Brighton...and ZOMBIES?! What?

All I can say is that contrary to my prior post about pumpkin carving and my doubts of the British pride in Halloween celebrations...Ummm...They like Halloween over here.

Shall I start from the beginning? (Use Somebody - Kings of Leon) Yesterday Kemper and I decided that we wanted to go to Brighton...so this morning we hopped on a train and made our way over. :)

But guess what? I actually got up this morning and went running. Let's think about this. Saturday morning. I got up at eight and was out by eight thirty running the quiet Saturday morning streets of London. It was thrilling and I felt like the city was all my own. I reveled in the sight of St. Paul's Cathedral and Big Ben next to Parliament. Seriously. I felt like someone had put all the buildings up according to my very specific running route. It was absolutely LOVELY.

After that I took a shower and went to Kemper's so we could trek to Victoria Station for a Brighton send-off. On the way over I read that Buddha of Suburbia book that I have to read by Tuesday. We both read like studious ladies on our way over there. When we finally alighted off the train we were delighted to note that the skies were mostly clear and blue with a nice massage of the October sunshine down our backs.

We found ourselves in the midst of an overgrown (and more rustic) Little Rock's Farmer's Market. (Imagine - John Lennon) There were booths and stalls filled with antiques (junk) silver and pewter, old fashioned suitcases, random shoes, and oversized sweaters surrounding stalls filled with fresh bread, tea, coffee, meat, and jam. I bought a loaf of bread. What can I say - apparently this is a tradition that I have when I go to Brighton? Haha. It's Garlic, Herbs, and Cheese, and it smells heavenly. :)

Anyway - let me stay focused here. We got to Brighton around noon-ish (possibly a little later) and so we decided it was time for lunch. On our way to the various cafes and eateries, we beheld the random market. We walked through very slowly and looked in every direction to take it all in. (Keeper - Yellowcard.)

We ended up at this Mexican restaurant mostly because I wanted quesadillas. :) I ordered some of those and some tacos and I will just say that they are a little confused when it comes to Mexican food over here...They seemed to want to mix Chinese food in with the Mexican ideal. The tacos were like egg rolls in form and there was rice - but it was quite like Chinese steamed rice. BUT - the quesadillas were lovely and the beans were nice as well. (Too bad this isn't a restaurant review blog, or a 'how-to' cook blog because all I do is talk about food.)

Anywho. We ate and then we made our way to the lovely rocky beach. I don't know what it is, exactly, but there is something totally magical about the beach at Brighton (and no, I don't think it's just because The Who mentions it in a song...) (Don't Panic - Coldplay)

We went to the pier first, however, to get milkshakes from Moo Moos. Mom and Dad will remember the glory of the marshmello-y Wimbledon Womble...and so we had to go for round two. I got a personalized milkshake with oreos, nutella, and whipped cream, while Kemper tried the Womble. Armed with our shakes we headed to the beach.

We got to the rocks to be hit by winds that forced me to adorn my sweatshirt. Kemper was immediately off to touch the water and the shoreline. I plopped down atop of a hill of rocks and continued reading my book for class. Kemper's enthusiasm for the ocean water reminds me of Jess. I swear, Jess would swim in anything and Kemper had her shoes off and bare feet in the water today. While it wasn't necessarily that cold, it was windy and definitely not the Florida temperature that I am used to...

Anwyho. I read for a long time whilst Kemper frolicked among the rocks. She came to join me atop my rocky hill at one point and we both just chilled. It was a great view, the thrashing waves of the sea, the busy pier, the sun peaking through the dusty clouds...all accompanied with the cry of the gulls and the faint music from the pier. :) It was heaven. It was literally a breath of fresh air compared to the stifling qualities of London...

(I Need You - Lynrd Skynrd) After most of our afternoon was swallowed in beach time (and I started to get a bit more chilly than is comfortable) we decided to go on a walk along the boardwalk. We could still see the swells and smell the tinge of salt in the air...

This is when the Halloween fun/scare began. We were minding our own business, walking in the direction of what looked like a marina, when we noticed a gaggle of teenagers dressed like Zombies. No big deal, right? Tomorrow is literally Halloween, and seeing that most people do not have four day weekends like I do, the logical thing would be to celebrate on a Saturday evening/night. Well...the problem was that as we finally decided to turn around...we noticed that...

EVERYONE WAS A ZOMBIE. Quite literally. There was a snow white zombie, a zombie bride, punk zombies, guerilla war far zombies, zombie doctors, children zombies, baby zombies, princess zombies...The list goes on indefinitely. I seriously had adrenaline in my stomach because I couldn't figure out if we were about to become the protagonists of a low budgeted Halloween film or not. Some of the zombie patrons even walked strangely as they moaned down the streets and boardwalk. We experienced these Zombies for the rest of our evening in Brighton and on the way to the train station.

The strangest thing was that we didn't know what was going on at all. I felt like someone had decided to hold a political election without telling me and everyone was campaigning for issues that I knew nothing about. I felt like my professor had asked me to answer a question when I had been dosing off in class. I just felt disconnected and left out of fake blood and baby powdered faces...

Well. We managed to get on a train and get a nice comfortable set of seats in which we both read some more. The zombies seemed to leave our calmed minds and become something of the relative past. (If Work Permits - The Format) Kemper was sharing a lovely bag of candy with me. On the way through the windy streets of Brighton we discovered a lovely sweets shop. It was a pretty good price to mix and max all the crazy flavors of jellies and chocolates - so we went a little crazy since we're too old to trick or treat...

We shared some candy and read and we were at Victoria station before we knew it. Well...the tube was a storm of pushy Londoners. Kemper needed to top-up so we figured out an alternative route to Russell Sqaure, because the Victoria line was experiencing delays...

We finally got on a District line train to South Kensington. From there we switched to the Piccadilly line...only to be so close to other people that I seriously developed a very lethal case of claustrophobia. I have never been so hot, so squished, and so uncomfortable in my entire life.

(Marching On - OneRepublic) AND to make matters worse there were four zombie beings behind me. They were shouting at each other to have a conversation over the rattling of the train. I got really upset when one of them said, "I think I'm going to be sick..." That one was really close to my left arm, which was extended holding on to the bright blue railing for dear life.

We finally alighted off of the train and managed to take to our streets. The streets we know and recognize. I convinced Kemper to go grocery shopping with me and I picked up a nice week's worth of groceries. :)

After that I made some pasta in her flat for dinner and then we watched some episodes of tv programs that she brought with her from home. We then just chilled for a bit before we both admitted an intense tiredness that we had. I could barely keep my eyes open - I mean - I went running this morning early! I'm exhausted! Anywho...

That's the story of what adventures I faced today. I miss you guys and hope you're having an amazing weekend.

Cheers!

Chinatown - take two!

(Sympathy for the Devil - The Stones) Well hey there!

Today was Friday (which is my Saturday of sorts.) I was moving really slowly for some reason though and didn't wake up until eleven. I had originally planned on getting up around eight and going for a run, however, that one completely failed. We'll see how tomorrow works out.

I went on a lovely run by Big Ben today (as always) and I noticed how many people have strained facial expressions when they run...I really hope I don't look like I'm constipated or anything...Hmmm.

Alright let's see. After the run (which was nice because Kemper made me a running playlist and I liked having some different music to run to. :p) I took a shower and had a nice lunch consisting of grilled cheese and cheez-its.

Then, Kemper and I went to the library and battled the computer until we finally booked our Scotland trip. So, guess what? I'm going to Scotland next weekend, no big deal. Apparently Edinburgh is the most haunted city in the world...so get ready for some ghostie stories. :P I'm really excited - we booked a Bed and Breakfast and Edinburgh sounds really cool.

But after that we had to sit down and sort of plan all the important day trips we're going to take the rest of the time we're here. Literally it's only about a month left - and so we put Liverpool and Oxford on the list. We also penciled in Chicago and a couple of other productions at the national theatre. I'm excited!

After that - which took a while - sheesh - we went to Candid and did some homework. I do love that we've walked there so often that the walk is kind of like driving home to Little Rock from Conway or something. It's a regularity - a familiarity that we have formed with our tiny environment of London. Haha. It makes London more bearable - but not quite home because I'm still sure that home has a lot to do with the people in it...

Anyway - we read a book for Susie's class for a bit. It's Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi. I like it so far way better than I like Riddley Walker - blah! (Crystal Ball - Keane) I read a good portion of it whilst sipping my lovely mocha.

After we both got to a stopping point we left. The cafe today was a bit stuffy and less comfortable than it usually is for some reason. When we got outside lo and behold it was raining! Ugh. Stupid London weather that is now actually behaving like London weather. :( It rains a lot. (In My Life - The Beatles) It's ok, I've learned to always have my umbrella with me. Kemper and I whipped those things out and we trudged through the windy rain all the way to China Town.

Now I shall backtrack. Today earlier in the day I mentioned to Kemper how I would really like to eat some chinese food...so...Haha. She caught my subtle hint and we made a huge trek all the way over to China town. I know that I said originally it stinks (and it really kind of does smell really funny) but I really wanted some sweet and sour chicken. Mom knows. She eats Chinese food with me sometimes. :P

Anywho - we couldn't really find any vegetarian options that sounded safe so we also went to Subway. Then we went back to Kemper's flat and ate really good food. :) Man, I'm not kidding. I haven't had Chinese food this whole time (and although it's not my favourite restaurant in Little Rock) it was still pretty awesome. (Nothing Better - The Postal Service)

AND now I feel like Kemper and I can call ourselves Londoners. I mean, we trudged through the windy, cold-ish rain to get 'take-away' food for dinner. HA! I will conquer you yet London. Just bring it on!

We then watched an AMAZING chick type movie. I mean, personally I'm a huge fan of Melissa Joan Hart. Anyway - I really do love getting to be inside our flat (well Kemeper's flat) and just sort of having a night in. It's comforting to have somewhere to be when it's raining, even if the walls are bright white like an insane asylum...We just have to persevere through it...

I then returned to my own flat to update this thing and then go to bed. I'm off tomorrow to Brighton one more time. Kemper and I are sick of the city. We need a breath of fresh air. I know you're thinking - well she's been there a million times - but I. Love. Brighton. It's absolutely amazing. So. We shall venture forth.

