worked out for the best. Well, it worked out.

If you are wondering about my financial situation, the transaction failure appears to be a fluke. I have withdrawn money since and booked my Spring Break travel and hostel accommodations and have been charged for it. I have no explanation for what happened. I was even sent a confirmation number! But at least I saved money. I spent the weekend doing some London things like the British Museum and walking around Oxford Street (5^th Ave of London). I also visited the Chelsea Football Stadium which is only a 25 minute walk from my flat.

Just a quick word on the Superbowl, which I watched until 3 am at the Texas Embassy in Piccadilly Circus: Perfection.

Comments Welcome,

Andrew