Taylor Swift Weekend!

Friday July 9th 2010

Well, I have to say, working the day before a road trip sucks completely. There isn't much time to pack, clean up a bit, orangize before a trip. I could have used a full day off before Friday in order to get ready. Me and Lisa planned to leave at 1030am Friday morning to start the drive out. I was actually running around 10 minutes late so I told Lisa to leave her place at 1040am instead (putting her at my house at 1050-1055am). She made it to my house around 1110am and as she hadn't eaten, we made out way to McDonalds for a quick bite.

We made it onto the 102 highway around 1130am and started the 3.5 hr drive to PEI.

Lisa has no sense of direction. I was really shocked to know that out of the 11 years of driving, she has never driven to the airport by herself, driven out of the province or by herself for a long period of time. I have been driving 3.5 yrs and have driven for longer and solo more then she has. Weird. Oh well, she was driving and doing great.

We only needed 1 stop along the way to PEI which was in Amherst for gas and a quick trip to the bathroom. (Of course, at a McDonalds and I grabbed a quick chicken sandwich to hold me over to supper.)

We arrived into PEI/Charlottetown shortly after 330pm and checked into the motel before heading out for supper. I was so tired and wiped by then I was happy to skip supper and just be lazy but I knew my sugar levels would like that. Lisa wanted to go for a swim first but I knew by the time we went for the swim, changed, she showered and got ready, we'd be after 7 or 8pm and I'd be on the floor from low sugars.

After settling into the room, watching a bit of TV (Dr Phil and General Hospital) before we headed out. With the help of the GPS I looked up a few food places and figured that East Side Marios might be the easiest and simplest to eat at. We both knew that it has items we like to eat.

I set the GPS to East Sides and we began the drive. We got turned around once because the GPS thought we were still on a main road instead of in a parking lot so we had to do a quick turn around in a mall parking lot but we got back on the road within a few minutes.

We joined a giant line of traffic making it's way, what I swear is the only road in Charlottetown and made it through. Once we made it through Lisa spotted a Swiss Chalet and wanted to stop there instead. I had really wanted East Sides but agreed to not cause any fuss.

Now, if you have never eaten with Lisa, you will soon learn that if you order anything more then a plate of fries, you will be eating twice as much as she is and for twice as long. I ordered a full dinner. Quarter chicken, with fries and a drink. This was a nice size order compared to Lisa's poutine. We ate, a little dinner talk while we did and then headed back to the motel.

Lisa was full so we waited about 30 minutes before we changed into our swim suits for a swim in the pool.. Which lucky for us, only had two people in it (a young girl and her sister with their mother sitting on deck). We ended up swimming around for 30 minutes or so before Lisa left to lay on the chairs that were around the pool. I played around in the pool for a little longer and ended up talking with/playing with/having fun with the little girl that was in the pool too. I swear, no matter where I go, I'm a magnetic for little kids. They figure out somehow I love kids and start talking or playing with me.

We went back to our room and I was just happy to hang out and watch TV. I really didn't feel up to going shopping for the 10 minutes the mall would be open or wonder around. I needed a good night sleep in readiness for the concert tomorrow.

Saturday July 10 2010

The day arrived. Alarm was blaring at 815am asking us to get up so that we could take our time getting breakfast, getting ready and planning to have a entire day with country music. We headed to breakfast in our PJs for the most part and I decided to eat as much as I could knowing it was going to be a long day of standing/sitting and crowds.

The drive to the concert site was good. The GPS told us to turn a few times when there was no need to or no road to turn onto so with a little help from other maps and just general guessing, we made it. When we were about 3KMs away from the first parking lot, there was a accident where it looked like someone rear ended someone else. Traffic was crawling as tow trucks tried to clear everyone out and other people tried to go around it all.

I only seen the sign for P4 parking after we pretty much passed the lot so we continued a little forward. We found another lot but there was no P3 sign at all so continued but ended up after another 10 minutes of driving, made our way back and went into that lot. It was right behind the stage and darn close to the entrance. Good thing too, it was another 1km walk there too.

Bags were checked on the way in and nothing from the outside was allowed. We found a nice spot in the standing section near the front, spread out one of our rain ponchos and sat down. It was Ryan Cook first up. He started at 1pm. I think we only missed 1 or 2 of his songs.

He finished and we wondered for a bit, got some food and then moved to the other side of the stage to eat and watch the show.

