Lazy Sunday

I feel like I have been in this city for weeks already. I'm not totally sure if that is a good thing, but going to take it as a good sign that a part me feels very at home here...and who knows, maybe I will be someday...

Yesterday was our orientation day with Brandon, our contact. He is a professor of Business and Tourism at the University of Hertfordshire, just outside the city. He was kind and gracious to show us around all day, despite it being is 17th wedding anniversary! We started by taking a bus down to Reagent St., where all the most fancy shopping is, and then we walked to Piccadilly Circus to have lunch in a fabulous book store. For someone who doesn't read as much as I would like, I found I could get lost in a bookstore like that, spending hours browsing and desiring the money, time, and patience to read all the great stories there.

After lunch, we walked down towards the riverfront, we walked an awful lot, passed Buckingham Palace, #10 Downing Street, and the Houses of Parliament. We crossed the river by the London Eye and caught a riverboat down to the Tate Modern Museum, neither my stomach nor my migraine sensitive head enjoy this part of the journey. We got to the Tate which was jammed packed as the clouds had finally lost their battle with the rain, sending everyone inside for some tea and art. I didn't have time to really look at anything in the museum, but I will make it back there eventually.

When the rain let up, we walked back across the river to St. Paul's Cathedral and said goodbye to Brandon, who was already late for his Indian Curry date with his wife...I felt really horrible about this but he would not leave us on the "other side of the river." We made our way home and stopped to pick up some more groceries. It's amazing how little you can buy at a time when you know you have to carry it all the way home. After dinner, Summer and I spent a long time figuring out whether we are going to Paris next weekend or to Frankfurt....the jury is still out

Today has been near perfect.

I had planned to go to church, but today was daylight savings here (now I'm 8 hours ahead of the west coast) so I was a little late! It's just on the other side of the park, but it took about 40 minutes on the bus because I'm still a little unsure of the bus system so I got on the wrong line and had to make up the difference walking. The 35 minutes I was at church, Holy Trinity Brompton where Tim Hughes is the Worship leader, were great and I'm so looking forward to next week.

After church, I put on my ipod and headed for Hyde Park. I love love love parks. Even though it was cold, breezy, and about to rain, I was so happy just to be there. I spent a long time just walking around, people watching. I sat at the round pond for a while, watching the ducks. Next time I will surely bring bread for them. I can tell that the later Spring is going to be beautiful in the park. The daffodils are already starting to bloom and soon the Cherry blossoms will too. Then I got a latte and came home for lunch.

This afternoon, Summer and I are going on an adventure to find the place where she in interning. She has the longest commute and is not confident she can find it on her own. She also has never traveled alone and is nervous about all the underground, but she will get it I'm sure. Then it will be an early night before my first day of work tomorrow at 11. I'm really excited to finally be starting...

I wasn't able take pictures during our tour of the city because of the rain, but I will definitely be going back to all those places so no worries....here are some of my walk in the park

GREAT Britan...

So I have only been in London for a grand total of 22 hours, and I have already had a great scare, 3 great blisters, and one fabulously great beer!!! I'll start from the beginning i guess...

My last week at home was the kind that makes you not what to leave. I celebrated my 23rd birthday in style at the BNP Paribas Open in Palm Springs and had the most fun time ever. The few days left before d day were easy, relaxing, and of course snowy. Mom and I drove to LA on Tuesday to get last minute shopping done and spend time with Nana and Gramps/Aronoff family, which was really fun. On Wed, I woke up at 4 am to take mom to LAX so she could go goof off with the grand babies for a week in NC, she is already having the best time ever I'm sure, hopefully Mari can take a few naps while she is there. Then I went for a LONG walk in the HOT sun with Jackie, the first of the 3 blister and a brand new sunburn then ensued. After a nice lunch with nana, and impromptu car wash from gramps, and a mani/pedi, Jackie and I were off again to the Airport.

Everything went smoothly on that end, our plane left on time and I was ready. I had a window seat and finally got to watch "Slumdog Millionaire." Which is totally amazing by the way, absolutely deserves all those Oscars. I slept for about 6 1/2 hours I think and woke up in time for breakfast. We landed right on time, that is when the fun started...

I have never in my life been nervous to go through customs. It's seems pretty easy right. I know I'm not a terrorist, I know I have enough money to stay here, and I know that I have plans to go back. But apparently, these are not things that the lady customs agent knew, and she most certainly did not trust my word on it. So after almost 20 minutes of ridiculous questions like, what do you want to see here (everything was not a suitable answer for her!) , how much money are in every single one of your accounts, what are the titles and authors of your travel books, what jobs do you plan on applying for when you get back to the states, and so on...she finally said, I think I should put you back on a plane to the US right now.

BUT, since your housing is paid for and your friends are already here, I'm going to let you in. Next time, don''t be such a stupid American who thinks that you can get in anywhere, we are being more strict in the UK and it's because of people like you!

So after that lovely welcome, its safe to say I was a little flustered for the next bit. I got my bags and began searching for Summer, my roommate who was to arrive an hour or so before me. The search did not go well, and after almost 3 hours of unanswered pages and lugging my bags (which I did just fine, Mother) through the enormous airport, I decided that she must have already gone to the flat and so should I.

Getting to the flat was easy, just a non-stop train and a short taxi ride. The flat however, is quite different in reality then it was in my head. I think I better not describe it in detail, but I will say, it's in a beautiful, SAFE neighbor hood...and I will learn to love it!

After settling in for a minute we headed out to meet Paige's, my other roommate, dad for dinner at a pub down town. The underground is so fast and easy, and it was nice to walk a little bit although it was dark and I was delirious so despite my usually outstanding sense of direction and my photographic memory, don''t ask me how to get back to The Auldley. (Oh and it was a great decision to wear the brand new shoes I just got in LA, and alas blisters 2 & 3 arrived. Note to self, always expect the walk is further that you think, this is London not Mammoth.) The atmosphere was fun, the food was good, and the beer, oh boy, dangerously yum. It was called a "Hoegaarden", yes even in my delirious state I was still able to memorize the name, and it was so so good. It was ice cold, from the tap, frothy and topped with a lime, perfect. It was also however, quite alcoholic so getting home was even more interesting. But as soon as I lay down my head, I was gone. I woke up about 11:30 local time, so I figure I slept a good 13 hours.

Right now I think I should go scrounging the neighborhood for some breakfast, since we have literally nada in the place. Then my plan is to take another long walk and go relax in Hyde Park, oh I love parks!!! Sorry I have no pictures yet, but I promise they are on the way.

Thanks everyone for reading and caring, but...I don't miss you yet! smooches...