Somewhat surprisingly, it took until 2017 for my first visit to anywhere in the U.K. And I can thank school for the excuse.
I started this program 18 months ago. As a part-time student, I am supposed to make this formal review at the end of the second year. We pushed to do it early. It was risky, but we thought that getting me in front of others in the department, talking with other professors, and getting some critical feedback earlier would be worth it. I'm very glad that I didn't realize how risky it was. That hearing was really tough. But I was passed- albeit with some focus issues. Although my advisors were not surprised by the feedback, so that's all good.
Since I'd never been before, I planned vacation for after the review, and I was really looking forward to it. The four second summary of the trip: It certainly wasn't all smooth but it was a great trip. And the not all smooth started at the airport.
I had checked in online but at the airport, my luggage tag wouldn't print. Off to the counter where I learned that there was a flight delay that would likely impact my international flight. So the counter agent was super and managed to get me on the later evening flight. And I'd read recently of a super-traveler who always checks a bag and always take a photo of it before she sends it off, just in case. I remembered this and did the same. Glad I did.....
Over dinner I was hearing horror stories from other travelers about the flights to Boston and NYC- weather delays and cancellations of flights to Boston because of runway construction. Mine still seemed OK. But then it was delayed again. And then it was going to board, but sit on the runway for a bit. Hey, at least they were upfront with everyone about it. But quick mental math and now this plan is landing five minutes after my international flight is supposed to leave. That doesn't work.
The gate agent was the most amazing I've ever dealt with. He immediately saw the issue and started working on solutions. He went out to the plane to pull my bag so that he could recheck me on a flight out of Dulles. Somehow, my bag had hopped the previous flight to Boston. But that seemed OK, since I was still going to be on a flight to London, same day, same carrier, arriving the same time. But then he couldn't rebook me because it was a code share and he needed the other carrier to release my ticket. Long story short, with less than 2 hours before departure, I'm rebooked through Dulles, running to a cab with a taxi voucher in my hand.
Forty minutes to Dulles, not bad! And no lines, since everyone is already long past that part of the process. And no seat either- they don't understand how I got a "ticket" and why I'm here. But let's wait 15 minutes for standby call and see. And aren't I nice and patient and kind- well, not their fault, not my fault, and what can I do anyway and they are all trying to help me. And amazingly, I get a seat. Stranger, it's the same seat assignment as on the plane from Boston that I was missing. So I'm off and running through security to the shuttles to the terminal and the gate. But I end up with a few spare minutes so I send a compliment to the airline for that gate agent who was determined to get me to London for my hearing.
And the flight was quite nice. I had the window, unfortunately, and I didn't sleep, per usual, but I did enjoy catching up on some movies and then watching the sun come up.
So once through immigration I headed to the Boston baggage claim area and waited. And waited.
And waited.
And finally gave up and went to the baggage issues area, where I learned that since I wasn't personally on the Boston flight, my luggage wouldn't have been put on. So I filed a claim and began the trek north. Wasn't it lucky I had that photo of my bag? Made filling out the paperwork so much easier.
I took the Underground to St. Pancras station. I already had a fare card and it just took a little work to figure out which line, but that train left just a couple of minutes after I got on. And it was good not having the bag as the train was crowded and very warm. The U.K. was having a heat wave and is not equipped for it. But an hour later I came out at St. Pancras. I found the ticket office and got my train ticket up to school. Lesson learned- I should do that in advance too if I can. I didn't because I didn't know how the timing would work, but that makes it cheaper. And that train was an express, leaving in 10 minutes. Run!
Nice trains! Actually I had great luck with the British trains, and everyone knows that I'm a train fan anyway.
Once in Leicester, I get the tickets for the other legs of the trip, and directions to the university, and it's only a 10-minute walk! Again, nice not to have the bag (although there were taxis). And it was warm! But I knew roughly where I needed to go and I had a street name and so I stumbled on the street and the dorm. There was an easier route but it worked. And the folks at the dorm were so nice! They were sad about my bag but the office is open 24/7 so that was good to know. And again, nice that I could show them a picture of the bag they were going to sign for for me. I got connected to the Wifi and found out that my bag had been located in Boston (surprise!) and would be on the next flight to London. OK.
View toward campus from my room.