I did get a lovely piece of pumpkin pie. Claire made a home-made pumpkin pie from a pumpkin. I have no idea how she did it but it was amazing. It made me realize how much I'm going to miss Thanksgiving at home though. :( I know someone who can make the best pecan pie in the world (Jess) and the best mashed potatoes (Gramner...)

Miss you guys! (Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones)

Cheers.

<3

Pumpkin Carving, Roasting, and Girl's Night In!!

Well hello there! Sorry about my lack of updating yesterday! I was in a bit of a pickle yesterday relating to my homework...(And due to some feedback I'll keep you updated on my music. Because - The Beatles.)

So let's go back to Wednesday - Yesterday. Let's see. I went to Hampstead Suburbs for Art and Architecture. We finally started looking at more modern houses and such. I think I'm a fan of gothic architecture, which makes me wonder about myself. Barnaby said something in class the other day about how gothic architecture focuses on ornamentation whilst modern architecture aims to be more practical. Ugh...I hope this doesn't mean I'm vain or anything...I just enjoy the way that buildings with gothic style architecture appear...usually staring at them for long periods of time reveals more subtleties that you missed in the first once-over.

Anywho. After that class we took the bus (Paper Walls - Yellowcard.) back to Russell Square and rushed to our flat for a quick bite of lunch before we headed off to Shakespeare. I know I have no room to complain (long weekend) but it's just intense to have two three hours classes back to back with little time for lunch in between. To be fair, the professors usually give us a break in there somewhere. We discussed the production of Hamlet we saw on Monday, and I enjoyed the class.

After that I had to go meet with Dr. King to discuss my first essay. All I will say on that note is - UGH. And continuing with that class - I had a major freak out session Wednesday night because I had a presentation on Thursday over a chapter in Riddley Walker...and...I just don't know how Riddley Walker is working for me right now. I literally had to read the passage that I was presenting at least four times. I don't even know how I'm going to struggle through the whole book - I'm sure I will persevere though. I'm sure...

I finally passed out around four am or something like that which brings me to Thursday...(Teenage Dream - Katy Perry - hey don't judge. Haha...it's catchy...)

Anywho today was much better than yesterday. I suffered through my presentation in class (it was much better than I thought, and I probably could have gone to bed way sooner than I thought.) Sheesh - but that's me, I suppose.

After class I went on a six mile run. I'm finally getting a nice pattern and rhythm when I go running...as in...I don't feel the need to stop in the middle of (London - Third Eye Blind) so that's a plus. After that I took a shower and popped over to Kemper's flat to eat some amazing pasta that she made. Hillary and I and Kemper tried to sort some annoying Hendrix details out and then we were off.

We went to soho to find the old sweet shop that I went to with my parents because I thought that they would have caramel. We are going to make caramel apples. :) (They probably won't be as good as the ones Mom and I get in Florida and Memphis - but we'll do our best!) Anywho after that we went to Waitrose to get a pumpkin.

Ok - and so the pumpkin story begins! I bought a huge pumpkin - a nice size one like I always have. They have to be big to carve the faces correctly, right? (Good Life - OneRepublic) Well, Kemper and Hillary got cute little pumpkins. Waitrose is about five or more blocks from our flat...

So. How does Becca get huge pumpkin from Waitrose to the flat? I have to carry it of course, which is not a problem...at first. But three lovely ladies waltzing down the street with two small pumpkins and one huge pumpkin are apparently a spectacle to Londoners. I was so annoyed with everyone by the time we got back to the flat. Even the man standing outside of the Russell Hotel fundraising for a charity looked at me and said, "What's wrong here? You've got a huge, round, orange thing..." I wanted to shout at him, "HAVEN'T YOU EVER SEEN A PUMPKIN BEFORE?!"

Everyone was staring at us like they didn't know what you do with pumpkins. Apart from lovely pies and bread, you get to carve them! I know they know what Halloween is, I mean, all the shops are decorated and such with stickers and ghoulies and witches! Another passerby literally pointed at me and said, "Pumpkin!" in a giddy voice. Unfortunately the passerby was not a child, in which case I might find it in my kind soul to let the incident slide. Sheesh.

I did carve a really cute pumpkin, though. I bet if I were carving with Jess and Johnny again this year though, both of their designs would make mine look below average haha. My pumpkin (Hamilton) is smiling and has lots of teeth. Hillary's pumpkin (Herbert) has one tooth and a full mouth shaped in the O of surprise. Kemper's pumpkin says "BOO!" and has a cute little pac man ghostie on the side. I think they're all adorable and it made me happy to do something that's so like home. When I think about it, I've been carving pumpkins all my life. I'll probably still be carving them twenty years from now. :P

We ate dinner at Benito's hat. I really love a good burrito the size of my face, it's good every time, even if they don't know what 'Mexican' food is over here.

After that we played some interesting card games and watched some movies. We were going to watch a Halloween scary movie - but Kemper and I both dislike scary movies. Poor Hillary. She was outnumbered this time.

I almost forgot to mention that we roasting our pumpkin seeds. We seasoned them and such and they are absolutely lovely. I didn't know how great they would be since I've never done that before. :)

Now I'm chilling in the living room all by myself. (Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles) And I can say - I'm really glad I'm here. I'm growing up in strange ways, ways that I both appreciate and yet...I can't wait to go home and be a kid for the couple of years I have left to hold onto that.

I miss my family like crazy! Sheesh. Hope you guys are well and you enjoy your Fayetteville game this weekend. (Don't worry Johnny Gately - I'm still NOT a Razorback fan. :P)

Until next time - Cheers!

<3

To update or not to update that is the question...;)

I'm going to try this new thing. I'm going to let you know what song I'm listening to as I update this blog. This should give some people a laugh, and hopefully make a couple smile. :P You know who you are. ;)

I'm starting this blog off with "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service. So...yep. Let me take you back to Friday, the day we began our weekend long trek off into the beautiful West Country of England. (Oh so beautiful by the way!)

Friday - 10/22/10

I got up really early to go sit on a lovely coach bus for two hours. (As you'll see - I hate those things. Ugh) We made our way to Bath which is about two hours away from London. I went there with Mom and Dad, but it is such a gorgeous town. It is built in an Italian style of Architecture, and I enjoyed getting to spend some more time in the city. We went to see the actual Roman Baths again, which was alright since I didn't really enjoy it much the first time.

After that we went on a tour of the city and I loved getting to see everything. Our guide was pretty nice and she told us little facts and pointed out places where Jane Austen's characters where supposed to have walked. Yeah. No big deal, haha. Before all this, Kemper, Mandi, Hillary, and I went to this lovely little tea room for lunch. Kemper and I tried a new tea - Russian or something like that. We got a cute little tea pot and I spilled milk everywhere. Why can't they just make life simple and put honey in their tea? I suppose honey is sticky and milk is not. Oh well.

After that we found an old fashioned sweets shop and we all bought something. I got 'sweet tobacco' which was basically chocolate flavoured (I Miss You - Blink 182) coconut stuff. Kemper got a nice old fashioned rainbow swirled lollipop and Hillary got some jaw breakers. It was a neat shop After the tour I also got some post cards - so...yeah. :)

Then it was time for our whole group to find our bed and breakfast, which turned out to be a Holiday Inn Express. Haha. Funny. Kemper and I were roommates, but Hillary's room (which was a single) opened right into ours. SO the three of us were chilling when we decided that we needed dinner. I honestly think that's the worst part of traveling...the food part. We searched the city for at least thirty minutes before we could find anything open. What do English people do at night? No one goes out to eat, because nothing is ever open!

Sheesh. We finally ended up at "The Lettuce and Slug" and I got to try 'sausage and mash.' Luckily, Dad, they cooked the sausages all the way, thank goodness. The mashed potatoes were pretty delicious, but no where near as good as Gramner's or Jess's. Just saying. (Gotta keep you updated on the food, you know.) (Now it's She Came in Through the Bathroom Window - The Beatles)

After that we went back to the 'b &b' and we chilled with the door open and such. I was really tired though, so after a shower I passed out. And that brings us to:

Saturday - 10/23/10

On Saturday we got on the bus once again, after an interesting breakfast of powdered scrambled eggs. Ew. Anywho - we were on our way to Exeter for the day. We made a couple of stops along the way however.

After only being on the bus (Happy Together - The Turtles) for a little while, Dr. King gave us the option of walking a mile outside somewhere. I'm sorry, but I can't remember where we stopped exactly. We all stumbled out of the bus into the bipolar English weather. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Gramner and Mom for this wonderful rain coat that was left in my possession. If I had not worn this thing all weekend, I would have been soaked. The sun was out, but it would pour cats and dogs every other five minutes and I didn't bring my umbrella...

So. We walked. The trees were fall - as in they were gold, red, orange, and of course, green. Most of the trees were golden, but I have yet to see my favourite tree - the Gingko yet. :( Oh well. I bet the one in Conway, Little Rock, and Notre Dame have almost already shed all their leaves at once by now.

We saw the moor off in the distance and horses just roaming around and such. It was such a nature filled walk, and it was enjoyable - except for the sporadic rain. GAH! (Going Mobile - The Who).

After that we walked back and hopped back on the bus. It was at this point, I believe that I got really frustrated with the huge coach on the tiny, windy streets of Western England. The roundabouts were everywhere and I felt like most of the 'lanes' (not roads) were made for single file traffic. ALSO - the coach bus (which is huge) is a standard! So the driver, who wasn't all that bad, kept stopping rapidly and we would all fly forward. It probably didn't help that I was in the back of the bus...but at this point my sea-sickness began...

(The Only Exception - Paramore) Anywho - we got to stop in a little small town for lunch. I don't remember the town's name again, I just remember that I needed to use the restroom really badly. Kemper and Hillary and I and Mandi were rushing through the town trying to find somewhere where I could use the facilities. We, strangely enough, found an American Style diner where we alighted. We only had forty-five minutes for lunch and so we were incredibly rushed. This is the only place in England so far that I've gotten normal 'french-fries' that weren't all chunky like 'chips.'

I got a hazlenut milkshake to go, and we left. We were the last ones on the bus somehow. The server that we had at the diner ran after us because she thought we hadn't paid, even though we left the money on the table. Apparently, that's not exceptable some places? We were just in such a hurry.

After that we got back on the bus and headed to Dartmoor. The moor was absolutely gorgeous. We got there and I saw the brightest rainbow I think I've ever seen in my life. I took some pictures of it. There were sheep, horses, and cows everywhere. It was absolutely ridiculous (you could see their huge poos everywhere too!) Hillary and Kemper and I took some interesting 'jumping' photos. It was oh so windy - half the pictures I have from the moor have my hair eating my face in them.

(Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean) A group of us climbed two huge boulders on the moor. It put Pinnacle to shame because we were all up their with the beautiful background of the moor behind us, like someone had just painted it. I can't even describe it in words it was so amazing.

When we finally alighted from boulder number 2 - the moon was out. I took a really neat picture of it. Then we hopped on the bus and drove to our B & B in Exeter called the "Great Western Railway." The Great Western Railway was a bit sketchy - as in there was probably rusty mold-ish stuff in our bathroom and we only had 1/16 of a roll of toilet paper left. Ew.

However, HIllary, Kemper, and I managed to all be roommates. After we all washed our faces and settled in and such we walked into the city centre (a good fifteen minute walk) and then we searched for a place to eat. We spent about thirty minutes walking around (You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Stones) we found this weird west meets east restaurant. They had noodles and stir fry on one side of the menu and american grilled stuff on the other - ribs? I ordered the fajitas, which turned out to be quite nice actually. I also had a foster's for dinner. :) Woot.

After dinner (which was kind of weird, because we didn't have a reservation they stuck us upstairs, literally all by ourselves and kind of forgot about us) we went back to the B & B. The rest of group was in the pub which was attached to the B & B (which I thought was weird that their was a pub attached.) Anywho we joined in the crowd and eventually even joined in on this game. You had to put a card up to your forehead and all the other people read of the name of a famous person and then you had to guess who you were by asking yes or no questions. I got Sean Connery. Woot. Haha.

After that it was bed time and I showered and managed to pass out quite nicely. I tried calling home that night and got to talk to Gramner and Jess - apparently there was a dinner party I missed out on. :(

Which brings us onwards to :

Sunday 10/24/10

We went to the COAST! (Disclaimer - I still think that the Irish Coast is way more gorgeous than the English Coast for some reason! :P) Anywho we stopped at this little English village called Padstow (I kept trying to call it pasta, haha.) We walked down on the sand (mind you, in our raincoats and warm woolen socks) for about two - three hours. It was so gorgeous. The sun was out and it was so clear. We had a fun photo shoot of sorts with the sail boats in the background.

(Pyscho Killer - Talking Heads) Kemper even got in the water. Kind of like Jess would do, haha. It was so cold I don't know how she did that. Hillary and I just watched open mouthed. After that though, we decided it was time for lunch so we wandered around the very small town. We finally ended up at this Victorian Tea Room and we all got a light lunch. I feel like our two great aunts served us lunch. You wouldn't believe this tea room - it was pretty legit. Kemper and I got two pots of tea, mostly because I think the great aunt who took our order didn't quite understand us. Or perhaps you naturally get one complementary pot of tea and then we just happened to order another one...who knows?

Anywho - we enjoyed looking at all the ceramics and all the plates (all that blue stuff that Gramner collects) and such. There were tiny little flags from all over the world lining the top of the room on this shelf - however - I didn't see a US flag...hmmm...

After that we went to this old fashioned sweet shop (do you see a pattern here, haha?) and I got some Cornish Fudge. (We were in Cornwall) and also some other strawberry stuff. I shared too, you would be so proud. Hillary also got some fudge and Kemper got these chocolate mice. They are flavoured strawberry and vanilla and I happen to think that they are amazing. But then again, you know how I feel about chocolate.

(Turn! Turn! Turn! - Bryds) Anywho after that we got on the bus and went to Tintagle castle which is also in Cornwall. It is supposed to be the ruins of this castle where King Arthur was thought to be born. We went out into this little tiny Island cliff thing and we climbed about. I loved it so much. Unfortunately my camera died here - BUT - Kemper let me take pictures with her camera. We found a spot to sit on the cliffs in the whispering grass and we just layed there and watched the sun go down. (Well sort of go down - we wanted enough light to be able to get back down all those uneven stone steps.)

I sat there and wrote a poem. I have almost never seen anything so beautiful (except for the Irish Coast) and I just loved it so much. After that we battled the heights and stairs and made our way back to the bus. We finally got back to our B & B kind of late that night (the coast was about two hours away from the great western railway) and then we ended up going to Subway for dinner.

However, I got a stomach problem that night. I didn't even get to enjoy my fosters that I bought, because I got really horrible cramps in my tummy coupled with a horrible burning sensation. I took a shower and layed down and went to sleep hoping that it would be better in the morning.

SO -

Monday 10/25/10

I got on the bus at seven am, only to discover that I was sea sick and nauseous on that thing. All the roundabouts and spindly roads were making me horribly uncomfortable. (Hey Soul Sister - Train) We stopped at Bradbury on Avon, a nice little town at around ten thirty. We found a nice little coffee place (that looked older than history itself) and I got a hot chocolate thinking that would hellp...uh...

I luckily also bought a water and some gum. We got back on the bus and I thought I was going to die. Kemper looked at me a couple of times and mentioned later that I was really pale with clenched white knuckles and such. So...it was not ok until we finally got on a legit highway without those stupid roundabout things. We got into London around two-forty five.

I didn't write last night because we then had to turn around and go see Hamlet a three and a half hour long play at the National Theatre. I will say, however, that I thought it was absolutely phenomenal. I loved it so much. (And we got to sit, no standing! Yes!)

After that I passed out - so tired from sitting on a bus all day long.

Tuesday 10/26/10

Ah, today. We had British Life and Culture this morning and we got to do a backstage of the National Theatre which is a huge building and houses three theatres in London. (The Lime Tree - Trevor Hall). I really, really wanted to write a play this morning. I don't know what overtook me, but I totally felt like I could just write something, you know? Maybe not. But I totally felt capable and able. Who knows. Maybe in my spare time I'll write something down...:)

After that we came back from class and I went on an epic 6 mile run without stopping - in the rain. Don't get excited the rain over here is ridiculous. It wasn't raining hard at all, and it falls really slowly, kind of like snow in Little Rock. So, I didn't get all that wet and it felt good when I started getting hot. The only thing that was upsetting was the wind. Why is Chicago the Windy City? London should be so named...

Anywho - after that I took a shower, ate lunch and then went and got some more postcards. You guys should be expecting some...just saying. :) Then Kemper and I went to Candid to do some Riddly Walker reading. I'll let you know what I think of that book, so far it's intense. I agree with Kemper, I don't know why you have to invent a whole language to write your book in. If you're talented enough, can't you just get your point across in plain English? Is that so difficult? Anywho - I'm struggling through that as we speak.

(Learning to Fly - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Wow. I'm tired now. You can't believe how much it took out of me to put all that in a post. I hope you enjoy the trip through my eyes as I much as I enjoyed it. I would have appreciated a lot less Coach time, however. Oh well, beggars can't be chosers.

Miss you guys. (How's this Johnny Gately for an update?)

<3

Cheers!

I'm in the background...

Well hello there! Sorry for no posting last night - by the time I got around to bed I didn't feel like writing a post - so I didn't. WOA. I'm living on the wild side - skipping a post and all.

Well I have one thing to say for today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS!!! You're 18!!! (Seems like just yesterday you were six and sitting on my pillow refusing to give up your space on my bed! Crazy little sister of mine! I miss you!) Sorry I can't be there for your birthday but I've been thinking about you all day. I love you.

Ok. Now that that important message is out of the way - I shall take you back to yesterday.

Wednesday was nice because I got to sleep in till about eleven thirty. I was up until four the night before - one of my aimless, sleepless nights. After I woke up Kemper and I went to the little cafe in Russell Square. I got a pistachio ice cream/gelato thing in a cone. It was quite delicious actually. We decided that we needed to come back sometime because they had good looking food for cheap! That's a nice change of pace for London. haha.

After that we went to Shakespeare and muddled through some of Hamlet. I don't know if I mentioned this, but we had a 'midterm/test/quiz' thing yesterday. I think it went pretty well we shall see.

After class I went running and got caught in a protesting parade. What is it with me getting caught in places? I mean there was that one time when I ran into the Papal procession and the Pope himself, and yesterday I went and ran into a parade! They were protesting the budget cuts - and personally - I don't blame them. BUT they were blocking my path to the river - so I cut my run short.

After running I took a shower and made a quick dinner before I popped over to Kemper's flat. Hillary had decided that we were all going to go to the College Arms for the pub quiz trivia night. It was so much fun! The whole group pretty much went. Me, Kemper, Hillary, Mandi, and Erin were on a team. We were called team "Turtles!" and we failed miserably. Haha. I did contribute though, I knew that the Volkswagen is the people's car...mostly because I would give anything in the world to own a little green bug...well not ANYTHING, but still.

After that we came back and I did some laundry. You see - tomorrow - which is Friday - we are going on a trip all weekend to Bath and then Exeter in the West Country. Apparently we're going to Dartmoor and a coastal town. I'm really excited. We get to stay in B & Bs and such, and well, hopefully the breakfast is good. So - I did laundry to get ready for that. You guys be ready - I won't have my computer with me so I probably won't update until Monday or Tuesday night. When we get back on Monday night we then have to go see a production of Hamlet - so I don't know how ambitious I'll be feeling after one of Shakespeare's longest plays! Sheesh!

NOW - onwards to today. Today I woke up and went to Politics. We got to watch V for Vendetta in class - which I've seen before. I liked it the first time and I liked it this time as well. I think it's a good, entertaining movie, but I don't think it's a great one to have political discussions about. It was weird to see London in the background and think, "I've been there!" So that was kind of neat - but I wasn't really into the discussion all that much.

After that I went for a nice long intense run. You may think I'm getting obsessive with the running but - two things. 1 - it's getting cold and I don't know if I'll be able to handle running outside in November. 2 - I'm about to be traveling all weekend and on a bus - so I'll feel like a caged animal at times (even if that is a dramatic simile to throw out there.) It was a nice run - the sun was out even though it was freezing and I completely enjoyed running along the river path. My reward is getting to see Big Ben for my halfway mark. :)

After that I showered, cleaned up, and made lunch. Then, Kemper and I went off to H & M to buy some gloves for our trip this weekend. Dr. King said it may rain on saturday - AND I'm tired of having cold hands so we took care of that. I also bought a skirt - you'll see when I get home. Jess will probably think it's too short. H & M is a neat store - it's cheaper and you have to be careful that you don't completely cheap out - but some of their stuff is really cute! I wish we had these things.

