Robin's Europe Trip Journal

These are excerpts from my journal. Some parts are expanded, and some are taken out. I'm not pretending it's good literature, and, interestingly enough, some parts are not even about Europe (ex: the Girlicious and American Pie tangents) but I liked it. For convenience, I've added in Saskatchewan times for when I was in other time zones.

March 19, 2008
12:20 PM Saskatchewan time

So I'm in the plane right now, which was very exciting. I think I'm the only newbie plane rider here. I keep thinking about Redey, that episode of Supernatural where the demon possessed the pilot, Lost, the Dean Koontz book where that freaky kid took over the pilot's mind. There are a myriad of things on a plane that can kill you, not all of them corporeal. I just thought of Snakes on a Plane. Great. Joking aside, I'm actually not that scared. We're over the country so there aren't that many interesting things to look at. I'm currently watching Friday Night Lights but not really paying attention. I wanted to watch Juno and/or No Country For Old Men ut they didn't work for some reason, and neither did The Office. At security I had to take off my belt, which was an inconvenience. This journal is going to be sporadic and random.

I was thinking about this yesterday. On Search For The Next Doll and Girlicious they have thte same character archetypes. There's the bitch (Asia and Natalie), the dancer who can't sing (Mariela and Cassandra), the singer who can't dance (Chelsea and Jenna) the cute blonde one (Jaime and Nichole) and the non-pretty red haired outsider (Sisely and Ilisa). Judging by that, Natalie is going to be one of the members of Girlicious. Nichole will also be one, and the token black girl will be Tiffanie. Those ar emy predictions.

So we're in Toronto for seven hours. I don't want to run out of things to do. I'm trying to delay listening to my iPod as long as possible to save batteries. Isn't the Terminal guy in Charles de Gaulle? Pretty sure he's still there. It would make my trip if I could get a picture with him.

1:06 PM Saskatchewan time

I'm currently watching No Country For Old Men. Some old dude in front of my is watching it too. I imagined planes as being huge. In Flight Plan and Red Eye they're ginormous, but ours is about the size of a bus. There may be other sections, I don't know. I"m pretty sure a little girl woudln't get lost in here, a la Flight Plan. Maybe the flight from Toronto to Frankfurt will be bigger and have better food. We are currently experiencing turbulence. Either that or the Cloverfield monster is attacking us. I just looked out the window; it's not. They just turned on the seat belt sign and I'm thanking Jesus I just went pee five minutes ago.

We're above the clouds and I can almost make myself believe I'm over Hoth. I wish I had a tauntaun.

5:06 Ontario Time
3:06 Saskatchewan Time

I'm sitting in the Toronto airport with Mrs. Moen, Madame Helene, Jessica's grandma, Jessica, Megan, Nicole, and Chelsey. I didn't get to finish No Country For Old Men, which was semi-okay as I didn't really get into it.

5:55 PM Ontario Time
3:55 Saskatchewan Time

It is 5:55 and I am reminded of the Blood Ties episode "5:55". I wonder if I will be forced to relieve this day over and over again until I find Pandora's box. I ate this semi-gross chicken caesar salad. All I've had to eat today is half of two Caesar salads, which I suppose makes one total. I also ate two granola bars which were amazing, but that could have been because I was hungry. I heard rumours of sandwiches on our flight here but sadly, none materialized. I really hope I get to see Juno on the way to Frankfurt. [reader's note: sadly, I didn't.] I want a computer right now. I miss Mar.

6:54 PM Ontario Time
4:54 Saskatchewan time

Still sitting in the airport. Four more hours. Books I want to get:

No Country For Old Men- Cormac McCarthy
The Road- Cormac McCarthy

8:02 PM Ontario Time
6:02 PM Saskatchewan Time

I'm not going to lie; I am getting sick of this airport. Toronto is my destiny, but I've been here for four hours. Chuck Klosterman said airports were like purgatory and at this point I am agreeing with him. Minus the flames, this is what the after life waiting room must feel like.

