A new life... Chapter 1

Well... what can I say. I'm in the good ole US of A. I can't even begin to describe the anti-climax after a long wait of 14 years. I suppose I might've grown out of my persistent need to get here. Or (and that's much more likely), I've grown old and scared. Because whilst it's nice to be here, at the moment all I feel is fear. Ok, there IS that bit of excitement, I won't deny it. Everywhere new you go will be coupled with the prospect of discovering a new favorite groceries shop, a new restaurant, a new, better, bigger library - everything that will make you love the place. And all that is exciting, very much so.

However, it doesn't really make up for the fact that I am here on my own. Alone. A few friends here and there, strewn all across this HUGE country but it just isn't the same. I miss knowing I can pick up the phone after work and call my friends, my family. The time difference is too big to cope with that so I'm going to have to pretty much resign myself to talking on the phone on the weekends. A bit pants, if you ask me but hey, that's the price you pay for fulfilling your dreams, eh? ;-)

I don't want to make this sound as horrible as it currently does. I am always like that - homesick for a few days after I change places. I know I'll get over it quickly. In the meantime I've got TACO BELL to keep me happy.

Needless to say, it's one of the things I've been DYING for since I ate tons of the stuff back in 98. I've now got my own Taco Bell in the mall around the corner so I can pretty much go and eat it anytime - I'm in heaven. For now anyway, I know it'll get old pretty soon.

Let's see - a description of the trip.

Good flight from Cologne to Newark. The ladies at the check in were very sweet and didn't charge me for what clearly was a lot of exccess baggage. Good start, I thought. I initially had an aisle seat but when I got to it, the lady sitting in the middle seat asked me if I wanted to swap with her sister, who had the window seat!!! I was like HELL YEAH!!! Very, very nice ladies, turns out they were from Maine and the sister was actually living in Cobham!!! I mean what are the chances to get on flight to the US in Germany to sit next to someone who used to live around the corner from me in the UK! LOL I swear, I just don't believe in coincidences anymore. The flight was ok though Continental really isn't an airline I'll ever fly with again if I can help it. They barely had enough overhead compartments to store people's luggage in (mental note: don't fly Continental with a guitar - no space for it!!!), their in-flight entertainment was ridiculous (a little screen popping out of the ceiling for about three rows of seats, with three movies showing - one recent one and two REALLY old ones. I mean 15 year old movies. I watched "forever young" with Mel Gibson, for God's sake!) and the service on board was horrid. The flight attendands obviously didn't get on with each other, the food was crap and there was very little of it too. All in all, no more Continental. I've been spoiled by Virgin, clearly.

The flight from Newark to Boston was a piece of cake and I had a window seat again and this time, BOY was I glad I did. Because taking off from Newark and flying north to Boston we flew over New York. I could see the Statue of Liberty clearly, I could see Manhattan and Central Park clearly. It was a sight to behold. I can't even begin to describe the view, you just have to see it for yourself.

Once in Boston I was glad to have booked myself into the Hyatt Harborside Hotel for the night (expensive though it was!!!). I don't think I could've coped with driving to Nashua after such a long flight. The hotel was stunning but even more stunning was the view I had from my 9th floor room. It overlooked part of the ocean and one of the airport runways. I was actually lying in my bed watching one plane after another take off. It was fantastic.
After a good night's sleep I woke up on Saturday morning, went to the rental car place (Avis), picked my car up and got started!!!
The car is a Mitsubishi Lancer SE or ES (not sure which way around) and I LOVE IT!!! It was easy to drive, I had no problems finding everything in it and my journey to my new home was very easy going. Within less than an hour I was in Nashua, found my apartment and moved in. I then took the car for a drive to see what kind of shops there were around and started on some heavy duty shopping such as a microwave, an airbed, toaster, a chair, cleaning utensils and stuff like that.

I spent most of Saturday shopping, then most of Sunday feeling sorry for myself and trying to find a way to keep myself busy so I wouldn't feel too homesick. It didn't work too well so I went shopping some more LOL

As for today - well, everything's already looking much brighter. I'm sitting here in my apartment, with my new work laptop in my lap, using someone's WiFi connection to connect to the internet and looking forward to setting up my new work cell phone. I've had a successful first day at work, I like my new colleagues, I feel confident that I will easily get into the job and I've spent most of the day saying hello to people I aready know! Which makes it real nice!!!

So - all in all, it's good now. Being connected to the outside world makes me feel so much better. I've still got a LOT to sort out (like my own car, cancelling a lot of services in the UK and other financial bits and pieces) but all in all it's ok.

I will try to update this as soon as I can and I'll try to update the photo blog as well - I know you're curious to see and read all about my new life so I'll do my best not to disappoint you!

Hugs to all!!! :-)