Accross the pond - and beyond.

Crossing the North Sea from Norway to London was easy. Two hours by plane; you barely have the time to sit down. Crossing over from the North Sea to the Pacific Ocean was a joy ride - London-Frankfurt-Osaka; 14,5 hours+ gives you time to relax, and reflect. Regret is far away.
What then, is scary about leaving the familiar, and travel to unknown places?

For me, the terror starts with leaving London. I am not talking about saying goodbye to friends and classmates. That is a natural part of departing. The struggle of leaving is the hassle of actually getting from your apartment to the airport. Closed tube-lines is one thing, staircases is another. It never seizes to amaze me how a major city like London is so horribly constructed for travelers. One can wonder whether it is an attempt to restrain the people within the island from escaping the grey and misty weather, or if it is an attempt to cripple the tourists coming in so that they will be unable to leave. Certainly, the tube is not meant for passengers with large bags or suitcases. But that's okay, because they know how to avoid having them on.
Three sets of stairs, approximately 60-80 steps from the tube-station tracks to the tracks belonging to the national rail service.

I have managed to get from East Acton, rolling over wet bricks and bumpy, overfilled water puddles; fought my way through ticket barriers and scary intersections; up the stairs to the tube-platform, and on the tube. I am now at Ealing Broadway - Connecting train to Heathrow. Thirty steps up...roll two meters...five steps up....roll two meters...five steps down....roll...thirty steps down.
It pisses me off. I mean: Come on; its year 2009, give me a lift, an escalator or something!
And that is exactly what gives me the force to wrestle my 30 kilo suitcase up, and then down again. It is true what they say:
Don't travle with a suitcase you can't carry your self.
The chance that someone will help you carry it in London is small - but can we blame them? Why should someone else break their bones because of my 30 kilo luggage?