Anywho - (my gloves are dark purple :P) after that Kemper and I walked back and then we frequented our little cafe again tonight. I knitted and am finally finished with scarf number one. I got some nice peppermint tea and Kemper got some divine cherry cheesecake! I can't believe how good it was - next time I'll get some - but at the time I was still pretty full from lunch.

We stayed there for a long time just being silly and chatting and people watching the other cafe goers...then we wealked back and I made dinner and packed for the trip this weekend. I'm pretty much waiting for my little familial unit to get on skype - so I thought I'd write a quick little update. I don't know what to do about posting pictures anymore - my blog is full of memory because apparently I take too many. I don't know we'll see. I miss you all - wish Jess a very happy birthday for me. :)

Love you guys.

Cheers!

Running in the Rain is not quite the same thing as singing in the rain...

Alright. So apparently I'm back onto the habit of updating this thing quite often.

Today was a nice day. I woke up a bit earlier than normal for some reason. It was quite nice. I don't have Art and Architecture tomorrow because that class was combined with my British Life and Culture class today - so...I'm up late tonight in hopes of talking to that elusive boyfriend of mine. It's worse when he's in Arkansas - six hours really makes a difference.

I started out the morning battling the tube for the stop labeled "Aldgate East." This was complicated to get to, and it was a good thing that Kemper and I gave ourselves plenty of time this morning. There were tube delays due to a malfunctioned train at High Kensington street - sooooo - we were prepared for such things. We managed to find WhiteChapel Art Gallery - which is where we had our second half of class.

First we spent the first half waiting on the rest of the class! Kidding, kidding. BUT - Kemper, Mandi, and I were on time and everyone else was a little late. Ugh. If I can get up early (me! Becca Bona! I HATE mornings!) then they can too.

Anywho - excuse my rant. Back on with the story. We explored the area around WhiteChapel - Brick Lane and Spittalfields market - two places to which Kemper and I have already frequented. It was interesting to learn that this used to be a huge area of immigrants starting with the French, moving on to Jewish communities, and finally today it has become a new district altogether. Sadly, high-end bankers now think it's the edgy thing to move out to Brick Lane - sooooo....

Although it still has it's original markets - it's totally changing. It's being renovated, which is good on the one hand, but on the other it's loosing a bit of it's originality and personality. SO. Susie says if we come back in twenty years it will be filled with Wagamama's (nice restaurant family friendly) and nice coffee shops. That makes me sad...:'( I like the historical immigrant part of it.

We walked by this one building that used to be a school for Jewish children and you could still see the one remnant of it's Jewish past - a small star of David near the top of one of the storm drains. Kemper was the one to quickly spot it - I don't know how - it was incredibly tiny. 'Incredibly tiny' - I feel that's how the history will become relating to this place.

Anywho - we walked by our favourite beigel place. Kemper and I each got a half dozen. :) (That may have been silly because we're going on a trip to Bath this weekend - but maybe we can just take the extra ones with us. Haha - Brick Lane is kind of far away and the biegels are so cheap and so good!)

Alright - right - so the gallery. I don't really know how I felt about it. I'm not sure I got the point of the first exhibit we saw entitled "this is tomorrow" which was basically a cynical look at the fifties consumerism, especially in America. It was mostly exhibited through pop art and such - which is all fine - but I couldn't find a way to be like, "AH! This is art!" I didn't really feel like I was staring at Guernica or anything. Perhaps it just wasn't my thing?

Anywho - after that we went and looked at this exhibit that was all about the Lebanese wars and such dating from 1986 to 2004. There were videos and a lot of photos. Again - this one had me troubled. I didn't feel like the videos were really art so much as it was just information about what happened during the conflict. Maybe I'm just not getting it?

I did really enjoy this one exhibit - there were six huge framed poster size items on the wall that were various shades of blue. Apparently people found them in the rubble and they sent them to a lab for testing...and they extracted original photos of people in black and white. These people were later all accounted for either as drowning victims or other victims of death from the conflicts. How is it, that every single person in every single one of those photos was accounted for - as dead? Maybe that's not a big deal - but I don't think it's just a coincidence and it really had my mind boggled.

I went up and down the hallway thing that that particular exhibit was in and tried to see if the people in the photo were smiling or not. I couldn't help feeling like maybe they were executed or something. How else do you get photos like that - in rubble? In ruins from a conflict?

Is that what art is? Something that makes you think like that or something that's aesthetically pleasing? Why do I have to be so philosophical about it. Why can't it just be pleasant. I guess I'm inclined to think there's more to it than that.

Right. So after that we left and returned to Russell Square to pop into the Post Office. Kemper needed some post card stamps. After that she suggested that I go running. Which actually - is a brilliant idea for around noon time. I went around by Big Ben like I always do - because it's actually become familiar to me. If things over here are familiar does that mean it's a home of sorts? I'm under the impression that people you love make your home your home. Yes - I've heard that your home is your castle - but I think I'm also a firm believer that it's never quite right unless you have those people you love in that castle with you.

What is up with me all philosophical and such this evening/morning/whatever time it is. Ha. Guess it's a good thing I'm a philosophy minor - someone's got to do it.

So I went running and I right before I got back to the flat it happened. I got caught in my first London deluge without an umbrella. Isn't if funny how that goes? I've made it a good almost two months without getting completely soaked in the rain without some kind of diving equipment - but what can you do when you're a lone runner? Ha. Get wet. Luckily I was a stone's throw from the flat. Needless to say that I sprinted the last leg of my run and didn't get to sit and cool down on my little stoop. Oh well - there's always tomorrow.

After my run time, I showered and then I went over to Kemper's flat for a trek to our favourite cafe. We invited Hillary but she was busy Shakespearing it up. She said she couldn't do that without a computer -so we were off! Of course - at the last little leg of that nice two and a half mile walk - we ran into some heavy, heavy rain. THIS time I had my little umbrella (Thanks Mom and Dad for leaving me those things!) so I was prepared. However, I did not dress warmly enough today. It got cold really fast. The wind and rain make it colder than you think it is!

But, we made it to our cafe. I ordered a large mocha and was off to our little spot in the corner. (Well, one of our spots.) I wrote some poems and some postcards. Then, in true Becca fashion, I whipped out my knitting and worked on my scarf. It's almost done! Yay. Then I can move onto the next one since Gramner sent me some more yarn.

We stayed and chatted for a looooonog time. That place is happening, however, and we began to get overwhelmed and I was getting hungry as well...so. We came back (no rain thank goodness!) and I made dinner and such. I watched That Mitchell and Webb look whilst I ate, which is funny. I love those British comedians - thank you Johnny Gately.

Let's see - after that Kemper and Hillary and I had a girls night in with a...GASP...'scary' movie. Haha. It wasn't really scary it was an eighty's bad acting film. We mostly talked and laughed through it. I will admit the end was a little freaky and now I have this weird image in my head...but it'll be ok. I mean, I live with five other people. Hopefully they won't murder me in my sleep and we'll be good. Ha. No worries.

Anyway - I shared some of my goodies and we all had a little juicebox. I felt little again or something. Except that I had the pineapple juice box. It was good - but strange. I mean, do we have pine apple juice boxes in the states? I don't know...

So after that I came back over here and have been here ever since. Writing this thing. I think that's pretty much all. I was going to try and go a Beatles tour tomorrow morning - but seeing as the tour doesn't start until two (and that's when my class starts) I can't go. :(

SO.

I guess I"ll pop over to bed soon? I don't know. Maybe I'll read a book. I'm awake right now - so I'll do awake things. Haha. I miss you guys so much. Hope everything is going well at the homestead.

No worries. (my new thing for cheers for the moment.)

<3

The first time I've ever been in a Rock Gospel Choir...

Well hello there.

What happened to all my comments? Is it because I got them all bunched up at once so now I don't get any anymore? Awwww...I miss you guys! Now I will quit complaining and delve into today's events.

I woke up around ten-thirty this morning and I decided to mail some things. ;) I had a bunch of things to send round to people and well, I battled the post office (where they just aren't very nice at all) and I managed to get all seven items sent. I'd be more specific, but then you'd know what I sent..Hm. No fun if there isn't a little element of surprise now is there?

Alrighty, so - after that I went and attacked Kemper. She and I decided to spend the day looking at what we had to do for the rest of the semester. We tried to plan our Scotland trip along with Liverpool and Oxford. I'll keep you updated on when those things are happening. :) This coming weekend is the group trip to Bath (Haha - Bath Round Two) and Exeter - the West Country. I have no idea what we're going to do in Exeter, but I'm excited. We'll be in B&B's and such, so that should be nice.

Kemper and I walked around for a long time this morning/lunchtime/early afternoon trying to find a comfortable coffee shop with free wifi. We ended up in soho and I bought another chocolate peanut butter milkshake. I just don't know how that keeps happening. :P

We failed and ended up back at my flat, because I have the better internet connection. We managed to be pretty successful, and have thus far contacted some B&B's in Edinburgh. I'm excited!! I will definitely be utilizing Gramner's birthday gift for when we venture up north - I think it'll have to be in November!! SHEESH - it's going to be cold.

After that - it was around three thirty - I went for a nice run. I have a nice little route that takes me by Big Ben figured out and it's about four and half miles round trip. Maybe a little more. However, I think it may be time to change my scenery. I might have to get a route that makes me able to run through Green Park (my favourite one that reminds me of Notre Dame.)

Anyway, after that I took a shower and made dinner. I had a nice sandwich with Cheez-its and some grapes. Got to get my fruit in there - no worries Mumsy! :P

After that I worked on some Hamlet-type things because we have a test on Wednesday...THEN I um...I well...

Well - I put myself outside of and inside of my own box at the exact same time. What did I do -you may ask? Well I went to the London Revelation Rock Gospel Choir's rehearsal. SOOOOOOOOOO I got to SING!!! YES! IT was absolutely BEAUTiful!!!

But, I've never been in a gospel choir before. They really do sway and dance and such when they sing. I just sort of faked it. Yes, we did sing Kum-by-yah (or however you spell it) but the harmonies on it were gorgeous. I want to go back as many times as I can just simply for the singing. The people in the group were mostly nice as well.

I met this one girl who is in her third year of University here in London and she and I seemed to get on really nicely. She wants to get a cup of coffee sometime or maybe do something really touristy in London, simply because she's never done it and this would be her last chance (she's almost ready to graduate!) She had beautiful curly hair like Marie Britt has. It was also her first rehearsal and so we just sort of talked and laughed (at some of the not so great singing) together.

