L O N D O N – Halfway Point

Oh, I wish I could take the Tube to Seattle. So much fun. Terminal 5 at LHR to Paddington (about 1hr ride – Picadilly Line to Picadilly Circus, and then transfer to the Bakerloo Line. You can also get there from Picadilly Line to Circle Line or District Line). Love the Tube. Since I haven’t been to London since I was 12, and have never been to London by myself, the Underground is only place here where I actually feel like I know where and I am where I’m going. When I get up on the street, I can never find the street signs or see the addresses on the buildings, or know which way I’m going. Anyone ever heard of a grid pattern?!?!

Finally found my hostel after wandering around for a couple hours when I realized I hadn’t printed the directions or address. Congrats Caitlin. Way to use the ol’ brain. Luckily I remembered it was on Edgware Road. Unfortunately for me, Edgware Rd is very long and has lots of buildings on it…Feet hurt. Eventually I arrived at 308 Edgware Rd. at ‘Bestplace’ hostel, above a pub (in Paddington). I like it. $25/night for a bed and shower. Not bad. Surprised by the number of hukka bars (and falafel) here, and people just smoke it (the hukka, not the falafel…) on the sidewalk. I was super adventurous for dinner: STARBUCKS – mango passion fruit juice blend smoothie and a sandwich. Gotta get a taste of home when the opportunity presents. No Starbucks in Kenya…it’s funny though, when I walked into a Starbucks, I feel like we speak the same language (and I know what I’m going to get…especially at Starbucks where I hear they push a button to make your drink, rather than actually being a real barista…btw, that’s actually a burn to you, Starbucks). Obviously they still speak English in England, but I mean the Language of Coffee. I look at the menu and I see “Frappuccino”, “grande”, “White Chocolate Mocha”, etc… You just feel like you can say “Tall, non-fat, one-pump, vanilla latte” (that’s for you Kendall) and they don’t look at you like you’re nuts. The joys of Corporate Capitalism…sometimes beneficial?

It’s only 2030 but I’m going to bed. Gotta leave at 0630 kesho to get the Tube back for my 10am flight. No real luck with the internet. Connected a couple of times via iTouch, but not long enough to be able to get past Google…and it’s only going to get worse. Whatever will I do without the world at my fingertips!?!?!?!