Never Gonna Leave NOLA again

So, I've been back almost two days.  Apologies on not blogging.  I'm sure that those of you I hadn't already talked to assumed that I in fact made it home rather than dying trapped in Newark (a real possibility for a while there).  Apologies if I did in fact cause anyone any concerned (it was unintentionally done and I'm sure of short duration).

It's good to be back; will be better once I am able to sleep past 4 am (10 am London time).  But there is air-conditioning, preservatives, good food and warm showers, so a little sleep deprivation isn't too big a deal.  I've gotten rather used to it.

The trip was amazing, wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, but six weeks is a long time to be away from home.  And everything you know.  And your dog.  I'd say the traveling bug is out of my system for at least a year or so.  

It appears that my blog has come to the natural end of its life cycle; otherwise I will be one of those people constantly broadcasting all of their thoughts and emotions into the universe.  And I don't think anyone really wants that.

So, I leave you all.  I'll see all of you in the real world soon.  Thanks to those who tolerated my incessant whining about bad weather, unremarkable food, and basic cultural differences.

Cheers!

Why Am I Not Home Yet?

We are entering hour 18 of traveling.  I'm in Newark (have been for the last 6 hours).  Naturally, I could not sleep on the plane.  I don't actually look like death warmed over, which is fairly shocking (or perhaps the exhaustion has affected my perception? unclear).

In 5 hours, I'll be home!  Yay, New Orleans!

Goodbye, London, United Kingdom, and Europe!

So I get on a plane in 13 hours, so this'll be my last post until I'm stateside. Yay for seeing all of y'all again! And talking to someone who's not Colby! (I couldn't pick a better person to hang out exclusively with for 11 straight days, but right now my accent is somewhere between Louisiana, Irish, and Texas).

The past two days in London have basically been us looking at each other going, "Is there anything else we need to do here?" The answer has always been "No," we were here for two weeks, so everything on our respective lists have been checked off.

If you have to stay at a hostel in London, I'd recommend St. Paul's. They serve a real breakfast (read: not cornflakes and toast) and the accomodations are fairly comfortable. We ended up in a dorm with 4 German girls, so I feel like I've probably learned a bunch of German just by diffusion.

So, anyways, see you in the States! Cheers!

Back in the (Cold and Uncomfortable) Embrace of London

We're back in London!  We missed it (against our better judgment).

We've developed a (somewhat labored) analogy for the cities we've visited: London is the abusive boyfriend, but he cuddles with you afterward, so you put up with it; Edinburgh is the boy who calls you fifteen times a day and always wants to talk about feelings; Belfast is the boy who used to return your calls, but now that he's gotten out of prison, he's uninterested; and Dublin is a one-night stand that leaves the napkin with your number on it on the bedside table as he goes.  

This will make sense to anyone who has visited all those cities in a week (read: Colby).

So, yeah, little to report.  Good to be out of Dublin; nice city but we were there WAY too long (interesting tidbit: we met girls in our hostel who were planning on staying there ten days, we're assuming they'll die of boredom on Day 6).  We have spent literally the entire day traveling.  Like, five hours in an airport all day.  I never wanna be in one of those again.  Yay, Tuesday!  Boo hiss, Continental/American Express/whatever demented clown messed up my flight.  Sorry, had to get that out of my system.

So, tomorrow is a packed day of doing everything I need to do before I leave and finishing up my souvenir buying.  Then, all planes all the time.

In 72 hours, I will be back in the States, getting fat on preservative-filled food and not walking more than 10 feet!  So excited!

Escape from Manfest 2008

In our hostel (Paddy's Palace, yes I picked it for the name), we're in a mixed dorm. Evidently, this means that you can go to sleep at an early hour (we've been travelling since you were in kindergarten, leave us alone) and wake up COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY MEN. Seriously, it's a 12 bed dorm and we're the only women in there. We woke up to a sea of naked backs and hairy legs. And they were all passed out drunk and sweating out Guinness. I'm considering sleeping on a park bench, just to escape the awkward. If we stay in that room too long, we might turn into boys (I don't wanna be a boy).

We got up this morning and headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral (it just seemed wrong to not go there). It's a gorgeous Gothic(ish?) building and the stained glass windows are amazing (and naturally, impossible to photograph). Once we long off here, we're probably gonna head off to the Trinity College Campus (provided the weather holds). We really could have done Dublin in two days, so we're kinda moving at a snail's pace.

Because I actually checked the news for the first time in forever: seriously, John Edwards? Seriously?

Perfect Pint of Guinness

So we went on the Guinness propaganda tour today. I have to say, after 2 hours of hearing how perfect Guinness is, I still don't like it. Though it is way better here than in the States (still bad, though).

Yesterday, we went to go pay homage to Mr. Wilde. His house was closed down, but his statue was still there, so we hung out around it and acting snarky. We also went in the National Gallery of Ireland and wandered around Temple Bar area.

