Wondering in the streets of London..

Thursday morning I awoke with another annoying sore throat. I wasn't all that surprised because due to Halloween, I was standing in the rain for about a good hour or hour and a half and I wasn't properly dressed because well, it was Halloween. Soo anyways, what I didn't bank on was this illness sneaking up the day before I left for London. Not only the day before but I was leaving for London at 4:30 am on Friday. This didn't leave me much time to make sure it wasn't strep again, or really make the decision of staying home and just eating the 70 euro airplane ticket was worth me feeling better faster.

It was about 10pm when I decided that I was going to go to London and of course I hadn't printed my tickets yet soo I had to make the trip to the library. I think this weekend taught me that generally the things that you should be doing or is the right thing to be doing generally should be the smoothest ride. I'm not sure why but from the very beginning of this trip, I didn't really have a good feeling. It was as if something in my gut was saying "umm.. maybe not." Soo there I was walking alone around 10:30 to the library to get a plane ticket for a trip I wasn't really all that excited about and I didn't feel good. When I got to the library I had forgotten my student id card and my credit card sooo I had to walk all the way back to my apartment and all the way back to the library. To be honest, I was very close to saying "screw it" but then the idea of throwing away 70 euro killed me soo I continued on. With some difficulty I managed to print the tickets and get home to pack up my stuff. I settled into bed to watch some Grey's Anatomy. I watched the bomb episode from season 2. I don't know why but that episode is probably one of my favorite episode. Morbid I know, but for some reason, I guess every once in awhile I feel like my hand is stuck inside a body with a bomb and I just want to look over at someone and say I'm scared and have them tell me everything will be ok.

Sean ended up coming over shortly after and we talked till about 3 am. I wasn't really tired and I guess I was more in the mood to be grumpy verses anything else. Poor guy had to deal with me. Anyways my alarm woke me up bright and early at 4:30am. I was dressed and leaving Sean soundly sleeping in my bed by 4:45 (so unfair). I met Erica and Steph and we went to the atm. Erica went first and had her atm card eatin by the atm. another bad Oman. I did have half a mind to leave right then and there and go back to sleep. But since it wasn't my card, I thought maybe it wasn't a Oman for me but for Erica. We went down to the bus stop and waited for about 30 minutes for the Aircoach. Stephs flight was at 6:45.. We decided to hop a cab soo Steph wouldn't miss her flight. We got through security and the rest of the airport experience unscathed.

Erica and I ended up on the same flight and we landed in London around 10:30 or so. I realized at this point I hadn't eaten anything at this point but a cup of coffee, nor had I slept since 4:30 am and I was running on an hour of sleep. Soo I bought a wrap and a lemon-aid and soo started the morning/afternoon of me falling a sleep on every form of transportation we sat on for longer like 10 minutes. We successfully found our way through the rail and tub and the streets of London to the hostel. The man at the desk told us that we wouldn't be able to get into the room till 2. I nearly collapsed right then and there. It was only 11:30 and I was already falling asleep. On the bright side, we were told that there was a bus that started and ended right in front of the hostel soo we wouldn't have to search all over creation for a bus. Since I couldn't sleep yet, we decided to go explore. We stumbled upon Parliament Square. I managed to take a few touristy pictures with the grunting and whining of Erica and Steph. Then we went off and started roaming in different directions, we managed to find our way to the national gallery. The fountains were pretty. I didn't get any pictures tho. We had a cup of coffee and then we decided to walk back. I fell asleep on the bus ride home. First time in my life that I was that exhausted, I don't think my body has ever just shut down on public transportation before. It was kind of like when I had mono when I would just sit down on a coach and I'd be out in 2 seconds. But I was on a bus.. kinda gross. I think we got back right at 2 and I made my bed and crawled into it. I didn't wake up till 5.

When I awoke, I found Erica and Steph a bottle deep in red wine, with a box of ritz and some cheese. They were sitting on the balcony in the rain, giggling and telling their life stories. Since sitting in the rain isn't really my scene and I felt like maybe it was time for them to sober up a little, we went to get dinner. They wanted Italian. I found it humorous that we would go to London for Italian food but ask and you shall receive. After much wondering in the rain we settled on a place called The Italian Eatery or Italian Factory or something to that affect. It was small and quaint and everyone had Italian accents. Maybe I am spoiled by my own lasagna or maybe I'm just used to my own but I wasn't impressed with their lasagna. Not enough cheese, and the meat was nothing to write home about. Also it was tiny. When I get Italian, I expect to have enough for breakfast the next morning. I got a square. Sooo I decided I would get some tiramisu. Which is my favorite dessert in the world. You would think that in an Italian place it would be good. Again nothing to write home about. Steph's dinner put her mouth on fire. I was actually going to order what she got but when I saw chillies in the description I decided to play it safe. I don't appreciate my mouth being on fire. Steph also got bread pudding.. that was to die for. It made me want my Mom's bread pudding. ::sigh:: Everyone was stuffed and exhausted soo we made our way back to the hostel. On the bus ride home Steph was the one who was falling asleep. I didn't get a picture tho because she kept waking up but it was funny. We got back to the hostile and called it a night.

