Day two of class improved a bit on the first. I think I have a better sense of what Prof. Murin wants out of us in terms of the paper, but day to day classes are still a bit rough. He fishes for answers, specific ones, and class can absolutely stop until we can read his mind well enough to move on.
After class, a handful of us schlepped over a few blocks in the rain to a Pub called The Lamb. It was a very quaint place with lots of brass railings and hard wood panels. The people were very nice, and actually interacted with us (just a hair) which was more than I can say for many of our other experiences. The pints were tasty and the atmosphere was great. The Food on the other hand, was out of control expensive. Fish and Chips were 9 pounds, and there are very very few types of fish I would pay 18$ to eat breaded and deep-fried.
We headed back to the Tube when Blake spied a Krispy Kreme. Four of us decided to split a dozen, which made for a really nice and reasonably inexpensive bite to eat.
We took the train to Picadilly Circus and walked to Trafalger square from there to see the National Gallery. My better judgement was to go back to Chelsea and work, but as my roommate pointed out, never have I been glad I skipped doing something to read, but I’ve certainly been glad to skip reading and do something.
The Gallery was very cool and the paintings were, of course, incredible. The layout of the exhibits made it difficult to move through the space and feel like you saw everything. Also, it made it really easy to get lost. We couldn’t even keep 6 of us together and had to send out search parties by the end to make sure we didn’t leave anyone in the halls. I felt like I saw most of what I wanted to see, but we’re coming back as a class, so no one was too worried about the things we missed.
Once back in Chelsea, I set to work, but was having a lot of trouble staying awake, so I napped. Normally, I have trouble falling asleep when I know I’m going to wake up soon anyway, but this time I was dead. I didn’t so much as move after I slid under the covers, so I’m glad I decided to sleep.
Arsenal’s second Champions’ League game was this evening, and it was the first full game I could watch. They certainly didn’t disappoint. They crushed FC Porto 4-0 and generally dominated the match, it was a really fun game to watch in the lounge with people coming in and out to see what was up.
Most of the rest of the evening was spent in anxious anticipation of the Twins game, which I’m currently suffering through. Nick Blackburn pitched the game of his life, which is all you can ask for. We’ll see how it ends, but I really hope it doesn’t go too deep into extras. I gotta sleep at some point!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Day 5: Fourth Year's official beginning
Getting out of bed this morning was much harder than previous mornings, probably because I needed to be up earlier than before. Also, I think, because I wasn’t looking forward to anything in particular; today was, by and large, about logistics.
We needed to be in Bloomsbury at 10:45, but I lacked a good sense of how long it would take to get there, so I was a little edgy already. Ryan and I both woke up late, and neither of us was exactly in a hurry to shed the covers and start the day. By 9:30 I was antsy to leave, 9:45 found me in the lobby pondering if I’d be a huge jackass for leaving everyone else and just going on my own.
We left 9 min later, 9:54, and headed down to the tube station (10 min), took the Tube to the center (20 min) and walked to IES (6 min). Needless to say, we were there with time to spare, and I’ve got a good sense of how long it takes, but I’ve been edgy all day because of the way things started.
We headed to the Senate House Library, our ad hoc Regenstein for the rest of the quarter. A rather long introduction ended with a long queue to get our library cards. Because of the long line, a lot of people just went to get lunch, or were still in line when I finished. Lunch on my own was the order of the day, but it wasn’t a bad deal at all. Tesco provided a sandwich wrap, drink, chips and candy bar for under 5 pounds, which was a solid deal. I ate in the sunshine of a local park backed against the trunk of a rather large Oak tree, it was all very pleasant.
I was one of the only people in the class who had taken a seminar before, so I felt bad for everyone who hadn’t. I remember my first three-hour classes seemed interminable (now I quite like them, which works well in this program) Mentally, you’ve just got to plan for the break and resist watching the clock at all costs.
Had this been a class of my choice, I would have dropped it straight away, literally before the first class had ended. Michael Murin read his introduction, which is always a bad sign. Once he got going, he was really quite pleasant and I like him just fine. He seems knowledgeable and pretty concerned with the students, which is a huge plus.
The downside is that I don’t know how to learn some of this material. Today’s lecture was three hours of material that wouldn’t be totally out of place in a poli sci lecture, but it’d be material that you’d file away for later; not actually useful on its own. Tomorrow may well provide a better sense of what we should be making notes of, but for now, I’m a little turned around.
