Sunday, September 26, 2010
Moving to London!
I've decided that if I'm going to be over here, I can't just sit back and wait for things to happen. I have to make them happen...so I am moving to LONDON!! I want to be in the center of it all, I want to walk out my front door and breath in the excitement of the city...not a giant fly from the local sheep field! Flat hunting begins....NOW!!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Driving on the left side of the road is easy...
Stepping out of my cottage like house onto the cobblestone streets filled with quaint little coffee shops and people reading the morning paper, I take in a deep breath of the crisp September air and double wrap my scarf around my neck. It was going to be a good day. Running to the end of the street to catch the red double decker bus in my knee high Michael Kors boots, coffee in hand, I turn the corner and BAM! I look down to see that my coffee has spilt all over my brand new Burberry double breasted suede trench coat. No..no.. NOOOO!!! Just as I am about to cry, I look up at the stranger who has caused this disaster, and my anger melts away. “No, it can’t be”, I think to myself. But it is, it’s JUDE LAW!!!!
And… then I wake up. HA! Truthfully the past week has been somewhat uneventful. I don’t want to say that I expected my life to be a fabulous vacation once I got here, but i won’t lie and say that I didn’t have expectations of what England would be like. I blame the fact that I have seen The Holiday and Notting Hill one too many times (that doesn’t really happen by the way). I did have an Englishman profess his undying love to me last Friday night at a bar in downtown London, but he was really drunk…and smelly... and completely unattractive. Oh yah.. and he was engaged. “Welcome to the UK love!” was his reply when I asked him what the hell he was doing out picking up on girls when he had a fiancé at home. Gross.
All joking aside my night in London was AMAZING!! The moment I stepped out of the tube station onto the busy streets of the city, I felt at home. Everything was so beautiful... and clean!!! There was no liter on the streets, which I found quite shocking for being such a large city, and there are no trashcans anywhere!! I think I walked for 3 whole blocks with my empty coffee cup before I found one. We stayed in an amazing hotel overlooking the Westminster abbey. It’s funny; the people I’ve talked to around here don’t understand our fascination with all the historic buildings. I explain to them that we don’t have that kind of history in southern California, it would be like them seeing the sunny beaches lined with palm trees for the first time, or Lindsey Lohan doing blow at the table next to you in a club in LA. You read about it magazines or books, but you don’t get the full effect until you see it in person.
After an amazing night in London, we head to Stonehenge. I had been reading about it in my travel books, and was quite excited. You can imagine my disappointment when after 2 ½ hours of driving, we pull up to some rocks in the middle of a field. Now I know what you’re thinking... “Duh Danielle, Stonehenge IS just rocks”. I know that, I just expected them to have some sort of little themed touristy area around it to keep us entertained. Nope. Just rocks. Rocks and a path around the rocks. You walk the path around the rocks while listening to a 20 minute tape about the different kinds of rocks. Nothing I couldn’t have gotten off the sign at the entrance for FREE!! Oh well, it was an experience.
I also learned how to drive this week. I thought the hardest part would be driving on the left side of the road, but it's not too bad once you get the hang of it! The one thing is people never stop here, you “give way” to other cars, but you never stop. If you do you get honked at, which I did, a lot. I could tell my cousin was nervous, knowing my driving record, but I think I proved him wrong. He gave me C- for my first attempt, which according to my Uncle is “great because that’s what I would get back in the states!” Lol. Tomorrow I am off to London on my own; hopefully get a little more sightseeing done. I will take some pictures I promise!!
Xoxo
Danielle
And… then I wake up. HA! Truthfully the past week has been somewhat uneventful. I don’t want to say that I expected my life to be a fabulous vacation once I got here, but i won’t lie and say that I didn’t have expectations of what England would be like. I blame the fact that I have seen The Holiday and Notting Hill one too many times (that doesn’t really happen by the way). I did have an Englishman profess his undying love to me last Friday night at a bar in downtown London, but he was really drunk…and smelly... and completely unattractive. Oh yah.. and he was engaged. “Welcome to the UK love!” was his reply when I asked him what the hell he was doing out picking up on girls when he had a fiancé at home. Gross.
All joking aside my night in London was AMAZING!! The moment I stepped out of the tube station onto the busy streets of the city, I felt at home. Everything was so beautiful... and clean!!! There was no liter on the streets, which I found quite shocking for being such a large city, and there are no trashcans anywhere!! I think I walked for 3 whole blocks with my empty coffee cup before I found one. We stayed in an amazing hotel overlooking the Westminster abbey. It’s funny; the people I’ve talked to around here don’t understand our fascination with all the historic buildings. I explain to them that we don’t have that kind of history in southern California, it would be like them seeing the sunny beaches lined with palm trees for the first time, or Lindsey Lohan doing blow at the table next to you in a club in LA. You read about it magazines or books, but you don’t get the full effect until you see it in person.
After an amazing night in London, we head to Stonehenge. I had been reading about it in my travel books, and was quite excited. You can imagine my disappointment when after 2 ½ hours of driving, we pull up to some rocks in the middle of a field. Now I know what you’re thinking... “Duh Danielle, Stonehenge IS just rocks”. I know that, I just expected them to have some sort of little themed touristy area around it to keep us entertained. Nope. Just rocks. Rocks and a path around the rocks. You walk the path around the rocks while listening to a 20 minute tape about the different kinds of rocks. Nothing I couldn’t have gotten off the sign at the entrance for FREE!! Oh well, it was an experience.
