Is anyone still out there? I am sure no one is still reading this since I have been home for awhile now, but here it goes.

So Tuesday night I went to the Coldplay concert at the White River amphitheater w/ a couple of my friends. It was an impulse purchase, because good seats became available, and my seats @ the London show weren't that great. I have never been to White River before, but I have heard the horror stories about the traffic. So I printed my directions, and also info about a shuttle at the Super Mall that was a 10 minute drive from White River.

We head out @ 7. The concert starts @ 8, but there is the opening band, so we got plenty of time. No Problem! Well @ 8:15 when I am still sitting on 167 I am starting to think differently! Finally we get to the shuttle buses (yellow school buses) @ 8:40. The bus leaves @ 8:45. At 9:30 we pull up. I was surprised not to hear Coldplay playing in the distance, because I thought for sure it had already started! Come to find out, I read today in the paper that they too were stuck in traffic! Only in Seattle!

So this is kind of amusing thing about this is that my experience in seeing Coldplay in London was so opposite. It was a breeze getting there, but a pain in the butt returning. So did I enjoy the 2 1/2 hours sitting in traffic vs. The 30 minute "crammed into a train car w/ wet people" train ride. That is a tough one.

JETLAG!!! I love to travel, but the time difference is killing me. I am about 8 hours behind what I am used to. So when I was in Europe, I was going to sleep between 2 - 3am and waking up @ 11am or 12pm. Which doesn't work to well when you are trying to be a tourist. Now that I am home I am going to bed between 5:30 - 6:30 (which is about 2 -3 in London) and wasking up between 4 - 5am. As my friend Kjerstin was so happy to point out was that it was because I was getting old! Well going to bed @ 5:30, I do feel like an old lady. So some friends at work want to go see a movie Friday nite. One reason why is just to keep me up past 9pm. I was instructed by my friend Michelle before I left work to start practicing and stay up until 8pm tonight. It has been very difficult, but I just have an hour to go. I might just might make it.

Back in the good 'ol USA!!!

It does feel good to be home, but all I have really done since I have been home is sleep. I think my body is almost figured out what time it is. The trip home was pretty uneventful. All flights were on time, and Homeland Security let me back in the country. The first time I went to Europe in '94, I pretty much got the interrogation coming back into the US. Apparently, I did not look like someone that could have spent a month in Europe. OH Well.

So in Amsterdam as we were taxing out to the runway (which I swear is about 2 miles. They probably could have just driven me home faster) there's a service road that runs along side where plans are coming in and taking off. Along the entire road people were just out there watching their planes. Some people were w/ their families and were having a picnic, some w/ lawn chairs, w/ binoculars, and cameras. It was kind of amusing to see. Because you no one in the US could be that close to a runway.

Also when I got home I heard on CNN, that's they arrested 3 people @ Heathrow Sat. They said that the arrests could not be connected to the bombings at this time until there was further investigation. So perhaps from the outside security looks like it is relaxed, but there is more going on behind the scences then you realize. However, knowing that I did not set off the metal detectors at all during my entire trip makes me a wonder. The girl filled w/ metal always sets those things off!

I'll be posting more pics later. So stay tuned.

More pics from Norway:

1. Jonathan (Pia's youngest son) He will be 2 in a couple of weeks. He has a mind of his own already. He does a very good job at pointing and ordering you to do something. It is really funny. Sometimes when he wants his mom, he yells "PIA".
2. G-Man (Gaute is his real name, but it is too hard to pronounce so we call him this instead. This is Pia's Man). This is in their new bathroom. It even has heated floors!
3. Changing of the guard in front of the Royal Palace in Oslo.
4. Pia, Kjerstin, and myself in front of the Palace.

Getting Home Round 2

Well I hope this is better than Round 1. I sailed through Oslo, I get to the gate w/ an hour to wait. We get told we ae going to board and then it delayed for an hour. An hour later told we are going to board, and then delayed for another hour. Apparently, the flight crew was fogged in at an airport in western Norway, and they had to drive them in. They finally arrived and everyone applauded when they walked through the gate. So I get to my hotel in London @ 12am and wake up @ 5am (never will you see me do this on a Sat). So if you do the math that is $30 per hour to sleep.

If you expect the worse, things can only seem really good. I got to the airport early thinking things would be pretty hectic here and security would be a pain. I arrive @ the airport at 6:25, and I am sitting @ Starbucks by 6:45. My flight leaves @ 8:30. I'm not sure if I should be relieved or concerned that I got through so fast.

