WHAT? You're here?!
I was thrilled to have a familiar face sending me off.
monday and tuesday were filled with really tough goodbyes. i have the best friends a girl could ask for.
but ill be back soon enough
as soon as id like.
i have to keep reminding myself when i get nervous about the duration of my time away... i only bought a one way ticket. i can go home whenever i want.
but deep down i think I'm more scared of never wanting to leave!
the first song that came on in the car on the 2+ hour drive to la.... just guess...
its 1 of my probably top 5 all time favorite songs and oh how fitting...
Man in the Mirror. Thanks MJ. <3
LAX >> Istanbul: 12hours 51minutes
so elated about all the movies on the flight i hadnt seen and planned on knocking out... little did i know i would soon become a full on hospice nurse throughout the next 13 hours. i was sitting in row 53 out of 53 rows on the plane in a 2 person row right next to who i am guessing must be the oldest woman in the history of the world. she was dressed in full indian garb and sporting a mustache that would put my roommates march mustache madness to shame. i never caught her name, but shes from mumbai, india. her son lives in San francisco with his two kids and her daughter is in la with her two kids. she was telling me her daughter just had a baby and she was caring for the child for the week. now after sitting with her for 13 hours helping her put water in a cup, put her seat back, put her tray up, buckle her seatbelt, unbuckle her seatbelt, take her meds, turn her overhead light on, turn her overhead light off, turn her screen to the "computer" (the tv on the seat) off, I can assure you, this woman was in no condition to be caring for a newborn. her husband passed away in december of 2007, just a year after my dad. her kids want her to move to california, its clear its time for her kids to start taking care of her, but she still feels at home in india. oh and i learned all that in the first 10 minutes of taking off. all hospice and mustache jokes aside, she was one of the kindest women ive ever met. so soft-spoken, polite, warm, and caring. my adopted grandma for sure.
We were supposed to land in Istanbul at 5pm, but we landed over an hour late then i proceeded to go through security to continuing flights, not realizing i actually needed to buy a visa and find the exit to the airport, unless i wanted to spend the next 16 hours in the terminal. by the time i got the visa and found the exit, i learned that turkish airlines was providing hotel rooms for everyone with the overnight layover. of course this took another hour + to get all our names and boarding passes to confirm our free room. i was exhausted seeing how i didnt sleep much while taking care of grandma. i fell asleep on my folded arms at the table of the starbucks waiting for them to call my name. MAZZZZO, BAR-BAR-O...??? I jolted right up! they herded us like sheep on to the shuttle and to the hotel. i fell asleep in the 5 minute ride to the hotel which i thought was about 30 minutes. then i fell asleep in the lobby while we had to wait once again for our name to be called. MASO, BARBA? i realized when i woke up that i had started drooling, mouth wide open in this awkward chair in the lobby. i hopped up skittishly while the families around me started to giggle. i got to the hotel room and took a second to connect to wifi and let everyone know i was in safe. i showered, and as much as i was dragging, i told myself i only have one night in istanbul. you can sleep when youre dead! GO OUT! plus... i was starving. i thought id venture out for some dinner and maybe hit one of the bars i read about online. by the time i showered and got dressed in my turkey appropriate clothing, i was off to the front desk to ask for a recommendation on a good place for dinner. it was 9pm. the girl at the front desk laughed at me and said "upstairs?" she said town was a 40 minute cab ride and "no maybe not safe you, just you, alone". she took what little wind i had right outta my sails. i went up to Olivelos, the hotel restaurant, to find some of the same families who caught me drooling earlier in a very well lit buffet style restaurant. the waiter asked me for my dinner voucher from turkish airlines. i didnt have one. they made a call then returned to me and said, only breakfast included. sigh. guess turkish airlines thought i could stand to skip a meal or two. i left olivelos hungry. I wasnt feeling the vibe anyway. i went to scope out the scene and menu at the hotel bar... after i sat there on a sofa for a while debating between a club sandwich with a fried egg on it or chicken fried rice, i was over it. i bailed on the bar scene. i scoped out the pool, was intrigued, then realized i didnt pack a suit in my carry on (my momma taught me better than that) and felt completely defeated. give it up elisa, you havent slept in days. i made it to the room and ordered pizza from the room service menu that consisted of 3 types of pizza. then fell asleep before the cute little turkish kid even had time to bring the dang thing. i woke up, scarfed it down, brushed my teeth, and slept for about 4 hours then was wide awake. thanks jet lag.
Istanbul >> Morocco 6 hours
i kept telling myself that the plane gods would surely bless me with a smokin hot single guy for all my good deeds with grandma on the last flight... okay lets be real, id settle for anyone that speaks a lick of english at this point.
creepy alex from ukraine spoke only russian.
sigh. i need to sleep anyway.
if youre one of those people who will shake the stranger next to you to wake them up every time a stewardess passes by.... i hate you.
i apologize for the harsh words. but CMON BRO. im not talking a polite tap on the shoulder. this was a violent shaken baby syndrome shake. a real good shoulder shake to notify me that he set the customs form in my lap, oh and another when the meal came (fine), oh and another when they were picking up the trays, then another when they came by with tasteless peanuts. noooo alex. no. just let me sleep. God knows I need it.
the little english alex could muster was asking me if i could show him around morocco when we arrived. well seeing how ive never been i won't be much a tour guide, alex. also, um, no.
i hung back and used the WC to ensure i lost alex.
no visa needed in morocco. sweet.
met a nice girl my age from turkey who was coming in for her friends wedding. a friend! she was hanging by my side every step of the way through customs, baggage claim, taxi lines, then POOF. her friend appeared and she disappeared. sigh. time to find a "TAKSI" to the hotel i havent booked...
"taxi?" "taxi?"
ya, im walking to the taxi line arent i?
okay come this way... after about 20 steps in the direction opposite of the taxi line towards the parking lot, i said nope. thanks for the offer though.
no no, cmon! My taxi parked right over here....
nope. creep.
then another guy approaches... TAXI OFFFFICCCIIIAAALLL???!!!!?? YESS???
yes.
yes yess!!! come come! he escorts me 10 feet back to the taxi line where i get in the first taxi in the line and then he wont let me shut the door until i tip him.... CHIPSSS?? CHIPPSS???
im sure you mean tips. and i hate you.
exhausted, but thrilled to be in AFRICA, i tell the cabby, "Hotel Central" by the medina...
ummmm "OTEL CENTER?"
do you speak english?
ehhh.... medina? medina yes?
umm.... near medina?? HOTEL CEN-TRALLL
wait wait... he calls his bro on the celly and lets me talk to him who speaks perfect english. ooo hotel central? ya great, thats a good location by the mosque and medina. okay i will tell my brother.
40 minutes and $40 later.
"no reservation? okieeeee dokie! okie dokie room 11 i think, yes???"
I DONT CARE WHAT ROOM. JUST GET ME IN IT.
:))
sooo happy to be here.
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