I am back in London!
No problems with the flight, only a half hour delay and I was allowed to carry all my hand luggage after being thoroughly inspected by the airport security people. They checked inside my chapstick. No bombs there. Had an entertaining flight, with a prepubescent boy with undiagnosed behavioral problems making robot noises throughout oh, about 80% of the 6 hour flight. The teenage boy next to me was very polite and nice, and cracked me up as he hypothesized that perhapas George Bush uses a dart board with a map of the world to select where he will invade next. He didnt know I was American, and I didnt tell him, because my favorite anti-American outbursts are the ones unprovoked by my presence.
Anyway, I arrived home at midnight, and by noon the next day Nicola and I had already viewed 2 potential flats and were on our way up north for a camper van holiday. I had a nice time relaxing and catching up on some much needed sleep. I came down with a cold (which was brewing since the Gambia) and gave it to Nicola, who was hit much harder by it -- those crazy infectious tropical diseases!
On Wednesday I came back to London for Suzy and Alison's wedding reception in Islington. It was held in the top floor of a pub where I ate so much delicious food I could hardly shake my booty to Alison's dirty rap music. Oh, but I did. I did.
Thursday Nic and I went to Canary Wharf, the big financial district of London which is 10 minute walk from the flat, and did a little shopping and eating and more shopping. And by shopping I mean looking at clothes that I will want, wanting them, and getting pissy because I have no money. Compounded with the phlegmy grossness of our colds, we had a great time. Thursday night I went to my friend Marie-Claire's birthday party in her new flat, also in Islington. Very cool Soho loft-ish. Lots of windows and bookshelves and wine. Spent the night talking to a French guy who constantly referenced Sex and the City in conversation. And I understood everything.
Friday was my first day at work -- pretty uneventful activity-wise but a talk with my supervisor presented me with some major decisions to make about my future -- PhD or helping refugees? I dont know yet. Watch this space for glimpses into my internal debate and a possible mental breakdown.
This weekend was incredibly dull, filled with TV movies and Diet Coke and playing on my laptop (wireless internet @ the flat!). In the past a weekend like that would be standard but I only made it through one day before I went stir crazy and on Sunday I
*cleaned the entire flat
*did laundry
*went for a run
*made lunch for the rest of the week
*took a long walk around the neighborhood and discovered many little gems including several parks, a youth theatre, hairdressers, a grocery store, a library, and the menus for many chinese & indian takeouts.
Thats the scoop from over here. Now I am at work, eating my tupperware lunch, and listening to the rain pissing it down. I bloody love England.
Love, Megs
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