Well that took an interesting turn... Yes, I know I'm being too hard on myself. I've done more--a lot more--than stare at the ceiling or my phone for the last two weeks. You'll read all about what I've done later in this post and in the next one (maybe two). But my first two weeks of non-stop go-go-go traveling and sightseeing took its toll on me. So when I got to London (this post), Trondheim (next post), and Linköping (next [next?] post)--cities I've been to before and/or have family in--I was happy just sitting on the couch, watching television or reading a book, spending time with relatives and going with them to events or parties they'd arranged. And when I say I was happy doing those things, I truly mean it. And I'm so incredibly grateful for my family, their hospitality, and being what made this holiday so wonderful. But present anxieties don't care about past happiness. My return to school looms in front of me. So the activities only slightly less exciting than walking through the Magdalen College Cloisters, only marginally more difficult to blog about than my love of J.R.R. Tolkien, only far more restful than walking 17.5km in a single day to see all of Oxford, became activities that took time away from tasks my anxiety feels would have been more productive.
So here I still sit, nearly two hours into working on this post and nowhere nearer getting some sleep before my alarm set for 04:10. But with the two paragraphs above written and exciting words to write about my time in London, I will (I hope) be able to prevent my mind from wandering down any dark alleys. Also, my summary for London will be a bit shorter than those in previous posts, so I bulked this post up a bit with lovely and light topics like anxiety. Onward to positive thoughts and adventures.
 |
| Albert Memorial |
I'd been to London twice before so I'd seen most of the major sights. That being said, London is such a massive city with so much to do I could spend a year there and still not have seen everything I'd like to, which is perhaps why I feel a little bad about not being more industrious. But I definitely needed a few days to relax and recover from the intense travel schedule I followed the previous two weeks. So lazy mornings, afternoons running errands or seeing sights here and there, and evenings in front of the telly were exactly what I needed. The afternoons provided ample opportunity for new experiences: Nearly getting attacked by a swan in Hyde Park, spending a couple hours at the London Science Museum (Fantastic! But two hours isn't enough time), and wandering around a part of London I hadn't been to before. More importantly, those were afternoons spent with my cousin, who I rarely get to see and, as a London resident for the last several years, she provided many interesting facts and insights.
The most exciting experience from this trip to London was trying to leave. Not because I wanted to, but because it was one of the gosh darn most distressing moments of my trip so far. You might think that's a bad thing--anxious me certainly would--but when each new experience helps shape you into a better traveler and perhaps even a better person, you can get excited about the good and the bad. Traveling to my cousin's home in Norway for Christmas was obviously very good. Mayhem at the train station was bad. My cousin and I arrived at the train station only to discover the early train we'd planned on taking to the airport had been cancelled. No worries yet. There was another one in twenty minutes and we'd given ourselves plenty of extra time. The next train came and it was packed so full there literally wasn't room for one more person to squeeze inside, let alone two, each with bulky bags. Now I was starting to sweat. We soon learned that the cause of our distress was several train malfunctions, delaying trains and causing the backlog of commuters and travellers. Even better, many trains were cancelled due to "industrial action and overtime bans." At one point they even said over the PA system--and I quote--"We're not really sure which train will next be arriving at the station. We'll let you know as the information arrives." By this point, we were a little panicked, considering the most undesirable and expensive option of taking an Uber or taxi to the airport. But we were holding on to our one last hope, a train--the last we could take and arrive in time for checked luggage to get onboard--, delayed but not cancelled according to our phones and the arrival boards. The train eventually arrived and the front cars were nearly empty; the rear cars where we'd positioned ourselves, much less empty. There wouldn't be time to run to a front car. It was do or die (take a taxi). As politely and urgently as possible, we nudged our way onto the train and down an aisle. Safe. Standing. And packed liked sardines.
The rest of our trip to the airport and the plane ride to Norway was relatively uneventful. The rest will have to wait. I've written enough to wind myself down. I might even be tired enough to sleep for three hours before I need to be awake again. Rest assured, though my pre-semester anxiety is undoubtedly annoying, it is something I have successfully dealt with many times before in the past. I feel better already after writing all this. Now I only have to remember that, as difficult as the next few months of study will be, the challenge is what drives me. It's when I'm challenged that I feel most alive. And, oh, what a joy it is to live in a beautiful city like Edinburgh! I'm going home.
Stay informed. -NLD
No comments:
Post a Comment