London Trip

I am an American Magnet. Living in a foreign country in which the similarities amongst the persons of the national population are myriad, I am an expert at picking out those who, like myself, "don't match". That being said, it doesn't necessarily follow that I would attract American friends more easily than anyone else. But I do seem to find and make lifelong friends with more of the only-American-in-the-crowd types than anyone else.

For this I am super grateful. It's one of the best things about living abroad. Every stranger might be a new friend and these friends come with stories and relationships that cross time and circumstance. However, the downside is that many of these cool people, especially the Americans, is that their stint in my newly adopted country is brief, usually only a study-abroad semester. So when one of these friends asked if I wanted to take a little London excursion with him before he left the cold, damp climes of the Isles for the (now snowy but usually) perpetually comfortable temperatures of the Carolinas, of course I said yes! And so it was that three new friends (the two of them only met when we decided to go to London together!) booked a flight for London...

First, our plane was delayed by four hours, cutting our day and a half trip to London down to a day. And somebody who was meant to be guarding our bags with his life just fell asleep.

When we did make it to London, it was already pitch dark (which is to say it was only about 4:30PM). I managed to get ridiculously sick somewhere over the English Channel, so while the lads went out on the town exploring for the night and very actively tried to get me to join them, I "slept" for the night. 

Waking up not at all refreshed, we walked over to the chemist to get something to keep my fever down, and we hit the streets.

Big Ben, of course!

Underground station looking out at the London Eye

Getting this picture of the three of us was a struggle. We had to use my junky phone because the others were scared theirs would be stolen if they asked a stranger to hold it for a minute.

Blackfriars' Bridge

Underneath Blackfriars' Bridge, looking at St. Paul's Cathedral.

Movie-star L in front of the Globe Theatre

"It's the Harry Potter bridge! We have to walk across it!"

"We're not going to walk over to the London Bridge are we?"

St. Paul's Cathedral

"I'm not taking a picture in there; it smells horrible"

Sunset by the London Eye

We're so cold!

The two of them went on the London Eye, but I decided that I wanted to just walk around by myself for twenty minutes instead. They got some great pictures, and we all got to see a perfect London sunset. 

While they were gone, I walked around the Christmas market (yes, this is a very old journey!) I resisted the urge to purchase some mulled wine all by myself. I was still rockin' a fever, after all.

When we met up again, we all walked around the Christmas market together for a while. Then as the temperatures got colder and colder, we decided to walk just a little further (we ended up coming upon Westminster Cathedral) and catching the Tube back to the hostel.

Somehow we rallied ourselves enough to head out for the evening. I don't even remember where we ate or what, so I'm sorry about that. But I do remember very distinctly trying my best to convince the two that I couldn't go out for the evening, that I really was just too sick. And whether it was a good decision or a bad decision in the end, I headed out with them. It was, after all, our last night in London. With a giant bag of chips in hand to split, I happily drank some ginger ale at a few lovely little spots in Camden Town (haha).

I didn't know a picture was being taken. Clearly, someone doesn't want to sit next to me :( 

As soon as I got off the plane back in Cork, I walked right over to the doctor's office. It turns out I had tonsillitis: oops! But it was a great "weekend" nonetheless. Guess sometimes you need some really annoying friends telling you take some more medicine and keep walking! x