Day 653: Welcome home

After one year, nine months, and fifteen days, I returned to San Diego. My luggage is somewhere between Philadelphia and San Diego. With all the extra security with checking in, I did not have any carry-on luggage, so there is a chance I have lost everything. How ironic it would be that after travelling through lands perceived to be unsafe and dangerous, I would lose my luggage in the States.
At the Philadelphia International Airport customs gate, unsurprisingly, they tagged me for luggage inspection. The officer at the passport control didn't believe that I didn't buy a single souvenir. At three different times, I was asked if I had really been gone for almost 22 months, and when I replied "yes", the inquistor gave me a dumb look and asked, "why?" (to which I would reply, "to see the world," with an equally dumb look). The follow-up question was, "How did you get the money?" (I saved money instead of spending it), followed by, "You went to Syria? (or 'Pakistan?') How was that?" (very friendly immigration officers; they love Americans). It was amusing, and I was actually a little giddy being back. The lines at the security gates were long but brisk as they had been in London.
Being at home, seeing my parents and Kevin, it is great and comfortable -- it is like I never left. I've got a lot of stuff to do over the next few days (and weeks).

Curry night out

Curry night out
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

We went to a local curry house in Merrow, a neighborhood in Guildford. Curry houses (Indian food) are probably more common than Chinese food or a fish & chip shops ("chippies", as they call them here) in England.

Fruit-flavored beer at De Hems

Fruit-flavored beer at De Hems
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

De Hems is a Dutch bar right next to China street in London. I believe Ben had been there before and Aryca used to work there too. Emily and I tried their fruity beer (cherry and strawberry) which was quite sweet.

Top of the Town

Top of the Town
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Emily took us to this dim sum restaurant in London's China street calle Top of the Town. Each dim sum dish was from £1.30 - £2. Although it was quite clean, it was good, and almost all the patrons were Chinese. Usually the best Chinese restaurants have filthy the toilets, its entrance leads you to the basement level, or the waiters don't speak English nor have an English menu.

Museum of London

Museum of London
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

The city of London museum was a nice free museum set along the old city wall. It is new and modern with all sorts of interactive displays and videos. No, this carriage wasn't used by the Queen; it was used by one of the mayors of London.

Homes in Notting Hill

Homes in Notting Hill
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Lightly pastel-colored buildings lined the residential streets in Notting Hill.

Dinner with Paul and Oreto

Dinner with Paul and Oreto
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

My notoriety for eating got me invited over to Paul and Oreto's place for dinner. They are Emily's uncle and aunt who also live in Guildford. They were also in Guadassuar last month as Oreto is Emily's mother's sister. Christina, their daughter, is the one wearing a headband, and Germaine is not related to anyone here (except for maybe me, as her mother is from Shanghai). As always, good eats!

For Alan and Phyl

For Alan and Phyl
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Alan and Phyl are taking an internet class. So far, after one class, they've learned how to turn on a computer (with a bottle of massage oil and Barry White). Hopefully they will eventually figure out how to check out this website ("A website? What's that?". Good luck!

Alan, Stuart, and Richard

Alan, Stuart, and Richard
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Alan's on the left; he's Stuart and Richard's father. He spends more time travelling than I do.

Barbecue at Stuart's

Barbecue at Stuart's
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Stuart had a barbecue dinner that I rudely crashed, uninvited. There was plenty of food, booze, and laughter, albeit, mostly at the expense of Phyl, the young lady next to Emily.

Flooding in Guildford

Flooding in Guildford
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Rain finally fell in sunny Surrey causing flooding in low areas. The drains were overflowing and the parched land couldn't soak up the water. Stalled cars were left abandoned with their occupants trapped inside, slowly suffocating to death. It was a grisly scene as we slowly made our way to a barbecue at Emily's uncle's home.

Rob and Ken

Rob and Ken
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

A few moments after this photo, Ken fell asleep in his chair. When the bouncers found out, he was asked to leave. Boo hoo!

I love you, Mark Hamill!

I love you, Mark Hamill!
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Ken was actually not as drunk as you'd think.

Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Uncle Fester wasn't one of the geek props...just a guy blessed with good looks.

Rob at the geek bar

Rob at the geek bar
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Part three on our pub crawl in Manchester, we ended up at this geek pub. A £2 cover charge got us into this subterranean bar with scifi memorabilia on the walls and ceiling. Sure enough, even the patrons (ourselves included) were exceptionally unhip and uncool, but that didn't stop it from being the best bar of the night.

Not in Mae Sot

Not in Mae Sot
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Well, it wasn't the night market in Mae Sot, but it was still good meeting up and having dinner. Of course, we paid about ten times as much as we would have in Mae Sot.

Picking out a Chinese restaurant

Picking out a Chinese restaurant
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

The weather was cold and drizzly in Manchester. It's hard to believe that two weeks ago it was blazin' hot in the UK! The temperatures have dropped to the 50's and 60's!

Where's Ben?

Where's Ben?
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Where's the Korean?

Badminton rules!

Badminton rules!
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Emily's father and brother took me to their weekly badminton club game. (It gave me another chance to wear my gasmask insert goggles, which is always nice. I haven't worn them since caving in New Zealand over a year ago.) I was terrible at this game, and I hardly hit the shuttlecock (yes, that's what it's called), but that didn't stop me from getting sweaty and sore. (I'm still sore, and it's been four days!) I was partnered with Richard, Emily's father, who would have done better had he played on his own without my missed shots. He was zippin' around the court and smashing aces -- not bad for a forty year old!

Drinking cat - part 3

Drinking cat - part 3
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

When everyone goes to work, Emily's booz-aholic roommate switches on the tv and drinks all the gin. Meanwhile, Emily gets blamed for the empty bottles of gin.

Reunion in Manchester

Reunion in Manchester
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

This past weekend I headed up to Manchester to meet up with Rob, Val, and Ken, from my Mae Sot days last summer. Rob and Ken just graduated from medical school and have started treating people (yikes!) two weeks ago! Val is teaching English, but unlike in Mae Sot, she's getting paid!

Drinking cat - part 2

Drinking cat - part 2
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

...and he drinks the water from his wet paw. Not too bad for someone who supposedly detests getting wet.

Drinking cat - part 1

Drinking cat - part 1
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

Jasper, one of Emily's roommates, is trying to drink from a tall glass of water. I thought he would knock over the glass like my ferrets used to, but no, he dipped his paw into the water at the bottom of the glass...

Lianne and a Dom

Lianne and a Dom
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

I had dinner with Lianne and Dom, a couple friends of Emily's. We ate at Wetherspoon, a pub chain franchise. Dom saw a wierd videotape earlier this week, so his photo has come out blurred.