Things I've Learned So Far
Trip Start
Sep 15, 2008
1
4
50
Trip End
Dec 21, 2008
Where I stayed
London,
United Kingdom
Friday, September 19, 2008
1. Jet Lag is very tough
2. Cell phones are wonderful tools of communication
3. ALWAYS save your Blog entries along the way
I can't remember everything I said...so...I'm sorry if you don't get quite the detail I had wanted to share with you all!
On arrival in London (Tues 18 Sept) I learned the true meaning of Jet Lag. I usually sleep so easily on planes, through take off, bumps, and landings. But not this time and it was wasn't fair!! I couldn't get comfortable and maybe I was just anxious, but I slept a total of 1 to 1.5 hours the whole way. Needless to say I was a bit out of it when I arrived at 6:35am. Even though I was excited to be here and that the trip was actually starting!
I made it easily from the airport on the London Underground and happened to take the correct turn out of the station but walked past the crowd in front of my hostel 3 times before I found the door (yes 3 times...I know!). I checked it, but you can't get into your room until 2pm so I went back to the 'Chill Out' room, found a spot on the couch, and tried to sleep/not sleep for the next 4 hours. I wasn't so sure about everything at this point. I was so out of it that I couldn't talk much with people as they came in and out, but I slept a little bit. At 2pm I got my room and bed and headed right up to take a nap! That was the rejuvination I needed. I do not remember ever having been that badly jet lagged before.
On Tuesday at 4pm a friend of mine from New York City, Amy and I had plans to meet at the British Museum. We were both arriving from the states on the same day (she for a year long graduate program). I was up from my nap in time and got directions on how to get there from reception at the hostel. I didn't realize how long it was going to take to get there, nor was I expecting disfuntioning doors on the train in front of mine. Of course there were disfuntioning doors!! I arrived at 4:25pm and frantically searched for Amy. I went around the Museum ground floor several times and in and out the front doors even more times. I even prayed that I would find her...to be honest I really needed to see a friendly familiar face after my rough day of settling in. Just as they were about to close at 5:30 who do I see walking toward the exit as I'm standing there looking for her but...AMY!! YEA!! It was so exciting to actually have found her. This was when I really appreciated a cell phone as an important communication tool!! We walked around for a bit and went to a truly English pub called The Lamb for dinner. I was definitely looking out of place and we were both a little loopy, losing concentration while we were talking. Trying to find her did a number on my already tense stomach and I could barely eat much, but it was so wonderful to see her and we had a nice evening together.
I haven't really had much of an appetite for the first few days, nor did I have one for the last few days before I left with all the last minute details for the trip. Probably just anxiousness and excitement, but I'm starting to get it back now which is good!
Yesterday, after finally getting some rest, I went on a free tour from the hostel that met up with a group. For 3 hours I walked around the city with Alex, the guide. I learned a lot and had a nice time being out and walking around the city! It was a chilly day, much cooler than I thought it was going to be at 19 celcius. I realized I was among the American contingent that thought the Tower Bridge was actually the London Bridge(which is not very exciting at all anymore), but now I know better! It helped me get my bearings and get aquainted with London.
After a rest back at the hostel spending a couple of hours online researching my next steps (Switzerland and beyond!), I headed out to see The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare's Globe Theater. It was wonderful!! The show was funny and so well done. I was standing in the Yard RIGHT in the action! I looked up several times and saw the sky and realized that I was still outside. So cool!
It came even more to life when I saw the place where Shakespeare stayed while writing that play in Windsor! Today was a long day...I was up at 6am after getting only about 4 hours of sleep because of the ridiculously loud party downstairs and the snores in my room which I tried relatively successfully to drown out with my iPod. But it was a really good day. Yesterday I called and got a last minute seat on a tour out to see Stonehenge which was on my list of things to do while I was here. Of course the tour bus couldn't get to the hotel they had sent me to for pick up and I had to stressfully ride in a taxi to the Victoria Coach Station. Though I made it and they refunded me so it all worked out! We stated in Bath, then on to Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Windsor. We just touched the surface of everything and I felt a little like my sister Erin...rushing through things a little too fast and then sitting a lot in between (instead of her reading and waiting at the exits, it was on the bus on the way to the next stop)! ;-)
Stonehenge was really cool...I didn't know exactly what to expect even though I had seen many pictures of it, I didn't know what it would be like when I was there in person. It was really neat. In fact all the stops were great. I went into a couple of churches today, Bath Abbey and Salisbury Cathedral, and then with the guide we walked around the city of Windsor and say the outside of the castle. The weather was very nice too. Even though it was cloudy at Stonehenge there were some beautiful light rays shining through the clouds! I was glad I picked today to go! After the first couple of stops I noticed an open seat in the front and moved from my cramped spot near the back to the front and sat next to a really nice girl, Nicole from Australia who was just finishing her tour around Europe for 5 weeks. It is so interesting that there are people at all points of travel and from all different places all traveling around at the same time!
Tomorrow I'm going to explore more of London! Buckingham Palace is on the list and after a bit more research before bed I'll have some sort of plan.
I'm going to post before I lose my message again. Know that I miss everyone very much!
Much Love,
Ali/Althea
Comments
Enjoying your Blog
Following your trip all the way! Billy and I wish you the best.
Love,
Roy