Welcome to London

Hello folks :)

Starting to get on London time. Everyone finally got to the flats after a lot of airport mishaps at Gatwick, but it all worked out eventually. While we were waiting, a couple of us decided to go down a block to hang out at a pub right across the street from the British Museum. After starting to fall asleep since we were sitting down, we decided a visit to the museum was the thing to do to keep ourselves awake. We wandered around there a bit, and then came back to the flats for a meeting at 4:30, and then dinner at a really nice restaurant (paid by W&L).

Some of us decided that grocery shopping would probably be a good idea so we stopped at Sainsbury's on the way back. I was really amused by the way they package food here. It looks all aesthetically designed and pretty. I mean, it's just food...but whatever. It looks pretty in my refridgerator. I found a large bag of pasta for 66 pence, I was pretty proud of myself.

My computer is still barely picking up the wireless signal from my flat, so I've given up on it. I'm just going to take it down to the computer labs and use it there, where it can get the strongest signal. Last night I brought it down and used AIM and the internet with it, while I used one of their computers to access email (for some reason, my computer isn't opening the Groupwise program, nor is it letting me access the website). ABC.com is also sadly inaccessible. I tried to get to the shows page to watch full episodes and it informed me that only Americans are allowed to watch ABC shows online. Looks like I won't hear about LOST or Grey's Anatomy until June.

This morning we had a city tour of London for a couple hours. We spent most of it in the West End, and we were really in the bus the whole time so I didn't get many pictures. The only time we got out was to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, which was pretty cool. Our tour guide was great, and very British, right down to his sense of humor. I was thrilled. I was also thrilled to drive by the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square (used once for one of my stories :) so that was very cool), the Thames, the London Eye, the Millenium Bridge (considered once for a story scene), Kensington Gardens, Harrods, St. Paul's Cathedral (umm...can we say awesome?), and a bunch of other places. :)

We just came back to the flats after lunch at the same pub we went to yesterday afternoon. I forgot that Sprite is called lemonade here. :) But the kind guy at the bar (who looked about twenty-five) reminded me. Like in Germany, Brazil, and Spain, lemonade is much sweeter than American Sprite. I couldn't quite finish my pint.

A bunch of the other kids are looking up travel agencies right now and deciding where they want to go over our long weekends. Mine, of course are already planned...going to see the Hazeltons this weekend, next weekend I have the worship conference with Tim Hughes, and over the last weekend I'll be hanging out with Mom and Dad. This afternoon we're planning to explore the Covent Garden area, which is right near Bloomsbury, where we are living. Apparently there is lots of shopping there ;) as well as places to get cheap theater tickets the day of a show. We're going to try to find something for tonight. I think I'm going to go check on what they are up to. More updates to come!