On the road again....Well I am leaving Norway!;-( I had such a wonderful time. The weather was amazing and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I had such a wonderful time w/ Pia, G-man, Sebastian and Jonathan. The kids are so cute and funny too! I also got all my favorite foods (thanks to Pia)..Norwegian meatballs, pancakes, hot dogs, and cake. YUMMMMMMM!!!!!!

It was fun to see everyone I know, and meet some new people. Everyone is so friendly, and even though some usually don't speak English until the Americans come around they all did very well. That is until they start have a few adult beverages. Then it gets really amusing.

Yesterday we went to tour the Norwegian Palace. According to European standards it is fairly modern. It was built in the 1800's. It was still very beautiful and ornate. I also learned some Norwegian history.

Well I am flying to London, and then catch my flight home Sat AM. Hopefully things in London have settled down. I am also happy to report that Bridget and Eryk are safe and sound! ;-)

Pics from Norway

1. Me and Sebastian (Pia's son)
2. Driving the worlds oldest steamboat on Lake Mojsa
3. Kapp from Lake Mojsa
4. The sky @ 3:30 am
5. Lillihammer - the Olympic Park

Norway....Finally an internet connection. I am in Oslo staying w/ my friend Kjerstin. It has been nice and relaxing here. Earlier in the week I was in this small little town called Kapp staying w/ my friend Pia and her family. It is so quiet there. It is great. I went to Lillihammer Monday, and got to see all the Olympic stuff minus the snow like it was 11 years ago when I was here. I like it much better in the summer. Today I took the train from Gjorvik to Oslo. Kjerstin and I met up w/ Lisbeth and Hannah (the other 2 girls that I met in Seattle) for dinner at the harbor. It has been such beautiful weather here. Everyone was out today. Tomorrow, we are going to tour the kings castle. Then I will be heading back home!! ;-(

London Heathrow:

This place is a zoo! You don't know what gate your plane is at until they post it on the reader board. So the entire terminal is 1 HUGE shopping mall. If I didn't have to get on a plane I could go shopping crazy. So I am forced to sit here and wait for the gate posting. Once that is done it can take up to 20 minutes to get to some of the gates. This is just insane! At least I found the Starbucks!

Speaking of Starbucks, I have 2 new cups to add to my collection, London and Northern Ireland.

London Last Day

Well today it rained. It felt like home. However, unlike home I am usually not walking in it. Oh Well! Went to Kensington Palace today (where Princess Di used to live) I ended up taking the really long way there. I thought going to Notting Hill would be the faster route there. Once I get there I realized I was really a lot closer than I thought I was. Just down the street as a matter of fact. Oh well! I got a little more of a tour of Notting Hill. I then went back to the Tate. Yesterday, Bridget and I went, but we got there about a half an hour before it closed. So I was able to spend a little more time there and see the main collection. I then went to St. Paul's which is just over the millennium Bridge from the Tate. I love this church. The architecture and the detail is amazing. Nothing like you will ever see in the US. Just as I got there they started a service and the choir singing. It was really nice.

I met up w/ Bridget after work. We went to her flat (which is really cute), and she fixed a fabulous dinner. We first made a stop off at the grocery store, where she showed me all the weird stuff in a can. Breakfast All Day (eggs, cereal, sausage, and more disgusting stuff) EWWWWW. And I thought Spam was bad. We then watched English soap operas (which are really cheesy and bad acting).
I am off to Norway Friday. Not sure how connected I am going to be But I will try to update when I can. Before I sign off I have to say a BIG THANKS to Bridget and Eryk!!! They were fabulous tour guides in Dublin and London. Their hospitality went beyond the call of duty. They made my trip even more enjoyable. Cheers!!

Met up w/ Bridget, and we went to go have lunch at the restaurant, The Oxo Tower http://www.oxotower.co.uk/indexIE.html. It has magnificent views (pics included). It started out as a lovely day, so we ate out on the terrace. We had champagne and wonderful appetizers. They obviously love Bridg, cuz they set us up w/ the great extras. It was just a fab meal, w/ great company and a great view. Unfortunately, it started to rain, and we had to go inside. I also got to take a tour of the kitchen where she works. Not sure how she does it. The kitchen is so small, and soooo hot! However, she does have cute co-workers so that may make it a little easier!! ;-)

We then went to the Tate Modern, and then to Westminster. There are 3,000 bodies buried there. It is quite an amazing historical place.

