I’ll head on straight onto the answers of the questions. If you’ve read ‘Apologies,’ you’ll catch up. Firstly, the highlights of the trip have no definite answer. It varies. You have a headlight or two on each day, and as each day is different - though not necessary in different places - you cannot compare them to eachother. What I am trying to say is that each day is and was unique, I cannot possibly give you a complex answer. But ask yourself this one question, what have all the days got in common? America, issues discussed realted to space and the space agency itself . . In fact, thinking of it, I think the highlight would be before the physical trip even began. The discovery of me having won; the confusion to purchase everything necessary; and seeing America for the first time. But a highlight of the actual trip in America? Sorry, I cannot possibly answer that.
Secondly, I personally felt fear whilst driving to the Orlando Airport on Monday morning. I know Wilma was quite far away from us, but just the thought of it heading our way, and it out there, really unnerved me. I quote from my notepad, on the night before us departing, " . . . when I went to the living room, I stood there, watching the TV . . I had stood and sat in front of the TV, watching the weather forecasts until after eleven. I could have fallen asleep, which is why I did eventually go to bed." But even then, I recalled on the scary weather out by the Italian Carrabera? on our last night "the sky was brilliantly alight with silent but constant, so constant, lightning. It wasn’t forked, it lit up the whole of the sky, and only a minute later, a small rumble of thunder could be heard. The lightning was erratic, but after a while, as you looked upon it without fear in your eyes, it seemed regular, and, even beautiful . .but the water was so still" THis image and scenery, the tense atmosphere, reminded me of the Lord Of The Rings, ‘the sigh before the deep plunge’ is it? You couldn’t have known a hurricane was coming our way - but you knew something was.
filed under Student Blogs October 28th, 2005 Archana
I can’t write too much, supposed to be meeting downstairs at six to have a meeting with Scott Kelly. Mr Anderson, all the questions you asked on your entry are in my note pad. Every single one, in some shape or form. What I’ll do is quote extracts from my notepad in answer to those questions. Gotta go now, thanks for your comments. Love and miss you.
filed under Student Blogs October 27th, 2005 Archana
Dear Step into Space students (and teachers) in Houston,
I thought that your audience (which currently stands at over 250 unique visitors in the last 7 days!) might appreciate answers to a few questions. These are just off the top of my head. Please feel free to answer as many (or few) of these questions as you feel able to!
1. What has been the highlight of the trip so far? Why?
Read the rest of this entry »
filed under Student Blogs October 27th, 2005 Richard Anderson
Sorry about the fact that part 2 did not publish. Other than that, I’ve awoken at seven o clock, and wasted the electricity of the small overhead bulb between the living room, bathroom, and Sama’s room. Slept peacefully. Just writing because the nathroom is occupied, and I made my bed in a jiffy. To update you on yesterday, I’ll talk to you about the evening meal - which was debated upon the people at the table I was sitting on, whether it should be dinner or tea . .. It was an Italian restaurant, and I must say that it seems the Americans like the Italian food. They’re everywhere you look. The teachers are trying to organise a ‘trip’ to a mall, or at least a shop, but we’re not sure when. The restaurant was really, really nice, it had white tables holding four epople each on the lower level (by about two steps), and had a plastic of some sort laid on top of the table. THis stopped any residue on the bottom of the cup or any sauce to be easily wiped off - it was quite hard to wipe off liquid, as I did some cleaning up before I was engaged in the prescence of an engineer. . . . The food they had was really nice, and I had a salad, for the main course I wenty up to the ‘canteen’ and chose some wedgies? and went down again only to choose some more salad. After that, I had a little baby plate of salad, which I nibbled at. OOh, and t Johnson? I had a tub of Garden Salad. Robert, the engineer at NASA, came and unexpectedly came and sat beside me, as I was alone on the table. Sorry, the time os fglying here, I’ve got to go, Miss you mumj, and Rahat. Love you too.
