I am happy to say, at long last, that I am in the UK! Hooray! I am currently sitting in my bright living room, looking out the window towards a little church that is about a 5 minute walk away. The setting is truly idyllic. The reception room and kitchen face to the back of the building so it is very quiet. The 2 bedrooms face the street, but after living literally next to the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel in our last place, our new location is positively tranquil. J was very concerned throughout the house hunting process that he choose something that we would both be happy with and he did a wonderful job. I love our new home. For those interested, our new location straddles South Kensington and Chelsea. It is quite easy to get to Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge and Hyde Park. We are also very close to a number of museums which I am very excited about. Notting Hill and Mayfair are a bit more of a hike, but for these two New Yorkers, it is quite doable.
What a whirlwind the last 2.5 weeks have been! My last post, informing you all that I had received my visa (amidst happy dance of joy) was only the beginning of a flurry of activity. The weekend following, J had a business trip to attend and I made a quick NYC-Philly-Boston farewell tour to visit friends and celebrate a number of impending life events. It's so nice when everyone seems to have something to celebrate. My mood, of course, was markedly improved with the receipt of my own good news. No longer was I Betty Davis in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?", I was a downright Pollyanna!
But to be honest, I was still worried about immigration. Sure I had all of my paperwork in order and had learned a thing or two since my attempt to visit J in December, but one of the lessons that I learned was sometimes all doesn't go the way you expect them to. While the chances were slim to none that I would be sent back to the US upon arrival at Heathrow, that didn't stop me from worrying about the 'worst case scenario'. For anyone who knows me, this should come as no surprise. And for as much as worrying does nothing constructive, at least it does help manage expectations a bit.
So there I was, last Thursday, once again hauling two suitcases, a tennis bag, and an additional carry on into the car. Actually, that was my dad. He's probably glad this whole thing was successful just so that he doesn't have to see those suitcases again! Note to anyone traveling with an extra bag. It is advisable to simply pay the extra bag fee as opposed to shipping separately. DHL: $440 Delta: $100 Need I say any more? It seemed that my good travel karma began at baggage check where one of my bags was overweight. As the baggage handler frantically scrambled to get my second bag off the conveyer belt to transfer some items, I tried explaining to her that the combined weight of the bags was over 100 lbs., so there was no way that we were going to make this work. I was actually arguing with the Delta employee to just charge me, because, really, at that moment, I no longer cared. I was the ideal consumer. But the slightly crazed look in my eye must have communicated something of the desperation of the situation to her because she waved the overweight fee! To the Delta Baggage Check girl working Kiosk Assistance on the evening of Thursday, February 21st, 2013 at 7:00-THANK YOU!
Then it was time to say goodbye to my mom and dad. Saying goodbye to your parents is never an easy thing, and lucky me, I got to do it twice. In some ways, it felt easier than the first time. Also, being that I will be back in June, it didn't make it seem as final as it did the first time. The funny thing is, the first time it wasn't final either. But this time, there was a difference. The circumstances of my extended stay gave the farewells a slightly more celebratory feel. Parents should always want for their children to move forward, create their own families and lives. And in my leaving, that is what I was doing. The fact that my parents have produced two children who are not afraid to seek happiness and fulfillment, even if it comes at great distance, is something to be proud of. Distance does not break the bonds of family. I am very lucky to have been raised in the family environment that they have created.
7 hours and an uneventful plane ride later, I was landing in Heathrow with my heart in my throat. All had gone well the first time to this point. Luckily, the immigration line was not long and I did not have to wait to meet my fate.
Female immigration officer-damn it. Cannot use feminine wiles (lot of good they did me the first time).
Then came the question.
UKBP: "Do you have an immigration history with the UK?"
Me: "Why yes I do. At the beginning of December I attempted to enter the UK and was refused entry."
UKBP: "Why were you refused entry?"
Me: "I arrived without a return ticket, in an attempt to visit my fiance. The lack of return ticket got me pulled for further questioning. It was then determined after interview that I was coming here to marry my fiance. This was not the case. I was sent home. It was traumatic."
UKBP: (Snickering, yes, SNICKERING) "Really? How long have you been engaged?"
And so on...
I was asked why I had obtained a visa prior to entry. I explained that I had been advised to do so by a colleague of hers in the US. My passport was confiscated again. I was asked to go sit on a bench while she checked with her supervisor. I sat. And waited. It probably was no more than 5 minutes, but it seemed closer to mmmm... AN ETERNITY. Upon her return she handed me my passport and welcomed me to the UK adding, "I hope this was less traumatic for you." Oh British humor. You and I will get along well.
After an eon waiting for my baggage to appear I walked through the terminal door and into arrivals at Heathrow where J was waiting for me. It is not easy to run with 2 suitcases, a tennis bag, and a carry on, but I managed, and promptly started to bawl as he hugged me and welcomed me to my new home. Finally! Tears of joy!
I have already been learning a lot and every day is full of new observations and experiences. Next post I will fill you all in. I think I'm going to like it here...
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