MDATS Trip: Day 1-3
My Journey: North Carolina, Iceland, London England
11/5/2024 Atlanta Ga to Rally Duram NC.
In the days leading up to the trip, I had worked very hard on putting together both the visual display and the presentation. I would not actually complete the display until I was at my friend’s house in NC and the presentation would be finished the night before the presentation.
It was election night here in the US. I left from work in Downtown Atlanta and headed to my friend’s house in Raleigh Durham, NC where I would stay the night. As I drove I listened to the election results come back. The drive was very long and hard to do on my own. When I arrived at the house things did not get any easier. It was hard to enjoy my visit with my friend as we all kinda knew it would be a different country that we would wake up to; a harder country for trans folk like me to live in.
11/6/2024 Raleigh Durham, NC
In the morning the last few moment I had with my friend was taken up with mourning. We spent the day taking our minds off the reality by finishing the labels for the presentation. Around 2:00 I headed to the Park Ride and Relax to part the car then took the shuttle to the airport. Ultimately boarding the flight early in the evening.
Northern Lights
Over the course of the night I enjoyed a wonderful view of the Northern Lights but my camera struggled to get the picture I wanted.
11/7/2024 Iceland
The landing was rough and the layover short. I rushed around to find my gate then headed down the boarding ramp only to find out that I was boarding a bus that then drove us to the stairs for the plane. It was very windy and what of order my hair was in, was destroyed by the wind.
The take off and first half of the flight was equally rough as the landing. The remaining portion of the flight was smooth.
Sun Rise
11/7/2024 England
I landed at London Gatwick Airport and from there took the elevated train to the train station. Everyone was helpful with navigating me to the train station.
Once at the train station, I got a first class ticket to London. Found the right train to board and off I was.
My recollection of all this may be a bit off. I disembarked the train then got a metro to Tottenham Court Road. The station here looks like something from a sci fi movie. I loved it.
Tottenham Court Road
From Tottenham Court Road I walked with all my bags in tow to the hotel that was strategically located next near to The British Museum.
Once I got checked into Ridgemount Hotel, I changed clothes and headed to The British Museum. I had not researched it so I thought I needed tickets and bought an audio tour, which I did not need because it was free. Then could not use audio tour because had no head phones with me.
In Line For British Museum.
I dressed in my backpacking dress from Fjällräven which was comfortable after a day of traveling. My Visit to museum will be covered in my next Blog Post.
British Museum
Tips and Lessons Learned:
Navigating Londan Was Not Hard
British Museum was Free
Bring Your Ear Phones
I probably should have worn more to the Museum. It was cold when I left.
Thank You
Editing and Preparation: Trish, Heather, and Becky.
Patrons: Brian Bottoms, Leslie Hodgin, Ellen Rawson, DeAnna Gilbert, Alison Petrisek, Christine Seelye-King, Brianna Ariane Sykes, Laura Gosnell, and Janice Gaulke.
Go Fund Me for MDATS