Mind the Gap

Hello Readers!

 I have decided that I will be creating one blog entry per port because I have a lot less free time than I had originally anticipated. When I return from my voyage I will be able to share more about the experience…although I do wish I had more hours in a day!  I have also decided to try and narrow my blog entries down to hopefully interesting information about my travels and experiences to five things per port. If you have any questions you can always comment or shoot me an E-mail at Jessica.zaksek.fa13@semesteratsea.org.  Right now I am on the ship heading towards Russia! I am so excited to be aboard and it is finally sinking in that this is it! Four months in a new home! So far it has been an easy transition and I love my room.  J I will hopefully write more about today in the next blog entry, which will probably go over my first week at sea before Russia. For now, I want to give you a snapshot of my trip to London, in no particular order! I hope you enjoy it!

 

1)   Mind the Gap

While in London I really got to experience a new type of transport- the underground, or the Tube. It was a great and efficient mode of transportation but also gave me the chance to see all different types of people. The tube would arrive at a station very frequently and it was so easy to get around and see the sights that London is famous for. What made it even better was that the hostel I was staying at was in Central London, mere minutes from London Bridge. By the time I left London I had heard "Mind the Gap" over 30 times! I used the Tube every day at least four or five times to get around. I was able to travel to the airport, to Westminster and to Euston station where I traveled by train to Warner Brother's Studio. Part of me wishes we had a Tube where I live because everything is so spread out in California. It would be a lot more efficient than sitting in traffic for several hours! All in all, I think London is really easy to navigate and get around in! I loved it!!

 

2)   Warner Brother's The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour

This experience was, by far, the highlight of my stay in London. What better place to learn about the films than in London? We took a double decker bus decorated with Hogwarts to the studio, which was a unique experience in itself. Once I saw the studio I was shocked at how large it was and began to jump up and down with excitement. I felt like I was young again when I first began to read the books! I purchased the digital guidebook in advance so I feel I got a lot out of using that at this tour. When the announcer said that the tour would take three hours, our group did not believe it. However, once we went through the studio and gift shop it had indeed been three hours! It was a fantastic tour and words cannot describe how interesting it was! I was able to learn a lot about the films and about how much work goes into a movie. For example, there were over 1000 potion ingredient bottles in the Potions classroom and one of the crewmembers hand written all of them! The attention to detail was phenomenal. It was also really cool to see all of the props from the movies, along with major sets such as Diagon Alley and The Great Hall.  I also found out that multiple animals were used for the same character. Some dogs appeared in certain movies as Fang and some merely preformed the stunts. The tour ended on a spectacular note as I got to view a model of Hogwarts. I would definitely recommend this to anyone stopping in London!

 

3)   Free Walking Tour of London

If there is anything I would advise about London it is this: make sure to bring extra cash!! London was five times more expensive than I thought it would be- especially in regards to transport! I spent at least 200 dollars on transport! On that note, take advantage of free tours! I had the opportunity to participate in a royal tour of Westminster, free of charge! I knew when I heard about it that I wanted to go on the tour so I could see some of the famous landmarks. The tour guide was fantastic and full of interesting and sometimes comical information! I made sure to give him a tip at the end of the tour! On this walking tour I got to see Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the famous red telephone booths, among many other sights! Did you know that Big Ben does not refer to the tower but rather to the Bell itself? Also, our tour guide told us about three separate break ins to Buckingham palace that happened over the years. One of them was a group of German tourists who thought to camp in Hyde Park. Apparently they climbed over the brick wall thinking that behind the wall was Hyde Park. They spend the night there and couldn't figure out how to leave the park the next day and ended up asking a security guard for directions. Obviously, this did not work out so well. Another one he discussed was a homeless man that wanted to sleep in Buckingham Palace because it was so large and he figured that there had to be a room for him. He got past security and broke into the palace. He went to the kitchen and drank a bottle of wine. He then went into a room to sleep and accidentally climbed into the bed with the Queen in it! She promptly was able to call security but the funny thing is that they did not charge him with breaking and entering but rather stealing a bottle of wine! Crazy! Later on in the tour, our tour guide talked about the significance of the 5^th of November in British history and about Guide Fox. It was truly a fantastic experience. The tour company also does an Old London tour as well as a grim reaper tour. They also organize pub crawls. I would also recommend looking into these options to save some money!

 

4)   The Hostel

Yet another way I was able to save money was by staying in a Hostel. I believe that everyone should experience this because it is so unique. You stay in a room with people you don't know. I know it sounds intimidating, but you get to meet really interesting people! Plus, they usually have lockers to store things in case you are afraid of theft. I stayed in a room with 22 beds! Lets just say there was never a quiet moment! I enjoyed staying at that hostel because it was in central London and was close to the Tube. Plus, a lot of SASers were staying there. We all got discounts on food and drinks from the pub attached to the Hostel. We also got free breakfast. While this hostel was by no means a five-star hotel, it was definitely a unique and fun experience! I met people from all over the world, each with their own story :) The chance meetings you have in life are often the most rewarding! 

 

5)    Butterbeer

Last but not least was my opportunity to try Butterbeer!! I know you could lump this with the studio tour but I thought it was such a unique thing on its own. It is one of the only places that serve it in the world! I do have to say straight off that it wasn't my favorite drink. But, it did really enhance my overall experience on the tour. The taste was very much like butterscotch and rootbeer. It was very very sweet and the foam was creamy.  I definitely think it is worth a try if you like sweet beverages! Also, I could add to this category the stop I made with my group to King's Cross Station. We traveled there via the Tube and took a few photos at a staged platform 9 ¾. Even though it would have been cooler to go inside, we were able to take the photo for free without using our cards to enter the actual train station. It was such a fun time!

