Born to Run

(Note from Scott: This is part 2 of my adventure from the Boston area to the residence hall in Dublin. See previous post for part 1)

We pick up our hero in distress in London. Actually, I wasn't in too much distress yet. So, I don't think I need to pick up my bag in Heathrow. I'm not sure if I need to go through customs and all that. I would soon find out. After a few minutes of following some signs for connecting flight, I ask a very nice British fellow, who said that I would not need to pick up my checked bag and that I need to head over to Terminal 1. Heading over to Terminal 1 from Terminal 3 means going through customs AND security (despite going through security in Boston, whatever). Since Heathrow is SO big, there is a bus that goes over to Terminal 1. Once I get into the building, there is customs waiting. I sort of find where I need to go, but then asking another nice British fellow to help me get into the right line. (to go off topic, I really like the British accent, especially when there are many people around you speaking it. I kept thinking Michael Cane was around). I wait in the line for a good solid 10-15 minutes. Then I get to the customs guy. I hand him my passport and my packet of study abroad papers. After a few minutes, my passport is stamped and I go through no issues. I would later find out when I get to Dublin, that they could have stopped me there, taken me aside, and grilled me on why I was there. The reason being that I have paper to get into Dublin, not London. I head on to security. I have to take off my shoes, but luckily, I don't have to take my laptop and other electronics out. I just sent my backpack right through. After I breezed through security, I go check in at the Aer Lingus counter. I have no idea which gate I need to go to, so that would be good to find out. I check in. I find out I need to go to gate 84 or something in that region. I am not kiding when I say that the walk could have been a half mile (have I mentioned Heathrow is HUGE?). I was power walking like nobodys business down there. When I arrive, people are in line to board the flight. Go me! I get on and it is almost enitrely empty. I take my seat. On the flight, I hoped to get some sleep, but I am to pumped on coffee and power walking that I am too excited. There were some real Irish looking people on the flight, but thats to be expected. I was happy to find that it would take less than an hour to get to Dublin. During that less than hour, they passed the cart through with variouse things for sale a number of times. It was mildly unsetteling. After a nice comfortable flight with plenty of space, we land in Dublin. I get off and start following the baggage claim signes. I make it to the customs line again (didn't we just do this? yes, we did.). When I get there, there are two people in line in front of me. I only have to wait a few minutes. I get called over to an agent. His accent was a bit thick, but still understandable. I hand him my passport, mention that I am study abroad here, hand him my papers. He looks at the papers and asks me a few questions. The computer system seemed to be very backed up at this point. While waiting, I look back at the line and it almost enitrely fills the rope line they have. I mention it to the customs guy, in which his reply with his good Irish accent is "Yep, missed a nice big queue." (Queue is a what people say in this area for line.) I get through just fine. I walk to the baggage claim area, find where I need to go, and find a spot within the people. I am standing there for no more than a minute and I see my bag. I pick it up and walk out. I recived an e-mail a few days earlier saying that there would be somone waiting for me at the Vodaphone (a phone company here in Ireland). Sure enough, I see the program director Dr. Stephen Robinson. I end up taking cab back to the residence hall with my friend Kira, who arrived shortly before I did. The Irish drive on the other side of the road and the wheel is on the other side of the car (basically a mirror image of what we do in America.) I happen to sit in the front passengers, which is where I usually drive. It was messing with my head. The guy driving was a nice Irish guy. It was actually sunny when I got to Dublin and the driver said "You better get a picture of that bright thing in the sky. We don't see to much of it." We end up getting to the residence hall in reasonable time. We meet Tom there, who is the Head Resident here. Kira and I get the low down on the dorm and head to our rooms. I basically just do some basic unpacking, but not too much. The rest of the day, I just end up seeing people who are around and doing some basic exploring of the area. We are on the south side of the city, which is the richer part of the city. The good thing is that the academic building is near by. It isn't that bad of a walk. I will have mroe details on the dorm life and the academic building later.

With peace and love,
Scott

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." -Winston Churchill