Wednesday, December 14, 2011

I don't have bus legs, no.. No, I don't.

I went to Ottawa to visit my lovely friend Callyn. While there, I did a few things. I got to speak in English with many people! I also got a new book to read once I finish the Book of Negroes. I'm finally going to read The Time Traveler's Wife. Then after that, I'll read The Help (borrowed from Callyn). I am excited. While in Ottawa, I also got to eat homemade pizza with Callyn, sit on her living room floor to talk about life stuff, and I developed bus legs.

What are bus legs you ask? Things I seriously lack. 

If you know me even a little, you know that I tend to be clumsy sometimes. It has improved over the past couple years but the tendency to trip over my own feet is still buried deep inside somewhere. Riding a bus brought that back. My first time having to stand up on a moving bus was a little unnerving. My suitcase tumbled over into the aisle, my purse fell into a lady's lap, I hit the man behind me with my backpack and I tripped over my suitcase. 

I had traveled by train for twelve hours to Ottawa. I felt tired but exhilarated with the spontaneity of this trip. However once I got to Ottawa, I stood in the middle of the train station and looked around myself. I surely looked like a typical tourist. My camera hung around my neck and I clutched my suitcase as I stared up blankly at the huge departure/arrival sign. But, I didn't exactly need to know anything on there, I just needed something to stare at as my thoughts ran around in my head helter-skelter. Staring at that huge sign my thoughts went something like this:

 "I'M ALONE IN OTTAWA!Ihavetofindthebus..why won't my purse stay on my shoulder.. thatmanhasahandlebarmustache.I can't wait to see Callyn. Bus.bus.bus.bus.bus. OTTAWA! English. people. English people. Need.Coffee."

For real. So once I stared enough, caught my breath, and calmed my mind, I looked around for a bus transit sign. Nowhere. Okay. Go outside, buses are outside. Finally I found the massive Bus Transit sign and followed it. Then I got on the train, and realized that I needed to grow bus legs really fast.

But as you read above, it did not happen on my first standing-up-bus-ride where I nearly knocked a man out with my kitbag. Okay, maybe an exaggeration. But that first bus ride was not exactly pleasurable. I'm sure it was amusing for the rest of the sardines in that can though. 

A few pictures from the trip:

This was so that we could eat pizza on the floor and talk about life.. like we used to!

If you know me, you know Cow (or at least have heard of him). This is Callyn's monkey, or baby (he's also an ambiguous creature like Cow). 

At Parliament. (PEI plate!)

I got to see the war monument. Was important for me to see since I didn't get to go to a ceremony or anything since I'm in Quebec. Shortly after this was when I was sung to by the strange man.

The one picture we took of ourselves. In the train station right before I left Ottawa.