Oh, what a whirlwind of events. I now only have about 7 weeks left and I am headed to London to visit Adam. Next week I am off to Prague with the program, then Venice for the long weekend, Munich the next, Adam will come to visit me, then one weekend to relax before leaving that next Friday for the states! I feel like I just got to Vienna and now I have to turn around and leave!!! But there are still adventures out there for me and I am so thankful to be able to be here in Europe visiting all of these fantastic countries. I have also noticed that I am failing epically at posting pictures of me and my scarf’s from each country, but I will be doing all of them at the end and I will tie them all differently to show different styles and the different scarf’s!
Back to the London trip though! This trip could not have come at a better time for the two of us. It had been almost a month since we had seen each other and it was the weekend after Valentines day and the weekend before our anniversary. Also, since he is coming to see me March 16th -18th we will be able to see each other about a months time apart. Also, we kind of get to celebrate our four year anniversary in Europe!!
Back to the London trip though! This trip could not have come at a better time for the two of us. It had been almost a month since we had seen each other and it was the weekend after Valentines day and the weekend before our anniversary. Also, since he is coming to see me March 16th -18th we will be able to see each other about a months time apart. Also, we kind of get to celebrate our four year anniversary in Europe!!
I got my ticket through EasyJet, which was easy and nice because it was cheaper and, since I did not have any luggage to check in, quick. However, EasyJet does this great thing where if you get there too late they can give your seat away. Apparently, they over book flights and it is a sort of a system of “who ever gets there first, gets it.” My advice would be to get there 2 hours early so as to make sure you get in as they start the check in time an hour and a half before boarding time. But, not only do you have to worry about getting the seat you paid for, there is also the fun of being stuffed into a bus that transports you to the plane like you are a bunch of sardines. I felt like I was a part of a cattle drive. | The trip worked out fine over all. I did end up having to check in my carry on because of all of the people on the flight, but I did not get charged for it and I could carry on my purse so it was fine. I got to the London Gatwick Airport at 10:30, on time, but then my bag decided that it wanted to be THE last suitcase to come out. Then I had to go and get my Gatwick express ticket (DON’T FORGET YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER if you order it online). Which was so easy. I just walked up to the desk with my number and then walked down the stairs to the train. Thirty minutes later, I was hugging my man at Victoria Station!!!! |
It felt so nice to have someone from home to hug!! It being Adam didn’t hurt, but it felt so great to be someone from home who really knew me. Also, the weather was AMAZING!!!! Vienna is so pretty and I do love how the city looked covered in snow, but being able to walk around in leggings and a sweater was awesome. Adam took me to a ticket booth and we bought a one-day pass for about 4.5 pounds and rode the Underground to his place (first objective completed). The flat was empty except for his roommate but I had not eaten since noon so we went to this local 24-hour place and grabbed a sandwich. Afterward, I was exhausted so we headed back and sent to sleep.
Friday we got up at 10 and made our way to the Themes to go on a walk that Adam’s program had taken him on. We started out at the Tower Castle and saw the bridge right next to it. Adam asked me what bridge I thought that it was so I said; “Well, it is a Bridge, in London . . . so is it the London Bridge?” Which is obviously what he wanted me to say because he started to laugh and informed me that it was the Tower Bridge. We walked up to the Tower Bridge and then down more on the Themes. Farther on down the river we finally saw the London Bridge and can I just say; what a let down! It was so plain and anti-climatic. I was much more impressed by the Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge than the London Bridge, but what can you do.
After that we crossed on the Millennium Bridge to the Globe Theater and walked further down towards the London Eye. We did not ride on it but it was amazing to see it in person. Parliament is right across the Themes so we took pictures of Big Ben and the two bridges on either side of Parliament before crossing over on the Green Bridge that is for the House of Lords. From there we walked past West Minster Abby and through St. Paul’s Park where we sat on a bench for a minute to watch | the birds and enjoy the park. It was really nice to be in a park again and to just sit and enjoy the view with him. Actually, just sitting with him in general was great but the awesome view made the moment. After walking across Elizabeth’s Bridge (I think that is the name any way) we went and saw the monument to Queen Elizabeth. From there we made our way up to Trafalgar’s Square and Piccadilly Circus just as the sun fully set. |
With it being so dark, Adam and I decided that it would be good to go home, get some groceries and cook dinner. So off to the flat to grab some grocery bags and then we bought muffins, hamburgers, hamburger buns, Sprite, and some other random things for dinner. After making dinner, we stayed up and watched some TV and caught up on what we had been doing for the past month or so and then went to the room. Just before we went to bed Adam gave me my anniversary presents; a Celtic cross necklace and a scarf from Scotland. (He is so amazing!)
We had forgotten to set an alarm, so needless to say we woke up late, about 2 actually. I slept in until noon, but I didn’t want to wake Adam up so I went and read some of my book in the living room to let him sleep more. Doogie was gone for the day and with having slept in so late we decided that it would be silly to go to down town London. So, instead we took a stroll down to Adam’s school and the surrounding area. It was mostly residential so it was quite and gave a better insight into the houses in London. I was a little chilly though, so we stopped in a café for me to get some hot chocolate, which was good, but not as good as the hot chocolate in Vienna. ;) We did find one amazing spot on the walk called “Little Venice.” It really did look like what I thought Venice would look like. There was a tiny canal, full of small houseboats, right there in the middle of this neighborhood. There was a nice restaurant at the top of the canal and it must be hot spot for date nights with that great view. After our little walk by "Little Venice," I stopped into the little bar on the corner and ordered Fish and Chips to go. They were SO good but I honestly think that it was nothing that I could not have gotten in the states. That night we did set an alarm as I had a flight to catch and we still had so much that I wanted to do.
With a ride on the London Eye and a double decker bus, a picture in a red phone booth and of Baker street and "Mind the Gap" still needed, we woke up at 7. The London Eye had its first ride around 9 and we wanted to be one of the first ones in line (which we were!!!) That 30 minute ride was absolutely amazing and worth the money. The view was fantastic and the whole ride was so smooth that it was easy to just get lost in the views. At the top Adam and I kissed,
"One more thing to check off the list" he said. :D After the ride we walked across the Green bridge once again and found a Red photo booth to have our picture taken in. (Two down, three to go!) From there it was simply trying to figure out where to find the silly bus that would take us back to the flat. Thankfully, we found it without too much trouble and with plenty of time for me to go look for a scarf. This whole time I had been looking for a scarf and had yet to find the one that I wanted. I was looking for a rich, earthy color and I wanted it to be knitted. I had found a rich brown pashmina one for 2 pounds but that was going to be my last resort. This last look did not result in a scarf though and with time running out I asked Adam to get me the one that we had seen earlier and |
then I would pay him back when he was in Vienna. So, we grabbed my bag and headed off for my last ride in the tubes. Luckily, Baker Street was the stop that we had to make a transfer at so I got the picture that I wanted. My picture of "mind the gap" was never accomplished (Adam did get it for me later :D ) but we did make it to the Victoria Station early so I decided to look in a little shop that I saw had scarfs. Not only did this shop have scarfs, it had THE scarf!!! I finally found the long, soft, knitted earthy, brown scarf that I had been looking for and it was in my price range! What a great way to end a fantastic weekend. Or so I thought. Once I arrived at the airport, I found out that my flight had been delayed another whole hour so I was stuck in the London airport for about 5 hours with nothing to do. But I made it home safe and the flight was fine SO I guess I shouldn't complain too much. Overall a great weekend and a trip that was much needed.