Once we got back to Chelsea, Tom and I decided to explore the American* bar near by. The bar tender said the Sox-Tigers game would be on later that evening, so we left and came back. What we missed however, was the fact that there was a rain delay. So, we sat and waited for over an hour hoping that the game would be on soon.
*This bar reminds me SO much of America Town, the bar the Simpsons visit when they go to Japan, its almost scary. They have a HUGE bbq platter tastefully named The Chicago Board of Trade. No Lie.
We decided to head back to the dorm to watch the gamecast and work, which is how the evening has gone ever since.
I may lead a small group up to Arsenal tomorrow to see if we can get cheap tickets to the CL match, but unless we can find tickets for 25 or less, I doubt people will be interested.
We needed to be in Bloomsbury at 10:45, but I lacked a good sense of how long it would take to get there, so I was a little edgy already. Ryan and I both woke up late, and neither of us was exactly in a hurry to shed the covers and start the day. By 9:30 I was antsy to leave, 9:45 found me in the lobby pondering if I’d be a huge jackass for leaving everyone else and just going on my own.
We left 9 min later, 9:54, and headed down to the tube station (10 min), took the Tube to the center (20 min) and walked to IES (6 min). Needless to say, we were there with time to spare, and I’ve got a good sense of how long it takes, but I’ve been edgy all day because of the way things started.
We headed to the Senate House Library, our ad hoc Regenstein for the rest of the quarter. A rather long introduction ended with a long queue to get our library cards. Because of the long line, a lot of people just went to get lunch, or were still in line when I finished. Lunch on my own was the order of the day, but it wasn’t a bad deal at all. Tesco provided a sandwich wrap, drink, chips and candy bar for under 5 pounds, which was a solid deal. I ate in the sunshine of a local park backed against the trunk of a rather large Oak tree, it was all very pleasant.
I was one of the only people in the class who had taken a seminar before, so I felt bad for everyone who hadn’t. I remember my first three-hour classes seemed interminable (now I quite like them, which works well in this program) Mentally, you’ve just got to plan for the break and resist watching the clock at all costs.
Had this been a class of my choice, I would have dropped it straight away, literally before the first class had ended. Michael Murin read his introduction, which is always a bad sign. Once he got going, he was really quite pleasant and I like him just fine. He seems knowledgeable and pretty concerned with the students, which is a huge plus.
The downside is that I don’t know how to learn some of this material. Today’s lecture was three hours of material that wouldn’t be totally out of place in a poli sci lecture, but it’d be material that you’d file away for later; not actually useful on its own. Tomorrow may well provide a better sense of what we should be making notes of, but for now, I’m a little turned around.
Once we got back to Chelsea, Tom and I decided to explore the American* bar near by. The bar tender said the Sox-Tigers game would be on later that evening, so we left and came back. What we missed however, was the fact that there was a rain delay. So, we sat and waited for over an hour hoping that the game would be on soon.
*This bar reminds me SO much of America Town, the bar the Simpsons visit when they go to Japan, its almost scary. They have a HUGE bbq platter tastefully named The Chicago Board of Trade. No Lie.
We decided to head back to the dorm to watch the gamecast and work, which is how the evening has gone ever since.
I may lead a small group up to Arsenal tomorrow to see if we can get cheap tickets to the CL match, but unless we can find tickets for 25 or less, I doubt people will be interested.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Day 4: Lazy Sunday
Another last night and nothing to do all day made sleeping in an easy choice. The day began in earnest at noon, however, when Blake told us that people were heading down to Picadilly Circus to Lillywhites.
We headed to the Tube station and I was headed into que, I noticed a familiar head. Fellow Moteter Christine Buras is spending the year at King’s College – London and was more than surprised to here “STEEN” yelled in a Chelsea train station. She was glad to see a few of us, whom she recognized, and we chatted for a while before running off to catch the train.
Once downtown, we headed to Lillywhites, a HUGE sports store in Picadilly Circus, to get a football (a real football, not an American one). They had more than enough to choose from and we were soon on our way to St. James’ park where we intended to try out our new purchase.
St. James’ Park is HUGE with a lake in the center and loads of green space all around it. We picked a corner with some fences around it, and began to kick the ball around. Shortly, we were joined by a friendly guy who I think might have been Kenyan, but I’m not sure. We think his name is Ahmad, but no one is really sure. Another player made for a great 2-2-2 World Cup with me in net (fence).
