Thursday, September 25, 2008

Wednesday Night Fever

I think that we all knew that the whole ‘transferring eight weeks worth of notes’ thing was not going to work out. Sorry to disappoint, Alana. I just write way too much to be able to copy everything onto my blog.

Excuses over, I’m feeling slightly disillusioned with this travelling life right now. I’m sick with the flu, lying in a strange bed with wet towels over me to cool my skin. Every position that I lie in feels uncomfortable and my throat feels like it’s been walloped with a cricket bat. After lying in bed for two days in the same clothes and not being able to shower, I feel gross! And I have a lovely bruise on my thigh from attempting to stand up, losing my balance and cracking into my night stand. Basically, I just need someone to come look after me.

These are the details that you don’t think about when planning an overseas escapade. Planned on making a trip to London, for sure! Thought about fitting in France somewhere along the lines. Didn’t scribble down ‘sickness’ on my list of things to do though. Actually, there are quite a few things that I didn’t think would bother me while travelling. One of them is living out of a suitcase. I’m so tired of wearing the same clothes! It sounds so stupid but I’m a firm believer in variety being the spice of life. In fact, it’s probably my life statement and so you can understand my frustration in opening my suitcase every morning and going, “Should I wear the butterfly dress or the tartan skirt today”. Every day. It’s just crushing my artistic temperament. :-)

This sounds ridiculously frivolous. I really don’t worry about things like this. I normally have no worries resigning myself to only being able to afford the cheap and cheerful shampoos instead of the ones that make my hair smell like hot chocolate and marshmallows. It’s having all this time to think that is making me discontent. Lying in a bed for two days straight will do that to a person.

One of the things that I have realised in my fevered contemplations over the past couple of days is that some of my expectations for this trip have been stopping me from enjoying it as it’s been. Instead of loving the fact that I’m on this amazing adventure and living in one of the cities that I love most in the world, I’ve been agonising over things that are completely out of my control. No more. Starting tomorrow, I fully intend to squeeze every last indulgent pleasure that I can out of Edinburgh. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to have this opportunity. I’ve worked two jobs for the past year, one of which I despised. I’m missing out on my graduation ceremony, a friend’s wedding and another friend’s twenty-first birthday gala to be here. I am now completely resigned to enjoying every last morsel of this trip.

Tomorrow I’m going to spend the day reading in the Meadows with a punnet of raspberries :-)

1 comment:

alanasays said...

I know, I know. You'll just have to tell me EVERYTHING when you get back, but it's not like a test or anything. You can use your journals as a reference guide if you wish.

I'm sad to hear you're sick. That sucks. Hope you feel better soon!

When are you coming back to talk animatedly about books with me instead of working like we should be? I miss you!

I'm trying to have low expectations of my trip so everything is a surprise and a pleasure, but high expectations keep sneaking up on me!!

lots of love!