Blogs from Hendon, Greater London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Everyone starts somewhere. I started in Finchley. Therefore people will think that Finchley is important to me, whether it really is or whether it really isn't... Ian, born in Finchley. Therefore... important. Because of this I will always be in danger of ending up trapped in an online encyclopedia and hyperlinked to Margaret Thatcher - because Finchley was her political constituency, and on that upsetting evening in 1979 she stood on the balcony on the front of Finchley town hall. I arrived in Finchley a lot earlier than when Thatcher was tarnishing it with Saint Francis' prayer. I entered Finchley exactly nine months after the celebrations for my sister's third birthday. And my mum paid the price. Head out early I apparently took a good look at the corridor and at what was to come before ... read more

The title contains two unrelated events, and well, maybe a bit of an exaggeration on the latter part. Let me clarify: This morning (Tuesday 7/15/08) I woke fairly early and decided to pop into town to mail the last of my postcards (by the way, family reading this - I've gotten word a couple of you already have your postcards, to the rest of you, yours should be there any time now, I mailed them all at the same time). My preferred post office is across from a McDonalds (a very nice one with funky chairs and neat wood tables inside), and it is only 1 tube stop from campus. Really it was like any other morning when I travel by myself here. I always take my jacket if its cloudy, an umbrella if its raining, ... read more

Today, the 4th of July, was probably the most exciting and amazing day we've had yet in London. Though, I must confess, it was also the longest and hardest. We walked probably around 10 miles today. Up and down and all around Central London (See the 'dragon statues I've included) to the Tower of London, all around the inside, to London Bridge, across London Bridge (on foot this time), to Westminster Abbey, all around the Inside, and then all over Hyde Park (350 acres). We started early, at 8. I guess I'm a slave driver, but I knew we had a lot to cover, so It was best we get a move on, even though we didn't get in till 12:30 last night, from Baker Stree (yes! 221b Baker Street, the most famous address in the ... read more

Hello! It is becoming more and more apparent to me that while the English and the Southern USA cultures are similar, they are also very different. One thing we have in common that the New York students here find odd is the friendliness and generally happy disposition. I can go to the supermarket in Corpus and people will say hello, nod, and say little things like 'hows the weather' or 'this fruit looks good'. The same seems to be true here. Everyone is generally happy and says hello when you pass. I really enjoy this aspect, because its comforting, more like being at home. Though, there are vast other difference. I find that people love the outdoors here. Every day I see countless numbers of people running, walking, walking their dogs, laying around in the grass, ... read more

I'm here! After a huge mess at the airpots, I'm here safe and sound, and have been now since 2:30pm london time, which is 8:30 am central time. My flight into Houston from Lubbock was supposed to leave at 1:10 pm CST on thursday. We boarded the plane, sat on the runway for 2 hours and then returned to the gate. We were at the gate until 6:10pm, at which time we re-boarded and finally took off. The weather around Houston was really bad, and therefore we couldn't take off because so many planes were trying to get in and out still. Because of the delay, both Clara and I missed the 6:25pm flight to London, which was delayed to 7:20, but we both arrived around 7:40. We were booked over to the 10:25 flight though, ... read more