The game was great, we played for well over an hour and most of us were exhausted by the end. Nearly lost the ball a few times, but friendly strangers helped us out, which is always refreshing to see.
We left St. James’ park and headed to find some food and water, but between us and our destination was an ice cream truck. A few of us got popsicles, which were wonderful. I felt like a young kid leaving a fall soccer game with my orange Popsicle as we headed pub-wards.
We grabbed water and food at The Devonshire arms, which was great. Apparently, roast beef is a very common Sunday food, so I ordered that and wasn’t disappointed at all. We had a top room to ourselves, which was nice, and made for a great lunch.
We headed home via Tube and I spent the evening reading for tomorrow and keeping tabs on the Twins, White Sox, and various football games. I’ve never been so thankful for Day games!
We headed to the Tube station and I was headed into que, I noticed a familiar head. Fellow Moteter Christine Buras is spending the year at King’s College – London and was more than surprised to here “STEEN” yelled in a Chelsea train station. She was glad to see a few of us, whom she recognized, and we chatted for a while before running off to catch the train.
Once downtown, we headed to Lillywhites, a HUGE sports store in Picadilly Circus, to get a football (a real football, not an American one). They had more than enough to choose from and we were soon on our way to St. James’ park where we intended to try out our new purchase.
St. James’ Park is HUGE with a lake in the center and loads of green space all around it. We picked a corner with some fences around it, and began to kick the ball around. Shortly, we were joined by a friendly guy who I think might have been Kenyan, but I’m not sure. We think his name is Ahmad, but no one is really sure. Another player made for a great 2-2-2 World Cup with me in net (fence).
The game was great, we played for well over an hour and most of us were exhausted by the end. Nearly lost the ball a few times, but friendly strangers helped us out, which is always refreshing to see.
We left St. James’ park and headed to find some food and water, but between us and our destination was an ice cream truck. A few of us got popsicles, which were wonderful. I felt like a young kid leaving a fall soccer game with my orange Popsicle as we headed pub-wards.
We grabbed water and food at The Devonshire arms, which was great. Apparently, roast beef is a very common Sunday food, so I ordered that and wasn’t disappointed at all. We had a top room to ourselves, which was nice, and made for a great lunch.
We headed home via Tube and I spent the evening reading for tomorrow and keeping tabs on the Twins, White Sox, and various football games. I’ve never been so thankful for Day games!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Day 3: A little history in situ
After a late night of watching the debates on a touch and go internet connection, Ryan and I slept in until midmorning. We met the rest of the group at a little before one to hit the Tube for our afternoon plans.
The Tube is a marvelous transit system that I’m sure I will grow to hate by the time I’m heading home (such is the way of all transit systems, I’m afraid) but for now, I’m in awe. Its fast, clean, comfortable, and it absolutely gets you where you need to go without much work.
We hopped off in The City and headed towards the Millennium Bridge, which is one of the nicest pedestrian only bridges I’ve ever seen. The bridge is perpetually crowded with people, but feels as solid as can be, and the views are beautiful.
We arrived at the Globe Theater just a few minutes before Timon of Athens began. We were standing in the Yard for the entire show, which was tiring, but well worth it. I posted pictures of the stage on Picasa, so you can see what I mean, but the work the extras did with the cargo nets above the stage was incredible. There was always something going on above the stage or in the crowd, the actors regularly played directly to one person or crowd of people in the Yard as they used the whole theater to tell their story.
I was worried that watching a Shakespeare play I’d never read would make it difficult to follow, but the actors did so well that almost no one I spoke with had any trouble at all. I loved the show, the staging made it even better and the atmosphere sealed the deal. It was simply incredible.
After the show, the group separated as some people went to the Tate Modern and some went to lunch. I got caught between the two and suddenly found myself very alone in the Globe. I had no idea where anyone was, or if people were still planning to go to the museum, but lacking a better idea than that, I headed Tate-ward.
Figuring the museum people would be hungry too, and remembering a previous email about coffee after the show, I headed to the café, where about 20 U of C students were waiting patiently for their table. I wasn’t too worried about being able to get back on my own, but I was less than stoked about traipsing around a pretty unfamiliar city all by my lonesome.