Confession: we did the math and we've done four cities/countries in five days. We're exhausted. It's awful. Thank God we're spending three days here in Dublin, I don't think we could move again tomorrow.

In other news: the idiots who make these determinations have moved my flight back to the US (Freedom!) up 16 hours and left me with a 12 hour layover in NEWARK. This has such catastrophic potential. And, since I'm abroad (shocker), I can't get them on the phone to fix it. So, I'll have to fly out at midnight, start whining at anyone who'll listen to me in Newark to see if I can get my flight bumped up, and then basically seeing how the wind will take me. Stupid gas shortage!

On a happier note: we're probably off to the Dublin Writer's Museum (yes, we're geeks, don't judge us!) and then perhaps St. Patrick's Cathedral. We're taking Dublin at a kind of half speed, but that's all that's keeping us from collapsing.

Cheers!

Dublin!

We're here. We haven't seen or done anything yet, but we're here. In Ireland, you can't buy Dramamine, but you can buy some similar product called Kwellis which basically makes you feel drunk for 6-8 hours. But at least you don't get sick on the 3 hour bus ride.

Through either serendipidity or good planning (let's face it, it's the former), we got a hostel right next to the bus station, so we only had to walk a block with our heavy stuff, rather than 2 miles (uphill, barefoot, in snow). Dublin looks pretty, not as idyllic as Edinburgh (but then again, neither is a snow globe), but way less rough around the edges than Belfast. Also, there are other Americans here! Yay!

Will write back tomorrow when (hopefully) I'll have something interesting to say. We're probably going to spend part of the day stalking Oscar Wilde (we know he's dead, but really, why would that stop us?).

Belfast

Yay, Belfast! Crappy weather, boo!

Seeing the murals was great. We ended up doing a Black Cab Tour with a bunch of Belgian students (all Flemish, all the time) which then transitioned into an open back bus tour (have I mentioned that it is wet and freezing here? it is wet and freezing here). We got loads of pictures, one of the Belgian kids almost gave me a concussion and after 20 minutes of references to the Titanic (it was designed and built here, evidently Belfast is proud of this, despite the whole sinking thing), there was a spontaneous rendition of "My Heart Will Go On." Pretty fun.

We're thinking about going to see a play tonight. Between Belfast not being particularly tourist friendly (civil unrest? I'm unclear) and the weather being disgusting, we've probably seen about as much of Belfast as we want to/will on this trip.

Our hostel is essentially a guy (Arnie's) house. He's got two really cute Jack Russell Terriers (miss Toph!) and he seems to have started the hostel more from loneliness than from any desire for compensation. We're paying £11 a night (about 22 dollars a night).

Why Would Anyone Ever Leave Here?

Seriously, this might be the best place in the world. It's definitely the best place in Europe.

I'm at an Internet Cafe because if I need to use the computer, this makes me less wimpy for wanting/needing to sit down. This is what I'm telling myself. The constant travelling is beginning to get draining. Also, we kinda climbed a mountain today.

Mountain's a strong word, but we climbed a big hill to get a full view of Edinburgh. It was well worth it, but my feet were unhappy with this. We got lost walking (we've only been here 24 hours, don't judge us!) and seriously, THE FIRST PERSON who walked past us with our maps out stopped and asked us if we needed help. This place is perfect. I don't know why anyone would ever leave. You'd have to have some complex where you get frustrated when people are too nice to you.

So, after we climbed the mountain, we went to Hollyroodhouse Palace. It was really beautiful. I didn't feel the same reverence that everyone seemed to (although I've been here a month, I'm not assimilated enough to really find the Queen that big of a deal). Then we went to the Canongate Kirk. Then the Epic Search for the Birthplace of Harry Potter. We found it, but it wasn't quite worth the hour it took to find it (blasphemy, I know, but that was ridiculous).

You can barely go a block without running into a bagpipe player, but I'm getting used to it. Edinburgh is a fabulous town on any day, but during Fringe Festival, it's hard to imagine being anywhere else. It's almost like Mardi Gras without being pelted in the face by beads (I know what you're thinking, what would the point of that be?).

We ate haggis (peer pressure is the worst of all possible things). It was kinda like weird meat loaf, not particularly good, but not that bad if you could make yourself forget what you were eating. My sausage and mash and Colby's Steak and Guinness pie were infinitely better. We also tried whisky fudge (the guy at our hostel said we needed to). It wasn't terrible, but I can go the rest of my life without eating that again. For sure.

This time tomorrow, I'll be in Belfast! Very excited! Looking forward to being able to sleep someday (presumably, back in the States)!

No Drinking until Ireland

Yesterday, we had to leave Frances Gardiner House/Hell. Was not a particularly sad moment, mainly just irritating. Packing up and moving two blocks is a little bit ridiculous.

To celebrate our prison break, we had one last night at our neighborhood pub. It was pretty awesome. We drank too much, but it was a nice goodbye to our pub and its denizens. They'll miss us, I can tell. In the aftermath of our last night of pubbing, we've declared a moratorium on drinking until Ireland (Tuesday). It's necessary.

