Mind the Gap Please

Finally I've reached the beginning.

I somehow made it through the entire flight to London without using the bathroom. well, except when we were about to land.. after I realized my toes were swollen and needed some circuluation. My friend Lauren and I arrived safely in Heathrow and were greeted by an adorable bittish family. Jeff (Dad) Harry (13, son) and Kittie (9, daughter). The kids were hanging over the gates with signs which read "Jaime and Lauren :)" it was the warmest welcome I've received.

Lauren and I have been staying at her grandparents home in Sawbridgeworth, Herfordshire, England. Iris (grandma) is a bit deaf and drunk so she forgets things often and always repeats herself. usually it's about food, and when she's asks me 5 times if I'd like more tea or meat and potatoes I just have to keep smiling and say "I'm fine thanks, really." Ronald (grandpa) collects shaving mugs and every other collectable you may find.

English folk refer to the sidewalk as the pathway, and speed bumps as silent policemen. being drunk is called on the lash, and they really do say brilliant and rubbish. I guess some english gents don't care for the american accent. the other night Lauren and I stopped in the King William IV pub in Sawbridgeworth to have some tea to warm up and sat next to a table of about 8 young men. pretty soon after Lauren and I began talking about English currency we heard.. "stupid americans" and then "they're really trying to ruin our ears aren't they" we left amused, and realized jerks exist in most places.

English football is quite the religion. Lauren and I watched an Aresenal vs. West Ham united football match the other night at the King William and were surrounded by opinionated fans of all shapes and sizes. mostly middle aged men, who i unfortunately kept making awkward unintentional eye contact with. we left and danced to some live folk music at another pub in town.

London, the city of public transportation. I've spent the past 2 days there exploring the city by foot, train, tube, and bus. When I got off the train at Liverpool St. I stould there for about 5 minutes just looking around the train station in complete awe. I was mostly taken aback by the mass amounts of people, and sheer chaos of London. everyone wears trench coats, is or either looks important, and is off to a business meeting or power hour at a pub. wherever anyone maybe going, they do so with great haste.

I was approached in Cambden Market in London by a man who said, "why are americans so loud?" i'm sure he thought to say this after i let out my typical outburst of laughter, i wasn't embarressed though. i'm quite proud of being a loud american, despite that i'm only feeding the stereotype.

I called my friend Christine to find our way to recommended pub. We traveled for the following hours by tube, bus, and foot to an unknown location along the river Thames. Oldy enough it was worth the adventure because we saw the river at night, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and snowfall.

And then, I was hit by an embarressing moment. We hopped the bus across the bridge and of course i couldn't find my boarding pass. the driver shut the doors and i was left standing there rummaging through my purse for my stupid pass. i went to sit down to find it, and he yelled out some noise to direct me to go back and show him my pass when i found it. i was on his bad side at this point.
"Next stop Wesminster" although in my tired mind's state i heard "This stop Westminster" and so i pulled on Lauren's coat to exit the bus. I walked to the front (which was the wrong door to exit anyways) and saw the words "Pull on handle to open door" so.. being the literate the person i am i pulled on the door handle. but it didn't open, so i pulled on it harder. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!" the driver yelled behind me, and i turned around in dimsay thinking that i was getting off the bus of course. "DO YOU SEE A BUS STOP THERE?!!" I said.. "no" which was then followed by "DO YOU NOT HAVE BUSES WHERE YOU COME FROM!? WHERE ARE YOU FROM?!" i refused to answer and reaffirm the stereotpye of american women. although i was completely guilty of a blonde moment. i was so sure we had stopped at a bus stop, which really was just a stop light.

Next embarressing event. Fortunately this was not one I caused but was able to witness. At the next wrong tube exit we got off at, we were passed by a man dressed in his finest business attire. I'm not sure how this man even got on the tube in the first place because he was stumbling over himself at each step. Lauren and I just stopped and watched him with worry and anticipation for what was to come - a belly flop onto the moving escalator without any attempt of picking himself up. we didn't know whether to laugh or press the emergency stop button. at the last moment he was in our sight he managed to pick his limp body off the steps, but i'm sure he was left with escalator track marks on his face.

Last night it snowed cotton balls. the biggest snowflakes i've ever seen fell from the sky and covered nearly all of the UK. I guess England doesn't get that much snow, so this was a near blizzard that struck them. All of the roads, trains, and flights were either closed or postponed due to the traffic delays and ice conditions. I'm here during a record breaking winter, perfect preparation for the cold I'm about to endure in Scotland where it's -20 degrees celsius.

I leave for Scotland on Friday the 8th. I'm excited but also sad about leaving the warmnth of this cozy home where there's an endless tea and cookie supply.

The end of my time in England is near, and the start of my life in Scotland is just to begin. I bought some wool socks and a russian fur hat soo... Scotland, I'm ready for yee!! :)