You know who's actually a really bad singer? Janis Joplin. She and John Fogerty take the crown for mot unlistenable female and male singers ever. It's beyong me how they got famous. Well, okay. CCR had some great songs. If John Fogerty didn't know how to write catchy songs, he would still be recording demos in his basement and sending them to record labels.

The more I think about my Girlicious predictions, the more sure I am that they will come true. I'm pretty sure I'm psychic.

I'm listening to Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix and it's a pretty scary song. He's talking about shooting his girlfriend because she's cheating on him. I never realized this, but the narrator appears to be a cold blooded psychopath. And this is the song that made Hendrix famous! In the song, Jimi is talking to his friend Joe who, coincidentally, also shot his girlfriend. Do you think this actually happens? Do killers get together and reminisce about their murders? [In retrospect, I actually think it was Joe talking the whole time. Must figure this out.]

10:37 PM Ontario Time
8:37 PM Saskatchewan Time

There is a guy who may also be a girl who has the craziest hair. [reader's note: it was a girl.] This plane is subpar. There are no little TVs and I don't have a window seat and there is not for sure meal. I grow sad.

11:12 Ontario Time
9:12 Saskatchewan Time

We have just been informed that we are experiencing mechanical difficulties. Something with the fuel. I think this is one example where honesty is not the best policy.

I will attempt to un-metaphor "American Pie". Note: some of these are not original ideas. You have been warned.

Okay, so everyone knows it's about the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper.

"A long long time ago, I can still remember, how that music used to make me smile."- Obviously about the plane crash.

I'll just admit right now I have no idea what the chorus means. "Good old boys" may be an allusion to the Dukes of Hazzard.

"Did you write the book of love?"- Book of Love- a Peter Gabriel hit.

"I saw you dancing in the gym, you both kicked off your shoes."- perhaps Don McLean is nostalgic for 50's sock hops.

"Moss grows fat on a rolling stone"- Like a Rolling Stone- Bob Dylan song. May also refer to The Rolling Stones.

"While the king was looking down the jester stole his thorny crown"- this isn't my thought: the king refers to Elvis and the jester is Bob Dylan. Refers to the end of Elvis's reign.

1:20 AM Ontario Time
11:20 PM Saskatchewan Time

We are finally on our new plane and hopefully taking off in ten minutes. Unfortunately, I am going to have zero sleep. The time change might work to my advantage. Assuming we get to Paris at like, 8 AM our time, it will be 3 or 4 their time, and in 6 or so hours it will be time for bed. [This actually was way off. We got there in the evening and went to bed at 1 AM] I'm worried about jet lag compounded by lack of sleep, and I'm also worried about lack of food. Oh well, I shall prevail. I keep having to pee but I think it's all psychological.

In six short hours I shall be in Frankfurt! It is exciting. I'm going to try to sleep once we are actually in the air.

March 20, 2008
7:02 AM Ontario Time
5:02 AM Saskatchewan Time

Sleeping on a plane is probably the most uncomfortable thing you can do. I'm guessing I got five and a half hours of sleep. I had my neck turned most of the night so it was really sore. I had my head lying on my tray but the guy in front of me was reclined so far that the seat was pushing against my head. Good times. I just did a rudimentary morning routine today: washed my face, brushed teeth, redid ponytail. I will step off the plane in Paris looking like The Hulk.

Nicole is completely out. She took two Gravol and I guess this made her sleepy. Weirdly, a large amount of people on this plane is taking Gravol to sleep. They came around with sandwiches at around 1:30 ish and Nicole received one, but she was sleeping and I'm unsure whether she woke up long enough to take one, or he placed it on her sleeping form. Either way, it's weird.

7:28 AM Ontario Time
5:28 AM Saskatchewan Time

So they just came by with breakfast which was gross/good like Michelina's chicken and mashe dpotatoes. Croissant, fruit, a weird bun, and coffee. There was yogurt but I gave mine to Nicole but she ended up not eating it. I think my coffee was the best coffee of my life, but that could be because I'm tired. I'm surprised how supremely unafraid I am being thousands of feet in the air. I have come to the conclusion that I am 100% unafraid of flying. I am invincible.

More coming soon.