I also learned how to drive this week. I thought the hardest part would be driving on the left side of the road, but it's not too bad once you get the hang of it! The one thing is people never stop here, you “give way” to other cars, but you never stop. If you do you get honked at, which I did, a lot. I could tell my cousin was nervous, knowing my driving record, but I think I proved him wrong. He gave me C- for my first attempt, which according to my Uncle is “great because that’s what I would get back in the states!” Lol. Tomorrow I am off to London on my own; hopefully get a little more sightseeing done. I will take some pictures I promise!!
Xoxo
Danielle
Thursday, September 16, 2010
And so it begins....
Well, I made it here, barely. I arrived at LAX 3 hours early, completely unnecessary in my mind but I decided to listen to my mother, the world traveler, who said I would be sorry if I didn’t. I am sooo glad I listened to her because it took me TEN WHOLE MINUTES to get through check in and security. Walking through the terminal, realizing I had 2 hours and 50 minutes until my flight left, I decided I would kill some time by calling my mom and telling her that I was right and she was wrong. Feeling very pleased with myself I pulled out my phone, which was jammed at the bottom of my bag. Next thing I know my phone is slipping from my fingers and flying across the hard floor of LAX, not good. After 30 minutes of trying to revive it, I realized there was no hope, it was done for. It wasn’t the end of the world, I had another phone that I had bought for England, and of course I couldn’t use it because I don’t have service yet. Thank GOD for the internet, I would just email my mom. Sitting at the bar with a bloody Mary, ready to get my buzz on, I pull out my laptop. Of course I had forgotten to charge it the night before and it’s dead. GREAT.
After what seemed like forever, I was boarding my plane to Europe. Longest ten hours of my life. To my left two girls, ages two and three, who didn’t speak English, decided they wanted to be best friends with me right away and used physical force to get my attention. I think my left arm and leg have bruises from their incessant hitting and kicking. To my right, a couple who decided to spend the entire trip talking about how fabulous their lives were. I think they enjoyed the sound of their own voices so much, that if they were to stop talking for even a moment, they would become one of us commoners. The best part was when they, not so discretely, tried to join the mile high club after only 20 minutes of being in the air. At least wait until people start to go to sleep!! Gross. Luckily I had my itouch with me so I could drown out all the noise with a movie. I decided Taken, a fun-filled movie about two girls on a trip to Paris, would be perfect.
After a quick stop over in Germany, I finally arrive in London!!! I have to take a tube from the terminal to the baggage claim (super exciting!!) As I am standing there holding on to the side rail, I can’t help but overhearing the man next to me talking on his phone. I could tell he was Russian by his accent, and he says “I can’t talk out loud right now I am on a tube, I have the merchandise and it will be distributed, I will call you by Friday to discuss the details.” I reacted as any sensible person would have, I memorized as many physical details about the man as I could in 2.5 seconds and I got the hell out of there before I was shoved into a cab, addicted to heroin and sold into the sex trafficking industry.
My cousin’s friends are there to pick me up and take me home. Home is an adorable little house in the small town of Bury St. Edmunds, right outside of Cambridge. I spent the first few hours exploring the local mall; there was not one shop that I recognized. I was starting to feel homesick, when I looked up and saw it… an H&M!!!!! I knew that I would make it here. Next my aunt and I decide to hit up the local pub, we get wasted and my Aunt gets in to a debate with a local on who’s country is better, quite entertaining. My first night in England ends with my cousin and I playing a drinking game to Shutter Island (we took a drink every time Leo had a brooding look on his face). Needless to say I was passed out half way through the movie. Today will be spent on homework… but tomorrow we are off to Stonehenge and Bath… update you soon!!
Xoxo
Danielle
After what seemed like forever, I was boarding my plane to Europe. Longest ten hours of my life. To my left two girls, ages two and three, who didn’t speak English, decided they wanted to be best friends with me right away and used physical force to get my attention. I think my left arm and leg have bruises from their incessant hitting and kicking. To my right, a couple who decided to spend the entire trip talking about how fabulous their lives were. I think they enjoyed the sound of their own voices so much, that if they were to stop talking for even a moment, they would become one of us commoners. The best part was when they, not so discretely, tried to join the mile high club after only 20 minutes of being in the air. At least wait until people start to go to sleep!! Gross. Luckily I had my itouch with me so I could drown out all the noise with a movie. I decided Taken, a fun-filled movie about two girls on a trip to Paris, would be perfect.
After a quick stop over in Germany, I finally arrive in London!!! I have to take a tube from the terminal to the baggage claim (super exciting!!) As I am standing there holding on to the side rail, I can’t help but overhearing the man next to me talking on his phone. I could tell he was Russian by his accent, and he says “I can’t talk out loud right now I am on a tube, I have the merchandise and it will be distributed, I will call you by Friday to discuss the details.” I reacted as any sensible person would have, I memorized as many physical details about the man as I could in 2.5 seconds and I got the hell out of there before I was shoved into a cab, addicted to heroin and sold into the sex trafficking industry.
My cousin’s friends are there to pick me up and take me home. Home is an adorable little house in the small town of Bury St. Edmunds, right outside of Cambridge. I spent the first few hours exploring the local mall; there was not one shop that I recognized. I was starting to feel homesick, when I looked up and saw it… an H&M!!!!! I knew that I would make it here. Next my aunt and I decide to hit up the local pub, we get wasted and my Aunt gets in to a debate with a local on who’s country is better, quite entertaining. My first night in England ends with my cousin and I playing a drinking game to Shutter Island (we took a drink every time Leo had a brooding look on his face). Needless to say I was passed out half way through the movie. Today will be spent on homework… but tomorrow we are off to Stonehenge and Bath… update you soon!!
Xoxo
Danielle
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