First of all, I will say that I was very excited to go to London for the first time. For very ridiculous reasons. I love history (especially Medieval stuff), Hugh Grant (Love Actually and About a Boy are two of my absolute favorite movies, ever), fish and chips, Prince William (don't act like you're immune to his beauty), and when people with British accents use words like "trainers" and "rubbish." I'll completely understand if you immediately stop reading this post due to my lack of dignity.
So, I went to London for a few days. My good friend Jamie, who I met in Tulsa as an intern many moons ago, called me the week before I left Portland and said she would be in London for work the week after we moved to Oslo. Found a $95 roundtrip (excellent) and I was there. She had to work during the day, so I rolled solo during the days. Then we had dinner together both nights and chatted it up. It was, as always, fabulous to see her.
The first day I went to the Palace, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.
Pretty fall tree in the Princess Diana memorial in Hyde Park.
Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. Ken claimed he spent a summer trying to find this statue. It was clearly marked on a map, and I found it in approx five minutes...?
Jamie gave me the brilliant idea to go to Stonehenge on the second day. So I hopped on a train to Salisbury (lovely little town), then a bus out to Stonehenge. It was a beautiful train and bus ride, and Stonehenge itself was cool. I also had a huge brick of the best shortbread I've ever had in my life there.
It was pouring down rain, and really windy. So I documented the way I really saw Stonehenge: from under a cute umbrella that kept wanting to turn itself inside out in the wind.
Risking the life of my precious camera for a sans umbrella shot. She made it.
Taken by some nice fellow Stonehenge patrons.
Had to catch my flight the final day, but I made it to the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London before rolling out. Good stuff.
Let's just say my trip ended with fish and chips for lunch, then asking the British security guy at the airport if I needed to take off my shoes since no one else was taking off their shoes. To which he replied "Oh. You've got trainers. No need."
Thank you, London. And Jamie.
