Five days after our departure from America, we are finally settled in our "luxurious" hostel. In the past five nights we have had four different beds, getting a taste of what it's like to be real nomads. We were lucky to have our good friend pick us up from the airport, and even luckier to catch the very last train out of the station. The people we have stayed with have been great and have shown us a really good time. So far, we have done a lot of exploring of the city and are beginning to get a hang of the transportation system. For Halloween, it was the birthday of a friend so he threw a party in a music studio, complete with numerous band performances and a bar. We wanted to dress up as American tourists but didn't have the time or money to pull it together. I guess we will have to wait until next year.
On Sunday our friends from Bristol and Leamington had to return home and we were left, luggage and all, to fend for ourselves. The hostel where we are staying conveniently has a bar located beneath it. Last night we met a lot of really interesting people from countries ranging from Canada to Barbados. The bartenders also gave us a crash course on Cockney rhyming slang in which "Cockneys", working-class East Londoners, use rhyming words in place of the original word they wish to use. For example, if one were to use the stairs, a Cockney would say they were to use the apple and pears (My Fair Lady may ring a bell). So when we mean life is grand, we say life is Rio Ferdinand! Without a doubt, some of our favorite information so far.
On Thursday, we are taking a bus to visit Ottery St. Mary, a small town in Southwest London where they celebrate Fireworks Day, or Guy Fawkes day, by running through the streets with flaming barrels of tar (http://www.otterytarbarrels.co.uk/index.html). Yes, seriously. Then on Friday we are headed to the Invisible Circus in Bristol (http://www.invisiblecircus.co.uk/) We are very excited for both!
Here are a couple of pictures to sum up our first week.
Halloween
"I wish I was there!" I think could hang...don't you? Yeah...I think I could...with a little practice maybe. I don't know about the pole...what are we drinking?
ReplyDeleteIt's a Tree.... we are sitting on a bench
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't look much like "working" Katy!
ReplyDeleteWhen can I join in the fun?