From one end of the world to another... today was a little hop

Hello again people,

yes, today, I travelled from Malaga, Spain to Ceuta. And let me tell you, I'm shocked my ulcer isn't back.

So I found out last night that the initial travel plan of driving me straight to the harbor and then to where I was initially going had to be nixed due to one person not having their car all of a sudden, and the other one having their back go out like a matchstick bridge under a heard of elephants. My phrasing, not hers.

So the plan changed late last night into me being dropped off at the local train station, to take the train into downtown, find an ATM for teh cash, hop onto a bus at the station that is attached to the train station, hop a taxi after riding the bus, then take a ferry across the Straight and be picked up by a contact on the other end. Simple right? HAH

The train part was easy enough (during rush hour, so there were two million people in that train), and I get out at the station and head upstairs - thank the Lord, the guy who picked me up at the airport was waiting and averted major disaster. The ATMs in the terminal didn't work, so we wandered off into the city to find a bank that WOULD use my ATM card - after a while, success, FINALLY, cash. Then we go back to the train station, and walk in the direction of the bus station, according to signs. We walk outside and the road is GONE - completely gone due to construction - it was eerie. Enrique, however, knew exactly where he was going, so I just followed him around a block or two to the bus station. Excellent. Wouldn't have found THAT on my own. Get bus tickets, hang around for a bit, get on the bus. Honestly, that would have been the disasterous part of the day, but he averted it, for which I'm soooo greatful.

An hour and a half later, my bus arrives at the coast and stops in town at the bus station, where I quickly hail a cab and get a ride down to the port (for less than 5 Euros, go me).

I grab a ticket for the ferry to Ceuta, call my contact to let her know I'm alive and on my way, and make my way up to the boat. Frikken nice ferry is all I'm saying - looked like the passenger lounge on a cruise liner. We are obviously out of tourist season since the shops were all closed, but that's just as well for me - I don't want to share that space with the alloted 925 people within firecode, hehe.

I get to Ceuta, am picked up and taken to the hostel/temp. housing I'm staying at for the week. Small place, eerie only because I'm on my own, a fact I don't enjoy. I enjoy it even less because the WiFi will... not... work... GRAH

Bless Cameron for trying to help me get it set up, but jheez, it was an exercise in frustration - hopefully I'll be able to get ahold of one of the founders soon to get that fixed so I can call people on Skype after work. Luckily a couple of the spare rooms have ethernet cables set up for me to use. I can't stay in those rooms, obviously, that would be too convenient, but I am able to come over and do things like chat, and post blogs. It's exciting.

I made and excursion down to the supermarket today, probably about a mile away, and got some of the bare necessities, although another trip will need to be made.

Also heard the call to evening prayer at the Mosque for the first time tonight - beautiful.

PS: Oh, so I'm totally homesick - been bursting into tears (behind closed doors, don't worry, not THAT out of control) all the time, and I've finally remembered my prep course by the work abroad dept - traveller's depression. Especially the first time being alone alone. Knowing is half the battle, believe you me. I thought I was going crazy! And now I realize that it was a predictable crazy... so yeah...