Why Cari is Confused...

3 January: NY-US Dollars
4 January: Amsterdam-Euros
4-10 January: Prague-Czech Kroners*
10-12 January: Vienna-Euros**
12-14 January: Prague-Czech Kroners
14 January: Flight to London***
14 January: London Airports-Pounds Sterling
14 January: Madrid-Euros

* with a tram fine paid in US Dollars
** but you cannot change from Kroners to Euros so I had to go Kroners to Dollars to Euros
*** prices listed in Pounds Sterling. I pay in Euros and receive change in Pounds Sterling

Anyone still surprised that I'm confused?

Now for the brief

Left the hostel this AM and made the easy connection to the airport via bus and metro. Total cost 12Kc (40 cents) as opposed to the 350Kc ($11.66) I paid when I came in via shuttle. Anyway, despite some panic and shifting of contents to a black duffle (easiest way to attract attention in an airport) I got through with 'The Beast' weighing in at 26.7 kgs (58.74lbs) despite the posted limit being 20kgs (44.4lbs). Yay. It's also odd, you have to see the British consular *before* checking in where you fill in your landing card and get it stamped. (More on the stamps later)

Flight was short (probably because I slept through it) and Go (now part of EasyJet) is like most of the other budget airlines in that you buy your food. It was actually pretty good. Arrived at London Stansted (which is most definitely *not* in London, don't care *what* the name is) and went via monorial (eerily similar to the one at Kansai except the voice had a Scottish accent and spoke English) to passport control. Yes. Again. Bloody non-EU passport I had to wait forever online and got stamped (yay, 23!). The weird thing, London/UK does not use the 'standard' EU stamp. We discussed this the other day with some feeling that they did now, and my other stamp (Heathrow Dec 2000) was old. Nope, they're still using the same one. I don't know if that's because the UK is not a part of the Schengen (sp?) agreement, or what not, but it's nice to have a different stamp. Wonder what that will mean in terms of customs clearance in Spain.

Anyway, bus to Luton was easier than I thought it would be and took only an hour and a half. Went through the countryside to get here (Im not sure, but I think Luton is west of Stansted) where there were signs like 'Caution: Farm Traffic' and many farms. So I would argue that regardless of the name, neither of these airports are in London. Am I correct?

Anyway, at Luton, got food. Checked in (again with suitcase overweight), got books (LOTR: 3 and the new Grisham book) and am here. En route (through security) had nail clippers confiscated. I'm impressed that they found them deep in the black carry on but bummed at the same time because I forgot I had them and it sucks to lose them-but I'll get another in Madrid, I'm sure.



OK, off to board. Will post this eventually from Madrid. :)



Have arrived and am at Hostal Besaya on C/ San Bernardo, yes, down the street from where I lived in October/November! As for the passport/customs thing, I had to clear customs in Madrid and fill a landing card and got a stamp so in the 10 days since I landed on foreign soil I have acquired 5 stamps-Prague, in and out of Austria, England, and Spain--quite impressive. Topped only, in my experience by my trip to Korea which was four stamps (in and out of Korea and Japan) in five days.



Going to hit the job trail in the morning, currently watching ER (Sand and Water and Split Second) in Spanish.