11pm London Time

I'm sitting in the Easy Internet Cafe here in London. We just finished watching our last show, Thoroughly Modern Millie. It was very cool, what I saw of it. I don't know what came over me, but I just faded in and out through a great deal of it, in spite of the fact that I ate Bailey's Irish Cream Hagen Daz ice cream during intermission (I love that they sell ice cream during theater intermissions here!), courtesy of my friend, Laura, who is cool.

Really, I think that lovely music just put me to sleep! I used to listen to big band music while studying late at night, and I always fell asleep doing that, so I think I trained my brain to associate that kind of music with sleep!

Oh, well. I'll have to see it again sometime!

I needed to talk to Joe to tell him to call me earlier than he'd planned in the morning, because I have to be out of my hotel room by 7am! Luckily, I found him on ICQ and we got to talk briefly, which was great. I've been feeling homesick today, so it's a good thing we're heading back tomorrow!

Today was a fairly easy-going day. Laura and I went to Whitehall and watched the changing of the horse guard ceremony. When we couldn't find it at first, we asked a cop, and as he gave us directions, a woman from Chicago overheard us. We talked to her, and she and I have the same Eyewitness London book! Joe got me mine, and it has come in handy so many times! I love it. She and I talked about how great it was, and during the actual horse guard ceremony, we talked to her, mostly wondering if that was the end or not! They did a little more, though, and the whole thing was really very, very cool.

Before that, as Laura took a picture of me next to the horse guard, the horse began munching on my jacket! It was so funny!! I patted the horse's neck and all of a sudden, I couldn't wait to contact my teacher friend back home about riding with her soon. I love horses!

Then Laura and I went to the Australian High Commerce building and took pictures (soon to come), because that is the building they use in the Harry Potter films as Gringott's bank! I also got a picture of King's Cross Station, even though it was only a tube station and not the train station. Close enough!

Then we headed to Covent Gardens, which are actually stores and not gardens. But we sat in a pub and ate fish and chips for lunch. I had a glass of white wine, because the only appealing sounding soda was Pepsi and I can't have caffeine. I could have had beer, but beer makes me tipsier faster than wine, so wine it was, and by golly, it was delicious!!

We also browsed the bookstore and found some cool books, such as How to Chat Up Babes and How to Chat Up Blokes. Also, there was Americans for Xenophobes, which was kind of amusing. A whole book explaining Americans! Interesting stuff!

Afterwards, we went to McDonald's to buy the newest toy, Little Miss Sunshine (more on that another time!), and then headed back to the hotel. Laura packed a little, then I packed a little, and we kept each other company in each other's rooms while we did so. I will miss my little Hobbit Hole. You'll see what I mean when I upload the backdated entries!

Speaking of which, the Jornada has been perfect! I type entries on it at night, when I have time, or when I'm not drunk. Consequently, I'm only caught up through New Year's Eve. I still have a few more days' entries to write! I will probably do so tonight or tomorrow, while it's still fresh in my head. At least I got several of the days' entries written already!

It's been really fun being here in London. What a great city! And I had an excellent last day here. I am ready to go home, though. I miss Joe and the kitties so, so much. I will post more London entries when I get home. Best wishes to everyone!!

Love,
Meg