Express Holiday Inn
Richfield Avenue
Reading RG1 8EQ
United Kingdom
It is the end of the first day in the country. I heard someone say bloody hell as soon as I stepped off of the gate at the airport, and I immediately knew that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. I have actually never been to Kansas, but hearing everyone here speak with an accept indicated that wherever I now found my self it wasn’t what I was used to.
I will admit that I am the one that is now speaking with an accent. I can’t deny the accusations as I did when I was in California, trying to deny that the Californians heard my Midwestern / Michigan accent.
It was a very pleasant day when I landed at 7 am this morning. My cab driver, Justin, said that this was not usual for this time of year, and that he had actually gotten sunburned at a pub this past weekend. Most of his friends think that summer has just come early, but he has the idea that we are still in store for some more of the bad weather of the winter.
When I had arrived at the airport and he had gone to pay for the carpark [yes, the parking lots are called carparks] I had moved along the right side of the car and had expected to sit in the passenger seat, having completely forgotten about the fact that the English drive on the right side of the car. So the occupation of the passenger side of the vehicle with the steering wheel was yet another sign that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
I was delivered to the wrong hotel, both of them being Holiday Inns. Luckily the right hotel was only next store, and as soon I had walked in and asked if I was checked into the hotel, they must have recognized the American accent and asked me if I was Mr. De Marco. They told me how Viv was getting worried because the driver had said that he had dropped me off, but that the hotel had told her that I had not yet made an appearance. The staff got me checked in, jokingly said welcome to the family as I had been booked for 20 nights, and immediately called Viv back to let her know that I was safe and sound.
I then had to make several walking trips from the hotel that I had originally stored my things to the one that I was actually booked in. I watched TV for some time, watching news reports that the US had attacked the journalist’s hotel, believing that there was sniper activity at the hotel and killing 5 of the journalist’s stationed there. The news also said that they had attacked a building 12 minutes after an intelligence report said that Saddam Hussein and his sons were in the building trying to determine escape routes from Baghdad. I still don’t know if they have confirmed or denied Saddam’s death.
I fell asleep watching some Sandra Bullock / Hugh Grant movie, and woke up 5 hours later.
I then went to dinner at this Kebab place up the road from the hotel, bought some maps at the local petrol station and the back to hotel. I ventured out for some beer but didn’t make it into a pub. I bought beer from the gas station across the street.
Tomorrow morning I will be picked up by my new office mate, Richard McNeill and then taken to the office to meet the gang there.
I feel a little disconnected, as I haven’t yet figured out the phones, or had internet access since I arrived. I don’t feel lonely yet, but I feel as though I am far from home. The money thing has been the most confusing aspect. Everything really is more expensive over here.