Re: One Night In The City

This is the English version on what went on during the weekend after some has wanted to know what happened.

Alright, so it was time to study, but then I suddenly got the offer to go over to Philadelphia instead. Study you can do later so it was time t pack a bag with the most necessary and sleep 12 hours before the journey started. Goes up at 7:30 and onward to Starbucks for 1 hour breakfast. Return to Campus around 9 to went for all the others until the appointed time of 9:30. The others consists of the Norwegians Lars and Jannike and the Germans Rebecca, Katharina, Eva, Bianca and Andrea. Funny enough one of the girls actually shows up at 9:15 and begin preaching about when to come at an appointed time (old habits are hard to break). What did she do their? German efficiency with getting coffee and breakfast to most of them at the same time.

After that we awaits as they come one by one. Clock turns 10 and we are still waiting. Apparently all of the girls had partied the night before and the night before that so one of them had overslept. In the meantime I am astonished by all the bags. It is 2 days, 1 night, but still the Norwegians cames with hiking backpacks. On the other hand everyone is amazed that I could fit everything I needed in a small computer bag (with the exception of being practical I hadn't any backpack so that was only option I had). The majority decides to move on to the car rental while one stays for what my professor would call for "a sleepyhead". So it's onward to Crystal City (after some detours for some).

We arrive after a metro ride and the girls panned to rent to car, but at the place they suggested to rent a 8-seated SUV for he whole gang. We are instantly hooked and looks on as the big, dark purple car slowly droves in front of us. In the meantime those left behind arrives so it's only to pack everyone into the car and we are on the way. Jannike was the main driver and Katharina the first navigator (or the GPS as she would be known as). The time was now 11. After 1 hour drive we arrive to MacDonald's for lunch. While we sitting as cramped around a table as in the car it begins to rain (I can tell you that it rained all the way to Philly). 1 o'clock it's out on the highway again. Keeping the good spirit up with everything from music and talk. The only serious incident occurs when we discover that we are on the wrong lane in this gigantic highway and our exit hastily race against us which forces us to cross three lanes and out on a exit curve when we travel a little bit off-road because of the rain that now beats down on us. Otherwise the whole trip is without incidents.

On the radio they play everything from overproduced American trashpop to really good music like Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz), Let It Be (The Beatles who actually seems bigger than God) to Can't Get Enough (Bad Company (which is a very good description of the other passengers hehehe)). The trip went to Lancaster and from that onward to Amish Country where we got a guided tour around some sort of show area. I'm not jealous, I'm way to comfartable with my life. This t6our was accompanied with some kids who just looked bored. The other passangers where really inquisitive which seemed to put the guide of guard a bit. Some area was on the outside in the rain. After we all where finished it was around 6 o'clock so we continue onward to Philly. This segment involves some detours caused by the GPS and when we finaly arrives it looks overcrowded. Apparently it's the World Series in baseball and a convention of some sort during this week so all hotells, Motells, Hostells are booked and we are sitting in a Thairesturant with the rain falling outside. The alternatives we discuss for our future visit of Philly is as follows:

1) We travels outside of Philly to one of the hundreds sleepover places we have seen on the way here and hope one of them have a vacancy and party there. Unfourtunatly we don't know if they are vaccant and none of us have a deccent feeling of the werabouts around Philly.

2) We make a sightseeing of the town in the night (luckilly enough the rain has stopped at this time) during a few hours and then go back to Washington. Not the best alternative, but considering our situation one of the better suggestions.

3) We sleep in the car. Any problem? It is 8 persons in a big car, but it is not that big and if Andrea (tomorrows drver) don't getenough sleep she won't be able to drive back after spending the whole day in Philly.

After some discussion we decide on suggestion 2. This after some encouragement of the fortune cookies we got after the food. So we make a speed sightseeing of the town where we encounter stagparty, see the Liberty bell, the town hall witk a sign where it stands New Sweden (that's right, parts of Philadelphia used to be a Swedish colonie) and South Street (everything you need to see according to our guidebook). Afterthis we leave town before the game ends and the street will be crowded. That was the most beautiful part with all the lights shining in the dark as we passed by.

We finaly arrives in Washington after some good music and talk to keep most of us awake the time it took to travel. Arriving somewhere 4-5 in the morning (3-4 wintertime) so a just wants to get to bed. After brushing my teeth I hear some banging on one of the doors in the corridor. Thinks that it must be someone whos lock have jammed but I'm to tired to care (selfish and unsympathic I know, but I was tired). With me was Lars who actually went towards the door in question. After a moment of guilt I returned and look, it was Melissas door (a Swede). I go forward and apperently the handle has jumped out. After some discussion I went down to the reception to call the locksmith or whatever and then go back. Then someone already turned up and helped her out (the day after I learnt that the strangest thing about that incident is that, according to Melissa, I actually was awake at that time). Go to bed and falls asleep like a little child.

Wake up at 10:30 (wintertime) and goes to brunch at 11:30. Find some of the other passangers and we decide to travel to Baltimore because we already paid to use the car. We decide to meet at 13:30 for take of. I point out that it is 2 hours until then. Then I learn that those !%#&!%#?! Americans don't change time until next weekend. I get so frustrated with their speciallity to allways we on their own than accept the concensual ideas across the world that the Europeans have put forward. Anyway it's 4 from yesterday and 2 new Americans. This time we actually have a GPS (a real one with a brittish accent) and we are of. Todays songs on the radio is Black Sabbath's Iron Man and Red Hot Chilli Peppars Californication.

Arrives at Baltimore harbour and visits the National Aquarium which reminds me of Universeum (in the Swedish original post it says Culturum, but that is wrong) in Gothemburg, Sweden. Very beautiful but due to time constraint we ran throug one of the exhibits. You really feel pity with some of the fishes in their small aquariums. After this 1 1/2 hour we go back to Washington and leaves the car and take the metro. All in all the weekend went on $42 which wass very well spent. When I enter the room I find a note from Menja that I shall call him, but I don't have his number. When he finally arrives he tells me that someone has been looking for me and are very upset and would like to punch me. He leads me to the top floor where it only was a girl in my class that wanted some help.

A consequance of that visit was that see told me that she had studied for 2 assignmet due to Tuesday and now my head starts spinning. What 2 assignments? Apperently I forgot the Congressional assignment so now it feels very funny with 2 halfdays writing about Russia
-Georgia and the other assignment. Its gonna be a long week.

To my convenience I will stay in English for a while so I don't have to do this again.