filed under Student Blogs October 27th, 2005 Archana
As I was saying, my method is to, as soon as I am awake for the first time, open the curtains and nets, and no matter what time it is, get ready. Hopefully, I will wake up at around five or six o clock. Hopefully. Everyone else appeared to have woken up at around eight, no-one’s alarm clocks went off, and everyone flummoxed. BUt in the end, we managed to et off on time. THis technique I’m doing is pretty good - and easy. But the battery is going down now, and I’m sure you’ll get told what the day’s events were, in fact I think Mr Mehmi has already informed you. So, I’m going to say goodnight now, and belive it or not, at around seven o clock back home. I think I prefer Florida, at least there I wasn;’t so awake I did not feel in the slightest asleep, but as soon as enter the bed, do. Uh, one last, quick thing. I’m ngoing to waste elctricity because I’m feeling scared. Sama is asleep on the top of her bed, as she is so tired, still in full attire, and I don’t want to wake her as she was really sleepy. Her light is on anyway. Why am I scared? Something just fell someehere, sounded like from the other room, and someone, a girl’s voice, half laughed and half groaned. It sure didn’t sound like Ruth, Sama or Selina to me! Okay, I’m really spooked, I’m going to log out. I’ll tell you about today tomorrow. Bye!
filed under Student Blogs October 27th, 2005 Archana
Sorry I couldn’t write this morning! We were supposed to be down to eat breakfast at 8:45am, and I had planned to get up at around seven. However, things did not go to plan. Remember when I said I was really tired when we were in Florida? The opposite, it seems, is now happening to me. I feel really really drained in the late afernoon, and nearly fall asleep in the evening; then I come alive at around ten o clock here, but find it easy to fall asleep. Yesterday, the late evening consisted of me and Sama talking - sharing stories about mystical and seemingly scary situations. During this time, we shared a pizza, having two each, a packet of crisps and a cookie - but I didn’t have mine then. We then decided that now was the time to go to sleep - one o clock - can’t believe I stayed up so long! I was in much deliberation: whether to keep the light above the table near the door on or to have the room in total darkness. You see, there are four of us, with two bedrooms in the suite. Ruth and Selina share the room with the two seperate beds, and I said I didn’t mind sleeping on the sofa bed, as we all did. As the room is occupied by two already, Sama went into the room with the single bed. I didn’t and don’t mind sleeping on the sofa bed. I quite enjoy making the bed and then folding it away. It wakes you up, and also stretches your muscles. The only trouble is, the living room is big. I shut the curtains and nets which are to the left of me, so that my recovering cold does not worsen. The room is dark enough then as it is. The tall bedside lamp on the right of me gives off too much heat than it does light - and the little one, on the bedside table to the right of me will adamantly refuse to come on. THis is a disadvantage, as when I wake up, I would like to know the time - the alarm clock was taken into one of the other rooms. However, if I leave the light on above the table, I’d be wasting electricity. So, after arguing constantly with myself, I had the courage to walk across the room in pitch darkness, hitting my leg and then my ankle, painfully, on the chair as I stumbled towards the bed; which I then had my left arm fall into the back of, connecting it uncomfortably with the metal bars at the back. Yeah, I know.
filed under Student Blogs October 27th, 2005 Archana
Reading a recent comment reminded me that many people probably don’t realise the difference between the NASA facilities at Houston and Florida:
Florida is the launch site for NASA missions, including the Space Shuttle and, in the past, the Apollo missions to the moon. It is also where spacecraft are built and serviced in the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), a building so big that clouds are said to form inside it.
Read the rest of this entry »
filed under Student Blogs October 26th, 2005 Richard Anderson
Here are some photos of Sam, Hitesh, Lawrence and Archana.
About to depart from Highfields Science specialisy School.
Read the rest of this entry »
filed under Student Blogs October 26th, 2005 Mr Mehmi
Today I went to the moody gardens where I saw all sorts of animals and plants, such as sea lions, croc and best of all a speaking parrot.
Later on today all of the isset winners had to do a presentation of three pictures which they believed were the best.
Read the rest of this entry »
filed under Student Blogs October 26th, 2005 Lawrence
Houston day one: The hotel
The rooms are very spacious, there is a living area, a kitchen, bathroom, vanity basin and bedroom. My bed is huge, your eyes are not deceiving you, there are five fullsize pillows. I had to stand on a chest of drawers on the side of the room and still couldn’t fit it in.
Read the rest of this entry »
filed under Student Blogs October 26th, 2005 Mr Mehmi
« Previous Entries
Next Entries »
