First London Update

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Well, hello everyone!

If I haven't talked to you since I left, I want you to know that I am safe in London and already having a really good time! If I have talked to you, then here is some more detailed info on what I've been up to!

So, I left Monday the 22nd at 7:40-ish. I had a lovely flight to Iceland, and ended up sitting next to two nice ladies from Holland! It was a mom and daughter - they had been visiting a son who lived in Minnesota. Neither of them spoke English very well, but we had a pleasant time together. I meant to say that it was my first trip abroad - but they thought it was my first airplane ride, so they kept giving me advice and asking me if I was okay
- it was very kind, but funny.
The Iceland airport was nice, although basically dead at 7 in the morning (it was Tuesday by now). It was a nice, small, quiet airport. I bought a few postcards and some Icelandic candy and chips (they have a doritos chip called "Cool American" so I had to try it...) I was only there for about 30 minutes and then I left for Heathrow! I didn't have anyone sitting next to me at all, so I had 3 seats to myself! We were almost going to be early to Heathrow (around 11 instead of 11:45) but the pilot said that he was told not to land, so we just wasted time in the air I think, until we could land - at exactly 11:45.
Heathrow was not as nice as Iceland - it was huge and really hard to find your way around! And Customs was irritating because I got in the line for non-EU passports, and then this lady started screaming that if we had gotten off the IcelandAir flight, we were supposed to get in a different line - so I got in that line, only to wait for 15 minutes and find out that I was in the EU line, and, of course, I wasn't supposed to be... So I had to wait for another 25 minutes... I was very frustrated, but at least the officer who checked my passport was nice!
After that I found my luggage and found my taxi driver. He was a very nice man from Nigeria and we talked about traveling and the differences between schools in Nigeria, the UK, and the States. He knew that the Mississippi started in Minnesota, and I was impressed. I had about a 45 minute ride to my new home.
Once I got to JMH, which is on Walworth Road right by Elephant and Castle. I unloaded my stuff, got my room, and got my internet running (which I paid a King's Ransom for - so you all better appreciate these blogs!). After I unpacked, Megan came down from school and walked around and hit a grocery store to get some food. Then she left and I went to bed.

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On Wednesday made a trip to Ikea all by myself on the Tube. It was very exciting - and not a super long trip. There I bought some bedding materials - although I am unhappy with the pillow I bought (in the store it looked cushy, but the one I got was really flat and hard) so I may have to buy another one... I also bought a few kitchen supplies. Then I went home and met the first roommate, Anastasia, from Russia. She is in the room next to me. We walked down to a pub and had a small dinner. She is very nice, and speaks English amazingly well for only learning it for 3 years.

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On Thursday (my birthday!) Anastasia and I walked down to the Thames (accidentally taking the long way because I missed our turn at the round-about) and walked down it from the Vauxhall bridge to the Westminster Bridge. We took a lot of pictures of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. Then we walked back home. It was quite a long walk!
After about an hour to rest my feet I took the tube to Megan's house, which was fun. (For anyone who doesn't know, Megan is my friend from High School and beyond who is also studying here through a program at St. Thomas - she's been here since Labor Day.) Then I hung out at her place for a bit - until she and her roommate (Bre) were ready to leave. Before we left, her other roommate, Beth, ruined my birthday surprise by asking when we had to leave for The LION KING! But, I was still really excited! We walked back to the tube station and met two of her friends, Jason and Paul, and headed back into the city to meet another friend, Kristi. We ate dinner at a lovely Italian place (where they made me drink some wine, since it was my birthday), then went to THE LION KING! It was really amazing, the music and costumes were fantastic - I would highly recommend it! It was really fun, and I'm so glad that they took me! Then we went to two different pubs and hung out until pretty late at night. Then I ended up staying at Megan's since it was so late, and I didn't want to make them walk me home and then try to get home themselves.

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On Friday, I slept late and went to Buckingham Palace - which was also amazing! I bought a full tour, so I went to the Mews, the Queen's Gallery, and the Palace - it was pretty exciting. The Mews had all the carriages and some horses, so that was interesting. The Queen's Gallery had a ton of stuff from HM special collection, including a really neat special exhibit that was a collection of illustrations (mostly of a scientific nature) of animals, insets, and plant-life from famous illustrators and collectors. It was very interesting, and all of the other stuff was amazing, beautiful suits of armor and a collection of Fabergé miniatures - very fancy.
Then I went to Buckingham Palace, which was beautiful! Sadly, you can only photograph on the grounds, so you will all have to go for yourselves to see it completely, but it was so grand and beautiful. It's only a tour of the state rooms, but it has inspired me to encourage Justin to become President so that someday we might be invited to a state dinner there - ha. They had the state ballroom all set up as if there was going to be a state dinner, it was very formal and elegant. The picture galleries were very impressive, with amazing paintings from famous painters. After I walked along the grounds to the exit. It was so huge and impressive. You could play some amazing Frisbee games on the lawns and have beautiful picnics around the whole thing. I took quite a few pictures. I also bought some "royal" ice cream at the shop on the way out - it was very over priced, but tasted good and made me laugh. I kept the wrapper for my scrapbook.
I'm so glad that I made it to Buckingham Palace, because I read that it is only open from July to September, so if I had waited it would've been closed!

