Flights and Hotels

 This whole time difference thing is really going to take some getting used to. I got excited when I got to London because then I would have some contact with people... Nope joke is on me no one is awake at 3am there... Oh well.

 The London airport was a little crazy. They have you get off and walk a long ways following some signs. Only they split the connecting flights and staying in the UK people. And then somehow you are following the connecting flights signs and come to a customs and you are like oh I probably have to do this. So you get in line only to discover (with the nice older couple in front of you) that that line is for people staying in the UK. Oh. What. How did that line end up with us then? And why does the connecting flight have an arrow pointing directly at this line/ customs thing? Oh. Because you have to walk another 50 yards and then turn right. Totally makes sense. Not! So then you do that and find out that line is for people connecting to Ireland or other UK places only. Oh. Thanks for the sign! Not. So I said bye to the couple as they were going to Ireland and went adventuring again. This time I found the right line which had like no people in it. Yay! So I went through security again and went on my jolly way. Get it because I was in England and everyone says Jolly there!?

 So something interesting I found about the London airport and maybe other European Airports (though I will have to see) is that they have all their flights listed but they don't tell you the gate number until it is time to board. So everyone ends up sitting in like the area where all the stores and restaurants are waiting to find out where to go. Which is a lot different than the American airports that I have been to where you sit at your gate and go to whatever food or shopping places that are near you. I suppose it gives those waiting for planes more food choices that are together which would be useful for families who's kids didn't want to all eat the same things. And I bet it encourages people to buy things in the stores, so I bet that is why people do it. 

 I also noticed that on European flights they like to feed you. On American flights that are relatively short i.e. two hours they tend to just give you like pretzels or a little snack bag. On my London to Marseille flight they gave me a whole sandwich wrap. What! That's crazy to me! I think it may be part of the European hospitality stuff. America is always trying to get money for stuff... Which is why they want you to buy a tiny sandwich or salad for ten dollars (which I did not). 

My arrival to France was kind of awesome. My seat number and letter actually matched our gate number which makes me think it is a sign! We flew right over the Mediterranean Sea which was super fun too. I am arriving a day earlier than my program wanted because it was considerably cheaper for flights,  so there wasn't anyone to meet me at the airport. Instead I had to find a courtesy phone to call a bus from the hotel. Which I found easily enough. But no one answered three times it just beeped a lot like a busy sound but then sped up suddenly. So I tried 4 times then decided I would go wait for it... But then I didn't know exactly WHERE to go! So I went outside and stood under the sign that had all the hotel names on it and waited. Sure enough I flagged down the shuttle and was on my way! Checking into the hotel was no problem but plugging in my laptop to Skype my family was! The converter I have doesn't work in the plugs they have at the hotel because their sockets are round and my converter is square. But luckily this happens a lot and the front desk had a spare they let me borrow :-) So I am happy to say that I am here, safe, and excited to meet my host family tomorrow!

Sorry the video was so long! I haven't talked to anyone in too long and I tended to ramble I noticed...

Also I just tried getting room service to get a side of fries and he asked me how i like my meat. No idea what I'm getting so this will be an adventure! also a small bowl of banana split ice cream.

OOOOOOOPPPPPPPSSSSSSSEEEEYYYYY.....

That's a lot more.... oops... We will just pretend this didn't happen... This will not be a regular occurrence! But oh well :-)