Arriving in London

The Start of my Adventures Across the Pond.

It all began with some sad goodbyes and a hurrying up to wait in an empty airport. Corpus Christi does not have the highest population of people who travel by plane or can even afford to think about it. Due to this horrid fact, there were a total of twelve people on my plane to Dallas. Despite this, it still was late to the Dallas airport and I had to rush to catch my next plane. Then I had the chance to sit in it for thirty minutes before we actually left. The next eight hours were about as comfortable as a coffin covered with protruding nails. However, once I arrived at Heathrow and realized I was in London it all seemed to fall in place. My bags weren't lost, the taxi was right outside the door and the first animal I saw was a seagull...
The taxi ride went something like this...
"What kind of music do you like?"
"Well I right songs that are mostly folky."
"Where are you from?"
"Texas"
"Oh! Then you must love Wille Nelson!"
The rest involved him relating everything he thought he knew about Texas to me, including Bush.
Anyway! I arrived at Vandon House Hotel with all my luggage, all my instruments (my guitar in my backpack and my ukuklele in my huge bag) and half my money due to the expensive taxi.
Vandon House is wonderful. The rooms are cozy but spacious, the shower in tiny but always has hot water and it is in a very swanky neighborhood. All the students share a kitchen and we make our own lunches and dinners. I unpacked as slow as possible to try and make it till four for our first meeting yet I couldn't help it but end up taking a nap. If you know me, that is no surprise. The day ended with the group getting together and going to our first pub called Feathers that was just around the corner. We all recieved free fish and chips, bangers and our choice of an alcoholic beverage. Being ambitious( and thanks to my new friend Lindsey), I went for the cider because I had never had it before. You know what? It was fantastic!
The next few days have been mostly getting to know the area, the rest of the group and getting comfortable with the tube system. If you don't know what the tube is, it is the underground subway that is one of the most amusing things of the British culture that I have found so far. There is no talking, no smiling and no eye contact. During rush hours everyone is pushed into the cars like sardines yet not a peep is made. It's absolutely unlike anything I have ever seen. I have decided that it is my duty as the friendly Texan that I am that I must "Change the tube, one smile at a time!"
Everyone in my study abroad program has found their group they fit in with. Everyone is friendly to one another and we all get along pretty well when pushed into group events like bowling. We help each other and try not to let anyone get lost in such situations.
Tonight, the four of us (Anna, Lindsey,Shelby and I) went on an escapade to see the Buckingham Palace. We didn't realize it was only five minutes away, we continued on towards the eye and then turned abruptly after seeing Big Ben and made our way towards Trafalger Square. It all was so beautiful at night. After passing The Sherlock Holmes pub and walking across the Thames River simply because we couldn't find the next underground entrance we made it back with aching feet but confidence in our traveling capabilities.
I will start taking pictures of all the places I go and all the things I see. There will be much more detail, I'm sure, of certain things instead of a broad idea of what has been happening. Also! Art shots! Who doesn't love a good pigeon sitting on top of a statue in yet another park?
Tata for now,
Hope