Marks & Sparks and Mrs. Chippy: My Trip Thus Far

I arrived at Gatwick late Monday morning and in Cambridge several hours later. All aspects of the voyage, from arriving at the airport in Toronto to getting off the train, went relatively smoothly, save my seatmate on the Reykjavik–London portion of my flight, who didn’t seem to understand the concept of “personal space,” despite my very Canadian (i.e., imperceptible) attempts to get him to move his noggin to his own headrest. These included gentle coughs, hoping really really hard he’d read my mind so I wouldn’t have to do something to directly address the issue, and gradually inching further and further towards the aisle, to the point that the beverage cart kept running over my foot. After an hour of this, I finally worked up the courage to meekly ask if he’d mind shoving over a tad and ceasing depositing a layer of saliva on the few inches of upholstery for which I’d paid good money to squeeze myself, and only myself into, goshdarnit (I left out the saliva and upholstery bits). He was completely unbothered, and I made it to my destination without any further hiccups.

But I digress.

My primary objective for this trip was/is to relax and recover from the gong show that was the winter/spring before I proceed with my convocation and possible surgery. Cambridge is my “happy place,” or one of them, anyway, and I’ve been here many times, so I feel little pressure to do more than eat as many of my favourite UK foods (likely not what you think—rhubarb yogurt and Marks & Sparks vegetarian moussaka, anyone??) in as large quantities as possible and take things as they come.

In my estimation, I’ve been doing a pretty damn good job thus far. Since alighting the train in Cambridge, settling in, and sleeping fourteen hours the first night (!), I have

• Consumed more ready-meals from Marks & Spencer than I care to admit.
• Reunited with two very good friends.
• Wandered for hours on end.
• Visited the Polar Museum and learned about Mrs. Chippy, a (male) cat who was aboard Shackleton’s Endurance. Yes, this is the only information I retained from this excellent place of learning.

• Browsed the Egyptian collection at the Fitzwilliam.
• Pined after my husband (ssssshhhh, don’t tell him: I’M AN INDEPENDENT TRAVELLING WOMAN!!).
• Translated a whole bunch of pages in order to feel productive.
• Had a few minor seizures.
• Went to Ely and toured the magnificent cathedral.

I’m sure I’m forgetting critical activities, but, you know. #epilepsybrain

On that note, I shall continue vacationing now (i.e., go eat something from Marks & Spencer).