The Tale of a Lovely Week

Today it rained. 

All day. 

I loved it. 

I do not think that I have seen the sunshine for more than 5 minutes since last Friday and that is completely OK with me. In fact, I think it is only fitting that for our last week in London the sky spit on us every day. Surprisingly, this is the only week that I can recall that has had this kind of weather without a break. I suppose London is just sad to see all of us leave. 

As it should be! 

It is amazing to think of all of the things we have done in this town. I have to say that I will be sad to leave London, but happy to be home at the same time. I haven't quite figured out a word for it yet, but I'll let you know when and if I ever do.

I hopped on the tube to Mornington Crescent for the last time on Thursday and said good-bye to my co-workers. They all gathered around in a circle and the editor said some very nice parting words about me feeling like a part of the team, which was so nice. I got an extremely British card, signed by everyone in the office, which reads, "Sorry you're leaving...piss off then." 

Oh the Brits.....

Here is a picture of everyone that I worked with! Awkward that I automatically go into "sorority pose?" yeah...

Mike also gave me a magazine design book that I am eager to look and read through on the long plane ride home tomorrow (glorious Air India....)

It was hard saying goodbye to everyone, as it felt like the end of a school-year when you have to say bye to all of your friends. It was a great last day however and I felt very fortunate to be in the company of such kind people. 

Alot of my flatmates (including myself) went out with our co-workers on Wednesday night for a little fair-well. British people are crazy fun and I sure have some great (but confidential) stories from the evening. 

Yesterday (Friday), a group of us decided to go to Greenwich for the day. Before we left, Marylyn and I took a visit to the Tower of London. There are actually multiple towers, one of which holding the Crowned Jewels collection (AMAZING!). I saw the biggest diamonds in the world and I can't wait until I get one. I thought it was really funny hearing a small boy (by small I mean young, not short) say to his mom, "Mum where is the Bloody Tower?". 

Hilarious. 

Then, marylyn and I missed the boat (what's new?) so we took the tube to Greenwich while everyone else cruised down (or up?) the Thames. Some of us hiked up "the hill" to stand on the Prime Meridian. Then, we rolled down the hill. Yeah, I'm 22. So?

I even have documentation......and my arms are a little sore today. 

Thankfully, I made the boat back with the group because it was such a fun little ride. We had a hilarious "fake" tour guide (I think he was either an Aussie or a Kiwi and made sure we knew that he was not a certified guide, but only a member of the boat crew). Imagine a man who is sitting behind the cabin door on the top deck of a boat. All you can see is his head through the window in the door because he is sitting in a chair with the door closed. As he is talking and is mid-resting-ankle-on-opposite-leg's-knee mode, he flings the door open in such a Will Ferrell in Anchorman-looking type of way that I thought he would not be wearing pants or something.

 It was so hilarious. I really tried to get that visual correct. You had to be there I guess. Here is a picture of us all with the Tower Bridge in the back!

Ah, I just remembered that I forgot to tell you about my 7 year slumber that I took on Thursday night.

It was 7pm on Thursday evening. The clouds were sprinkled with bits of the moon and..... 

haha just kidding. 

Anyway, I was REAL tired so I told my flatmates I was going to take a nap. I laid down around 7pm and woke up at 7:30am on friday morning. I think I had a few intermittent, unconscious conversations with some of the girls that I live with, but I don't remember any of them. Needless to say, I woke up on Friday ready to ROCK. Fitting that I saw massive diamonds on Friday morning?

ha (I sense that Katie just rolled her eyes, but laughed, when she read that awful pun).

NAMEDROP!

Let's see, so today was our last full day in London. I went to Portabello Road this morning with some of the girls and bought a few last minute things :). I had my last red velvet cupcake at the Hummingbird Bakery and my last Tomato, Mozzerella and Basil sandwich on Ciabatta bread at the market. And it rained the whole time. 

But I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

After Portabello Road we went up to Abbey Road. I am so happy that I finally got to see this! We only had to dodge a few cars to get the kodak moment but I figured that if I can dodge a ball, I can dodge a car. If you can't tell, that is Julia on the far left without shoes on, Jen, Kaylin, and then I am on the very right. Halli is a champ and taking the picture (don't worry...we rotated and got one with her too!) Looks like I'm John.

When we got back to Earl's Court I went to Coffee Republic and got my free coffee from filling up a punch card that I had been working on completing for the whole summer (10th drink is free!). Then, I had to come back to #1 and pack my things up. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to sitting on my suitcases to close them, but there was no other way. Don't worry, I haven't lost my touch----my strategic packing skills were in full tact. I just have ALOT. of. well, stuff. 

After getting all packed up we headed to one of our favorite pubs around the corner, The Courtfield. We had dinner and hung out for a few hours which was just what I wanted to do. 

Thank goodness I go to Mizzou with these people....I would be so sad if I would not be able to see them in a few weeks. 

So that brings me to the now. I am listening to music and looking out my flat window at London. Weird that I can feel it too? And it's a little chilly. What's new...

I am very much going to miss alot of thing about this summer. I have certainly learned an IMMENSE amount of things and have grown in more ways than I ever imagined. Amazingly all of this happened without me even knowing it. Let's go over some of the high points, shall we?

-I hailed my first cab alone after getting sent to the wrong internship location on the day of my interview

-I got hired at a job. (minus the salary part...)

-I ate duck.

-I stood under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

-I ate a croque in Paris.

-I saw Stonehenge.

-I saw the Roman Baths on a rainy day. 

-I walked through William Shakespeare's home (supposedly) and saw a Shakespearean play in Stratford-Upon-Avon (even though I had no clue what was going on the whole time)

Eh, you know what...I just realized something. Those things I just listed I did within the first few weeks that I got here and it overwhelms me to continue on a list like this. That's what I have been blogging about and taking pictures of the whole summer! So that's going to terminate right now haha. 

I don't even know how to sum up this summer....I suppose it is just one of those things that turns into being one of your favorite memories. I wouldn't change anything that i did this summer (except for maybe not missing that flight to Barcelona that that train to Wales...). haha Just kidding...actually I learned alot from those things.

I don't even know the appropriate way to end this entry! I am so excited to be home tomorrow! I have so much to share! I suppose there is only one thing to say - 

Cheers!

-Christy