Day One from Melissa

Late last night, we flew out of Minneapolis, MN. We got dinner on the plane, which was okay, and free movies, which was really great! It was especially great when we found out they had Singing in the Rain.  We started our tiny TV monitors going at the same time, so we could laugh at the funny lines together.

Our dinner. It claimed to be tortellini, but I had my doubts. 

I worked on my coat long after the movie was finished, until well after midnight, Minneapolis time (whatever that is), clipping my threads and trying not to stab myself with the unpicker.  Then I thought I'd join Miriam in a few hours of sleep.

Ha.

I really didn't think it would be that hard!  I mean, I've slept in chairs before, with perfect success.  But for some reason, neither of us got much sleep, no matter how we twisted and turned.  I estimate we got four hours, on and off.

Breakfast on the flight helped wake us up.  I used the hot breakfast sandwich as a hot pack until it cooled down.  Not long after, we got our first sight of England!

I see why they say it's always rainy.  

We got to the airport and through customs with minimal delays.  They'd implemented some new procedures for people entering the country, so it was a bit slow.  We made it though, and claimed our luggage (I bent a fingernail backward) and then the hard part started.

That is, actually getting to the Center.

I was the only one in our group of three who had actually written down the verbal directions and the address, so we stumbled our way through ticket purchasing.  I had a bit of a row with the ticket machine.  We didn't like each other.

Long story short, we got on a train, transferred to another train, looked at our map and realized we were on the wrong one.  Gah!  So we got off at the next stop and waited what seemed like a lifetime for our actual train to come.

Once we got on the right train and off at the right stop, we consulted our map again and started down the street, trying to figure out their street signs.  They are very different.  I'll upload a picture of one when I have one.

I swear I will have blisters from dragging my bag down the sidewalk.  Not even kidding.

We found it!

This is us after we finally found our center.  That's it behind us.  Bad picture, I know.  Miriam has a better one.

Miriam and I share a room with around 12 other girls or so.  It's long and thin, with bunk beds and closets on both sides.  We each have a bunk across from each other

This is Miriam moving in

We settled in and had soup for dinner, and then Miriam and I took the first of nine required walks.  They have maps to help us, which is wonderful.  I like maps and knowing where I'm going.

These are pictures of places we walked by.  The whole town in this area is built like this.  It feels like a cross between a very short NYC, downtown Provo, and Salt Lake City.  I think it's the cigarette smoke. 

Grocery Store

Reminds me of #17 Cherry Tree Lane in Mary Poppins!

Cobblestone street

Look at all those chimneys!  Step in time, step in time...

One end of Portobello Road

Aaand - then we got lost again.  Well, not really.  We decided to walk through Kensington Park, only true to form, we went in the back way.  We ended up walking down a street of houses that reminded me of the Breakers, only older and shorter, but every bit as fancy.  There were signs saying No Photography - sorry.

So, we cut through the block on a little bicycle path, and went by a driveway with guards and policemen, and around the corner of another big old building with fences and finally found the park!

And then we realized that we'd just come up from behind and cut around the corner of none other than Kensington Palace itself.

Yup, backwards.

I can hear you laughing. 

We came around the side on the left of the picture.  This is from the front.

Queen Victoria. Well, her statue. 

Then it was getting dark and we were really, really tired, so we headed back. I'm going to be sore tomorrow, but it was so fun - once we'd finished being lost of course. 

That's it for now, folks!