The Tate was a little underwhelming. Some of the stuff was very very cool (Soviet propaganda room, museum housed in a former power station) but a lot of it was just a little too far out for my taste,
As the group peeled off, about 9 of us decided to head to Fleet Street in search of dinner and possibly a pint. Shockingly, almost everywhere we went was closed. 7pm on a Saturday isn’t exactly an hour you’d think getting food would be an issue.
Nevertheless, we found a WONDERFUL pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street which is about as good a pub as we’ll likely find. It was built in 1676, is known to have housed Charles Dickens, Dr. Johnson, and a number of other really famous authors, and it was cheap. Pints were between 1 and 3 pounds instead of between 3 and 4, and both the cider and the lager were very solid. The Chips were very good as well, but there was a solid menu beyond that. We’ll certainly be back.
We took the tube home, headed into the kitchen for a small bite of food and just to hang out. We met Paulo, the new IES student, and hung around with him for a while. He’s a nice guy, so that was fun.
Ryan and I concluded the evening by watching the single most ridiculous show on TV. Quiz Call is a show, where by they give a category (Movies beginning with R) and then people call in and guess. But it gets much worse. Each call costs 75p, whether you get through or not, and they take maybe as many calls as minutes on the clock (3-5) out of the 200-400 callers each minute. No lie.
On the insane off chance you get through, they let you guess and tell you if you’re right or wrong. People guessed Rainman no less than 10 times in the time we watched, if it was wrong before ITS STILL WRONG! People guessed Rocky almost as often. Correct Answer (1 of 12): Rocky V. That’s right, the worst Rocky movie ever made. The show was hypnotically bad, but the best part were people like Sharon from Cardiff. Sharon got through not just once, but TWICE. Rare of Rare. Given twice the chance to win 30k pounds, Sharon yelled “Righteous to Kill!”
Problem: That’s not actually a movie. Righteous Kill is a movie, but still wrong. Even better, when she got through a second time, she yelled the exact same thing. Simply incredible.
Tomorrow is an off day, so we’ll see what all transpires before classes on Monday!
The Tube is a marvelous transit system that I’m sure I will grow to hate by the time I’m heading home (such is the way of all transit systems, I’m afraid) but for now, I’m in awe. Its fast, clean, comfortable, and it absolutely gets you where you need to go without much work.
We hopped off in The City and headed towards the Millennium Bridge, which is one of the nicest pedestrian only bridges I’ve ever seen. The bridge is perpetually crowded with people, but feels as solid as can be, and the views are beautiful.
We arrived at the Globe Theater just a few minutes before Timon of Athens began. We were standing in the Yard for the entire show, which was tiring, but well worth it. I posted pictures of the stage on Picasa, so you can see what I mean, but the work the extras did with the cargo nets above the stage was incredible. There was always something going on above the stage or in the crowd, the actors regularly played directly to one person or crowd of people in the Yard as they used the whole theater to tell their story.
I was worried that watching a Shakespeare play I’d never read would make it difficult to follow, but the actors did so well that almost no one I spoke with had any trouble at all. I loved the show, the staging made it even better and the atmosphere sealed the deal. It was simply incredible.
After the show, the group separated as some people went to the Tate Modern and some went to lunch. I got caught between the two and suddenly found myself very alone in the Globe. I had no idea where anyone was, or if people were still planning to go to the museum, but lacking a better idea than that, I headed Tate-ward.
Figuring the museum people would be hungry too, and remembering a previous email about coffee after the show, I headed to the café, where about 20 U of C students were waiting patiently for their table. I wasn’t too worried about being able to get back on my own, but I was less than stoked about traipsing around a pretty unfamiliar city all by my lonesome.
The Tate was a little underwhelming. Some of the stuff was very very cool (Soviet propaganda room, museum housed in a former power station) but a lot of it was just a little too far out for my taste,
As the group peeled off, about 9 of us decided to head to Fleet Street in search of dinner and possibly a pint. Shockingly, almost everywhere we went was closed. 7pm on a Saturday isn’t exactly an hour you’d think getting food would be an issue.
Nevertheless, we found a WONDERFUL pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street which is about as good a pub as we’ll likely find. It was built in 1676, is known to have housed Charles Dickens, Dr. Johnson, and a number of other really famous authors, and it was cheap. Pints were between 1 and 3 pounds instead of between 3 and 4, and both the cider and the lager were very solid. The Chips were very good as well, but there was a solid menu beyond that. We’ll certainly be back.