London Wednesday June 29th 11:40 AM

Last night Eryk and I went to Coldplay. The stadium was down in South London which required a lengthy train ride. We get the tickets and next to the box office is a Coldplay guest list. Eryk wanted to know if we were on it. Only if they believe if I am Gwenyth. Eryk said I would need Apple for that. So no Go! So it is not an outdoor concert w/out rain. It never fails. Fortunately there was stadium that was covered. There ended up being 40,000 people at the show. It was a great show! So when they went off for the encore, Eryk said we better take off because the train would be crowded. He was right. There was a sea of people. We get to the platform and there has to be several hundred people. There was also several hundred people on the platform across the tracks from us. So each platform tried to see who could do the wave better. If they were bad the other side would BOO. If the entire platform did good, the other side applauded. It was pretty amusing. The weather was getting worse. It started to thunder and lightening, and about a minute before the train showed up, the sky let loose and it just poured. Then you cram several hundred wet people into a train like a sardine can. OH what fun. This is when I start cursing public transportation and wishing I had my car (even if I did have to drive on the wrong side of the of the road. However, I survived, and made it home.

Scot: There were no arrests made. Eryk used the toilet! :-) I must be getting used to his accent, because I haven't had a hard time understanding him (even after a few beers)

Off to meet Bridget. We are going to have lunch at her fancy restaurant! YUMMMM!!

London - Part Deux

So I am back in London. Just right around the corner from where I am staying is a Starbucks! I am so happy to have a carmel macchiato!

Well getting here was no easy task! The Dublin airport was crazy! I guess all those crazy U2 fans were heading home! So I get to thee airport @ 10:15 am. My flight was to leave at 12:10. At 11:45 I was still in line to check in my bags. It is interesting, no one in Europe gets all huffy and starts bitching. I was the only one! For some reason the conveyer belt that carried the bags down to get on the plane would just stop so it would get all jammed up. So they couldn't check people in until the baggage cleared. So here I am thinking that I am going to miss another flight. I finally go complain to someone, and that gets me to the front of the line. Then they tell me that the flight is delayed an hour. Thanks for not mentioning that earlier. I finally get to London, and I had arranged for a car to pick me up. No one is the gate holding a Jarae Housley sign. So I roam around, and finally call them. They have no record of me, yet I have a confirmation. So I ended up taking a taxi. Which eventually cost me my first born child. However, my cab driver was really cool, and gave me a great little tour while driving around...I saw the small Beatles studio that they originally purchased for 12, ooo pounds back in the day. Now it is worth milions and they still own it (or the ones still alive). The British Secret Service which is above the Estee Lauder headquarters.

So I am staying in a flat in London. So i have to get the keys from the office, and then go to the flat. The flat is Bayswater which is in Westminter district. It is a cute place and neighborhood. So I am heading in, but stopped by this cute little Italian guy, Pablo. He manages the building. He asked which flat I was in. When I tell him #5, he looks a little perplexed. I tell him it is a studio. Then he looks releived and says I am in 5A. He lets me in, but someone elses stuff is there. He then tells me to stay put and he will be back. 5 minutes later he returns and asks if I can take a little walk around. My flat isn't clean. They person staying there just left and it looks as though there was a mix up. Really, how can you get mad at Pablo. He is cute and has an Italian accent. So I head out for food. I head back an hour later and everything is setup. It is a great place. Everything is very modern. You walk in w/ this little small kitchen, which as a dishwasher, fridge, oven, washer and dryer. Then it has a spiral staircase that takes you up to a loft w/ the bedroom and bathroom. I will post pics later.

Today I am going to go get my Underground pass (subway) and go up to Notting Hill. I then sam meeting up w. Eryk (Bridget's fiance) and we are going to see ColdPlay. WHOO-HOO!

Guinness and U2...Doesn't get much better than that!

Saturday:

I hopped on the Dublin tour bus that takes you around town to all the key tourist spots where you can hop on and off whenever you would like. So my only stop of course is the Guinness Storehouse. They have done some major renovations since the last time I was there in 99. It is now 7 floors, and they really take you through how the beer is processed and brewed....BLAH.BlAH..Yeah..Who really cares about that?? I want my free pint. So instead of having to drink my pint in the basement like last time, they now a have The Gravity Bar on the 7th floor. It is this circular bar that is all glass and gives you a great view of Dublin City. It is so Cool! (Pics posted). And they give you a full pint for free! AAAHHHH..This is the life. Guinness is much better when it is straight from the source!!!

