"THE EAGLE HAS LANDED"
25.7.2011
I spent the day of the 25th on a City tour, riding the Peak Tram, seeing Aberdeen and checking out the Stanley Markets. I had booked a night tour for the same day but due to numbers it was cancelled. I was disappointed that I had to reschedule, but it turns out that fate works in funny ways.
I got back to my hotel room at around 4pm and the first thing I did was check my email, facebook, twitter (I swear I’m not addicted!)I had received a tweet from Claire; a gorgeous Hong Kong Echelon that I’d been speaking to for a few weeks, including the night before about how much we wanted to go and welcome 30 Seconds To Mars as they arrived in Hong Kong. I had guessed they would fly in that night, but I had no way of knowing so didn’t think it was a possibility. The Tweet read something along the lines of “I know when they’re arriving, are you going?” For about half an hour I juggled with the idea. Should I, shouldn’t I? I’d be alone, at night, travelling somewhere I don’t know. I had a constant stream of tweets coming in from the Aussie Echelon saying “GO, GO, GO!” So, I decided, fuck it. I don’t care how much this scares me and how much this situation is going to freak me out, I’m going.
This is a girl who 6 months ago, couldn’t go to the grocery store by herself without having a massive anxiety attack, wouldn’t even consider meeting up with people she didn’t know and definitely wouldn’t put herself in a situation like this. Doing things alone or putting myself in a situation where I’m not in control was never my strong point.
It was around 7pm that I nervously jumped in a cab to the train station and despite getting lost and having to ask for help, I eventually made it onto the airport express train. I remember sitting on the train, listening to ‘A Beautiful Lie’ on my ipod, watching the lights outside flash by and watching the little light-up map above me as the dots got closer and closer to saying “AIRPORT”. Nervous doesn’t explain the way I was feeling. What if I can’t find Claire? What if they don’t show up? What if I’m just wasting my time? The doubts started creeping in, so I put my ipod onto ‘The Kill’ and tried to zone out to the music.
I came off the train and managed to get myself lost again. I freaked out. It wasn’t until I made it to our meeting spot at about 7:40pm that I felt better. I sat and waited. When 8pm passed by and there was still no sign of Claire, I started to panic again. I remember thinking “Maybe I should just go back now” but I decided to wait it out. I decided if nobody else was there, that I would do this alone. Despite feeling incredibly scared, I would wait there and greet them by myself if that was what it came down to because this is what I came for. I could just imagine the boys walking out and little old me standing there by myself in my Melting Triad t-shirt. Well at least they’d know I was there for them I suppose.
As 8:30pm arrived I went to the bathroom and came out and began heading down to arrival hall 2 where the boys’ flight was due to arrive in about an hour’s time. I thought to myself, I better just do one last check to make sure Claire isn’t there and as I walked over, a huge grin approached me “BEC!” . It was Claire. I suddenly felt a whole lot safer knowing I wasn’t going to be doing it alone. We made our way down to the arrivals area where we ended up finding about 6 other Echelon and from there, we waited.
At 9:24, their flight popped up on the TV screens saying “LANDED” I smiled like a lunatic and felt my stomach doing summersaults. The thought crossed my mind “What if they aren’t on this flight? What if they don’t arrive?”
At about 10:15pm, I was watching as people walked through the arrivals area and suddenly I spotted a white hat with an orange band. It clicked in my head instantly “That is Jared’s hat!” but before I could even register and react, I saw Tomo walking beside him. I tried not to make a scene so just said “OH MY GOD” and I grabbed Claire and started running in the direction they were eventually going to be going. Everyone else ran straight up to the boys. I was thinking “I hope I made the right decision coming over here and not actually going up to them” but it turns out I did.