Now. I must backtrack. If it hadn't been for Kemper I probably wouldn't have gone. I hope one day I overcome my stupid self-consciousness...but I'll probably live with it longer than I should. I got all nervous, because I wasn't going to know anyone and all that. You know, the same old 'shy' story.

But Kemper helped me put together a very London-ish outfit and essentially gave me a pep-talk haha! I mean, when I found the right room in the Union I stood there for five minutes leaning up against the wall trying to be suave and cool. SHEESH. I was so nervous - luckily this strange older lady (who was one of the conductors) managed to talk me into the room for choir. I have no idea what she was wearing, but I remember being shocked by her weird, huge purply outfit. BUT - she was so nice. And if it wasn't for her - I probably would have just sat outside the room and listened to the choir. Haha.

Also - as I was walking up I could hear the London Union's orchestra practicing - or maybe it was a jazz band? They sounded great! I might have to go to one of their shoes sometime whilst I'm here. They sounded really, really good. It was neat to hear that sort of brassy, jazz sounding through the streets. I felt sort of like I was in New Orleans. HEY! New Orleans is way closer to Little Rock than London is. Just saying.

Anywho I have class tomorrow in WhiteChapel Art Gallery and I need to go to sleep to be up early enough to catch the right tube. I am beginning to hate the tube even more now - simply because it controls my sleeping pattern sometimes. EW.

Alright well I hope all is well on the home front. You guys should comment - because I'm not writing this just for myself (although it is quite funny to go back and read. Goodness!)

Ok. Well I miss you tons! I'll pop in tomorrow with an update. Goodnight!

Cheers!!

Sometimes Running is the Answer

Well Hi!

Today was a good day - mostly.

Kemper and Hillary helped distract me today. I was really sad that my parents had left just yesterday - I've learned that the best thing to do for me - is to go running!!

But first - I slept late today. I managed to sleep in till about ten thirty. Then after that I took my time waking up and I had a nice bagiel with cream cheese. Then I decided to go over to Kemper's flat and see what was up for the day.

We didn't really have plans like we normally do for the weekend...but we did go grocery shopping for her groceries. I did all that and laundry yesterday - I feel like I had a domestic day.

After that Kemper and I decided it was high time to have lunch at Benito's Hat. We invited Hillary and we all went and had burritos and such for lunch. It was absolutely lovely and pretty cheap. Then, after that we went to Waitrose to get things to bake for the evening. We decided a good way to end our fall break was to bake something...

So we baked a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and pink and blue icing. We let everyone get involved with the icing decorations. It was really fun.

I should backtrack though, we did decide to drink a little tonight. I found fuller's Honey Dew (which is a london brewed golden beer) on sale at Sainsbury's. I got some and we all just chilled in the flat together drinking and baking things. It was actually quite nice.

Before any of this happened I went and ran for about an hour. It was so nice to just run by Big Ben. It's refreshing and a good sense of my alone happy 'dolphin'/'endorphin' time. I really, really enjoyed it. It helped me take my mind off of the fact that I miss my parents like crazy already.

I'm glad to know that they arrived home safely.

Let's see - what else? I miss Johnny Gately. Wish I could talk to him now - but I know he's on Fall Break with his family - so I'll do my best to be patient. Tomorrow, I'm planing the rest of the daytrips I have whilst I'm here - Liverpool, Oxford, Scotland, and so on...

Guess what - something like 46 days until I fly back to the states. Not bad, eh?

I miss you guys more than you know. Sorry this post is kind of scattered and short - but today was an easy day and I'm doing my best to get re - acquainted with London without my parentals.

Miss you.

Cheers!

What I am about to tell you may shock you: Harry Potter is a fictional character - REEEAAALLY? No shit.

Well hello there. Long time, no update.

I apologize for any frustration at the lack of communication on my part. I can only say that my parental units (this includes paternal and maternal unit) WORE ME OUT! I was thinking about it today - my fall break included - London, Paris, Brighton, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath! How in the world is one supposed to update every evening with that intense itinerary?

Well - so now - we shall have a very long, update. :) I'll do this one justice just like I would any single day post. Let's start with Tuesday - shall we?

Tuesday - October 12th 2010:

Alright. Tuesday was a great day. We decided to hop on a train and make our way over to Brighton - a coastal city. I've already been there, but no matter, because Brighton is a nice breath of fresh air compared to London.

My parents were amazed at the ease of travel in the UK compared to the US - and it's much cheaper. We did the travel in a group of three and were off! We got to Brighton about fifty minutes later and walked the main street down to the water. Mom and Dad were just as surprised as I first was at the rocks. They are beautiful - but it's shocking to see a rocky beach. We walked along the beach for a while and then we all realized we were hungry. (We were not off to an early start - I think we got into Brighton around one.)

So we went to a nice little Italian place for lunch. I got some mushroom thingy. It was really good. After lunch we noticed that there was a sign right outside the restaurant on top of this other building that said something like "correctional facility" and had a date from the 1700s on it. We took a picture of mom and dad standing under it. ;) Ha. We were having fun.

Anywho after that we made our way to the pier. Luckily it was a beautiful sunny day, although a tad chilly. Last time I was on the pier I didn't get to ride any of the rides. SOOOOOOO - I first went into the arcade. I played whack-a-mole and Dad played ski ball. Mom watched and laughed at the two of us; I felt like I was in Chuckie Cheese's again. Good times.

Next I persuaded Dad to go on the Crazy Mouse with me. Now that sounds intense - and it was more intense than I thought it would be. It was this little roller coaster on the edge of the pier overlooking the water. It didn't go upside down of course, but it did go jerky sideways and twisted you around in all different directions. I knew Jess would have gone with me at the drop of a hat, but I had to spend thirty minutes convincing dad.

So we went - there had to be four of us in a car - (Which the mouse car looked like a little mouse with huge ears). Dad and I ended up with these two German teenagers who literally did not understand the worker lady telling them to buckle their seat belts. (I feel like, no matter what language you speak, it's imperative that you buckle your seat belt before you get on a roller coaster on the end of a pier...overlooking the ocean...)

Anyway - Dad says that I owe him and he's right. First of all, we had to hold our glasses to our faces because we were concerned that we would lose them in the depths of the waves. AND there were a couple of turns that I really thought we were going to go careening into the ocean. It was great fun (but I was a little queasy after that. Haha.)

Next we tried really hard to find a pinball machine in honour of the Who. BUT - the arcade on the pier (which was huge and I mean hey - they had Whack-a-mole!) didn't have a single one. And that made me think that I haven't seen a single pinball machine in ages. Sad day. :(

Then we stopped at this place called Moo Moos that had these two cows out in front of it. I got a strawberry milkshake to share with mom and dad - guess what it was called? Non other than the Wimbledon Womble. I was excited. It was great too - it had marshmellows in it. Mom said that was weird and Dad just made a face. Oh well, more for me.

After that we headed back to the train station and proceeded to platform three to catch the train that was to leave for London in five minutes...well...we went back right during rush-hour. SO - that meant that when we booked it to get on that train - that almost every seat was taken. SO Mum, Dad, and I were standing in the door way with no seat. The prospects were looking dim. Mum and Dad went and sat finally, because someone left the train at one of the stops. I finally gathered up the courage (or my feet gave out - who knows which came first) and I sat next to a business man. I don't like doing that because it's just so invasive. Space over here is completely different to space in smaller cities. SHEESH!

Finally though, someone else left and we all got to sit together. I read some of Hamlet - yay homework - and we we alighted to the station we grabbed the tube back to our flat. We went out for dinner. I had some really good breaded mushrooms that night. After that we returned to the flat around eleven and it was bedtime. See?! See, they were keeping me up late - that's why I couldn't update this thing...;)

Wednesday - October 13th 2010:

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath tour - OH MY! Can you believe we did all that in a day? And we sat on a bus with the most horrible tour guide ever. Let me start from the beginning.

Ok. Well. We had to be at our meeting point at eight for our pick up. Then we were herded onto a huge coach bus - which was a bad sign. Literally all the seats were taken. In the beginning it was interesting because I sat next to this little old lady whilst mum and dad got to sit together. SHEESH. (Do you realize that you're not supposed to travel alone? If you were - why in the hell wouldn't they just have coach buses with huge aisles of one passenger seats. Nope. You're supposed to have a partner. Easy for my mum and dad - but I've always got to be making friends on coach buses apparently...)

So this nice little old lady was from Arizona in the states. I couldn't really understand her accent, which is interesting, because she wasn't foreign...Hm. She proceeded to tell me over and over how excited she was about the architecture in London. I managed to distract her from that topic by switching over to food. We talked about cookies and cakes for the ride all the way until Windsor Castle. After that, I didn't sit next to her on the bus again.

However, while I was sitting next to her our guide was supposed to be giving us information regarding the neighbourhood we were passing through and such. WELL - I swear - I've gotten used to the accents over here, but HE. WAS. NOT. SPEAKING. ENGLISH!!!! I got so frustrated with him! He literally was speaking goobledegook! My poor parentals couldn't hear any better than I could. Sheesh.

Well we got to Windsor Castle. This is the first castle I've been to whilst over here. It was totally worth the bus with our crappy guide. It was an amazing castle. I wish we had had more time (which was the only problem) because I loved exploring the depths of the castle. Apparently, the Queen likes dollhouses - because she has a whole section of the palace dedicated to her royal dollhouses. I also saw some sketches by Da Vinci in the drawing gallery. The lavishness of it all was breath taking and overwhelmingly lovely. I enjoyed it so much.

Side note: the guide took forever to get us to our starting point. AND at this point, whilst mum, dad, and I were about to punch him for taking so long he started speaking Japanese I think. (It may have been chinese, I really don't know the difference.) Apparently, there was a group of people on this tour that didn't speak English. SO, the tour guide was leading two tours at once. GAH! How frustrating is that?