 

So, this is just a small picture of my journey to London. I am sure there is a lot I am forgetting but I made sure to write it down in my journal.  I am definitely going to miss London and I plan to go back soon to see even more things! It was a great way to kick off my journey, and I was able to meet a lot of great people before even boarding the ship! Cheers! And always remember to Mind the Gap!!

:)

P.S. Unfortunately I will not be able to post photos to the blog because of speed and data issues. I will post photos when I get home in December on my Facebook page. I am sorry and I wish I could share with you now! 

A Day Before Adventure Begins

Hello Readers :)

 I am now a day away from going on the adventure of a lifetime and I couldn't be more thrilled! These past few months have been a whirlwind of preparation, planning and shopping. Luckily, I am almost all set and ready to go. Over the past week I have really been focusing on narrowing my to-do list. However, the list only seemed to grow during the past few days. I have one more day and a half-page of things to do, so hopefully I can finish it all. I do know that no matter how much you plan or believe that you are ready, you can never be truly and completely prepared for everything. Thankfully, my parents have been there every step of the way to advise and remind me of things that I may have forgotten. They have been a huge support system and help throughout this process.

Tomorrow I leave for the airport around 12 Noon and my flight is at 4:45 PM. I will be arriving in London at 11:15 AM on the 21^st which is really 3:15 AM my time. I am not very good at sleeping on planes but hopefully I will be able to catch some shut-eye. I made sure to pack my tablet, laptop and iPod into my carry-on to pass the time. As far as I know, I will not be traveling with individuals who are going on Semester at Sea. I will be meeting up with some girls at the airport so we can travel to the hostel together. I am pretty nervous about using transport but I am sure it will be all right. Plus, it is all in English so there is no way that I will get lost! On the 22^nd I have plans to go to Warner Brother's Studios to tour the sets and making of the Harry Potter movies. I am super excited for that. Otherwise, I do not have any clear-cut plans for the rest of my stay in London. I figured that a lot of us would be the same way so we can choose to do spur of the moment things. The hostel is also in central London so I will be close to a lot of attractions such as the London Eye. I am looking forward to staying at the Hostel, especially since most of the guests staying there will be students on Semester at Sea :) It will really give me the chance to meet some people before getting to the ship on Saturday the 24^th.

I hope to keep blogging during my trip. I am not sure how often I will be able to do so with my schedule and in-country field programs. I will do my best to post photos on this blog and keep you updated on my happenings.  A lot of students say that keeping a blog is hard to do because you are often so busy. I will be keeping a journal though and will try to write blog entries from that. I plan to keep a food journal and to talk to the locals about their culture and favorite food establishments or places to visit. I hope to get the most out of this experience by immersing myself in each culture and discovering what makes each one special.

One thing that I was unprepared for in regards to this whole experience was extra expense. Once I had my packing list completed I realized that I had to fit a five-page packing list into two suitcases, a backpack and a carry on. It seemed overwhelming but we tackled the list one item at a time. I soon began to realize that it was all the little things I needed that cost the most. If I had any advice for future SASers so far it would be to plan ahead and save, save, save! Though I will be able to use financial aid/ scholarships for the trip, I had no access to those funds all summer. Therefore, I would advise other students to plan for extra expenses in the two or three months prior to the actual voyage. One must consider visas, textbooks, field programs, plane tickets and fuel surcharges along with stuff an individual may not anticipate such as a new camera or battery for a laptop. I am grateful for all the help my parents have provided and I know I am lucky in this regard. I know that even though it may seem like a lot now, this experience is a once in a lifetime thing and it will be worth every single penny. Now I will get off my advice-soapbox :)

 Getting ready to pack! 

Originally, I had planned to spend one day packing. However, at the last minute we decided to ship one of my bags to London so that I wouldn't have to carry two suitcases with me on the Tube. I just learned today that my bag has arrived on time! :) Soon after the decision was made to ship the bag we had to pack it, make a customs list and send the needed documents in a day. Unfortunately, we found out that I had to repack that suitcase and remove some items and that the company had not received my paperwork. Lets just say I was worried but luckily everything worked out.  Also, my second suitcase, a rolling duffle, arrived before the estimated ship date, which was today. I was able to pack that last week in no time at all. Today I just have to pack up my backpack and personal item and then I should be all set to go!

I will definitely miss this:

While onboard the ship I will only be able to communicate through E-mail. I only have a limited amount of Internet time so I am only going to use the actual Internet for emergencies or registration for school. I think it will be a good thing to separate myself from technology for a while. While I am away the best way to get in contact with me is through E-mail and I would advise against sending me anything via the postal service. I will also have an international phone but I am only using this for emergencies as well. I think taking a break from Facebook and technology will allow me to really get to know my ship mates and enjoy the experience to its fullest! Like I mentioned earlier, I will try to post entries so you can all see what I am up to.

On this voyage I will be traveling along the Atlantic Ocean rather than my home ocean! 

I know that many challenges lie ahead. I also know that I will learn so much and have a great time! I will miss everyone so very much and I will admit that I am terrified of what lies ahead. I do not think anyone is immune to this when presented with such a big commitment and in the face of change and uncertainty. However, I know that I am ready for this and that I have the support of all of my friends and family. I am so grateful, especially to my parents, for making this trip possible. No words can even begin to describe how thankful I am. And to all my readers, if you have any questions about anything feel free to leave comments! I will make sure to reply to them as soon as I can. I will keep you all in my thoughts over the next few months! Wish me luck! :) :D