We took the tube home, headed into the kitchen for a small bite of food and just to hang out. We met Paulo, the new IES student, and hung around with him for a while. He’s a nice guy, so that was fun.
Ryan and I concluded the evening by watching the single most ridiculous show on TV. Quiz Call is a show, where by they give a category (Movies beginning with R) and then people call in and guess. But it gets much worse. Each call costs 75p, whether you get through or not, and they take maybe as many calls as minutes on the clock (3-5) out of the 200-400 callers each minute. No lie.
On the insane off chance you get through, they let you guess and tell you if you’re right or wrong. People guessed Rainman no less than 10 times in the time we watched, if it was wrong before ITS STILL WRONG! People guessed Rocky almost as often. Correct Answer (1 of 12): Rocky V. That’s right, the worst Rocky movie ever made. The show was hypnotically bad, but the best part were people like Sharon from Cardiff. Sharon got through not just once, but TWICE. Rare of Rare. Given twice the chance to win 30k pounds, Sharon yelled “Righteous to Kill!”
Problem: That’s not actually a movie. Righteous Kill is a movie, but still wrong. Even better, when she got through a second time, she yelled the exact same thing. Simply incredible.
Tomorrow is an off day, so we’ll see what all transpires before classes on Monday!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Day 2: Being Tourists
Day 2
Die hard that I am, I stayed up to watch as much of the Twins game last night. Yes, it started at 1:10 local time, but I was sure the Twins were going to reward my fandom with a stunning win.
The top of the fourth saw Kevin Slowey lose his perfect game and the Twins drop from up 1-0 to down 6-1. It was about 2:20 and I was wiped. Chalking this one up as lost, I finally hit the hay after 24 hours awake.
I was shocked to find the text from my dad telling me the Twins had pulled it off in 10 innings. I’ve hardly been able to hide the smile all day.
Today was orientation day. We were guided around a bit of Chelsea, mostly what we’d already found, but nice to know things like the grocery store, which seemed expensive, really was the pricy one to be avoided, and that there was a cheap one down the street.
We headed into the tube station to buy passes (EXPENSIVE!) and then jumped the Picadilly line to Holburn station, which is a few blocks from the IES center.
The Center is basically hidden in the neighborhood, not in the sense that it is hard to find, but in the sense that it looks just like every other building nearby. The building was built in 1699, which is kind of mind blowing.
I think it was 1699, it was pre-1776 for sure. Sitting in buildings older than the US is a strange feeling. Hard to imagine the context around the building in all its various ages.
After more rules and tips, we headed out to be proper tourists. We took a bus tour of The City and a few surrounding Burroughs and stopped for pictures at St. Paul’s and Westminster. Things I learned on the tour:
1) Sweeny Todd was based on a true story
2) St. Paul’s was THE target during the blitz, so in order to keep their symbol alive, parishioners took turns spending the night in the cathedral, strapping themselves to the very top and repelling down the dome to put out the fires started by firebombs. I have more respect for those people than I thought was possible.
3) British Security seems to go in waves of way too little and then a HUGE overreaction.
4) Our guide LOVED booze. Still, the Wine Museum may be worth the trip...
5) Socialism is great for tourists. Everything is free to me!
The tour ended at the British Museum for a whirlwind highlights tour. I felt a little cheated, honestly, but it is free (!) and just about 2 blocks from the IES center, so I’ll be back on my own time later.
We hit a pub afterwards, decent enough, still pricy for a pint though. I think we’ll do less and less of that as time goes on. Novelty has worn off a bit, and we’ve yet to find a great place.
After a bus ride home we decided to hit Tesoro for some cheaper dinner foodstuffs. Blake and I decided to split some raw hamburger and fries, which was decent, but lacked a little something.
I made the burgers and they weren’t too bad, especially given the equipment and lack of condiments. I felt really good about that, maybe I can cook afterall….
So, between the debates and the Twins game, I have ample reason to still be awake. Hopefully Obama will destroy McCain and this whole thing will become a foregone conclusion before the stress of the campaign and the playoff chase kills me!
Die hard that I am, I stayed up to watch as much of the Twins game last night. Yes, it started at 1:10 local time, but I was sure the Twins were going to reward my fandom with a stunning win.
The top of the fourth saw Kevin Slowey lose his perfect game and the Twins drop from up 1-0 to down 6-1. It was about 2:20 and I was wiped. Chalking this one up as lost, I finally hit the hay after 24 hours awake.
