I made it on the plane!
I slept one and a half hours last night, got up at 3:20, then waited for the bus on deserted Chatworth Road, which believe me doesn't feel all that safe when it's pitch black and entirely deserted.
The bus came late; I got to the train station; the train was cancelled due to bad weather. The next was at 5:49 - it takes an hour to get to the airport, and the plane itself was taking off at 6:25. I took a 10-pound cab to a different station, got on the Stansted Express; got to the airport at 6:01. Ran to baggage check. They wouldn't let me in because the boarding pass Ryanair had forwarded to be was the bloody return ticket pass. I ran to Ryanair (now 6:10). The nasty woman at the counter said, due to my accent, "Is it because you're not an EU citizen?" This was WHILE she was holding my EU passport. She printed the pass because I was in tears. I ran to baggage control again. Suddenly a security guard swooped on me, screaming, "Don't let this one in; her baggage is overweight, she's trying to sneak through again!" I said I hadn't even had my bag weighed yet (it was fine). He called me a liar. 6:13. I suddenly became very American and shouted, "Well then, Ryanair should have printed the goddamn boarding pass correctly!" That is probably the first time in my life I have ever spoken the word "goddamn." I think I was still stinging from the nasty ticket lady.
Anyway, I was through and waiting behind 100-plus people to go through security. Miraculously, they all let me through, one by one, when I explained my plane was taking off in a matter of minutes. I was at Gate 1. My plane was at Gate 87. 6:18 am. I made it. Everyone after security at Ryanair was lovely and helpful. My bag was too big and they didn't even charge me.
An hour and a half later, and I was furiously writing out my schedule, having been greeted and assisted by a Berlinale Welcome Desk at the airport (they rock! so nice!), en route to Alexanderplatz. And I felt a huge rush of excitement, and not just because I'm going on no sleep. I just felt so happy and excited as the train whizzed towards Berlin. Made it easily to the hostel, where people working here are absolutely helpful as well.
In a few minutes I'm going to take off to get accredited and registered at the Berlinale itself. Then I'm going to have a nap. Then I'm going to finish memorising my pitches for all four films (see www.spaceshipsovercorvallis.com). Then I'm going to study the various camera types we're using in the studio programme tomorrow, because I got accepted to a specialised intensive study programme *within* the Berlinale Talent Campus. And then I'm going to better-formulate some concepts regarding the theme of "Inside/Outside." I want to be less nebulous, though I have some ideas.
And then?
Who knows?
I am so fucking excited. And now I'm taking off!
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4 comments:
Glad you survived the trip there, Kathleen - and what exciting things lie ahead for you!
wow! I didn't realise you had such an awful time before you got on the plane. Your text message glossed over that... Glad you made it though and sounds like you aer having fun already.
So exciting, Kathleen! Sorry you had such a rough go getting there, but maybe that's all the bad over and done with so you can focus on the nothing but amazing from here on out! XO
Ah well, I figure if I can still feel excited after all that, that's a great sign. I probably won't do a new post until tomorrow - I am off to my orienttion now! x
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