As I’m sat writing this in a hotel room in Malta, I can’t help but reflect on how I actually got here or if I’m about to wake from some dream and find its all not been reality, like you see in the movies.
These last couple of weeks have felt like a whirlwind that’s failed to stop; in fact the last 6 months have felt like that, and this trip was supposed to put a halt to it all.
On the morning of my departure to America, where I was heading for just shy of a month, I received a text from someone that I hoped I'd hear from before I went, that simply read something along the lines of “sort your head out whilst you’re away”, and whilst that's what I intended to do, I wanted to tell them I think I knew what my head was telling me. But more on that later.
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Saturday before leaving for America was every bit of hectic that it should be. I finally got around to packing at about 9:30 that evening which is just me all over; laid back and in no real rush. What was the point, I was on holiday!
Saturday before leaving for America was every bit of hectic that it should be. I finally got around to packing at about 9:30 that evening which is just me all over; laid back and in no real rush. What was the point, I was on holiday!
At this moment in time, I had no real idea if I was going for a month or three. Deep down I knew it would be only a month because I thought I had a reason to come home, and whilst people thought I needed the time to think what I wanted, I knew what I wanted but I just didn’t say anything - which in hindsight is something I massively regret doing - or not doing in this case.
So, off I went at a ridiculous early time Sunday morning and mentally prepared myself for the 24 hours it would take to get to Cody. The route I was taking was Manchester to Las Vegas, then onto Salt Lake City and then onto Cody, where I’d be picked up and driven the hours drive to the ranch by the intern / wrangler.
Everything was going swimmingly and I was excited, if not a little apprehensive, but predominately excited about my impending trip away; a real chance to escape life, work, stress, a relationship that had hindered the first two months of my year and so on. The flight to Las Vegas was easy and stress free however upon getting into arrivals this soon became a distant memory and my dislike for anything Vegas started.
Firstly whilst going through customs I was one of the people to be stopped and randomly questioned before being allowed to enter the US border. I will tell you now, it was single handedly the most scariest moment of my life, being questioned and asked what was in my luggage, my purpose for travel and so on. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t like you see on TV where you get taken into a separate room, but I must have been there for half an hour and the whole time, despite having nothing to declare, I was quite literally crapping myself!
Once through I very naively expected all major airports in America would be like the one I experienced in Washington and all I’d have to do with my luggage is collect it and literally move it from one conveyor belt to another. How wrong was I…quite literally, so wrong! I walked to the connecting flight conveyor belt and check in desk for luggage straight after my customs escapade, to find no one was there, all the Delta staff had gone and I’d need to go from the terminal I was in, to another terminal a 10 minute drive away and re-check my bags again.
Dressed for English weather, and with everyone in that terminal point blank refusing to take responsibility or help with my 3 huge cases, I had to go outside, wait for a shuttle bus and then go to the other terminal. My saviours came in the form of a couple that helped me with my bags when everyone else just watched as I struggled to move them and was amidst a meltdown…or about to have one!
Finally after running around like headless chickens and the 5 hour waiting time I had in vegas, now down to an hour and a half I managed to get checked in and through security again. What an absolute nightmare! At this point I thought nothing else could go wrong and I’d soon be on my way to Cody. How wrong could I be.
With not much time to go, I thought I’d find my gate for the connecting flight to Salt Lake City, and then visit a nearby cafe or shop and grab some food. Thankfully I did as all of a sudden they were announcing the flight to Salt Lake was broken and they’d be putting on a replacement, but people with connection flights from Salt Lake needed to see the staff immediately so we could be sorted first. Cue a mad dash into line, to end up standing near an English couple that oddly enough turns out they live just a mere 20 minutes from me and we have endless mutual friends! Again though, more on that later!
After being in line for what felt like hours, we were told all those with connecting flights after Salt Lake needed to get to another plane and quick! So, sticking like glue to the English couple, we ran as fast as we could to another Salt Lake City flight and waited in line amongst lots of rather irritated passengers, not really having a clue whats going on! Eventually they started letting people on the flight, got down to just two people in front of us and then announced the flight was full. WHAT? I was watching the time and realising at this point if we didn’t leave soon I’d miss my connecting flight to Cody, which was an absolute nightmare!
I messaged the ranch to let them know and they said they’d leave the van at the airport for me to drive back to the ranch, which resulted in me going into a blind mad panic about driving in America having never done it before, driving on the wrong side of the road AND driving an automatic. Trust me, it did nothing for my nerves at that point!
Anyway, the three of us slowly walked back to the previous check in desk under instruction to find we were being put up in a Vegas hotel for the night and we’d be put on new flights the next day. Which is all well and good being put up in a hotel in Vegas, but this was fast becoming a nightmare and I found myself just wanting to go home.
The English couple shall forever be my main saviours that day as they shared a taxi with me to the hotel, helped argue when we were told we wouldn't be receiving our bags that evening and so on. They looked after me no end and I shall always be grateful for their help.
Not wanting to waste my night in Vegas, I ended up playing a few games of Roulette before resorting to bed in the same clothes I’d spent the last 24 hours in and downing a rather refreshing vodka and lemonade.
Roulette - or anything Casino related in Vegas is different to that of the Casinos you find in England. The buzz is something I can’t describe and people from all walks of life sit around the tables throwing anything from five dollars to hundred dollar bills at the person in charge, exchanging it for chips. I love roulette, it’s probably one of my guilty pleasures in life and soon enough I was onto a winning streak and found myself $40 up! Getting tired and not wanting to loose all my winnings, I decided to call it quits and head back to bed.
The following morning, with no sleep and still in the same clothes, a phone call to my hotel room arrived from the lovely couple and we met for breakfast at 7am. One thing that makes me think I could live in America is their breakfasts. They are quite frankly out of this world! I had the biggest waffle you’ve seen, topped with strawberry’s, cream and syrup - it was to die for!
Soon enough we were heading back to the airport and boarding our flight finally to Salt Lake City! It was a nice surprise to find i’d be been upgraded to 1st class - mind you its the least that could have been done for all the stress I’d experienced over the last 24 hours with even getting to America.
After we touched down, it was time to hug the lovely couple I’d met and jump on the flight to Cody - after several hours, broken flights, tears and much more, I was finally on my way to be met at the airport by Cowboy Paul.
I don’t think I’ve dropped my stuff and ran to jump into someones hug so fast before. Paul is one of those people that i’ll forever be grateful for getting the chance to know. He’s full of wisdom, great stories, advice and is one of the nicest men I’m sure i’ll ever meet. Soon enough we were catching up about events that had happened in the last 8 months, both for me and him, whilst on our way to meet the rest of the group.
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