The dorm was large but not full- it's graduate housing and mostly held international students. Very basic- I wouldn't want to live there at this point in my life but for a few days it was fine. Especially after I learned the next morning how to operate the shower so I didn't flood the bathroom every morning. But the windows didn't open except for a few inches in from the top and there wasn't even a fan. I was roasting. But it was Saturday evening and I needed to eat and to get some things for breakfast; I didn't have much to unpack (ha!) and had enough toiletries with me for the morning. So off I went.
Despite the warmth I slept incredibly well. I had a leisurely morning, and then went off to campus- I wanted to be sure I knew where I needed to be the next morning.
The gate up the street, onto campus.
Oh, that's my "home"- part of the college of sciences and engineering, it houses geography and geology.
Basically, the main quad. It seemed a very small campus for the number of students.
I had a tour at the library and spent a couple of hours in the post-graduate reading room (really!) reviewing my presentation and doing some readings. It felt really nice to be back on a campus and being studious. I then wandered for a bit, feeling the need to walk and be outside. Unfortunately, I shouldn't have been so trusting and should have been a bit worried, because my bag was not waiting for me when I got back. And now they couldn't find it. But I pushed, and they did track it, and it did make the flight, but it never got processed at Heathrow. It wouldn't make the courier and to me today, but tomorrow. That didn't help me with my hearing. So back to the market to get things like shampoo, deodorant, a razor, etc. The shampoo doubled as body wash and tripled as detergent, and I washed my travel clothes in the sink again, now ruing my distracted packing- I was so preoccupied with the presentation and hearing and having all of those files in multiple places and with the drama of finding a carryon that would hold what I was bringing to my professors that my usual packing rules of a change of clothes and additional toiletries got lost. Lesson learned. In fact, this was teaching me multiple lessons.
* When checking a bag, take a photo of the bag before sending it on its way.
* When checking a bag, make sure to have a change of clothes and emergency toiletries in the carryon, at least those things you don't really want to have to buy again. (I was seriously missing my face cream and sunscreen, for instance. I did remember jewelry and makeup, toothbrush and toothpaste though.)
* You really can do without a lot of things. I'd already planned to forego the hair dryer (given the heat, maybe not a good idea) but this new cut did remarkably well. But now I was also foregoing a comb/brush, any decisions about what to wear, and any comfort I had for this presentation.
* I knew this but it's always a good reminder that many travel destinations, you can buy things you need/forget.
* Being pushed out of your comfort zone is good from time to time. And I think I was so preoccupied with the baggage saga that I didn't get too worked up about the presentation and hearing.
Long story short, I roasted in my travel clothes in the classrooms. I didn't have my presentation outfit but still wasn't the most informal person there. And then I watched the first presenter get taken apart after his presentation. The next two were good, but topics so very different from mine. The presentation itself went ok, my professors were pleased. It was so fantastic to finally meet my primary advisor face-to-face! The hearing after lunch, though.... I met my second advisor after and really had no concept of how it would ultimately turn out, although he was confident. And no, my bag still wasn't there. But at least after the afternoon's call to the airline I got emails about it being transferred to the courier. So I gave up and went downtown and made it to the H&M ten minutes before closing. I found a skirt and a t-shirt top that I thought were cute and sort-of matched and hoped they would fit. I had an exquisite light dinner at a French bistro I found on the way back. But still nothing from the courier, so that set off a fresh round of correspondence and digging. Thankfully the dorm office was wonderful about letting me use the phone. Things did fit so they got a quick wash in the sink. Despite the heat things did dry well overnight. Tuesday morning I got my university ID, then met my primary professor for lunch and our first real chat, which was lovely. We went to an Indian place serving Tamil cuisine- fabulous! Leicester is a city, but feels small, and it's very diverse, so there is great food from the different ethnic communities, spicy and tasty. Then it was back to campus for a department picnic in the park where I got to meet a few other students, also really nice. Sounds like I'll see some of them at the conference in August. I wandered another little area near campus, then went back to the dorm. Still no bag, but at least I knew that it had finally been transferred to the courier at 10a that morning (I know- good grief!) and the courier promised I would have it this day. I went out to dinner- Turkish this time, Izmir cuisine. Sooooo good! And at 10.15p, my bag arrived. The next day I'd get the news about my hearing and I was looking forward to one day in Leicester not fighting with the airline about my (not) lost luggage!
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