I am writing to the sounds of double decker buses and black taxi cabs as they pass along the cobblestones below me... the windows of the common room are open just enough to let a light breeze rustle around the room, tousling my hair now and again.
...London.
***
6:30am - Mountain Time
I woke up exhausted. Never a good sign. But, I knew I was headed for London, so I dragged myself from the comfort of the covers, dragged my eyelids open, and dragged my tired self to the shower.
8:00am - Mountain Time
Anxiety begins setting in. Yes, I am right on time. Yes, My flights have been confirmed. No, I haven't forgotten my passport, or my license, or anything else for that matter. ... But I hate airports more than anything. I'd rather eat soggy grapes than deal with airport problems. But this time I was lucky. Everything went smoothly. And once I reached the gate, I relaxed.
2:00pm - Mountain Time (5:00pm - Eastern Time)
"Seat Requested"... What does that mean?? Nobody else's ticket in my group says that. What's going on? The voice coming over the intercom in the JFK airport was telling me to be patient, and watch the screen. The screen said the same thing. "Just wait for your name. Don't worry. It will show up.... Maybe."
3:30pm - Mountain Time (6:30pm - Eastern Time)
I have a seat. (phew!) Next to an adorable couple and their little baby girl lauren. She didn't cry at all, and even gave me a couple smiles. Jolly Good.
5:30pm - Mountain Time (8:30pm - Eastern Time)
You know it's always been a secret life goal of mine to eat dinner on an airplane. Life goal #382... check! Vegetarian pasta, complete with gingerale, cheese and crackers, a roll, a limp green salad with one lonely grape tomatoe, and a brownie to boot!
7:30pm - Mountain Time (10:30pm - Eastern Time) (2:30am - London Time)
Wish I could sleep. This blanket is pathetic.
9:30pm- Mountain Time (12:30am - Eastern Time) (4:30am - London Time)
Will this never end???
10:30pm- Mountain Time (1:30am - Eastern Time) (5:30am - London Time)
How did it become dark so quickly, and then light again?? Oh right. We're flying towards the sun. I forget.
12:00am - Mountain Time (3:00am - Eastern Time) (7:00am- London Time)
Finally. Getting off the plane... But passport/immigration checks in the airport are even more anxiety invoking than normal security!! You wait in line forever, and then they grill you about what you're doing, and who you're with, and why you're there. And the fact that the man in the uniform has a funny accent doesn't help none neither. Because you're loopy.
... where the heck do we go?
... oh... yes... there.
... your credit card isn't working? blast.
... where is the heathrow express? what terminal are we in? which train is that? ...
... oops. wrong train.
... oh well.
... right train!
And THEN... after several minutes underground. After hours of airports and uncomfortable quarter size pillows and loud engines and cold air and wimpy blankets and fail reclining seats... there was LONDON!
Oh it's beautiful!!... It's just beautiful. The architecture is somehow more organic, it has more personality, more angles... more color! And they have trees here, everywhere! And vines, and flowers climbing the walls. Wrought iron gates, bridges, red brick houses, white collumned buildings... It's old fashioned. In an up-to-date sort of way.
Admittedly, after getting off the heathrow express, we got a little lost. But a very kind gentleman stopped to ask if we needed some assistance, and we gratefully took his advice on where to get a cab, since we couldn't even seem to find our way onto the street level.
It only took a moment, once we were in the right place, to hail a black taxi cab. We jammed three girls, four suitcases, and four backpacks into that taxi, and told the driver where to go. The whole way we talked and laughed with him- I grilled him for information on the things we were seeing, and he told me what he knew. I've decided that this is just how I'm going to have to be here... I have to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people. Because that is the only way to really live.
He dropped us off at the flats, marked with an obvious BYU so we could find them. And told us that we pay after we've got out of the car, not while we're inside it, because we trust each other. He knows we won't run away without payinng, and we know he'll get us where we need to go at a fair rate. Interesting. You always pay INSIDE the cab in America... I wonder what that says about our general moral standards, eh?
The flats. The flats are amazing. I squeeled like a little girl when I first began exploring them. I'm on the fifth floor, which is going to keep me nice and fit. Or exhuasted. Whichever. ;) They have so much character! No two rooms are the same... they are white and blue with tan and gold accents, and the view from every sinngle window is amazing. However, when I flushed the toilet for the first time, I nearly jumped out of my skin it scared me so bad. And the TP feels like sandpaper.
We ran some errands. Walked the streets. Ignored our jet lagged brains.
I may have indulged just a little on the groceries. Goat cheese, sesame seed bagels, fig yogurt, huge red grapes, a whole cucumber, kalamata olives. Ah well... I am what I am, and I like what I like. I just can't do peanut butter and jelly like everyone else.
Oh, and just so you know for SURE... London definitely exists. Thank heavens.
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