Planes, trains, automobiles

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I am sitting in an internet cafe in Portsmith, paying by the pound. Just wanted to let everyone know I made it here safe after a car,plane,subway,bus,train and taxi! Today is our "day off" at Labri, so a few girls and I decided to go into town to get fish and chips at a pub as well as some shopping. The skies are grey, and it seems this town might be forever overcast.

The manor is without heat (besides a fire in the kitchen) so everyone stays bundled up and we have "tea time" 5 times a day to stay warm. In a place where I thought surely everyone would be European, or at least mostly, I am with almost all Americans at English Labri! When I got in last night during tea time, it was a surspise to meet everyone and find out we all have certain restaurants, beaches,areas we have lived and bands in common(there is even another girl from GA). I room with 9 girls, and feel drastly underpacked as most of them brought 3 suitcases (not joking)...they all had "ooos" and "aahhs" when they say my neatly organized backpack. Not all trekking across Europe after Labri, however, they praised me for being "minimalistic" and not bringing a flat-iron or blowdryer.

I feel highly uninteresting right now, still in the haze of jet-lag. But I will tell you some things I have learned in the past 24hrs: People in England have the most fantastic shoes, coats and hair...Everyone seems to be casually unaware that they ooze hipness, giving it a layed back vibe. Fish and chips is better in a real pub. "DRAFTY" was an understatement when the manor was described in an email. $100 will get you £60 much to my dismay.

Meh. My head is cloudy...

Funny quick story: When I was in the Atl airport, I was looking for my gate, and I am guessing had a puzzled look on my face, when a chubby cheerful woman in an "airport info" blue vest scurried up to me. She very excitedly looked at me and said, "Comment alez vous?" (french has been a while, thats probably spelled wrong) and I gave her a big smile and said, "Im American". She got a very let-down look on her face and I was sad to break her heart, she said "Oh, I am so sorry, I could swear you were French...can I still help you?". I told her I was looking for my gate and she pointed me in the right directly, somewhat sadly. In Atlanta and mistaken as a European, awesome. I know she had been waiting a long time to approach some European and try out her french, I was sorry to bring her so much dismay with my southern drawl. Maybe I should have gone with what little french I remember...not sure she would have known the difference.

So, they wont let me upload all of my two photos here at this cafe. But next time! I miss and love you all. Ill write more soon, when I am feeling a litltle more alert.

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