I then hook up w/ Bridget, Erik, and Claudia (Bridget's friend from Germany). We have a pint before heading off to Croke Park to see U2!!! WHOO-HOOO! Croke Park in right in the middle of the quaint, quiet neighborhood. Apparently, U2 gave a lot of tickets away to those who live around the park to make up for the 3 days of disruption that would occur. That is probably a good thing, because it was madness. There were just tons of people block after block as we headed towards to the park. Most of them w/ a beer in 1 hand and an Irish flag in another. Not sure if there was this much excitement when the pope came to Ireland! We get in and to our seats, and it is just amazing. Eventually there will be 80,000 people from all over the world in the stadium ready to hear the best rock concert ever!

Finally it started w/ Vertigo. They played songs from pretty much every album, and they all sounded great. 1 guy from Canada had a sign that he played guitar. So Bono plucked from the crowd and said do you know how to play this song and he said Yes. So they gave him 1 of Edge's guitar and played along while they sang Party Girl. Then when Sunday Bloody Sunday started the crowd just went wild! It was well worth the 24hours it took me to get here!

Dublin con’t
I decided to go for a walk down O’Connell street (this is the main street through Dublin). It was raining. I didn’t think it would be that bad, it just seemed to be drizzle, and I am from Seattle. Well w/out a hat or umbrella, I get about 3 blocks and I am soaked. I walk a couple of more, and I am soaked. I decide to turn around this isn’t worth it.

So I am sitting in my room w/ the windows open when I hear something….Uno, dos, tres, Vertigo???…Oh my Gosh that is Bono! I can hear the beginning of the Friday concert. Too bad I can’t see the stadium or Bono. I will tomorrow though. It is funny some people think it is a little strange for me to travel to Dublin to see a concert. Well there was an article I read in the Dublin paper today, where they had interviews w/ people who had been getting in line for the floor seats starting Thursday AM. People were from all over the world, and had tickets to various shows in Europe. One girl had tickets to see them in 15 different cities in Europe and then planned to travel to NYC in Oct to see them. That is a lot of $$$$.

Dublin:

Whoo-Hoo!!! I finally made it. The airport was packed. There are som many people here for the U2 concert. Apparently it is what everyone is talking about. On my cab ride to the hotel, one of the DJs on the radio said she was sick of U2 and didn’t like them all. How can an Irishman say that? It seems sacrilegious.

It is now around 10pm and I totally crash. I wake up @ 3am, and back to sleep @ 5am. I am woken up @ 10am by a phone call. Wrong number. I think I should get up. I do. I unpack a little and dink around, but I am still a little tired. So I lie down to watch some tv. Fall asleep, and wake up @ 4pm. I realize that it is around 8am in Seattle which is when I normally get up.

I head down to the lobby for food, and it is totally packed. I am not sure if this is the Friday crowd or the U2 crowd. The stadium is not far from the hotel. I believe I am the only one @ the pub drinking coffee.

London:

I finally land in London…early. It was 2:20. I felt that I had a good chance to catch my 3:50 flight to Dublin. So we are cruising down the runway and then we stop and sit for a few minutes. So the pilot comes on and in Dutch and makes this long speech. I know when the guy next to me makes some sarcastic smirk then I am screwed. Come to find out since we are early, they have no gate for us. NICE. So we sit on the runway until 2:50 and the we park it. I make it through customs after having to explain my complete itinerary. I then go to collect my luggage not knowing if it was going to be there because of the cancellation. I had realized after I had got on the plane the lady at the ticket counter that had given me my new ticket took my old ticket w/ my baggage claim ticket # on it. I then got a little freaked, because if my bag wasn’t there then I had nothing to show when I got there. But to my relief everything was there! WHEW! Now I have to figure out where to go. I find out I am in Terminal 4 and need to go to 1. That requires me to take the train. I trek my way down to the train, where I am greeted by a nice English woman yelling to stay behind the white line and not to board the train. When a girl disobeys her orders and hops on the train, she literally chases her off. I made sure not to get on until instructed. Finally, Terminal 1. It doesn’t matter what country you are in customer service still sucks. The girl at check-in sends me over to buy a new ticket. The girl at the ticket counter, after telling her my sad sob story, just says “I guess you have to buy a new ticket”. OK..I buy a new ticket and then told I am on standby for the 6:10 flight. It is now 4:10. If I don’t get on the 6:10 there are flights every hour after that. Well that is reassuring to someone who has been up for 24hours.
I don’t know if any of you have flown Aer Lingus from London, but it is no wonder the Irish hate the English. Their gates are in a metal tube. Getting to the gate is like hiking through the Sahara desert. There is no air and totally hot. It is amusing to see people finally get to the gates (there is a fan down there), they are gasping for air and sweating to death. Well I finally meet an nice English chap who works for the airlines. He really tried to get me on the 4:50 flight, but it was full. I did make it on the 6:10 flight completely exhausted and sitting in a middle seat. It would be my luck that some really cute guy sits next to me reading an article about Coldplay. I didn’t even have an ounce of energy to say anything. Plus I know I looked like absolute hell.

