I'm So in Love With London

I accomplished something big this week: I wrote my first paper! This is actually really scary for me. I know the grading system is different here so I'm worried for when I get that first grade back. Thankfully, the paper isn't due until next week so I have time to read it over again and make sure it is perfect before I hand it in. I still haven't started the paper I was hoping to start last week but I did find the articles to write it about so I made progress!

On Monday my only class was cancelled (thank you London Fashion Week for the long weekend!). Today we did another day trip! Kara and Kaley had not been to Platform 9 3/4 yet so we started our day off at Kings Cross! Yes, I did get another picture there. I will probably get more too when I take my brother and mom there!

From Kings Cross we went to find the British Library. We saw many important documents, and even hand-written lyrics from The Beatles! Then we took the Jubilee Line to the O2 Arena. The Brit Awards are going to be held there tomorrow night and we knew there would be rehearsals going on today, plus we wanted to see the area around it. The O2 was so cool! We thought it would just be an arena with nothing to see, but there were small shops inside and even a movie theatre! We also found the red carpet for the Brit Awards. Of course, we did a little photo shoot on it. While we were there we got hungry for lunch so Maddy and I headed to Nandos (I'm becoming obsessed... this restaurant needs to go to the States) and Kaley and Kara went to Frankie and Benny's. Ellyn met us at Nando's and then we decided to explore more of the city!

Outside O2 Arena

Walking the Red Carpet!

We were going to find the DLR to take us to Greenwich but then decided to walk around the arena a little bit longer. That was our best decision because we found what they call an airline! It's basically cable cars that go over the river. We decided we would do it if it accepted Oyster cards. It did! So we got in a car and soared over the river. It was one of the coolest views I have seen. On the other side of the river was the DLR so we got on for a bumpy ride to Greenwich!

One the airline!

You know how I said the airlines gave me the best view I had seen so far? Well that was before we went to the Royal Observatory. This is where the Prime Meridian line is so we went to find that. Thankfully the line was at the top of a giant hill so we got our work-out on while walking. The walk was worth it for the view we got. Looking at the skyline with the sunsetting behind it was when it had sunk in: I was in love.... with a city. I know, it's only been one month but one thing led to another and I had fallen in love fast.

How can you not fall in love with a view like this?

Prime Meridian! I'm in two places at once!

Ok back to reality, this month had gone by so fast! I know I still have four months here but I am not ready to leave! My dad is thankful the plane ticket home is already booked because he isn't sure I would come home. Honestly, I'm not sure I would either! This city has given me so many friendships, opportunities and adventures that I could not get anywhere else! Whenever anyone brings up leaving we all just tune out that person because none of us are ready to think about that quite yet.







We left the observatory at a horrible time. We took the DLR to a stop where we could get on the Jubilee Line to get back to Waterloo. We happened to leave right when everyone was going home. I have never seen a tube station so full! We had to wait for about two tubes to go through before there was finally one that could fit all five of us! But we made it to Waterloo and from there Kara and I parted ways with everyone else and took a train to Surbiton. We quickly ran to get to our train because it was supposed to leave any minute. We jumped onto the first cart that looked like it had room and then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked over and there was Peter, my host-dad! He told me sometimes he likes a change of scenery when he works and decided to go out today (he works at home usually). When I told him what we did today he said I have probably seen more of London than he has. That's so weird to me because there is still so much to see here!