After a request from one of my readers, more tales from camp.
This one comes from the summer of 2002. For those following at home, that is the second year I went out to Philly.
This one comes from the summer of 2002. For those following at home, that is the second year I went out to Philly.
Picture the scene, had a great time the first summer at JK, decided to come back for a second. This time bringing my closest friend from Uni with me, Alix. So we sent all our papers off to the embassy, just waiting for the return of our passports, newly printed with J-1 visas. This is slap in the middle of the World Cup. I’m up at 7am to watch England vs. Nigeria from Japan I think, the postman comes pretty early, game still going on, brings me my passport. Game on! I call Alix, we buy plane tickets, last minute so not cheap but fuck it, let’s just get there? So we get flights for the next morning, I recall maybe 11am, or somewhere around there from Gatwick. Now, I’m in Selby as usual, a fair way from Gatwick, and I’m online checking for buses and trains to get me to Gatwick. It is either going to be ridiculously expensive or I’m going to get a bus at 11pm and arrive at Gatwick at around 9am, after changing buses 3 times.
So I give in a call my dad. Long story regarding the background there so I’ll leave it, but we have not been particularly close at this point. I need to be at Gatwick for maybe 8am the next morning and a lift would be great. He is working the night shift that night. So I say no worries, I’ll just get the bus, long public transport journeys don’t bother me. He calls me back 20 minutes later and has the night shift covered, can take me but we will need to be leaving around 11pm because he needs to get there and back by first thing. Again, not a problem. So we drive to Gatwick, arriving some time around 3 if memory serves me correctly. I’ve arranged to meet Alix there at 8am, her coming up from Portsmouth and all. So I go to sleep at Gatwick, big rucksack under my seat, feet rested on it so no one can steal it, hugging my hand luggage! I know, attractive huh?
I’ll jump forward a bit but by the time we get on the plane I have been awake for 28 hours roughly. I decide to watch Lord Of The Rings on the little screen in front of me. Big mistake, phenomenally dull and quite hard to stay awake to; after all, it’s just a load of walking. Alix is not well, so she is whining most of the way there. I don’t really get ill so I’m not a sympathetic care giver.
Anyway, we finally land at Philadelphia Airport, to find they have lost Alix’s bag. Great. We spent ages sorting that out, I call camp and see if anyone is around to come pick us up. They tell me someone will be there soon. So we loiter.
A little white car pulls up, and a fucking humungous grin cracks my face, when Alyssa and Heather get out of the car. I love these two people and I was in a pretty cranky mood by this point. Cheered me up no end!
We drive back to Haverford, me spotting loads of beloved landmarks on the way, the Barnes & Noble, the dirty fleapit cinema I used on my days off, things like that.
So the hours count is up around 35 hours awake at this point, pretty much demented and delirious by the time we hit those dorms. A quick hug for the familiar and much loved faces, followed by a massive intro to loads of people with names I remember now, but then, no chance. I do distinctly remember seeing Mark, and getting a big hug, told I have a big room to myself then a big blur of faces. All I wanted was a shower and a kip! The other thing that does stick in my memory is meeting BJ. I know that sounds wrong, but I had heard stories of this really cool guy the year before, named BJ. I met him and he told me to go to bed and say hi properly in the morning.
I took a quick shower and then of course, could not get to sleep, so spent the night helping Mark and Wiaan make up room allocations. Back up 6 hours later…welcome back to Enrichment!
Anyway, we finally land at Philadelphia Airport, to find they have lost Alix’s bag. Great. We spent ages sorting that out, I call camp and see if anyone is around to come pick us up. They tell me someone will be there soon. So we loiter.
A little white car pulls up, and a fucking humungous grin cracks my face, when Alyssa and Heather get out of the car. I love these two people and I was in a pretty cranky mood by this point. Cheered me up no end!
We drive back to Haverford, me spotting loads of beloved landmarks on the way, the Barnes & Noble, the dirty fleapit cinema I used on my days off, things like that.
So the hours count is up around 35 hours awake at this point, pretty much demented and delirious by the time we hit those dorms. A quick hug for the familiar and much loved faces, followed by a massive intro to loads of people with names I remember now, but then, no chance. I do distinctly remember seeing Mark, and getting a big hug, told I have a big room to myself then a big blur of faces. All I wanted was a shower and a kip! The other thing that does stick in my memory is meeting BJ. I know that sounds wrong, but I had heard stories of this really cool guy the year before, named BJ. I met him and he told me to go to bed and say hi properly in the morning.
I took a quick shower and then of course, could not get to sleep, so spent the night helping Mark and Wiaan make up room allocations. Back up 6 hours later…welcome back to Enrichment!
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