So, Clink is the worst of all possible hostels. Actually, that's wrong. It's not worse than the bottles of urine in Paris. But still, pretty bad. It's inexplicably depressing, the staff is awful, and breakfast was corn flakes (This is England!!! Where are my baked beans and sausage?!?!).

The trip was not terrible, four hours is a long time to be on a train, tired and cranky. We spent most of our time trying to understand the accents nearby and realizing that we were totally in trouble.

Edinburgh is amazing. It's absolutely gorgeous and the people are way nicer than Brits. We showed up in the middle of Fringe Fest, which made the walking to our hostel really kinda awful. We're in this renovated church hostel which is about as different from Clink as possible. I'm looking forward to spending some time here and a little bit unclear as to why I spent so much time in London (where they hate us).

Okay, I need to eat. Cheers!

This is What I Do

A further update and then an apology.

Tuesday:  Classes, then Colby and I went down to the Camden Market.  I like it a lot better with a lot less people there.  We each got some souvenirs and I imagine that, during my 2 days here before I go back to the States (or Freedom, as we've been trying to get that out of our system before we go to Belfast, lest we be shot) I will go back to the Market with my leftover money and buy everything.

Then we went to a theatre and saw Dark Knight.  Amazing.  I paid a small fortune for the tickets (London is expensive + dollar is worth crap).  Can't wait until being back in the States to see it again.  Just amazing.  Poor, dead Heath, but he really rocked that one.  

Then we found this random Thai place for dinner.  A moment for an observation: there's some bizarre British conspiracy about not wanting you to leave restaurants.  It's like they're needy or something.  You basically have to beg them for your check.  And then wait 20 more minutes.  It's awful.  One time, Colby and I just left the money on the table and bolted (we'd been there an hour, we were over it).  The waiter CHASED US DOWN IN THE STREET and was not embarrassed at all when we explained that yes, we had paid.  Well, anyway, it happened AGAIN at the Thai place.

Wednesday:  After classes, I went to the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.  I did each in about an hour, which is probably unfair, but really, there are only so many Fat Baby Jesus Sitting on the Virgin's Lap from the 13th century a person can take.  I spend some time in the Impressionist's section, but otherwise I just motored my way through it.  

Got back to get ready for our banquet at Middle Temple.  It was funny to see everyone dressed up, we looked like kids on Picture Day.  We all actually looked pretty nice, except for me and Colby, since her hair dryer had an unfortunate accident (different voltages killed it dead), so we had wet hair.  We need to have a funeral for it before we leave.

But yeah, Middle Temple is amazing.  So beautiful.  Totally worth putting heels on.  Ineffecto lasted for an hour, but less well before the speaker began.  I'd love to say I was surprised, but I wasn't.  I'm looking forward to talking to Griffin and complaining about this man.  Food was decent, speaker was somewhat boring, but not terrible.  There were evil little women who ran around filling up your wine glass every time you took a sip, so I had fun.  

After the dinner, we all went to a pub named George's (George, I found you!  In England!  What are you doing here?).  It was fun, the entire group of us had never really done anything together.  I (accidentally) got in this big debate that started with whether you can fault someone for being a cheater to Plato's allegory of the Cave (which someone misquoted) to how I need to go Africa.  I then found shallower conversations.  

Thursday: Both of my teachers wrapped everything up on Wednesday, so I got to sleep in!  Yay!  In my hot dorm!  Boo!  Thursday was basically just trying to find some place comfortable to study (which there is none) and trying to figure out how to study for these damn things.  Not the best of days, but there was good company interspersed with all the complaining (by me).

Friday:  EXAMS!!!! I feel like I've already written this entry (damn summer program and it's awful deja vu).  I then went on a fact finding mission to our hostel for tonight (used to be a police dorm, kinda awesome).  Then I went to a pub, to deal with the battling reception at a hostel for an hour.  Then about 14 of us went to dinner in Notting Hill (good food, awkward company).  Then 4 of us went exploring Soho, the Theatre District (in a futile attempt to stalk HIP, I kid, a little).  Then Young's for one last beer.  Then bed.

So, here I am.  I'm basically just dreading packing up.  And having to move 2 blocks for one night.  It's awful.  Oh well.

So, here's the apology: I'm about to no longer be on my (atrociously expensive but) prepaid wireless.  We have officially come to the point in the trip where I run around like an idiot, staying in places for 2-3 nights maximum.  My poor laptop will become needy due to disuse and will just be deadweight for the next 11 days.

So anticipate minimal updates, simply for the sake of economy.  I can't remember if hostels charge you for computer usage by word (though I think they might), but I'm fairly certain that between paying by the word and those awful British keyboards, I will be grumpy and of few words.  For this I am deeply sorry, Gentle Reader.  You deserve better of your blogger.

Okay, really, I'm gonna pack now.  Updates to follow!