It was going onto 3pm with JD Clarke on stage when we finally stood up and pushed into the crowd. The day moved on and eventually Bruce Guthro at 4pm and Dean Brody followed at 545pm. No food or water since 3pm but we were doing okay. It had rained off and on so the rain poncho came in extreme handy. Thanks L. :)

It was 730pm when Tara Oram finally took to the stage and I was extremely excited for her. I had first since her in Toronto during the Top 7 at Canadian Idol and then again at Casino Nova Scotia. I love her voice and her songs. Both are great. I had been doing so well all day too. I didn't need to go to the bathroom, had been taking my sugar tablets I had and was enjoying myself.
It all ended. I don't remember much in the 15 minutes when it all went back. I know I looked up to Tara and she was introducing the last song. I put my hand on Lisa's back but she didn't turn around. I pressed a little harder and she finally did. I remember telling myself to open my eyes but I couldn't. I could hear something but couldn't make out what it was. And all I remember before seeing the security guard that lifted me out was the ground. I know I shoved my camera into Lisa's hands, whispered to stay and got pulled out.

I remember 1 part of the walk when we came to a mud puddle and the medics making sure I stayed clear of it. They were talking to me and I think I answered most of the questions. They laid me down, gave me some water and asked a few more questions.

My thoughts on being pulled: It sucked. I was within 15 minutes of seeing Taylor Swift super close. (Don't get me wrong, I was 100% there for Lisa but would have enjoyed seeing Taylor so close.)

My feelings: Pathetic, useless, stupid, terrified, happy, relief

It only felt like a few minutes had pasted but I guess over 7 minutes had past before I was finally alert enough to fully understand what had happened. I didn't hear anymore music, I was sitting up and there wasn't 1000s of people around me.

I could breath. There was fresh air, I had a cold bottle of water. It was a complete night and day switch. The medics took my blood sugar but that was fine, there as no problems there. I knew Lisa was scared and thank god for BlackBerry phones. My was in my shorts pocket so I pulled it out and there was already a text and BBIM from her asking for me to message her back as soon as possible. I did. 7 minutes after being pulled out. I didn't even realized that time had moved so fast and that it had been that long. Wow. Relief was flooding through me though. I was out. I wasn't in the giant mess anymore and was actually able to move and not touch anyone.
The scared feeling left me. But I didn't know what was happening. My eyes were closing, I couldn't stand up anymore and every bit of strength I had left. Weird, never ever want to repeat that again. Never again. I should have fought it. I really should have. I was so stupid to let it get to me and beat me. Pathetic was the word that I have described myself from that event. You fight people all day in a crowd only to get pulled out 20 minutes to show time. How come Lisa can make it longer then me. She's strong then me. So much stronger.

But I was out. Lisa was still in. Thank god she listened to me. I know she wouldn't have half as good as time if she came out with me. I ended up standing next to the sound tower and seen about half the show. I had to look through adults heads, kids on dad's shoulders and get pushed by stupid teenagers that thought they could get back into the front if they pushed.

Taylor came on and ended. She started at 920pm and was off the stage at 1040. It was the quickest main stage act by the headliner I have ever seen. Oh well, she did good. She is very theatrical and tries to play to the back of the arena for every song.

I finally met up with Lisa after the show ended. There wasn't a way for me to get to her as the crowd was walking out and coming towards me. I stood still and let her find me. I never got a bigger hug when she finally found me. I guess we shared the scariness of the whole mess. After a few minutes of hugging, getting my camera back (in which this time she tells me she got good shots and took a lot!) we made our way out to the parking lot knowing that it was going to be a little while before we were going to be able to get out.

The concert was over at 1045pm. We got out to the car at 1105pm and we didn't realize it was going to be after 1am when we finally got out of the parking lot. The only reason we got out at 1am because some other car had the bright idea of driving through the parking lot to the front and basically, cutting in. Well, it worked. I figure by doing that, we cut about 45 minutes to an 1hr off the wait.

Sunday July 11 2010

Oh my dad. How I love him but he needs to stop worrying or at least trust me to the point where he doesn't need to facebook me every 5 minutes to tell me to eat or have a drink. He facebooked me for a few hours after the concert and was requesting that we get something to eat. And we did. We ate McDonalds at 230am when we got back to Charlottetown. It never tasted so good! Bed at 3am was hard but the 6 hrs of sleep we had was sooo good. Showers in the morning too were great.

The sunday drive back was easy. It was the same route back and because we had already done it there, it was very simple and I was able to know the turns when they were coming from memory. We made a stop on the way home for a bathroom break and gas then it was straight back to Sackville from there. :) We pulled into my house at 330pm. Wasn't a bad drive and I don't think Lisa found it as hard as she was thinking.

Pics are on Facebook: (Link will be posted when I'm home as I can't get Facebook at work)