Tuesday, September 11, 2007

And finally....Otford!




I got up at 7 to make the 9:18 train for Jean, my half-great-Aunt, to pick me up at 9:55. At Victoria Station they told me the trains were cancelled for the day (oh no not this again…) and directed me to Blackfriers. I gave in to the cell phone for the first time to leave Jean a message that I would be in at 10:18 instead, as I was now coming from Blackfriers. When I got there they told me platform one, but none of the trains agreed that they were going to Otford. In the end one of the engineers gave me instructions on where to get off and change to a bus (again tickets are good for any way you can make a trip to your final destination, regardless of number of trains busses whatevers). He was nice enough to say over the intercom that passengers to Otford should change in Swanley when I needed to get off. The bus from Swanley was actually another train which wasn’t leaving until 10:37. I called Jean again, this time I got her and she said she’d meet me at the station again. I couldn’t find her and wandered off to the wrong side and around the street. In the end I came around the back and as soon as she turned around I knew it was her: she has Grammie’s same smile! I felt very bad for being late, but it was no worry. We went back to her cute little tudor house to have tea, drop off the bags and pick up her mom. We drove down to the seaside, Ferring, to have lunch. She insisted I had Sunday roast, which I was incredibly happy to accept, as my muesli had warn off after all my hours of travel and I was famished. And I love roast, stuffing, potatoes and gravy more than anything I think! We walked along the coast for a bit, and although she said it wouldn’t be beautiful on the way there, it was gorgeous. The day was perfect, sunny and clear. It was just wonderful really. I really wish you could have been there Grammie, as she reminded me so much of you, not just in her face but sometimes her movements would look like yours. Don’t know how that happens – given your separation not only of half your genes but of your upbringing – but it did. Amazing! After lunch we went down to her son Ben’s house to meet the new baby. He has two little girls, 3 & 5, who ran around dancing and wonderful. I haven’t been around babies or kids in what seems like years, but the baby stopped crying when I held it and the girls and I just smiled at each other. I didn’t want to push them to talk, they tended not to listen and were pretty wrapped up in their adventures.

I really like Ben and his wife Cherry. They are very religious (Ben is one year away from being a vicker) but they were so open and frank. They let the girls run around naked, but didn’t let them watch tv while we were there. I’m defiantly comfortable in that kind of atmosphere….
We headed home and I fell asleep to the BBC news, but woke up when we dropped off Jean’s mom and Jean showed me a bit of Otford, which was so quaint. There was a church built around the 11th century and darling cottages surrounded by pasturland. We returned home for lasagna, summer pudding & cream and to watch a typical English short movie about a dinner party. It was the perfect ending to my trip. No, the perfect ending was when I made it through customs in Charlotte and when I responded I had gotten all my baggage, the officer said welcome home. Aaaahhhh home. Everytime I leave this country I like it even more on my return. The variety, the openness, the strive for success. It is a nice place.