Bye Bye Belfast, hello world!

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So here we are in London, and in fact, just about to leave it, our first stop completed.

It has *mostly* been brilliant. There were a few tears leaving our families, of course, and even more tears trying to carry our backpacks round the London underground. I am actually at a loss as to what the benefits of these things are - we only bought them because that's what everyone else seems to use, and I am already crying out for a nice trolley suitcase.

We've taken it easy here, not venturing too far from our gorgeous hotel in Hoxton. Went to a great Tokyo Police Club gig on Thursday night in the Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, window shopped round Brick Lane, and had a few in the very rough and ready but very cheap Foundry Bar last night. Had a bit of an incident at dinner on Thursday night when we weren't convinced Neil's chicken was cooked. The waiter spent a good 5 minutes trying to explain why it was ok that it was bright red, before calling the manager to do the same. At one point we had other diners gathered round poking at it too. After
Brick Lane
Neil shopping up a storm.accepting their explanations, we pretended to eat it and paid, having smuggled most of the chicken out in our napkins. There've been no side effects, so it looks like the staff were telling the truth, but it doesn't bode too well for how we'll cope with the much more exotic cuisine I am sure we will be experiencing in the near future!

But that's all ahead of us - away for a fry now! See you all in Toronto!

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Photos

Neil in Hoxton
Neil with a bottle of Bolly - starting as we mean to go on.

Brick Lane
Neil shopping up a storm.

The Foundry
Back at the Foundry