So, I'm really excited about starting this blog... For those of you who don't know, I'm going to be in Europe for the next 2 1/2 months partially studying abroad and partially being a frivolous nomad. I've never been away from home this long. I love going away and visiting other places, but I'm a true Dorothy when I say that there's no place like home. Or really, that there's no one like those who are home. Anyways, this is my fifth time to Europe... When did that happen? But, I haven't been to London (my first stop) in 6 years. Only my second trip in my life, though, that I didn't begin my journey from my hometown airport, PIT. Not ironically, the other two trips began directly from JFK, after arriving there by automobile.
Yesterday, after driving all day (well I rode/slept), I found myself at JFK once again, ready to fly. I enjoyed a typical airport meal with my mom and step-dad before going through security and off to my gate. It was lightening outside - always a good sign for flying. As I was going through security, I watched the TSA worker who was checking the contents of all carry-on bags through that special machine, pause his work and text someone. His attentiveness to his actual task at hand should make everyone feel 100x safer in the airport... ha. Anyways, I was flying Virgin Atlantic for the first time, which my older brother described as sassy. I could not wait. We walked into the airplane straight to a bar... I knew this had to be good. But, because of the storms, we didn't leave until 2 hours after our scheduled departure time, even though we boarded on time. I ended up sitting next to a girl in Columbia Law School who just got done with her first year. She is spending her summer working for a human rights group in Delhi, India. Despite the fact that she went to UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, I enjoyed her company. Truthfully, I slept the entire flight. I did not eat, or drink, or watch a movie, I slept. And 6 1/2 hours later, I was in London.
This trip I decided to bring my cash in the means of Traveler's Cheques. Best. Idea. Ever. Because of that, I exchanged it right at an American Express place in the airport and it was therefore commission free. I wish all my money could have been brought this way, it's the first time I've ever done it, and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Getting to my hostel was h-e-double hockey sticks. The hot 1 hr. train ride on the tube with luggage that collectively weighs almost as much as I do followed by the confusion of finding my hostel just about put me over the edge. When I finally found my hostel, I wasn't terrible surprised with anything. It's swanky and fun... called St. Christopher's Village, and recommended by Lonely Planet. And it's at a great location, about a 5 minute walk from the London Bridge tube station. It has free wireless and breakfast, along with the room of 8 bunks for about $20-25 a night. I was just finally glad to crash for an hour or two once I got here... until I realized I hadn't really eaten in almost 20 hours. I very unashamedly went to the Subway across the street for my meal. I needed carbs, I needed food I know I'd like, and I wanted it fast. While I was eating, I was looking through a couple maps, etc. they passed along at the hostel and came upon a tour of the East End in London. 8 pounds for a student and it started in an hour. Looking for something different, I was on my way.
A two and a half hour long walking tour that met at the sun dial outside Towel Hill. I met a couple of grad students from Kansas City, and a third year student at British Columbia University who also took the tour. It's fun being that age, the one that everyone goes abroad around for school and for fun. Anyways, the tour I went on was the last time our guide would be giving this tour and was fairly nostalgic about it after two years. I could empathize to say the least. He was ridiculously entertaining as we learned about the death and prison sentences in medieval England and went to all the places where Jack the Ripper committed his 5 murders. We also learned simply about the horrors of living in the East End in the past. Even now it holds a lot of welfare housing and minorities and immigrants, but it's a lot safer than what it used to be. We passed the hospital that the government began to excavate until they realized that underneath it was over 80,000 bodies of people who died of the black plague - so they stopped, just in case there were germs still down there. We saw a work house where they used to put people to who didn't have a home or work... someplace miserable. It is now student dorms for the the London Economics University (I think is the correct name), where are tour guide actually resided while getting his Master's Degree. He said he didn't have the heart to tell the little korean girl who lived two doors down that she was living in the room where one of the victims of Jack the Ripper lived. All in all, it was a terribly interesting tour, kind of off the beaten path. It costs 8 GBP for a student, plus I tipped the guide, so a little pricey - but definitely enjoyable. We also passed a pub that's been around since 1666 - impressive. I plan on going there when I come back to London in August.
After the tour I wandered around, making my way back to London Bridge to take a few pictures at dusk, which, by the way, seems to last for hours. I hopped back on the Metro to go back to my hostel, which apparently turns into quite the hot spot at night. There's a bar and a dance floor with a DJ. Ok. I just wanted the hostel special of 3.95 GBP for a bowl of pasta. Sadly, by the time I got down there, they had closed the kitchen. So I settled for Strongbow (shout out to Mike Kaiser) on tap and a bag of potato chips - I'm sure my body loves me by now. People are dancing and drinking all around. Thankfully, those who are residing here have a "chill" room that I'm sitting in right now, which is pretty quiet, and I can't even feel the base of the music. Sadly, I think my room is right above the bar, and there I can, in fact, feel the music.
I must say, for 2 cents a minute, Skype is my new best friend. If you have it, please let me know so we can chat. I'm love it more and more every second I use it.
All in all, London hasn't let me down. True to par, when I was getting ready to head out, I was wearing a t-shirt, packed a sweatshirt, wore sunglasses and brought an umbrella. I thankfully used everything but the umbrella, even though the clouds were dark. Suddenly I find myself looking the wrong direction when crossing the street, walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk, thinking the up escalators are on the right not left, and misunderstanding heavy British accents. I thought one lady told me the "cheap station" and really she meant the "tube station". Awesome. I feel like spending a day and a half in London in between home and Berlin is a good thing. It's the gap between being away and feeling like I'm someplace foreign. Even though I've been taking German for 8 years, I still do NOT feel prepared to live there for the next month and a half. Nonetheless, Berlin tomorrow!
Pictures:
1. Tower of London and London Bridge at dusk.
2. The pub that's been in operation since 1666. (sorry it's sideways, I can't figure out how to rotate it)
3. Coulston St.: Where Jack the Ripper left his first messages for the police.
4. St. Katharine's Harbor: This is where the slaves would come in and out. And those who were banished to Australia for their punishment for their crime. ALSO, did anyone know that British Parliament didn't ban slavery until 2009?
5. Our super cool tour guide talking to us outside the Tower of London.
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