Family Reunion

Okay my memory is a bit hazy for this day, but I was leaving in two days to mainland Europe so I imagine I was brainstorming figuring out where I was staying, and what to leave behind, etc. In the evening I went to the pub with Anne and met up with a bunch of her co workers :) That was a lot of fun - we had dinner there too. I finally had fish n' chips while in the UK! We had some wine and chatted until it was time to go home.

We walked back and picked up some ginger ale on the way, and talked on the couch some more. This is when I was reminded that I still haven't seen my uncle Larry since I was here! Oh no!

I ended up calling him at 10:30 rather tipsy and got a hold of him!

We arranged to meet up the next day after he worked - just in time because I was leaving the next day...

so I set my alarm, got ready a little earlier, and slept off the alcohol successfully :)

He picked me up from the van and we went and found a nice pub with an outdoor section since it was so nice out :) I had not seen Larry in about 15 years so it was really cool to talk to him as an adult and catch up! I had not seen Anne for about that long too, so this whole time in London has really been long lost relative time.


Soon enough, he had to get on with things, so he dropped me back off at the school and I started the process of packing. I wanted to give my bag a thorough clean-out this time. Anne was also going to Vancouver on the 10th so I could leave a few small things to send home so lighten the load and save on postage!


I gathered my stuff and prepared for the Eurostar trip!!!!

Sunshine and Patios

This day started with breakfast in the sunshine in a backyard. I was relieved that I had a minimal hangover because of the burger from the night before :) It was such a beautiful day, but after chilling out for a while there, it was time to go back to Anne's... I wanted to change and such because I was going to check out Owen's band that night :)

This punk show was in Kingston, Surrey, a new part of the London area I hadn't been to yet! I was super surprised when I managed to find the place no problem at all! I made it in time to see Owen play, then there were several other bands on afterward! I ended up meeting a bunch of people, listening to music, you know... the stuff you do at a local type show in a bar. They were playing Devil's Rejects on the TV there, which was not something I was expecting!

Owen lived a loooooooooooooot closer to the bar than I did, so I got to get a ride back in the van... when I got in there was a little pullout chair all set up and ready!!! It was so cute!

In the morning I had breakfast with Owen and his family all together at the table... again so cute!! I got to sit outside in the garden too, and once again it was a very beautiful day :)

It was nice enough that we ended up going to Camden market. I had been there before, but it's a big area and I had lost my hair thing so I thought about getting it back... plus it's a nice place to walk around. Eventually we had to go, so off I went back to the house to get clean and fed.

The rest of my night was given to the computer trying to catch up on stuff!!

and now I have to think because that's where my notes end and I don't have any memory of things I did a few weeks ago offhand! Brainstorm time!!

Squats and Puppets Having Sex.

Well this was my decided day to get as much done as possible. I started by returning Kelly's key in this mysterious squat.

I, of course, got lost.



This was in yet another new part of town. Luckily, Kelly gave me the number of her neighbor. He came and met me and we walked back to the flats. This was interesting, because it was an entire 90+ flats squatted! The book I read when I left for this trip was about two girls investigating the squat scene in Europe... it was cool to finally see one in person.

I sat and had a cup of tea with Vobla (Finnish if I remember correctly) in his apartment thing. The key was returned easily - the apartment itself was nicer than expected! It was nice, but I had to go get the rest of my stuff done so after said tea I took off for the DLR.

Next on the list was delivering David's hoodie back, and look for my earring. Unfortunately my earring was not anywhere easy to find... but at least I got his sweater back! I hung out there for a few minutes and talked about Michael Jackson.

Soon enough I had to literally jet outta there, because I was going to a matinee at 5:30! I got there ten minutes before the show; just in time!



The show was a story unto it's own. There were songs like "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist", "The Internet is For Porn", etc. Puppets were indeed having sex on the stage (the actors were on stage too making the motions with their arms which made it even more funny!). It was hysterical!

Now for this next part I must digress and explain something. On one of my nights typing away on the internet I was talking to Chris, and he told me that one of his friends had moved to London. I had apparently partied briefly with the guy before too back in Vancouver. He connected us on Facebook, so after the Avenue Q show we met up to have some wine.

We went to this nifty wine place that still had a cellar type area with only candlelight. It was wayyyyyyy too hot to be inside though - we sat outside in the sun instead :) Turns out Steve was not only from Van; he's originally from Langley! What are the odds of meeting someone in London from Langley... craziness!

We ended up going to a real English pub afterward :) That was also good - this was followed by a giant greasy cheeseburger to combat the alcohol. Soon enough that made me tired and it was time to sleeeppzzz

British Museum and Salsa Dancing

This was the day my unlimited travel oyster thing ended. I walked all the way back to the restaurant Anne and I were at the night before in hopes that my hair thing would be there or on the street. No luck, so I walked down this street and found myself in a new area of town yet again.

This was close to a different tube station, so I bought some lunch, sat outside, went to the bank, and decided whether or not I wanted to go into town or not. Now that I had to pay for it, things were different.

I ended up deciding to go for it, so I found the museum no problem



















After this I walked around a little while. I was close to the "Avenue Q" theatre, and I wanted to see about tickets. I went on a bit of a chase to find it, but eventually I found the address and how much tickets were. Anne had seen it, plus Jayne and I had walked by it before and it looked hilarious! It was a play with rude muppets in it. How can you go wrong with that?!

Tonight was salsa dance class for Anne and her friend, and I was invited to join. I thought "hey that sounds like fun" and came down... it was! I got to practice the basic moves and re learn what Richard had taught me in San Francisco!

It was internet/bed time after this!

The next day was a chill chill day. I decided to take my new sparkly hula hoop out for a spin in the field near the school! I met a few people that way hehehe.

After this I walked down to the store to get some food - I was getting a lightheaded thing again, so I just made some food and watched the news. Turns out it was an important day for news, because Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson both died!

RIP Michael Jackson!

I made a list of things to do because I was leaving soon, plus now that I was paying for the tube I wanted to get as much done as possible in one trip!

That was for tomorrow though.

Museums and Regent's Park

Okay this day has pictures woohoo!

I left the house to check out some museums... on the way I got some very good news!!

My hula hoops were waiting at home for me!!!

The first museum on the list was the Natural History Museum. Lots of dinosaurs and stuffed animals (not the plush kind :s)


















After this museum (I love that these are all free!!!!) I went next door to the science museum. It was too big to go through as thoroughly as the Natural History one, so I chose a level and went up. I picked out the history of Medicine and Health Care (of course)...



After this museum, I went walking around the area... I hadn't been in this exact place, and it was swanky. I bought a non-swanky hot dog and wandered.


I got on a random tube and got off whenever it seemed interesting or famous. Of course I recognized this street.




Sadly, I was thinking of Basil of Baker Street before Sherlock Holmes. Ah well!

Close by was Regent's Park: I was not expecting it to be so impressive!!
















After this marathon of walking looking at stuff... I headed back. Anne and I were going to go out for dinner! We walked to this Italian restaurant which was quite nice.

I am not used to drinking wine, so I was surprisingly tipsy on the walk back. I had an excellent time at dinner, but in my distraction I lost the hair tie thing I had bought in Camden a couple days ago... That was sad....

I got a hold of my sister that night! That was neat :)