Reflections

I'm sitting here in my final hotel, watching yet another European sunset. This time, however, it's over a Heathrow runway rather than some ancient site, port city, or modern marvel. Sad day.

Anyhoo, here's just a few reflections from off the top of my head. No doubt more will be coming once I'm no longer limited by the 15 min time limit of the lounge's free computers.

• I'm currently sitting here sipping peppermint tea. I'm definitely going to miss the masses of tea. Everywhere. All the time. In every flavor imaginable. Served with lots of good treats like scones and whatever this piece of chocolate-y wonderfulness I'm eating right now is.

• I've realized it's probably good that I won't be spending more time on Oxford Street. I think I've given H&M their annual profit already. I LOVE LOVE LOVE London fashion. Walking down the street... it's just incredible. I've already bought things that I'm thinking.... will I really dare wear this in Lincoln, Nebraska? If I stayed here I'd join the ranks of lace, leggings, and colorful hair. I'm already tempted to chop it all off again once I'm home...

• I've probably gained 10 pounds on this trip, despite quite literally wearing out my brand new shoes walking everywhere. However, the good news is, I'll probably lose it immediately upon coming home, seeing as how I'm going to be cooking for myself. A dangerous prospect, but the second bit of good news is that I'll probably be too broke to afford food. I'll bake masses of cookies to whomever will come cook me a steak.

• I've loved not having a cellphone. I just took out my Blackberry to charge it for the flight home, and it felt so... foreign. It's also been nice not compulsively checking facebook/email/twitter since I've been laptop-less for 3 weeks.

• The tube! Oh, public transport. What a love/hate relationship we have!

• Theater has been a huge part of this trip. I love love love live theater. Phantom of the Opera has been the highpoint of my trip, and I can't wait to see it again next time I'm in town. The soundtrack on my iPod has been on 24/7 since the show, I think. I also attended Chicago (I wasn't impressed), and Wicked (I WAS impressed). I only regret that I wasn't able to go to a proper opera, but the only tickets I could find started at 160 pounds! I'll definitely be taking better advantage of the Lied back home. Who wants to come with?

• I'll miss British cursing! Bloody wankers! ;-)

• I've discovered I'm an excellent city-walker. I weave, dodge, and duck like a pro. I even kept finding myself getting mad at the "tourists" who didn't know how to walk right. And I must have looked like I knew what I was doing even if I didn't! I got asked for directions at least twice a day, and could almost always answer them! Even in Spanish once down in the tube!

Well, my fifteen minutes are up. And seeing as my bus leaves at 4:23 tomorrow morning, I should probably get to bed. I learned my lesson in Greece... I'll be getting more than 15 minutes of sleep before this next set of flights. ;-)

Cheers, and see you all soon.

Adventures in Amersham...

6:30pm London

Me: Hello jolly Amersham station ticket-assistance man! Can you tell me how to get to St. Mary's church in Old Town? I was baptised there and want to see it!

Ticket Assistance Man: Golly gee whiz, of course! Go down to the Tesco and take a right, and keep walking.

Me, after turning right past the Tesco and walking for 15 minutes: Hello third shop owner I've asked for directions but haven't been able to tell me anything... where is St. Mary's?

Shop owner: You're walking there? Well, go down towards the station and turn left, and it's at the bottom of the hill. There's a trail that goes through the forest or you can just follow the road.

And so, I walk BACK, in the RIGHT direction this time, for 20 minutes, and come to the forest trail. Where the shoulder of the road conveniently ends. So, either I magically turn into a car and continue on my merry way, or tromp through the British forest.

So, let me paint a picture for you. Me. In skinny jeans, cutesy little gladiator sandals, a chic belted cardigan, and a giant Audry Hepburn purse. Stomping through the British forest, stepping over British mud holes, muttering British curses.

All this was in order to get to Amersham, the town I lived and was baptised in. Somehow, didn't think it would be this difficult. But I eventually found it. THEN. I got to the church door to this lovely sign:

In case you can't read it, it says CHURCH CLOSED FOR PREPARATIONS FOR THE AMERSHAM FLOWER FESTIVAL.

Are you kidding me????

So I snuck around back to where I saw an open door, and begged the little old ladies arranging flowers to let me in for a peak. Whew.

After finding my parent's old cottage, I did a quick lunch at a pub and walked back to the forest path for the trek back to the station.

Mission Accomplished. But man, what a day.

Highlights!

9:45 pm London

What a busy day! Let's do some highlights, shall we?

morning

• booked a coach tour last night at midnight, and frantically ran around Victoria Station trying to find it this morning, before realizing I needed to be about 2 blocks up. (found successfully)



• boarded a tour coach.... which was only a few winding roads, shouts for dramamine, and "looming antiquity" quotes away from being in Greece all over again!



• new favorite quote I think Hoff should use next Greece trip.... "the only difference between a tourist and a hitchhiker is about 3 minutes."
  

Windsor Castle

• IIII looooove caaaaastlesssss!


• saw where King Henry VIII was buried!! (told you... weirdly obsessed.)
  

Stonehenge

• saw the Henge... marvelous, if not a bit rainy.
  
• got my favorite tshirt of the trip.... it says Stonehenge Rocks. told you it was magnificent.
  

Bath

• Super gorgeous city... one could easily lose a day or two there. Wish I had more exploration time...


• saw the Roman baths... pretty amazing.
  
  
• ANTIQUITIES! which i skipped over rather quickly. gradually, one column and pediment begins to look like another.
  
  
• took a picture with a dressed up roman soldier
  

random bus highlights

• the older lady in the row across from me, after seeing a billboard, asking our tour guide "to explain that Lady Gaga" to her. (I laughed.)



• the older gent in the row next to the Gaga lady sucking stuff out of his dentures. shudder. sat with them at lunch later and found out he's some kind of bazillionaire. so I guess he can do what he likes.



• learning new british phrases to share with Jackie so she can practice her accent... "lollydoo" = crazy/frazzled "my giddy Aunt Mary" = oh my gosh "so dark you couldn't see a dickybird" = ...really dark
  

dinner at home (tottenham court road)

• got made fun of the way I say "potato"
  
  
• got introduced to ciders (yummmm)
  
  
• walked home in the rain, utterly satisfied.
  

Off to go plan my last few days in London. Sniff sniff, tear tear.