So it begins

Museums and Markets

Published Date : October 14, 2000

I am once again back at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof.  I woke up far too early this morning so I was on the street by 09:00.

I went to the Stadel Museum first.  Suffering from a sore back (too many nights on a hard floor!) detracted from the visit slightly, but I still enjoyed it.  The museum had an impressive collection of Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso and Monet.

Back on the street I discovered an open market on the Museum Surfer.  I took some time to wander through the stalls and found a surprising assortment of things for sale – including the kitchen sink!   Most of the sellers were legitimate, but my gut tells me that the majority of the leather jackets, TVs, computers and stereos “fell off a truck” on their way to the market.

I found a little café for lunch and enjoyed a simple soup and sandwich.  Until a little girl stole half my sandwich right off my plate!  Her mother held the restaurant door open for her too!  As I was leaving her little brother tried to beg some change off me.  It was obvious from the size of the mother and the quality of the kid’s clothes that they had plenty of both food and money without the need to steal or beg. Unbelievable.  That was definitely the low point of my day.

Now I sit in the train station reading and writing as I wait for my bus back to London.

More waiting

Published Date : October 15, 2000

Once again I find myself in a train station with time to kill.  At least they speak English in this one.  I found Germany frustrating because I could understand what was being said to me, but I was unable to respond.  I’m glad to be back where I can communicate freely.

The bus ride was very long and very uneventful.  We went through the channel tunnel instead of taking the ferry, but we arrived too early to have enjoyed the sunrise anyway.  One good thing was that I scored an entire row to myself.  That was a pleasant surprise.

The first thing I did when I arrived in London was to call home.  That was a good thing.  For the first time since I’ve been away, I’ve actually been feeling homesick.  It was nice to talk to my parents again.

As it turns out, my brother is coming into Grasmere today and not tomorrow as I had originally thought.  He flew into Glasgow rather than London, and he’ll be getting in a couple of hours after me.  In typical Chris-fashion, he managed to make friends with the people next to him on the plane and caught a free ride into town from the airport.

So for now, I sit waiting in a train station, yet again!

Changes

Published Date : October 23, 2000

How quickly things change!! It’s amazing what can happen in 8 days.

Last Sunday I arrived at Glenthorne about 17:00 and my brother arrived about an hour later.   All of the staff went down to Tweedy’s for the evening and enjoyed a nice night of socializing.

My brother started work on Wednesday and it was then that the problems started.  My brother is a trained chef and what Glenthorne really wanted was a cook.  The guests wanted English cooking (overcooked meat and mushy vegetables), not fine cuisine and half the tables sent their meals back.

A night or two later, David decided to go out and catch a sheep in the fields, which was blamed on Chris for not “supervising” the students well enough.  Something he hadn’t even been told was his job.  Consequently, after only 5 days at work, he was fired.

So, this morning, I quit.  They gave Chris two weeks, and I said I would be leaving at the same time.  That’s about when his girlfriend gets here, so the 3 of us are going up to Edinburgh.

For the next two weeks we’ll both be trying to save desperately needed money.  I have no savings left after Germany and Chris came over with nothing.  In the meantime, I’m going to go through all the stuff I’ve accumulated since I’ve been here and send home or give away everything I don’t really need.

Oh the drama.

Killing time

Published Date : October 25, 2000

Nothing new and exciting in the last two days, I just felt like writing.

I heard from my mother that the application I submitted to BCIT before I left home has been accepted for processing.  I’ve been given a student number, but it could be another month before I hear whether or not I’ve made it into the program starting next fall.  So once again I play the waiting game.

I’m warring between going after a job I’d really enjoy or going for one that will pay the bills.  I would love to be a professional mountain guide or something similar.  A huge part of me is worried about disappointing my parents though.  They’re forever telling me that it’s a good hobby, but not a career.  They’re fully expecting me to go to BCIT in the fall.

Realistically, I know my best option is to go back to school for two years and get a solid paying job.  Then I can go back to travelling, except on decent money instead of minimum wage!

In the meantime, however, I have 13 days left at Glenthorne.  Then it’s off to Edinburgh, which I’m hoping lives up to my expectations.

What school?

Published Date : October 29, 2000

Well, my application to BCIT was denied.  They say I need Biology 12 before I can be accepted.  The odds of acquiring that course in the next 10 months are slim to none!

Since school is now a no-go, it looks like there’s more travelling in my future.  My flight home was pre-booked for May.  I think I’ll go home as scheduled and spend a month or so there to organize some things and look into SWAP Australia or New Zealand.

I’d like to finish my time off here with some sort of tour of Ireland and/or Wales.  Plus there’s still plenty of Scotland and England that I want to see.

The only way any of this is going to happen is if I save, save, and save some more while I’m in Edinburgh.

Sometimes I wonder why I spend so much energy making plans when they always change!!