I was shocked to find the text from my dad telling me the Twins had pulled it off in 10 innings. I’ve hardly been able to hide the smile all day.
Today was orientation day. We were guided around a bit of Chelsea, mostly what we’d already found, but nice to know things like the grocery store, which seemed expensive, really was the pricy one to be avoided, and that there was a cheap one down the street.
We headed into the tube station to buy passes (EXPENSIVE!) and then jumped the Picadilly line to Holburn station, which is a few blocks from the IES center.
The Center is basically hidden in the neighborhood, not in the sense that it is hard to find, but in the sense that it looks just like every other building nearby. The building was built in 1699, which is kind of mind blowing.
I think it was 1699, it was pre-1776 for sure. Sitting in buildings older than the US is a strange feeling. Hard to imagine the context around the building in all its various ages.
After more rules and tips, we headed out to be proper tourists. We took a bus tour of The City and a few surrounding Burroughs and stopped for pictures at St. Paul’s and Westminster. Things I learned on the tour:
1) Sweeny Todd was based on a true story
2) St. Paul’s was THE target during the blitz, so in order to keep their symbol alive, parishioners took turns spending the night in the cathedral, strapping themselves to the very top and repelling down the dome to put out the fires started by firebombs. I have more respect for those people than I thought was possible.
3) British Security seems to go in waves of way too little and then a HUGE overreaction.
4) Our guide LOVED booze. Still, the Wine Museum may be worth the trip...
5) Socialism is great for tourists. Everything is free to me!
The tour ended at the British Museum for a whirlwind highlights tour. I felt a little cheated, honestly, but it is free (!) and just about 2 blocks from the IES center, so I’ll be back on my own time later.
We hit a pub afterwards, decent enough, still pricy for a pint though. I think we’ll do less and less of that as time goes on. Novelty has worn off a bit, and we’ve yet to find a great place.
After a bus ride home we decided to hit Tesoro for some cheaper dinner foodstuffs. Blake and I decided to split some raw hamburger and fries, which was decent, but lacked a little something.
I made the burgers and they weren’t too bad, especially given the equipment and lack of condiments. I felt really good about that, maybe I can cook afterall….
So, between the debates and the Twins game, I have ample reason to still be awake. Hopefully Obama will destroy McCain and this whole thing will become a foregone conclusion before the stress of the campaign and the playoff chase kills me!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Day 1: The Arrival
Day 1: Thursday 25 September 2008
Today began the great London Adventure! We took off about 10:15 CDT Wednesday night and, true to form, I slept about 45 min of the 7.5 hour flight. So, I’ve been awake for a very Scav-like 23.25 of the last 24 hours and although I’ve fallen asleep at my computer twice already, I’ve caught enough second winds to not feel too badly.
Side note: The Airbus A330 reminded me a lot of the ship from Wall-E. We were all watching our separate screens with games, movies, and maps. It was really quite a sight to see.
In the 6.75 hours I was awake, I did some reading, watched the latest Indiana Jones (Hilarious!), played a lot of bejeweled, and tried to drink as much water as they’d give me to stay hydrated. The 45 min I slept was when we went from “Not yet halfway” to “Over halfway there!” which made a huge difference in how long the flight felt.
We circled London for 25 min or so, and then taxied for another 10. I was really anxious to get off the plane and get going. Once I made it off the plane, I got the 5th degree from the border control people about EXACTLY how long I would be in Chelsea and WHY Id chosen to come to London. Seriously now, I’m an American. I’m not going to try to claim asylum, I can just move. We have those treaties in place.
Greg and I met up easily, after we both grabbed our bags. We were supposed to meet Andy there, but after about 5 min, we decided we’d make a go of it alone and if he was pissed, well, we’d buy him a beer for his troubles.
Dan: I feel badly, what if he really needs to meet up.
Greg: Then we will have to buy him 5 beers.
Turns out, he was just on the other side of Customs, and happy to meet up with us. Once we got to the dorm and settled in, the three of us collected Tom and my roommate Ryan and headed to the closest pub. It’s a decent place, good chips and decent beer selection. The four of us had a great time in the deserted pub and resolved that small groups were the way to go.
The rooms were purported to be small, but that doesn’t really cover it. Its about the size of a Max single (room, no foyer), only with two beds, two small desks, a bathroom and two small wardrobes. Our beds were bunked, but it is tight still. Needless to say, time will be spent in the Lounge, the kitchen, or elsewhere, instead of in our rooms.