Amsterdam:

Well it is not a vacation if a flight doesn't get cancelled. My flight to London is cancelled due to "technical"reasons. And of course there is no one around to tell you where to go. However, there are plenty of long lines to wait in. My stress level is good tho. Let me back up a little and explain the reason why.

First off I have to say, I am never flying coach again! I get on my plane, which is some new Airbus 330. My phrase if it is not Boeing then I am not going, just flew out the window. I walk onto the plane, and looks like I am going to the moon not Europe. If I wouldn't have looked like so much like a stupid American tourist then I would have taken a picture (maybe on the way back). Anywhoo, back to the space shuttle. The chairs were kinda of roundy, and head all these controls to adjust the seat however you wanted it. It even massage control. If the seats would have heated up, I would have never gotten off. I would have flown back and forth for 2 weeks. So I had my own TV screen, I could watch any movie I wanted too, and completely recline. AAAAHHHHHH!!!!! It was funny too. The lady that sat next to me was going to U2 too. She was from Detroit. She is going to the show Fri and Sat.

So back in Amsterdam I get herded like cattle through the passport line (first stamp in my new passport!) to get told I am rebooked on a flight 2 hours later, and I have to go back through the passport line. Oh Joy! But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.....The KLM club is open, and I swear the further east I head these clubs get better and better. This one looks like I just walked into Ikea, except they don't have Sweedish meatballs.

So I left Seattle @ 12:30pm Wed June 22nd. It is now 4:13am Thursday June 23rd (1:15pm Amsterdam time) I am going to need a nap soon. Am I there yet?

Detroit:

Well it is not Europe, but I am getting closer. I am 1 plane down and 3 to go. (Detroit to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to London, London to Dublin….WHEW). So far the trip has been pretty uneventful. Which as far as I am concerned is just fine. Usually there is some sort drama that occurs on my travels. There are no 24hr Walmarts in Europe. Which may be a good or bad thing. I will let you know when I get there.

Now this is what I am talking about. The airport club in way better in Detroit. This is how I imagined it. I beliee I hear harps in the background...and clinking of glasses, but it is all good. It is a shame I can't enjoy it longer. I have to go hike a mile to my gate.

Am I there yet?

Seattle:

Since I am traveling business class, this allows me to access the “clubs” that the airlines have in the airport. Those are those secret little rooms, that have frosted glass surrounding them so those coach people can’t see all the good stuff inside. They want you to think you are missing out on the good life. I have always been curious what lies behind those frosty sliding glass doors. I imagined that you would walk in, and it would be similar to walking through the pearly gates….harps playing in the background, everyone is just so happy and pleasant, and you are treated like an angel. Well I hope I am not disappointed when I do go through the pearly gates, because what is behind those mysterious sliding doors isn’t all it is cracked up to be. There are no harps, the people don’t seem so happy, and I wasn’t feeling so angelic. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t like I was at some low-life bar. They had espresso, booze (which in my book is good), and a few munchies. However, instead of feeling like I was at some special club, it felt more like a hospital waiting room, except they had better coffee and Bailey’s to put in it.

Welcome to my European Travel Blog. I am going to try to do my best to keep you updated w/ Bono sightings and pics! ;-) I leave on Wednesday, and arrive in Dublin Thursday PM. So look for a new posting on Friday.

Bon Voyage,
Jarae