My first day in London

As I stretched my neck to peek at the English countryside from a window on the plane, I couldn't help but let a smile push through my sleep-deprived, drooping face.  A little boy in the seat across from me shouted with glee at his little brother, "Look! Wake up David!! We're in London! Look Dad! We're in London! We're in London!"  My smile grew even wider as I secretly wished it was socially acceptable for me to shout in the same manner.  My body was tired, but my heart was full.  I was about to experience another world- a dream I had thought would never come true.

Stepped off the plane.  Walked towards the baggage claim.  Reality hit.

The masses of people in line for Customs made me want to scream... then cry.  And if you know me at all, when I'm massively sleep deprived I sometimes do just that.  However, luckily for me, I kept my cool (at least my memory tells me I did) and my frizzy, makeup-smeared, blood shot-eyed self was somehow allowed into their beautiful country.

Passed customs.  Check.  Got my baggage.  Check.  Directions to my housing facility? Uhhhh....

Well, at least my travel buddy Alayna and I knew the general direction in which we had to go.  So we followed the mass of people to the tube station, got in line to buy a ticket to our stop, and somehow blubbered and stuttered some words that got us tickets and the correct direction to go.  We got on the tube, took in our first sights of London during the ride, and were spit out on the street with cars and people, bikes and scooters, horns honking, and children crying.  And we just stared at each other.

We looked at a map to try to get our bearings.  Useless.  A nice old lady tried to give us directions..."Ah! Queen's gate, you say?  Well what you need to do is take a right turn right up here, then go down a bit and until you reach the park... well, now that I think of it Queen's gate is quite long, so perhaps you want to go straight a bit longer before turning right.   But either way its just right up there down this street! Can't miss it!"  Poor Alayna and I just started walking.  And walking, And walking.....  Nothing looked right.  Nothing made sense.  And out bags were getting heavier by the second.  After turning around about five times, asking three other people for directions, having two wheels on my luggage break off,  and shedding of several tears (mine, of course), we finally made it to check in.  After being given our keys and making it to our rooms, I finally had time to breathe.  I made it.  I was in London.  I was safe.  And it was beautiful.

After unpacking, orientation with the Advisors, and some showering, we made it out to the pub for some much needed food- and my first official alcoholic drink.  Perhaps it was the careful mixture of frutiness and sweetness creatively and artistically combined in the cider, or (to be more realistic), simply my utter exhaustion- either way, I thoroughly enjoyed a refreshing rekorderlig with classic fish and chips and a side of mushed peas for dinner.  Very English.

After a quick stop at the grocery store for breakfast foods, I was brainless, senseless, and utterly dead.  Needless to say, I slept darn well that first night in London.