Anyway - our next stop was Stonehenge. Round two for me, round one for the parentals. I will say, that this experience was much more pleasant than my first one. It was not raining, although it may have totally been colder. It was freezing! (Yes Johnny Gately, I'm allowed to say it was freezing, because it literally was!) Anywho - Dad loved stonehenge, although he was frustrated with the distance you have to be from it. Mum and I were both a bit let down with the whole thing. But at least I can say now that I've been to stonehenge. AND - I enjoyed watching the little sheep in the surrounding fields. :)

After that excursion we headed back to the bus for lunch. We stopped at a small village called Lacock. It's a small town in England in which sections of Harry Potter have been filmed. At this point, the guide turns around (and of course - now is the time I can hear him) and he goes - "What I'm about to tell you may shock you: Harry Potter is a fictional character." My frustration with him reached a boiling point and I leaned up to the seats in which my parents were sitting which was directly in front of me and I said, "REEEEEEAAAAALLLY? No shit."

Luckily for him, we got to eat right after that or I would have sent a spit ball at him. We ate at St. George's Inn, which has been a pub since the 1300s. It was quaintly great. The staff was incredibly nice. I got fish and chips and tried a sticky toffee pudding. I will say - the sticky toffee pudding was excellent. I want to learn how to bake/make that. Absolutely delicious.

Next we got back on the bus - and let me just say. The people were all in an uproar. Let me backtrack. I mentioned that I sat next to a little old lady for the first segment of bus-riding. However, after that, my parents and I moved closer to the front to see if we could hear the tour guide better. At this point in the trip the guide walked down through the aisle after we had ALL already sat down and said something about how he had said earlier that we don't play musical chairs and we all needed to sit back in our original chairs that we were in in the morning. SERIOUSLY?

I really couldn't believe him. And everyone except for one couple (which I watched throughout the rest of the trip and they must have been really well-off because he was in a burberry raincoat and she had on a burberry sweater, scarf, and gloves with a versace purse. SHEESH.) Anyways, this one couple was about to have a fit the whole time because of their seats. They had apparently started out in the front and ended up in the back. I mean sheesh, I suppose mum, dad, and I got their seats. I don't know what difference it makes, however, because the guide sounded worse even closer up.

Anywho - we finally went to Bath. I didn't like the exhibit of the baths that much because I felt like the exhibit was weird. I mean, it was amazing to get to see the remains of the Roman Baths...Roman as in from the time of the Romans - which is a really long time ago. The architecture of the town looked like an Italian type town. I was beautifully awed. But the exhibit was all modern looking and very T.V. oriented. I didn't like it that much - also I was very tired by this point. Anywho we were rushed a lot at Bath. I got my picture made with the "Roman Guard" at the baths. He was funny because he kept calling my parents slaves. I thought that was appropriate. He told me which market I could go to to trade mine in. My parents and I just laughed.

We got back on the bus for one last hoorah into London. When we got back to South Kensington we went out to a pub. It was a football game night, so you would not believe the people that were in this pub. It must have been a big match - England v. Montenegro - because people were serious about it. We switched pubs and ended up meeting this interesting old guy from Liverpool. He and his buddy were watching the game on the tele - and they thought they were blocking our view. We weren't really all THAT interested in the game (I mean it's soccer, not American Football :) ) Anyway - we talked to him and he was pleasant. Just goes to show you that you need to get outside of London to get a good impression on how nice/mean the people of England are. London is basically an international city anyway - most people do NOT speak english.

After that I went to sleep around one - because I had to work on my newspaper article for the Hendrix newspaper. It's interesting and about the tube and if you want to read it just tell me and I'll send it to you. Haha. I don't want to post it here because I think that might be some kind of copyright problem.

Thursday - October 14th 2010.

PARIS! Oh Paris. Such a romantic and beautiful city. I would personally love to go back. :)

We had to be up at 4:30 to get to the Eurostar on time for our train ride. AND it was interesting to ride through the chunnel. My ears didn't like it very much, haha. Paris was also a bus tour with a guide - but it was a totally different experience than the one we had on Wednesday.

Our tour guide was a nice young, lady who spoke English and French. Her accent was not hard to understand at all, and she was so very nice. Also - there were only twelve of us on the tour so we had a huge coach bus for only twelve people and that gave us plenty of room to spread out. Paris was beautifully sunny whilst we were there, although it was colder than I anticipated. :\

We started out by the bus station - Gaurd de Nour. I don't particularly like tours at all, but I think it's best that we did a tour in Paris simply because I don't know any French at all. None. Whatsoever. We would have been totally lost and unable to get where we wanted to go. Anywho - sorry I interrupted myself - we started out in the Arab neighborhood. They had a bunch of neat street-markets and such. All of the buildings looked gorgeous and beautiful though.

I had no idea that Napoleon had the city of Paris essentially bulldozed so that he and his architect Baron Haussman could create the Paris we know today. Sheesh. The city is beautiful and spacious and created in such a beautiful style. Apparently Napoleon wanted a lot of windows so that the people could adourn them with beautiful flowers and curtains. I had to keep reminding my little branch of history in my brain that we were no longer in England, we were in France, and that contains a whole different set of history.

Anyway we drove around and saw the Grand Opera building as well as the golden flame that the US sent to Paris as a gratitude for receiving Lady Liberty. We also saw the Louvre and the Champ Elysees (which is the famous shopping street.) We saw the Eiffel tower a bunch of times from the bus as well as the huge Obelisk that the Egyptians sent to the French as a peace offering. It made me think that Paris should have been a much more peaceful city if it has all these peace-associated monuments. Hah. Just saying.

THEN, we went on a river boat along the River Seine. It was absolutely amazing. I got to see Notre Dame (the fake one Johnny) from the boat. It was absolutely riveting. i took some intense pictures of the gargoyles. I want to go climb the stairs there one day. The Parisians like their bridges and they have over twenty at least. That's because the original 'Paris' was a small island that is now surrounded by Napoleon's spacious creation.

After the river boat tour we got to go up on the Eiffel Tower for lunch. I didn't really like the elevators because they slanted upwards and you felt like you were going to fall out. By far, the Eiffel Tower was my favourite part of Paris. It was absolutely splendid. Our lunch was great - but our chicken had some weird soap sud looking things on it. I stuck my finger in mine and licked it and decided that it tasted like gravy. Then I was embarrassed at myself because we were in a swanky French restaurant on the Eiffel tower and I was being...ridiculous.

Anyway - we had a gorgeous view of Paris as we ate. Then we walked around on the first level and looked at all the different sites. It was hazy, but you could see Lady Liberty's sister and I took a picture of it. I'll post it so you can see it. I got all excited about it. Then I convinced Mum and Dad to walk out along the green lawn so we could take pictures of ourselves with the Tower in the Background. I sure wish I could have seen it all lit up at night. It was gorgeous. Granted that I speak no french and I am not living in Paris - but Paris is much more magical than London in my opinion. (My-oh-so-biased opinion. BUT Paris is way smaller in numbers to London so that could be a great positive factor to consider.)

The only thing I disliked about the Eiffel tower was that you maybe felt like you were in Mexico...because...there were a bunch of street vendors but they WERE. SO. PUSHY. I mean, they were more pushy than people in London and there are some people who sell magazines over here that are pretty pushy. But they were all trying to sell little Eiffel Tower keychains. They were all selling the same things and they were all shouting at you. You had to literally pretend like they didn't exist. SHEESH.

We lazily walked back over to our meeting point (that's another cool thing about this tour - we were a group of twelve - but we got a lot of free time from the group - so that was nice.) We got on the bus and made our way over the Louvre. Apparently the Louvre is the largest museum in Europe - I don't know why it shouldn't be the largest one in the world. IT"S HUGE!

We wanted to go see the Mona Lisa. Unfortunately - it's not London so most museums in Paris ARE NOT free. We waited in Line to get inside and then we went to look at a map. We finally decided not to go see the mona lisa simply because with the time constraints we had we would have had to run to find her and then run to get back to the meeting point in time to catch our bus back to the Eurostar...so...we just walked around and looked at a bunch of shops and such. I got some pistachio gelato. IT WAS AMAZING. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. Unfortunately...it puts the stuff in Little Rock to shame. :(

Anywho - we got back to the meeting point and realized just how ridiculous Paris rush hour is. We literally had to get out of coach bus and walk the last stretch to the train station. I didn't mind because I liked the fresh air - but we were so rushed getting into the train station because we were pretty much almost late. They drive like maniacs in Paris. I mean, they drive on the RIGHT side of the road and everything which is good - but they do not stay in a lane - if lanes are even marked. AND we had a very patient bus driver. It was funny because no matter how many times people cut him off or he went the wrong route he didn't get frustrated...until the very end right before we walked out. He and this other driver got into it and I had to hold down my giggles - because I didn't think they were that appropriate. But hey, I didn't know what they were saying they were speaking French.

Anyway - we got through customs and went back to the Eurostar. The Eurostar was way more full at this evening time than it was when we got up in the morning to take it. SHEESH! Mumsy, Dad, and I just ended up standing up and chilling in the car where you can order food. It was nice because we didn't want to sit. However, when we did go sit I made another friend. I was sitting next o this lady who was Canadian and she and I talked about London for the whole ride home.

Once at the station we had a new bus driver that was supposed to drop us off at the meeting point we walked to from our flat earlier in the morning around five thirty. The only problem was that this guy was covering for some other guy - and of course Mum, Dad and I were the last to be dropped off. My dad just told him to drop us wherever because we knew where we were in the neighbourhood. He had one of those gps location map things. SHEESH! And he kept complaining and sighing and it made me really uncomfortable.

When we got back to the flat I showered and started watching Bridgette Jones' Diary. (Hey I'm in England right?) I didn't have the energy to go out so I let my parentals go out without me. :) Haha. I finished my article for Hendrix and then passed out. Hence again, no update.

Which brings us to:

Friday - October 15th 2010

We all slept until noon. We got up and went to a nice little cafe for lunch (in fact the same one we went to our first day in South Kensington.) I mean, you can't help it because once you've decided you like something you gotta keep it up.

After that we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Which, I've discovered, it's much more fun to go to a museum on your own time than during class. We got to look at things I wanted to look at. We looked at the glass gallery, the fashion exhibit, the stained glass exhibit, the jewelry exhibit and some sculptures on our way out. I totally enjoyed my time there and I know my Dad and Mom did.

After that we tortured Dad and we went into Harrods. Harrods was much more fun the second time around. We walked through the food area and made our way to Christmas World. We spent a long time in there and in the kids toy section. I'm telling you - they have some NEAT gadgets in this place. Then we popped back down to the food court thing and Mum got me some tea. In fact, I'm drinking some Mango tea right now and it's absolutely delicious. I tried some apple last night and so did Dad. He said it tasted like jolly ranchers, but it's not nearly that sweet. Anyway - it's fun to drink if that means anything. :)

After Harrods we went out to a pub and chilled the night away people watching and eventually eating. We always end up in the same place - I guess there is a reason that they have 'neighbourhood pubs.'