We were all up and awake and ready to go by 9:30. We had free breakfast that consisted of toast and coffee. I noticed that I have started to drink more coffee here. I'm not sure why, I wasn't much of a fan at home but here I find that its hard to get through a long day without one. We hopped on the 24 bus and headed for Buckingham Palace. We found it with little issue and when we got there we happened to have stumbled upon the guard change. Its funny how things like that happen. I must say that while I was there I felt like the British guards were quite rude to the people. I felt more like a peasant then anything else. Sometimes I just want to scream, I may be a tourist but I do understand English and I'm not an idiot. One guard called a women stupid for trying to cross the street when no cars were going. Then another guard yelled at this Chinese women (not to say she didn't deserve it) but when she yelled at her she said something to the affect of "Do as your told." I felt like I was 5 years old again, and I didn't want to do something and I was being yelled at for it.

Anyways, we then decided to make our way over the London Eye. We bought our tickets and had about an hour or so to kill soo we ate some Mcdonald's. I finally found fries that taste like the ones at home. Amazing. Btw I also have learned that Europe doesn't believe in honey mustard. I can't find it anywhere. Soo around 1, Steph and I boarded our capsule and took the London Eye to the top and saw London from every direction. I was amazing, something everyone should experience once in their lives. We got very lucky because the weather was beautiful and we were able to get a good view of everything. After we got off the Eye, we went and had some soft serve vanilla ice cream. Yum. Erica wanted to take a river cruise to the London tower, soo we boarded the ship and set sail.

The ride was rather short lived and to be honest I just had some alone time with my Ipod. The thing about traveling is when you go with a bunch of people, you not only have to manage dealing with the foreign land and how they do things but you also have to deal with how the people in your group travel as well. Its not the easiest thing in the world because everyone has their own idea of fun.

Our next destination was The Globe Theater. After we got a little lost, we managed to find it. Call me dumb, but I didn't actually know that the orginal was knocked down and had a bridge put on top. The replica was amazing. They had a cool exhibt that gave some history of London and how life was back in the time of The Globe. It was definitly worth going too. At this point it was about 5 in the evening.. and soo we all decided to head back to the hostile.

Now the next part, has some explanation needed. When Erica was flying to Dublin.. she met a guy on the plane. He was going to London and they apparently hit off. Soo when he invited her to come to London to go to a party he was hosting she said Yes. And about 2 months ago when we booked the trip.. the idea of going to a party while in London didn't seem like such a bad idea. After all I didn't really want someone I knew going off alone to meet some guy who they barely knew. Call me a worry wart.. call me uptight..call me whatever you want. But I just don't think its the best idea in the world. And soo I agreed to go with her. But as the time got closer and closer and more and more info was shared. (Like me realizing we wouldn't be in the city for this party) I became more and more nervous. I guess in the past I have learned that I have to have some control over how I'm exiting a party. And whether I have the option to leave a situation if I don't find that I like it. Well the closer and closer I got to this situation.. I felt this tightening of my throat and just an uneasiness. Now, I'm sure the guy was a nice guy. I'm sure he doesn't hang around with bad people.. but the truth of the matter is you never know, and while I'm traveling in a foreign country there are some risks I'm not willing to take.

We ended up getting lost on the way back from The Globe. I would say its a safe conclusion to say that we spent about half of the time in London lost. We got back to the hostel and ate dinner and over dinner it came to me. Erica and Steph wanted to go to the party.. I only the other hand wasn't in the mood to party.. I didn't want to go. But I didn't want to stay in a hostel in London alone either. So I decided that I would go to the town they were staying in and book a hotel. So I went online, found a Best Western and booked a room. I guess in retrospect I could have found a cheaper place but I just had this voice in my head saying "Mom, would want you to be safe in a place and somethings you don't go cheap on." The moment I booked the hotel all my anxiety disappeared and I was actually able to enjoy the rest of the evening. It was as if this big weight had been lifted from my shoulders and I could finally not have to worry about where I was sleeping that night.

We made it to the train station and with a little difficulty we managed to figure out the train system. things Didn't seem as straight forward as I would have liked. There was this big moving board that had train times of departures. I didn't understand why they only tell you like 5 minutes b4 the train leaves which platform its leaving from. It didn't make much sense to me. When our train stopped in (I forgot the name of the place) I parted ways with Erica and Steph. Part of me didn't think it was the best idea to split up but as my mother always says "Survival of the fittest." At the end of the day I only need to worry about myself and let others do what they may.

I spent 50 pounds (about $80) on the hotel. It was worth it. As soon as I walked into the room it was nice and toasty warm. First thing I did was turn on the TV. I haven't watched a TV in months. I found CSI.. nothing like watching American TV in England. I poured myself a glass of wine, sat down and wrote in my journal and then took a nice long shower and finished with a cup of tea and biscuit. It was a nice end to a very long tiring 48 hours.

The next morning, Steph met me in the lobby and we were off to the airport. The train wasn't as easy as it was made out to be but we managed to figure it out and made it to the airport with just enough time. We were both on separate flights soo I ended up having to wait in the Gatwick airport alone for about an hour or so. If anything I felt more like a grown up and independent then ever. I have figured out how to navigate a foreign city, airport and book/stay in my own hotel room. its the little things that matter.

We made it back to UCD by around 4 or so and we parted ways with the intention of meeting for dinner around 6. Around 6:30-7 Steph, Tom, Annabelle, Sean and I were all gathered in my apartment laughing and ordering wings and pizza. All in all it was a good experience. Somethings I'm not sure I need to experience again but experience none the less. I fell asleep nice and warm in my bed to the sound of football in the background.