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LAST DAY THOUGHTS
Im no longer connected to the internet, so Im going to compile this entry piece by piece, according to the times when I wrote it. You'll be reading it because I'll have posted it in its entirely once I'm connected again.
Monday, 2:55pm
Well, this is it. Ive begun my journey out of the city and towards Heathrow Airport, so that I can get my flight heading to Seeb International. Said goodbye to my friends and housemates - friends by SMS (I was more interested in watching the World Cup than spending time with them), housemates when my taxi came (I was more interested in watching Prison Break on my laptop). Right now I'm on the bus to Heathrow.
Can't say Im feeling anything much about leaving. I always feel something when Im travelling, usually a tinge of sadness, as I dont like moving...and packing is the worst of all. But for the past 3 months I couldnt wait to go back to Oman. So I should be feeling happiness, right? But Im not, not really. I wont be staying in Oman for too long, and, unlike the last 2 or so summers, my closest friends will not be in Oman. So it will be relaxing, but uneventful.
Its been an interesting year. I say interesting, and not good, because yes its been interesting, but not it hasnt been quite what I'd call good (wow, what a revelation that was). A lot of stuff happened. Two weeks ago feels like last semester. The beginning of the year...the bunfight...freshers week...feels like an eternity ago. And last year? Last year never happened. Usually time moves fast, but this year - especially the latter half - time's moved excruciatingly slow. I think part of that is due to the fact that I spent four weeks over easter here while everyone was gone home. I spent a lot of it in the library and a lot of it doing nothing. THat felt long.
Another reason its felt long is that its just been so unbelievably busy. One of my friends in the US hates me because he says here in the UK we do so little work. 3 year degree, 4 month summer holiday, 4 week easter, 3 week christmas. Whereas he does a 4 year degree, including summer 1 and summer 2. Maybe people in the US do work harder. I mean, I was looking at some of my friends' module options, and boy, theres a lot of super interesting stuff Id LOVE to do that I dont have the option of doing. So maybe they do work harder. But I think here its just a pressure cooker - you're ALWAYS working, ALWAYS busy. And it wears you out. At the end of the day, you're too tired to do anything (thats if you're actually studious and aiming for a top mark - if not, well.). And they are thinking of introducing 2 year degrees in the UK soon. Too much pressure. Is it a surprise everyone is out drinking their sorrows away? Theres so much pressure, they need to unwind, and getting absolutely pissed is the quick and easy way to do it, at least till the next morning.
Monday, 7:17pm
I cant say this has been the worst airport experience ever, but its probably up there in the top 3. Or top 5. Top 5. If I didnt get chance to watch at least some of the USA V Czech game, or if the USA had scored, then it would probably be top 3 (if the USA had one, it would have been the worst ever).
So they said I could pick up my ticket from the airport. But apparently (as I ought to expect), the Airline Office in Oman hadnt sent the info over. And the paper they gave me to give to them...was for a different passenger! Remarkable. I spent ages just waiting, calling home, waiting, watching the football, waiting. It was hot, so many loud people speaking languages I dont understand, and I was hungry. In the end I got through, sitting here in the departure lounge thingy (not the first class lounge, I wish it was that), typing this up. Its a pretty lounge, very spacious big windows, smells nice. I smell nice. On way through the duty free I sampled Armani Code. I already know what it smells like, but I wanted a little bit on me. I smell nice. Some lady just called me over and asked if I could stand security at her position. Lady, I said, Im a passenger. You're a passenger? Yes. Oh, right. Walks off. So much for hospitality. And speaking of that, I find it funny that the Asian people who work at this particular airline's ticket office are especially nice to white people, but wave off Asians. One woman anyway.
OOh, the air hostesses have just walked into this lounge thingy. Im surprised. Theres at least 2 arab airhostesses. Usually theres none.
Pretty airhostesses.
I'm tired. Mmm, I smell nice.
Monday 11:15pm
Been flying about 2 hours or less. Its ok, comfortable plane. I have four seats for myself, which is awesome. I can stretch out and sleep, if I want to. No good movies though. I just watched this English one called 'The Other Half', about this mad football fan and his American wife. He takes her to Portugal for their honeymoon, but she doesnt know that theres a football tournament going on. Its...cute. Boring, but cute. Dragged a little though - and there was no football! You make a movie about football, you want some football in it. But it made me want to go to Portugal. Portugal seems lovely.
Speaking of football, why cant they show the World Cup games live on the plane? I missed Italy V Ghana, and if it was showing on the plane I could have seen it. Bleh. Maybe next World Cup.
The world is football crazy...and thats how it should be. Women dont get it. A minority of men dont get it. But its simple really - football is The Beautiful Game. It brings people together. It makes people brothers. I remember when I watched the Champions League final, and Arsenal scored after having their goalkeeper sent off against the mighty Barcelona, all the Arsenal fans in the place erupted. It was mad. Random people were hugging each other. It was awesome. Football is awesome.
Oh yeah, flight was delayed about half an hour. That annoyed me. As if all that wasnt enough. No, no good movies on the flight either. But I have a few episodes of Prison Break left, and Ive got a good book called Jarhead, for when my laptop batteries die. And like I mentioned before space to lie down, except for some reason an English kid's come and sat in the fourth seat. Dunno why, the seat next to him where he was sitting before was empty as well. Maybe the TV wasnt working. Oh well. Hes not a kid really, he looks my age. Oh well. Gonna watch some Prison Break - its getting interesting again.
Tuesday 2:15am (5:15am Oman Time)
Flying over some mountain range called the Zagros Mountains, somewhere on the Iran-Iraq border. Its just occured to me that this would be a very, very bad place to crash land.
I have so much leg room.
=================
Got to Oman 7am this morning Oman time. Tiring journey overall, but the flight was surprisingly comfortable. Its good to be back, the weather isnt as bad as I was led to believe, I actually spent half an hour today kicking a football around on the roof. Prob best get to sleep though, ive had about 5 hours sleep in the last 36. Nighty!
Posted by illogicist at 2:18 PM
4 Comments
That was a long, enjoyable read =)
1) 7amdilla 3la al-salama
2) Time is a strange strange thing is it not?
3) Have a great break...I wanna go home :(
@AWOB: well I dont usually think about it, its just the location was...well. Iran-Iraq border isnt the nicest place to be at the moment :p And thanks, hopefully it should be relaxing. Weather isnt too bad. Humid, but not too bad. The humidity can blunt the heat sometimes, I guess.
@fatoomah: it is very strange. I havent been around 'home' very much yet, but I hear its changed. I dont care. Im not leaving the house till the World Cup is over. Im not calling anyone Im not seeing anyone unless Im dragged kicking and screaming.
welcome home :)
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