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On Saturday I couldn't decide what to do, so I decided to go to Camden Town which is a collection of several markets and do some shopping. I didn't end up buying anything but some postcards - but it was a lot of fun. It was like the farmers market multiplied by 1000. There were so many stalls with so many different things, and tons of food that smelled amazing. I didn't want to spend too much on food, but I did get some spring rolls, since Justin and I are on a quest to find the perfect spring roll. These were good, but not as good as Quangs. They came with a spicy sauce though - which I did enjoy. There were a ton of clothing places too, and a million coats! I saw a few that I liked, but since I came with 3, I probably don't need another - right? I may have to go back to buy some pashima scarves, they are so beautiful. If anyone wants one as a gift let me know what color and I will get some, they are not very expensive and so warm and nice - I love them! Oh, I also bought some good fruit at a stall in the market - mom would be so proud - I'm actually eating much more fruit than at home!
After I got back I went up to Megan's to go out with her friends again for another birthday. I got to meet most of her program that night. We went to a club called TigerTiger and danced the night away. Not usually my thing, but I had a good time and talked to some nice people. Then Megan and Bre dropped me off at my place and I went to bed!

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On Sunday, I was planning on starting this blog, grocery shopping, and relaxing (and catching up on some work that I wanted to do). But when I got up to get some orange juice for breakfast, I ran into Anastasia who asked if I was going to the Orientation party... I hadn't remembered about it, so I said that I would go with her. She was already going with Jason, the one of the other guys in our flat (at that point, he was the only one, but now 2 more have moved in - but, of course, I just met them today, and cannot remember their names to save my life), so we went. It was not a party - it was just a place to get your wristbands, if you bought tickets to the concerts they are having this week. None of us had bought tickets because we didn't know the bands and they were REALLY expensive - so we left. We walked around between Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus (where all the good shopping is) and looked at the shops. I didn't buy anything, but I did see some stuff at a HUGE toy store that I wanted to buy as gifts, so I may have to go back. They both bought some clothes.
Then I came home and tried to find a grocery store that was open past 4, since it was 5 when we got back. I finally found one - but it was very small and crowded, and not a real "Supermarket" which Justin told me was what I really wanted. So I bought some stuff, but I couldn't find everything I was looking for.

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So, that brings me to today! Today I went and found a much better supermarket - although it still didn't have everything - although I suppose what I want probably just isn't sold here... But I finished my shopping and got plenty of food to last me through the next few weeks, which is good, because then I can stop spending money on it! I really miss Little Debbie though, biscuits are fine, but I love Swiss Cake Rolls! Also, it is impossible to find tortilla chips and salsa here! I finally gave in and bought some unflavored Doritos and some Doritos' salsa - so we'll have to see how that turns out.
Then I came back, decided to check out Hyde Park and left again. On my way out, I ran into Maggi (one of the other girls in the flat - there is one more, Marie, that no one has seen and we only know she is there because she wrote her name and number on my message board on the fridge... So that makes three girls and three guys - I thought it was odd when there was only one guy, but now that it's even it doesn't seem so weird. Although our rooms are pink, so that must be a little unsettling for them.). She is from Texas and very nice. We chatted about traveling and decided that we would have to be travel buddies, which is great, because Megan has already been to most of the places I want to go, so I needed to find someone else. She seems very friendly and, like me, doesn't really care to party but would rather see the sights and explore, so that will be a lot of fun.
I didn't actually end up in Hyde Park, because the Journey Planner website lied to me and put me down by Kensington Gardens instead. They are connected, but I hadn't looked at a map before I left, after wandering through the park for about 2 hours (thinking I was in Hyde Park), I was very surprised to see a sign for Kensington Gardens... It was so beautiful! And full of people just enjoying it, so it was a good time either way. I will have to go back thought, because in my aimless wandering, I missed a lot of the good stuff!
Now I am back at my place and just relaxing. Maggi is out, but she said that she would stop by when she came home and we might watch The Office! (I am so excited to find another person who loves it!!!)

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So everyone, that is the update on my first few days in London! I realize that it was very long, but I tried to be descriptive... The pictures will probably do a much better job than I can of explaining what I actually saw, so look at them - if you don't read this whole thing!
I just found out that I can link to my facebook albums so I will just post those here, so you can all see them! (then I don't have to do it in multiple places!)

My Flat
My Birthday
Buckingham Palace
Camden Town
Kensington Gardens Walk

If anyone has any suggestions of things I should visit, please let me know!

Thank you for reading - I will try to update this on a fairly regular basis, so check back if you're bored!

Night!

-Manon

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