"Mind the Gap"

Hello from London! Yesterday I arrived safely at Heathrow Airport around 9:30am, but did not make it to Vandon until about noon because the driver for my shuttle was not there on time and I had to wait about an hour after I had picked up my luggage and gone through customs. Londoners are crazy drivers! On such narrow streets and so many other vehicles, bikers, and pedestrians, I would have driven at a speed at least half of what my driver was doing! Anyways, when I arrived at Vandon House I had quite an array of emotions, but mostly I was tired! I did not sleep much on the plane from Newark to London like I had planned and was all messed up. However, after taking a shower (which took some figuring out with the different nobs), I regained enough energy to unpack a little and then go out with the rest of the students for a short walking tour and to the Feathers Pub for a drink and some food (on Central!). Later, my roommate Sarah and her friend Dan and I went out to another pub for some pints of Strongbow :). At around 10pm, we crashed! We had orientation at 9 this morning, which was hard to wake up for, but of course was quite informational as well as entertaining (we had a police officer come to talk about security and he was quite funny). Then, after lunch in Vandon House, we went for a long walking tour with a tour guide and saw the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, St. Magnus the Martyr Chapel, Covent Market, People's Square, and went through St. James' Park. I have lots of pictures, and plans to go do further tours of some of those places. We then had a house meeting with Victoria. So far, the things that I have founding interesting or just different are: their driving and looking to the left to cross the street; the pub scene; how reserved they are (it's so hard for me to not smile and say hello to others and have them do the same!); how little food you get at restaurants for a lot of money; how it's normal for couples to display a LOT of affection in public; the tube (how many times can the say, "Mind the gap"???). I'm sure there will be more when I start classes, my internship, and do more exploring. There's so much to see and learn about London that I have forgotten all the other places I want to travel to whilst I'm here. I hope I have enough time (and money!) to do it all!! Tomorrow we get to sleep in (yay!) and then we have the scavenger hunt in the afternoon which should be fun. Hopefully I will be totally on London time soon and will be able to wake up better in the morning...

Hope this post wasn't too long for ya'll--I was told by someone to leave nothing out! ;)

Goodnight!