London Ho!

source

So I've been in London now a couple of days, but it feels like so much longer. This is the first time that I really feel I have time to sit back and relax! I'm only going to start out with the first day and slowly work my way through to the other days in other posts. This wasn't meant to be a travel blog, but I think since I'm living in London now there might be more posts about where I've been and where I want to go. And isn't that what documenting your life is all about? Enough existential musings.  Wowzers so much has happened. Let's start with the very beginning.

Amanda and I decided to get here a day earlier so we wouldn't have to worry about being jet lagged and exhausted when everyone else showed up. I raced to finish packing before we had to leave for our 6 o'clock plane. I finally got to the airport, said my tearful goodbye to my dad, and met Amanda and her family. Obstacle number one: I'm checking my bags at the counter and the lady informs me that I need to purchase a return ticket if I was going to London for three months. My heart literally stopped because I was really not ready to drop any serious money on another ticket. Luckily that sorted itself out since I had a visa already and could prove that I was leaving. I really turned into a day where everything worked out but in the most inconvenient way. Obstacle 2: Amanda accidentally had a tiny swiss army knife in her backpack that set off the security alarms. It definitely was not hers and they handed her bag back to her sans knife without too much worry. And then there was the plane flight itself. I'm one to pride myself on my sleeping abilities, and I can pretty much sleep anywhere. There was just something about the placement of the windows and where my head would lean against that did not mesh well. I was going to have to turn into a Tetris piece to get comfy. When I did manage to fall asleep, they would turn the lights on and it was time to eat breakfast. In my sleep deprived brain, I came up with this really great analogy comparing a plane ride to prison where everyone has to be on the same schedule in a cramped space without any real exercise outlet. But I digress.

We landed in Heathrow ahead of schedule at 6:30 am. Which would have been great if I didn't have to wait to go through immigration for the next two hours. I was so hot and miserable and uncomfortable, and cranky. I feel for Amanda in those first two hours. I was not a happy camper and she managed not to beat me senseless. Luckily we made friends with an awesome red headed american who was in front of us. We didn't get her name which is unfortunate because it would have been pretty neat to run into her and just hang. There was also this guy in line with one single dread lock and a brightly colored belt. Later that day, Amanda and I would run into him three more times in a completely different part of London. Tres bizarre. Anyway we finally made our way up to the immigration desks when news flash! We needed these papers saying that we could study abroad. Neither of us knew about such documents and we started freaking out and thinking they wouldn't let us into the country. The man I was dealing with wasn't very nice although I did flash him my best friendly smile. I guess the charm didn't work on him.

source

We finally got out of the airport after some pleading and paid a taxi to take us all the way into Bloomsbury where we were living. 70 pounds later, we were in front of the housing people's office and ready to walk inside and check in. When we entered, they looked at us like we were monsters (truthfully I felt like one). Apparently the two rooms we had booked earlier (and paid for) were not on record. That quickly blew over and they said that we could be in our flat by 2 pm that day. While I was happy to have a roof over my head, it was only 9:30 in the morning and all I wanted to do was shower and sleep. Instead we were forced to walk around our neighborhood. Now I would have originally loved a good walk to familiarize myself, but there's something about you not having a choice or say in the matter that made it seem like a chore. I was also still in my rain boots (which I wore on the plane so I didn't have to pack them). They're very comfortable, but not something I wanted to walk around in all day. Especially since I was wearing puffy short socks instead of the tall ones I should have been wearing. We started walking around Tottenham Court Road looking for a cafe and phone store so we could at least be connected. We found a Cafe Nero and hunkered down with some tea for the next half hour, but how slowly time moved. We then found our way to Oxford street which was very lively and had a whole bunch of great shops, but I was so tired by that point that I didn't want to do anything.

After some time we decided that it was probably time for us to have lunch although neither of us was hungry for food. We stopped by a pub to buy some sandwiches that neither of us really ate. By this point my rain boots were rubbing my calves raw and I was in so much pain. As we sat there the time ticked away until it was finally 2. We went to pick up our luggage, which luckily the office was holding for us until we could get into our room. They then gave us our key and we were off on the last leg of our journey. After struggling with the locks (which turn to the left here, not to the right) for a few minutes we climbed with all of our luggage up some very steep steps up to the third floor of the building where our flat was. There's also another flight of stairs in our flat, but we decided that sleep was more important than moving in. When we went up to our rooms, our beds weren't made. Not only were they not made (because I'm a big girl and can make my own bed), but there weren't any linens. This was about the time that I almost lost it. I just couldn't believe I was in a new city and all I wanted to do was feel clean and nap, and I was robbed of that liberty. I fortunately held it together and walked down to the office to ask for the linens. The man on duty said that the cleaning crew would be around shortly and do it. I just wanted the freaking linens! I would do it myself if it meant I could sleep faster. Instead I went home and luckily had a small pack towel on me (thanks daddy!) so I was able to hop in the shower and start to feel like a human being again. When I was done, the people came and made our bed. Then started the most epic nap of my life.

I slept from 4 until 11 that night. Amanda woke up and went out with our friend Kate and her boyfriend went out for drinks and I just kept sleeping. When I did eventually wake up, Amanda was downstairs and we chatted a bit before heading up to bed again. Now you might think that I wouldn't be able to sleep, but you would be sorely mistaken. I read a bit (Game of Thrones) and by 1 am I was ready to sleep for the night. We then woke up at 10 to screaming in our flat as the rest of the girls eagerly and excitedly discovered the ins and outs of our flat. There are six girls in the flat. Three from Clark, the other three from Sienna. It would have been very exciting to chat with them, but because of all of the struggle the day before, I had not consumed enough water and was severely de-hydrated. Some water fixed that, and the day started looking up.

(silly tired Amanda after our day of ordeal)

Although that first day was a big tranny hot mess, the rest of my days have been nothing but adventure and wonder. I'm almost thankful I got my worst day out of the way in the beginning of the trip so I can just enjoy all London has to offer now. This weekend we went on a few touristy trips and I even met up with a friend I haven't seen in two years. Those adventures will have to wait for another post. Sorry for all the words, but I needed to get that day out of my system. I'm just excited to experience school and my internship in this great city!