Cheerio, London!

Day two in London did not start out well. First, I about got us lost on the tube trying to find the Victoria coach station for our Stonehenge tour. Who knew there were two Victorias on the map?! We finally switched lines and found our destination, only to be told our tour had been canceled! I didn't quite hear the apologies from the lady, and was about to get real mad since it was my last day in London. She quickly offered to let us ride for free on the double decker tour bus around London, and then hop on the afternoon tour for Stonehenge. Lauren and I figured we had nothing to lose, and with lattes in hand, we boarded the vintage red bus. Our guide, Sheldon, was awesome and toured us through all of London's major landmarks. In three and a half hours, we saw Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, and drove down almost all the streets in London. We also got to cruise the River Thames and see Shakespeare's Globe, Cleopatra's Needle, the London Bridge, and the London Eye. It totally ended up being so amazing and I was glad our morning tour had been canceled. After our bus tour, we grabbed a quick lunch and boarded a small van headed for Stonehenge. During the hour and a half ride, we got in a quick nap and arrived well rested. Boy, it was cold at Stonehenge, but our furry hats kept us warm. The audio tour gave us an in depth history and unique perspective! Our evening ended with a trip to the theatre to see Dirty Dancing. The West End has to be one of my favorite areas in London because there are so many people out and about and it just feels alive and vibrant. Afterward we ate a late dinner at Maxwell's and recapped the days' events. I've definitely had two full days in London and can say I absolutely love this city! I'm about packed and ready to head to Stockholm tomorrow for the beginning of another adventure! But for now, Cheerio!

Whirlwind in London

My European adventure has been a whirlwind so far, starting with a 10-hour flight direct from Los Angeles to London. I was able to sleep for about five hours and was lucky to have an open seat next to me, so I had plenty of room. I met up with Lauren in the Heathrow Airport and we bought day passes for the tube (the London Underground), which took us directly to our hotel. The only problem was the two flights of stairs we had to schlepp our 50-pound bags up! I was laughing so hard that I thought I was going to topple backward. So far people have been nice, and a couple people even offered to help us with our luggage! We are staying at the Garden View Hotel in the Earl's Court area. After a quick shower and change of clothes to remove the travel stench, we hopped on the tube and headed to Notting Hill. I think I saw the street from the movie Love Actually (girls, you know what I'm talking about)!!! We meandered around the streets and ended up in Kensington in the heart of the shopping district. Eventually we made our way back on the tube and landed in Picadilly Circus, which reminded me a lot of Times Square in New York. There were bright lights and a lot of people, and taxis that speed up to hit you when you cross the street. Our hunt for fish and chips ended at St. James Tavern. A beer and food was just what we needed after 10 plus hours of traveling. Slightly buzzed and feeling gluttonous, we walked through Leicester Square, crossed a bridge over the Thames River, and bought tickets to ride the London Eye at night. Wow, it was beautiful to see the lights over London from 443 feet in the air. Tomorrow we have a tour to Stonehenge booked and want to see Buckingham Palace and Westminister Abbey. Here are just a couple photos from today.

 Riding the tube!

 Some random sculpture.

View from the top of the London Eye...you can see Big Ben!

Home Sweet Sodermalm

My home for the next three months is on the island of Sodermalm in Stockholm. A little geography lesson... Stockholm is located on Sweden's south-central east coast, where Lake Malaren meets the Baltic Sea. The central parts of the city consist of 14 islands that are continuous with Stockholm archipelago. The geographical city centre is situated on the water in the bay Riddarfjarden. My apartment is located on the western side of the island near a large park, Tantolunden. Apparently, the Sodermalm borough is the most populated borough in Stockholm and known as the artsy, bohemian area full of trendy shops, boutiques, and restaurants. I can't wait to discover my new home!