Claire and I stood by and I said Hi to Tomo as he walked past us, then as Jared came towards us, security were holding everyone back behind him so we were lucky enough to get a couple of seconds with him. I don’t remember even thinking, I think my brain just froze. I don’t remember feeling anything, I think my brain had shut off to be honest, like it was in shock. Luckily, my mouth still worked and I said “Hi Jared” to which he said “Hi, How are you? Without know it, I replied “AMAZING” which was obviously how I felt as I had no time to think before anything came out of my mouth. I saw him look at my shirt as he said “Nice shirt” to me. “I designed it” I replied overjoyed. “I love it” he then said. Nothing had registered in my head yet, I was completely lost in the moment.
By now everyone else was back in close proximity and someone asked to take a photo with him. “No, no” he said, “I’m gonna take a photo of you guys” so we all huddled into a big group and he held his Blackberry up and “SNAP” it was done. He said Goodbye and I thought, to myself ‘wow, that was incredible’. I was happy with the little interaction we had and was ready to let him get on his way, but everyone continued following him toward the escalators. I looked at Claire and said “are we really going to follow them?” doubtfully. “YES!” she said so we started going.
Everyone was huddled around Jared as he was standing at the top of the escalator when we arrived. People were running and appeared to be getting in his personal space a bit so without even thinking, I think in some kind of protective instinct I said “Guys, don’t run and scream and... attack him. Please!” and as I finished saying that, I looked over at Jared who was in the middle of saying something. All I heard was “NO, the Triad”. He was looking around the group then looked at me pointed directly at me and said “Oh, Right there”. He was talking about my shirt so I yelled out “I designed this”. I got back a “I love it!” – for a second time. I was completely overwhelmed. I was happy beyond my wildest dreams. As he was going down the escalator I yelled out “See you tomorrow!” and he turned, waved and said “Bye”.
Still at this point, nothing had registered. Nothing had sunk in.
Everyone was still chasing him down the escalator and stairs, so I went down the stairs just in time to see him drive off (almost leaving Emma behind) I screamed “OMG, Don’t forget Emma, Please!” Once again, I don’t know why, just instinct again I suppose. Shannon waved as he drove away and Tomo went by somewhere amidst everything that was happening. It’s funny, Tomo managed to get away quickly and Shannon I didn’t even SEE until he was driving off. I’m pretty sure he bypassed us when Jared was taking the photo of the group. Nice work there Shan!
It all happened so fast but it was such an amazing experience. I had never done anything like that before, quite honestly, I had never felt so attached to a band that I would want to.
I went inside and watched my video back, just to be sure I wasn’t dreaming.
I was starting to feel emotional with everything that had happened and I think it all still felt a bit surreal. I had just met the people who changed my life, even if was only for a few minutes. We headed back upstairs and I borrowed a phone and signed into Twitter to DM Katie (my Echelon BFF who, despite only knowing for a couple of months and having met once, gets me through everything) “PLEASE RING ME”.
As soon as I heard her voice, I burst into tears. I couldn’t speak. I tried to but I was sobbing like an idiot. I think it had finally sunk in what had actually just happened. I walked over to the window, behind a big metal column, still crying uncontrollably and took a few deep breaths. I told her everything that had happened, the main thing being Jared’s reaction to my t-shirt. I could hear her crying quietly, obviously being so happy for me. I was in a state of happiness that I’d never been in before and I loved it. My makeup may have been everywhere and people may have been thinking I was crazy but I couldn’t have cared less.
Going to the airport and suffering the anxiety that I did I just proved to myself that I have to take chances and not let fear get the better of me. This entire trip was a massive leap forward for me and that night was the first massive milestone. I had taken a chance, despite the fear, and it had paid off.
I left the airport with not only a massive smile on my face, an overwhelming feeling of disbelief and an even greater love for 30 Seconds To Mars, but also a sense of accomplishment and pride.
I got back on the train, put my ipod on shuffle and the first song that came on was Kings & Queens. I sat there, feeling on top of the world crying the whole way home, not in sadness, but in happiness. It was a night and a moment that I will never forget and it was just the beginning of this incredible journey.