Trip to Scotland Episode 5: Jetlag Part 2 (3/28/06)
Is there anything more frustrating in the world than jetlag? Really? Anything? I don’t think so. I don’t think so right now at 8:09 a.m., and I certainly didn’t think so this morning at 4:30 a.m. when, despite being completely exhausted, I did nothing but stare at the ceiling as I laid in my bed. That’s the weird part for me. I felt tired. I felt sleepy tired. But instead of sleeping, I just sat there and stared at the ceiling. I just stared, wondering why in the world my eyes weren’t closed.
So, after an hour and a half of exploring the ceiling of someone else’s flat, I decided I might as well get ready for the day. Take a shower, brush me teeth, comb my hair. All the good stuff. After completing my rigorous personal hygiene regimen (*cough*) I figured, as long as I’m awake, and I’m going to be awake for awhile, I should probably get started on my coffee. So, I quietly left the flat at around 7:30 and headed for downtown to collect myself at one of the local coffee shops. What did I find? Nothing opens here until 8:00. It’s crazy. Don’t Scottish people need caffeine early in the morning? What time do these people start work? Apparently not at 8:00.
So, now I’m the crazy guy wandering around the streets of St. Andrews. The only other people awake at this God-forsaken time in the morning are the delivery guys, who are looking at me like I’m crazy for being up this early. AAAAAAAHHHHH! I know I’m crazy! If I had sleep or coffee, I’d be fine. But I’m not fine right now. I’m tired and under-caffeinated. Necessito mas caffeeino, por favor-o.
After aimlessly roaming the streets for half an hour, I finally find a place that’s open. I walk up to the counter and ask for coffee. She asked me four different questions about how I wanted my coffee and what kind of coffee I wanted—all of them in a thick, incomprehensible Scottish accent. I looked at her and said, “Please, I just want some coffee.” I think she got the point. It’s good coffee, too. Well done, my bonny Scottish lass…or something like that.
posted by timmer k. at
4:15 PM
5 Comments:
Tim,
I had that exact experience outside the train station in Copenhagen - a wierd city, by the way. So, so, so dirty, but also somehow beautiful. Wound up getting a great cup of coffee, sitting at a table outside on a cobblestone street and watching while the garbageman came by, an interacial couple composed of the two most beautiful people I have ever seen in my life (all forms of media included) came by pushing their baby in one of those 50's baby strollers with the big white wheels and oversized comic book suspension, and then I noticed that I was sitting in front of a shop that sold banjos, hammer-dulcimers and ukeleles, but it didn't open for an hour and a half so I waited it out with three refills (I paid full price for each) and then I went in to get some guitar strings, and they didn't have any. I walked back out into the street, kicked some trash, yelled COPENHAGEN IS DEAD TO ME!, gave a homeless guy a euro, and felt strangely like a local.
By
Anonymous, at 8:39 AM
That is faintly remnicient of my attempt to order ice cream at a McDonalds in Glasgow. I believe she had to say "chocolate" about 5 times before I understood her, and only because she finally did the slow "choc-o-late" thing. I've discovered that Scottish people really like it when you can't understand a damn word that comes out of their mouths and make them repeat themselves incessantly.
By
Jess(ica), at 1:00 PM
Tim,
I have to kind of agree with you on the jet lag being the worst thing in the world....with the only exception being that I have never experienced jet lag in my entire life. But I do have regular sleeping problems (translated means) that whole stairing at the ceiling thing wondering why you are not asleep yet happens to me 3-4 times a month.....sucks.....
vicki
By
Victoria, at 6:02 PM
Here's my only concern...you have a rigirous grooming routine??? Are you turning metro? I knew this day would come! I'm so happy! j/k You're already a bit metro...and that's part of what makes you cool.
By
Jerod Lucius, at 2:06 PM
WHERE'S MY PINT???
By
stevetreichler, at 10:49 PM
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