We hit the grocery store (mmmm, whole wheat Cookie Crisp) and headed back to the dorm for a meeting. The meeting was largely useless, but we were warned about the frequent fire alarms! which seemed a little alarmist at the time. After the meeting, a few people wanted to grab some dinner, so we lead a trip back to the pub. The larger group was OK, but smaller is def. the way to go.
After returning to the dorm, I set to fixing my internet/power cables, which had wonked out on me and were making “unfriendly” noises.
Actually, the noises were similar to the sound a cat would make if you plugged HIM into the wall with the wrong voltage settings.
Finally got that all fixed and set to finding Twins highlights from last night. Just as I was starting to write up my 100th blog for bleacherreport, the aforementioned fire alarm went off. We waited the 15 seconds to see if it was a test, but sadly it wasn’t. The worst part about being on the 10th floor is the stairs. I ran them three times today, and my calves are lowing up a storm about it. Whiners.
All Unpacked now and getting ready to head for bed, unless I decide to try to leak the Twins game through this terrible internet connection, but I doubt I’ll be able to make it until 2 am local. Huge game for the Twins, but that’s another blog.
Today began the great London Adventure! We took off about 10:15 CDT Wednesday night and, true to form, I slept about 45 min of the 7.5 hour flight. So, I’ve been awake for a very Scav-like 23.25 of the last 24 hours and although I’ve fallen asleep at my computer twice already, I’ve caught enough second winds to not feel too badly.
Side note: The Airbus A330 reminded me a lot of the ship from Wall-E. We were all watching our separate screens with games, movies, and maps. It was really quite a sight to see.
In the 6.75 hours I was awake, I did some reading, watched the latest Indiana Jones (Hilarious!), played a lot of bejeweled, and tried to drink as much water as they’d give me to stay hydrated. The 45 min I slept was when we went from “Not yet halfway” to “Over halfway there!” which made a huge difference in how long the flight felt.
We circled London for 25 min or so, and then taxied for another 10. I was really anxious to get off the plane and get going. Once I made it off the plane, I got the 5th degree from the border control people about EXACTLY how long I would be in Chelsea and WHY Id chosen to come to London. Seriously now, I’m an American. I’m not going to try to claim asylum, I can just move. We have those treaties in place.
Greg and I met up easily, after we both grabbed our bags. We were supposed to meet Andy there, but after about 5 min, we decided we’d make a go of it alone and if he was pissed, well, we’d buy him a beer for his troubles.
Dan: I feel badly, what if he really needs to meet up.
Greg: Then we will have to buy him 5 beers.
Turns out, he was just on the other side of Customs, and happy to meet up with us. Once we got to the dorm and settled in, the three of us collected Tom and my roommate Ryan and headed to the closest pub. It’s a decent place, good chips and decent beer selection. The four of us had a great time in the deserted pub and resolved that small groups were the way to go.
The rooms were purported to be small, but that doesn’t really cover it. Its about the size of a Max single (room, no foyer), only with two beds, two small desks, a bathroom and two small wardrobes. Our beds were bunked, but it is tight still. Needless to say, time will be spent in the Lounge, the kitchen, or elsewhere, instead of in our rooms.
We hit the grocery store (mmmm, whole wheat Cookie Crisp) and headed back to the dorm for a meeting. The meeting was largely useless, but we were warned about the frequent fire alarms! which seemed a little alarmist at the time. After the meeting, a few people wanted to grab some dinner, so we lead a trip back to the pub. The larger group was OK, but smaller is def. the way to go.
After returning to the dorm, I set to fixing my internet/power cables, which had wonked out on me and were making “unfriendly” noises.
Actually, the noises were similar to the sound a cat would make if you plugged HIM into the wall with the wrong voltage settings.
Finally got that all fixed and set to finding Twins highlights from last night. Just as I was starting to write up my 100th blog for bleacherreport, the aforementioned fire alarm went off. We waited the 15 seconds to see if it was a test, but sadly it wasn’t. The worst part about being on the 10th floor is the stairs. I ran them three times today, and my calves are lowing up a storm about it. Whiners.
All Unpacked now and getting ready to head for bed, unless I decide to try to leak the Twins game through this terrible internet connection, but I doubt I’ll be able to make it until 2 am local. Huge game for the Twins, but that’s another blog.
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