I found this beer I really like that is brewed in London. It's Fuller's Honey Dew - it's an organic wheat beer and I like it a lot. :) Now I just need to see if I can find it anywhere close to my flat. It's probably fancy or something. Haha.

Okay so that brings us up to today - Saturday.

I've just been completing my to-do list today. I was very sad that my parents left and I cried a bit on the tube ride home. I can't help it - I guess I'm just a softie and I love my family. Either that or I'm a big baby - either way - the tube ride with my bags this time was much easier because I knew where to put my luggage. Ah, the way that things become so much simpler when you know how to do them. :)

I have done some laundry, gone to the store for eggs and bread, and went to the post office only to discover it's closed on Saturdays. :( GAH! Fail. I have some postcards I'm going to send...on Monday. :)

Gramner I haven't gotten my package, I checked. However, I did get a letter from my special someone - yes you - JOHNNY GATELY. :)

I think I might go running really quick because it's the perfect time to do all that. As for the rest of the evening I'm just going to work on Hamlet I guess. I'm waiting for Kemper to get back and trying to distract myself.

ON the bright side - it's only 47 days until I fly back to the states. That's not bad at all. In fact, I'll blink and I'll be home. AND it will be Christmas time. I love Christmas.

Alright well Cheers for now!

Enjoy the pictures (also side note - I've reached a maximum capacity for all the pictures I can hold on that web page and I didn't post any from Paris - so I don't know what I'm going to do - just stay posted. I'll figure something out!)

Miss you guys!

"Please allow me to introduce myself..."

WOW.

Ok so I'm twenty now. First of all that's weird - I feel OLD. And somehow, I feel silly for thinking twenty is old. It's funny how when you get older you definition of old changes - almost every time you are not somehow incorporated into the new definition. Hmmm.

But now let me tell you all about my birthday. It was great.

Mom and Dad let me wander around Camden market for hours. I've never been on the weekend and it was kind of dead, but I never realized how far back the market goes. The market is in some old horse stalls - obviously they've been refurbished. There were big horses everywhere - the fake kind of course.

I got a new pair of shoes, a new leather bag (to replace my falling apart one) two dresses and some vinyl stickers. I am extremely excited about all this stuff - because it's not like things we have in Little Rock. SO I'll be somewhat different when I get home with my shoes and dresses. :)

Then, we went to an official Patiessere and got my birthday cake. They legitimately spoke French in there - so I will say - the cake is delectable. I got the one with a dark chocolate moose filling and silver flakes on top. I mean, hey, why not?

Of course, I've been the only one to have a piece because Mom and Dad were all full from dinner by the time we got to the cake. Dinner - we went to Sticky Fingers. Let me explain, shall I? Bill Wyman from the stones (The Rolling Stones, that is) owns this restaurant. AND so the whole inside was a tribute to the stones. It was like they had their own wall of fame on every wall. Well, I got a T-shirt and I got an amazing piece of steak for dinner, diddy got barbecue ribs (in London - and they were decent) and Momma got a really good burger. Obviously I sampled everything because my steak was so good.

MAN. I took some pictures. They were playing the stones whilst we were in there of course, and I kept hearing Sympathy for the Devil - hence the title of my blog. :)

I got to talk to Gramner and Jess for a little bit yesterday - I was so tired. SO SO tired. Mom said I was kind of grumpy - but here's the deal. I've been walking them around and they're able to keep up. I think I'm loosing my pace. Haha.

Here's another side note - I wore my heels to dinner. Just to say that I survived the cobble-stone streets of London...and I did! Didn't fall down once. Luckily. Haha. Guess you're not allowed to fall down on your birthday. Anyway I plan on handing them to mom and letting her take those crazy things off of me. Sheesh. I can only handle them for small, small amounts of time.

I miss you guys! Sorry it took me a day to update this thing - I was just basking in the fun of getting to be with my Mom and Dad for my birthday. It was great and I couldn't have asked for anything else. (Cept maybe the rest of you guys - and Johnny too I guess. ;) ) Miss you guys!

We're off to explore - it's cold today so now my parents will finally understand my 'cold' rainy weathered London.

Cheers!

From SOHO down to ... Piccadilly circus?

Well now. It is definitely fall break and all I can say is that my jet-lagged parents are complete troopers!

Today was off to a bit of a rough start. I mean, this morning I woke up at eight something only to roll back over because my parentals were literally not moving...so...at about ten when I really woke up I went to figure out the coffee pot and the espresso machine.

First of all...It's been a while since I have worked an actual coffee pot...and I have NEVER worked an espresso machine. I started the coffee and figured that would wake mum and dad up - it didn't. So i read the instructions to the espresso thing and I did that and it sounded like a jack hammer - so mum woke up.

That was good - considering it was eleven in the morning and I was antsy to do something. SO - I made a second espresso and dad woke up - but it was ok because I made some coffee so that when he woke up he couldn't be angry - I had the goods!

:)

After that I uploaded some pictures to my blog whilst mum and dad got ready for our explorations. We found a book in our flat that had 'Memorable London Walks' and dad picked Soho...Whew...Soho.

So - we did Soho. We got on the tube - and well - the tube was a mess. Literally - the third time is the charm. I don't know what the deal was today - it was definitely a Sunday but everybody was out on the tube trying to go somewhere. We just wanted to go to Leicester Square. Sheesh.

Well we finally made it and I must say old chap - the weather was quite gorgeous today. Seriously, my parents brought the nice warm weather for me. I felt like I was chilling in Fayetteville in the Fall. :) It was around sixty something today. WHOOT WHOOT!

I am now eating another mississippi slide cupcake in premature celebration for my twentieth birthday. TWENTY. Sheesh. I'm old.

Alright on with the story. We walked around Soho all day. My parents were right - it was different. The architecture is beautifully different in the heart of soho. There is crazy red brick and crazy white neo-classical style buildings as well.

Anywho we ate some traditional British food for dinner. I had some fish and chips and so did mom. Diddy had some weird sausage and mash stuff (which means mashed potatoes.) WHEW. I had a bite and they were incredibly tasty.

I took a bunch of pictures today and I'll probably end up uploading them tomorrow.

Let's see. After we did our exploring I took mum and dad to Green Park. Green Park is the one that makes me feel like I'm at Notre Dame. I took Kemper there once and I read pretty much all of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World there one afternoon by myself. I also took them to Buckingham palace - and they agreed - it's not as pretty as it sounds.

We took pictures though - just to prove we were there. You always have to do that. Well - after that we went on a hunt for my birthday cake but most things were closed because it's Sunday - so we'll get my birthday cake tomorrow. I kind of want a cheese cake at the moment - but that could change - you never know.

Anywho - I am turning twenty tomorrow. I feel quite - old - and strange - but most of all loved by my family. I love you guys and miss you terribly. If I don't upload pictures now I'll do it tomorrow!

Cheers!

And Let Fall Break Begin!

So apparently I've been really bad about posting for the last couple of days. I'd like to start this post by saying that at the Hotel Russell I had no internet service. On Thursday night I attempted to write a post - and then I got sleepy - so now I will update you from about where I left off.

On Wednesday night Kemper and I made reservations for dinner with my parents on Thursday night. We booked this place called "Number Twelve." Well - the name should say it all. It was completely crazy with the 'service' that they have here. First of all, online it did not say anything about being dressed up. Well...

We get there and there are plenty of people (both male and female) standing around in awkward circles in their long black floor
length sequin dresses with suits and bow ties...

So...My parents had just gotten off the plane and I figured that I should go ask the bartender if we should just sit down or what...and we did...and then later this crazy formal matrie dee dude was all, "Excuse me sir, do you have a reservation?" to my dad. I was like, "Yes, in the name of Rebecca Bona."

It was uncomfortable, and I kind of wanted to punch the restaurant in the face, that is, if the restaurant did have a face. But the food was pretty excellent - I had pan-seared sea bass. Yes. Sea bass. Twas quite nice if I do say so myself.

Anywho - moving forward - after that Mom and Dad were finally able to go to bed. I decided that nine was late enough for them to go to sleep. Then Kemper and I went to Candid Cafe and got some dessert. I had the carrot cake, it was also quite lovely - and Kemper had the cheese cake which I think was also QUITE lovely.

AND THEN - Friday.

Oh Friday. I walked my parents at least ten or twelve miles around London. I took them to all the city sites that you HAVE to see - Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Parliament, Victoria Tower, River Thames Path, The Globe, St. Paul's and all that jazz. We stopped and watched some street performers over in the South Bank. This guy, who was a bit old to be doing so - breakdanced and such. I mean, he had a helmet and stuff - which I feel like made him legit - but he spinned around on his head to the "Where is the Love" song by the Black Eyed Peas.

Mom, Dad, and I definitely laughed. I mean, that guy had some good jokes. Before that - let me backtrack - we got some good food at Covent Garden. Dad experienced the complete English breakfast which includes beans. Really. And now for two days straight he's eaten beans. Sheesh. We have to live with him...gah....

Anywho - I took my parents to Benito's Hat for dinner. It's the one semi-Mexican restaurant that I know of and it's on the edge of Soho. As far as I could tell - they both seemed to really enjoy it. I know I did. They really do serve you Burritos the size of your face.

After that we went and chilled in the lounge of the hotel until it was time to bed. I'm also going to admit that we watched Law and Order SVU on British TV before we went to bed. Crazy that the BBC is showing that business...

TODAY. Today is SATURDAY - which means - that my Birthday is in TWO days. Just saying.

We did all sorts of things today. First of all I had to wake my parents up this morning by opening the curtains because I was scared that we were going to miss check out time...and then I had to run to my flat and pack for the week because for once this whole time in London I was not prepared. (Haha sound familiar?)

Anyway - I got all my stuff - literally - I threw some stuff in my big bag and then I drug it over to the Hotel Russell. AND I'm pretty sure my bag weighed more than fifty pounds...I HAVE no IDEA what I packed. Still - now - even though I have unpacked I don't really know what I've ended up with. Goodness.

