UK January 1989

I can't believe it has been 20 years since my first trip outside of the US. I went with 19 other girls (strangers) on a college trip during J-term. We spent the whole month of January in the UK.




Sadly, I flew to London one week after Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Scotland. Yep, I was scared, but I still went.

Here are the highlights of what I can remember

First week was spent in London; weeks two and three in Leicester; and 4th week back in London.

First meal was horrible - fried veal patty and peas. (What is with their obsession with peas? There are like 10 other vegetables that I actually like - peas is not one of them.) I didn't eat again for 2 days - when I found a KFC.

We went as a group to the Tower of London and saw the crown jewels, to Buckingham Palace, to watch Les Miserables, and to Windsor Castle. (All places in "the book" are colored.)

We took a bus from London to Warwick Castle, to Oxford and then to Stratford-upon-Avon. A cute, ancient man took us on a tour of the oldest library in the world at Oxford. We saw Shakespeare's wife's home in Stratford and then watched the Tempest at Shakespeare's theatre. I also saw his grave.

I vaguely remember stopping at other places too - like the place where Lady Godiva rode naked on her horse.

We then spent two weeks in Leicester - this was the real learnin' part of the trip. All 20 of us girls were placed in the local schools and we lived with local families. I really liked my family. I got to be friends with another girl (Belle) who was placed in the same school and lived with a family on the same street.

I remember taking a tour of a local radio station. They even interviewed a few of the girls. (Not me - I am too shy.) Our radio station guide played a song for us and said the "singers" were going to be HUGE in the US in the next 6 months. It was Milli Vanilli. He was right - they were huge - but we all know how that ends.

I spent one weekend in York. I only remember going to the Railway museum.

I spent the next weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland (new country). That was an interesting experience for a college-aged girl from the US. We arrived before noon on Saturday. There were already lots of drunk men wearing skirts (kilts) who were more than happy to show us young American girls what they had - or didn't have - under their kilts. We stayed at the local youth hostel - another first for me - and last. I did visit Edinburgh Castle.

And we looked for the Loch Ness monster.

I don't remember much about the last week in London. I was pretty homesick by this time. I took the tube (subway) to Wimbledon, but was disappointed when I couldn't see anything from the station.

I have no idea where to find my pictures from this trip.

CIA visit

This is old news, but I finally have photos! I had the opportunity to visit the CIA in May with two co-workers: Angela and Bandar. The tour - along with pictures - was arranged by one of my clients - Ross - who is standing on my right.

No red tail

My flight on Sunday from Minneapolis to DC might have been the last on a NWA-branded plane.

My flight from DC back to Minneapolis is on a Delta plane. Delta does have nicer seats.

On an unrelated note - Al Franken, our new Senator, is on my flight. A woman just thrust her baby at Al and asked if she could take his picture holding her infant. (Update - this made the Drudge Report - courtesy of an article written by the baby's dad.)

Red Tail?

I am sitting at MSP (Minneapolis - St. Paul airport) waiting for my flight to DCA (Washington National airport) and am wondering if the plane will be NWA (red tail) or Delta.

(BTW - I know lots of airport codes, but that can be a different post.)

Delta airlines is merging (translation - absorbing) Northwest airlines. I get about one e-mail per week from NWA about the merger. Growing up in Minnesota - the world HQ for NWA - I am a little sad that brand is going away. I now take a picture of my plane every time I fly. I have been doing this for several months now. Eventually, I will be on a NWA-painted plane for the last time, and I want to be sure and capture this historic moment.

I have a picture from my last flight ready to upload in case tonight's plane does not have a red tail.

The United States of America

I am done with my inventory of the states I've visited so far. I am missing 4:

Louisiana
Alaska
Maine
New Hampshire
...and the US territories. Some of which, apparently, are quite tropical so I do want to go those places too.

I will soon start blogging about my trips outside of the US.

Wyoming

I went to Yellowstone National Park (in "the book") as a child. I think it was the same trip as SD.

I really do have pictures of this; however, they are stuck in one of those old sticky photo albums and the pictures do NOT want to come out. I'm not sure what to do with them.

My "fondest" memory is the one of my brother acting as if he is going to push me into one of the bubbling pools of goo. Big brothers suck!

Wisconsin

Ahhhh, my cheese-head friends next door. WI is the closet state to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I've spent a considerable amount of time in WI, or driving through it.

They have 3 entries in "the book" (which is 2 more than my great state of MN - no competition though, really.). I should go to one or more of them.

I've been to Frank Lloyd Wright's house, which I think should be in the book. I can probably find a picture of this, but it was back in the days of film cameras. (In the meantime, thanks Wikipedia for this picture.)

I've been to lots of places in WI. Someday I might blog individually about trips and those will provide more detail.

West Virginia

What can I say about West Virginia?? Nothing...really. No offense to West Virginia, but I don't have any specific memories about my time there.

Check it off the list.

Washington

I spent one week in Seattle in May 1997. It was a work trip, but I did fun stuff too. From "the book:"

Pike Place Market

Not in "the book" but I did have brunch at the revolving restaurant in the Space Needle. I'm glad I'm not afraid of heights, because this was really awesome.

Vermont

This is another state I drove to just to say I was there. I was visiting friends near Lake George in upstate NY and they suggested we drive to Vermont to eat at a McDonald's - just so I can check this state off of my list. I don't like McDonald's, but that is exactly what we did.

I like to drive. Someday I would like to drive all around New England since that is the part of the country where I have spent the least amount of time.

Utah

I've been to Salt Lake City twice. The most recent trip was September 2002. I remember this because I flew home on 9/11/02.

Park City is in "the book" and I did spend a day there. Beautiful!

In Park City I took a gondola ride up the mountain - that was really cool. I am so glad I'm not afraid of heights. I also watched some young kids ski jump into a swimming pool. That seemed weird to me, but I guess that is how they train when there isn't any snow.

Utah has lots of other places in "the book" so I really need to go back there.

Texas

I spent several days in Austin a few years ago. Austin is a great town. My friend Michelle lives there now. She transferred from St. Paul 3M to Austin 3M.

I'd really like to go back and visit.

Tennessee

We spent a long weekend in Memphis with the kids during spring break 2006. We even brought the dog. It was her first road trip and she did very well.

From "the book":

Graceland - wow! a snapshot in time from the 70's - shag carpet and all.
Memphis's Rib Joints - I don't really like BBQ, but I went any way. (Note: don't order a Greek salad at a rib joint. It wasn't good.)

Not in the book, but excellent - their zoo. Memphis has a really awesome zoo. I was able to get >this close< to a panda.

South Dakota

We visited SD and Mount Rushmore when I was a child. Places from "the book" that I visited.

The Badlands
The Black Hills

South Carolina

I love to travel, but - sadly - not every trip is a good one. Here is an example of a good trip gone bad.

I spent a horrible weekend in Charleston and Isle of Palm over Thanksgiving 1993. It was with an ex and his friend's family.

His friend invited us and our two large dogs to spend the weekend with them in their townhouse. The friend's (now ex-) wife told us upon our arrival (after driving down from VA) that we could not stay with them. She expected us, if we decided to stay, to sleep in our vehicle and use the gas station down the street for potty breaks. It was horrible, and we should have turned around and went home.

We did stay in the townhouse, but were subjected to an entire weekend of fighting between that couple. Thank goodness they were right on the beach so I spent lots of time there with my dogs.

I managed to get in a little sightseeing and can check this place from "the book" off of my list."
The Heart of Charleston