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Monday, October 18, 2004

An Awfully Big Adventure Pt 2

From: Mab of Dream
Date: Thu Oct 7, 2004 9:00pm
Subject: Re: Re: Mab's return to the UK should involve


Draig and other NY/NJ folk:
**> My thoughts exactly! But I guess I don't rate as important enough to
> visit. The story of my life. ;)

p.s. that was me being silly, in case you hadn't guessed. I'm not**

:-p 2006. FT Kate and I are hoping to do a grand tour of America... ish... but one of the things we have planned is to go to NYC to visit Draig, Saoirse and Dani.
On the way back, I'm only in Newark for three quarters of an hour. I'm hoping that this is ok...

Do you want my Newark Airport adventures on the way here? Too late, I'm about to waffle.

Out of the whole trip, I was most worried about not being able to have a cigarette for hours and hours on end; I was secondly most worried about Newark. I had an hour between one plane landing and the other taking off, and during that time I had to go through immigration, go through customs, pick up my bags and check them in elsewhere, then check myself in and get onto another plane. I've never done anything like this before, so I'd also have to find out HOW to do all of the above.

On Saturday, Mum started freaking me out. I ended up in my room crying because I didn't think I'd make it to Vegas, or, if I did, it wouldn't be with the surprise element that's been planned since March. Mum was saying there's no way all of the above could happen in an hour.

It did. First off, the lad I'd been sitting next to on the plane was a complete angel. He's a professional ice-skater, who's had a couple of months off in order to have an ordinary life, before joining the tour again. He went through every step of the way with me and even ran with me to immigration. The thing is, there's a new system - all visitors to the US now have to be finger-printed and photographed. I was standing in the queue with the clock ticking down, and the system went down.
Blind panic! I screamed to Elen of the Ways and suddenly there was a wave of surprise from all of the dudes in the boxes - the system had suddenly come back up! Coincidence? Probably, but thanks Elen. (This happened twice all told.)

I'd been warned by EVERYONE individually at work that Thou Shalt Not Joke With Immigration Officials. Thou Shalt Not Imply There's a WMD In Thy Suitcase. Thou Shalt Not Tell Any Immigration Official That Thou Is a Terrorist. Their trust in my common sense is awesome... I was a good girl and besides, he didn't ask me any of the above. He told me he was having a long day, I sympathized and told him that every minute is a minute less to wait until home-time. He fingerprinted me, took my photo and off I went.

I legged it into the baggage place and just saw Y Ddraig Goch going through the conveyor belt door. I ran the length of it and grabbed my case two seconds before it disappeared. I'd tied Y Ddraig Goch to my case and that was a Very Good Idea.

I then saw the time and nearly died. The customs official asked me how I was when I got there and I said stressed! She looked genuinely concerned and asked why, so I explained about the plane going off imminently and me supposed to be on it. She got me rushed through, sent a bloke to open a barrier for me to rush through there and in short taught me that all New Yorkers are GREAT!

I had to chuck my bags onto another conveyor belt; and take my shoes and jacket off. But got through very quickly and pelted down three long corridors, before reaching the second plane with 10 mins to spare before it took off again. I was dying! I couldn't speak and panted my way into my chair.

I could see the New York skyline out of the window, in various queues, and I saw the Statue of Liberty as we flew up. I saw all of the forested mountains and about a million lakes on the way in and out and I thought about all the NY/NJ Grovers down below.

I wish there had been time to meet you and with a bit of thought, I should have accounted for that. But not knowing about this flying malarkey before, I didn't know how short a time an hour was for the bits in the middle anyway. *blush*

So that was my New York experience. Oh! Other than wowing and gushing all over my new friend Brian the Ice Skater when I was looking out of the plane window, and saw New York THINGS like in the movies. Buses and all sorts!

2006, I'd like to see a bit more without the running and stress.

Oh! I did get searched. At Birmingham, before I left. They were very interested in the Ferrari that I've got for Mike's memorial, but the problem was the Wiccan altar board which I'm bringing for Georgia from Ebony. That was x-rayed and a million questions asked. Strangely, they weren't interested in Aud's candles, despite the 3 grams of hereoin and two small bombs she inserted into them...

yours
Mab
xxxxx



Comments:
Silly bint, stop joking about terrorism *snort*
XOXOX
Shonna who's missing you more by the day
 
Arrrrrrr! Sssssh!

yours
Mab
xxxxx
 
Want me to go back and get you that twin tower pencil sharpener, young lady? ;)
 
Carry on like this and you won't be allowed in the country. You'll be deported and sent to Britain...

Carry on.

yours
Mab
xxxxx
 
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