Alright so my family and I battled the tube with luggage at Lunch Hour. I will just say that they manage to be way more calm that I could ever be with the tube when it comes to Luggage. They got their oyster cards today and we went in on a journey. We learned that if you get on at the absolute last car - of the train - then there's no one else in there. SO we managed to exist comfortably to until we made it to Kensignton.

AND - I'll just say - we're not in Kansas anymore. I mean, before in my neighbourhood, I complained about how posh the people are. But, these people over here in Kensignton are literally wearing Chanel and all that...But there seems to also be a lot more families over here. I mean, I've seen a lot of children with their parents - so that's a nice change.

Right right, what else - we went to the grocery store today and bought some necessities. We've been doing laundry without our dryer. That's quite nice. I'll post some pictures tomorrow of this flat. This flat is extremely nice looking - I mean, there are cherubs on the ceiling and such. We are also right across from the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. That's pretty nice.

I feel like I should mention that right now I am sitting here eating a "Mississippi Slide" cupcake whilst writing this. Mom said I got that one because I am from Arkansas and I missing the states. I am pretty sure she's right on the money. Haha.

Also - Dad and I are listening to this best of the sixties compilation on the CD player. It's pretty intense. But then I just now turned off the player and we are now listening to the Talking Heads. I win!

Ok. So we went to the grocery store and then we spent time cleaning up and talking to Jess and Gramner on the computer. They were just as surprised as we were by the Cherubs.

After that we went off for dinner. We went to this place called Garfunkels. I am pretty sure it's a chain in London and probably England. It was pretty good. I have to say that I am still stuffed - they had really good chips (french fries.)

I just want some pistachio gelato now. Where's Johnny Gately when you need him?

ALSO some randoms would really hit the spot. ;)

Tomorrow I think we're walking around Soho and such. Who knows? I will definitely post some pictures tomorrow because I took some for Jess specifically and she will know when I post them that they are specifically for her....I hear someone's turning eighteen soon. :) :) Hint hint..JESS!

Anywho - I'm really tired so I'm going to end this really distracted post. I just must say that my parents came halfway around the world to see me and I'm so glad they're here. Even if Dad's form of bonding with me involves distracting me completely from my blog post! Sheesh. Alright. I miss you guys!

Cheers!

The Treasure Hunt for my Parents

Hey GUESS WHAT?

My parents are here. This will be a short post because I am going to go stay with them in their hotel soon. It's about eleven something here and I'm waiting to talk to Johnny.

But. Today I had my politics class midterm and that went pretty well. I was almost the last one in there writing entirely too much I'm sure. Eh. What can I do? I write like a maniac.

I got Gramner's email, luckily, that my parents would be about two hours later that I thought in their arrival...so I had all this antsy time to wait on them after class. Kemper and I wen to this pretty decent little Italian sandwich shop. I got a good chicken bacon mushroom thingy.

After that we went to McDonalds and I got a McFlurry. I don't know what possessed me to do that...but hey. You gotta do what you gotta do and I wanted some ice cream!

Anywho after that I helped Kemper pack a little bit for her trip to Ireland over the break. Well, we went over a checklist for a while and then I went to the Rusell Hotel. I was so nervous because it's nice looking and I walked in to the desk reception area and asked for a note. WELL...I finally got the lady to realize what was going on and go get the note.

It was all sealed in an envelope like official business and had my name on it 'Becca Bona.' It said simply, "Bic meet us in Russel Sqaure." Which is a park right across the street from the hotel. Well, I had to go through two traffic lights to get there, and I finally got there and walked into the square like a spaz! They saw me long before I saw them and started waving. I didn't even care that I was being very un-London - I ran at them and gave Mom a hug and hit Dad on the shoulder.

I AM SO GLAD TO GET TO SEE THEM. I already have taken them to two pubs. Haha. I wouldn't let them go to sleep because although they thought it was around nine am it was really two-ish. SO - we went and got pub-grub at the Shakespeare's Head. It's a chain pub, but they have decent food. After that I took them to the Angel which has my favourite beer in all of London so far. It was neat because we discovered that during the day it has a nice little terrace that you can sit out on.

Today the weather was nice so that was extremely nice. Anywho after all that we went back to the hotel and moved me in - we had to get a different room so I could have a bed.

MORE later. I'm sooooo tired. But I GOT TO TALK TO JOHNNY!

Miss you guys! Cheers!

Parents are arriving tomorrow

Hey you guys. Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow. I'm soo sooo sooooo excited.

I'll update tomorrow about today - I have a test tomorrow and I'm exhausted...but I wanted to check in and let you know I am perfectly fine over here - contrary to what the media says.

Cheers.

Randoms - my new favourite non-chocolate candy. ;)

GASP!

Becca likes a candy that does not involve chocolate! Alert the MEDIA! Wait - I used to be the Media. Haha. Gotta love it.

Today was a really really good day for some reason. I expect this week to be busy because it's our midterm week of sorts. But today was quite nice. In fact, today was perfectly amazing. I think now that I'm done raving about it I shall tell you all about it. :)

Alright it's Tuesday so I began this morning early, with breakfast and tea before my British Life and Culture class with Susie. I had jam on my toast this morning and some nice black tea. (I was aiming for caffeine because I couldn't fall asleep last night because even though I was exhausted from my intense travels this weekend - I'm so excited that Mom and Dad will be here, in oh, like two days!!!)

Whew. So. Anywho. I went outside to meet Kemper because we had class at the Imperial War Museum today, and she and I were going to ride the red double decker bus to class. So we did and we got there about thirty minutes early because we alloted ourselves extra time. That worked out well enough because we walked around until she and I found a place for coffee and a pasty thing. I got coffee from this really neat Italian restaurant where the employees literally spoke Italian. A lovely little old Italian man called me amore and asked me if I wanted sugar in my coffee. I know that this is really petty - but in London - I get really excited when people are nice.

We walked a bit down the street and got Kemper this really good spinach bread thing from this really sketchy pastry place. Don't get me wrong - it smelled like heaven in there. :) After that we walked to the museum to meet up with the rest of the group and Susie. We went inwards and spent about three hours walking around. This is a definite place that Dad would love. We spent a long time in the World War I and World War II exhibits and Kemper and I did the Trench Experience. As ridiculous as this is about to sound, I literally had adrenaline in my stomach when we walked through the trenches. They made it smell bad in there and it was really really dark...

Anywho then we explored the war art and Sergeant's famous paintings. They were intense and I stared at his largest one for at least ten minutes in complete silence. I really liked it, I suppose, or at least I had a reaction to it. Ha. Anywho after that Kemper and I went to the Holocaust exhibit. We had to leave that one - it was really starting to get to me.

We caught the bus back after class and I had an egg sandwich for lunch - good old faithful. :) Then Kemper and I went to the library and I spent forever perfecting my Shakespeare paper. I probably overdid it a bit. A bit...Ugh. Can't help it it's the first paper I've written over here for school so it's a big deal...to me anyway.

After that I thought that I needed to go practice for the choir audition that was supposed to be today - but I failed on that one. Let me explain - I failed because I wasn't even eligible to try out. They have two concerts both of which I thought were in November however one is in late December. So...I felt really bad but I emailed the lady in charge and profusely apologized to her and told her that I couldn't try out. I felt really horrible about that. But on the bright side, I think I'm going to join this Christian Rock Choir Group that doesn't have auditions and meets every Monday for two hours. Why not? I sent them an email so I'll keep you posted on that one...

Alright. SO after that little mishap I printed my paper out and then I realized that I had TIME TO GO RUNNING!!! SUCESS! Oh I was so excited. I took a good six mile run. It took me about an hour and this includes the crazy traffic in London and all that - I'm getting really good at weaving through all the suits and ties. I usually go running at rush hour so it's busy. I tried to look up an alternative route to where I was headed - St. James Gardens, however, even though I wrote my instructions on my hand - I got lost. So I just found the Thames path and ran along there like I always end up doing. I figure that's alright because there are always a lot of people run there and I love seeing all of St. Paul's and Big Ben and Parliament in the skyline.

That was lovely and got my endorphins all flowing. YES! So, after that Kemper, Hillary and I went to this Mexican place called Benito's Hat. Let me explain - you start to mix Tex-Mex when it doesn't exist and you really, really want some. SO - we went and got Burritos the size of my face. OH MY GOODNESS. It was so amazingly delicious. I loved it. AND then after that - seems like we should have just gone back to the flat - well we didn't.

Actually we did - we had to get my oyster card because I needed to top up for class tomorrow. For Art and Architecture we are meeting in the Victoria and Albert Museum, which Kemper and I went to a couple of weeks ago when we went to Harrods. Then we went to Ed's Diner. Hahaha. It was amazing. Ed's Diner is in Soho and they advertise having American Diner food. Literally they have signs for burgers and fries and shakes. So Kemper and I went to get a milkshake. Gramner - guess what flavor I got? I got my Chocolate Peanut butter one that you always think is crazy when we go to the purple cow. It was nice to go - sort of my comfort food. Gramner and I go to purple cow and get milkshakes a lot. In fact, Jess and I go a lot as well. I think she likes the purple one and the strawberry one.

They had a jukebox that was fifties style and they were playing songs from Grease and such and I was loving it. I kept looking for Billy Ocean's Caribbean Queen, but they didn't have it. I was a bit confused as to why they had the Animals The House of the Rising Sun...Hmmmm....Strange combination there.

Anywho after that we walked to Holborn station and I topped up and then on the way back Kemper and I got a package of Randoms. They are a bag of gummy candies that are literally shaped like random objects. I ate a hedgehog, a beer mug, a lighthouse, and a palm tree. :) So much fun to reach your hand in and pull out a strange looking item. Kemper got to eat a bow-tie. I was a little jealous.

So anyway - as you can see from my tone today was great. I don't know if it's because I finally got to go running, I had a great burrito, or I had a wonderful milkshake in Soho...it's probably the fact that Kemper and I were walking around like we owned the city. We finally are making London work for us. Yes Man! This is how it should be.

BUT NOW - hurry up Thursday because I'd really like to see my Mom and Dad. Although it's only six days until my twentieth birthday, you are never too old to be excited to see your parents. And boy am I excited! :)

I miss all of you guys. Again, thanks for the letters they are part of the reason I smile as much as I manage to. Alright I'm back to the Stones - and hopefully I'll get to talk to that boy named Johnny Gately...Hmmmm. ;)

Perhaps I'll listen to the Beatles instead? It's research. :P

Cheers.