Friday, May 7

We started this morning off with the fire alarm going off (not a drill -- someone in a flat in our building set it off accidentally) . So we had to run down the million stairs to the street. Two-Shots-Up, Newbie, and I were all still wet from having taken short showers in quick succession (one of us was actually IN the shower when the alarm went off, and the other two were in towels... so we quickly put on pants and jackets and ran outside... I didn't even bother finding shoes.)

I have to admit, I've been in a terrible mood for most of the day. Probably a combination of that fire drill and a bit of jet lag. (Although my mood improved as the day went on.)

Also, my shoulders are retaliating for all that I put them through in my travels. Two big carry-ons with shoulder-straps = unhappy body.

But anyway.

At 10:00am, we had a long, boring meeting with all the important information that we need. Except that some of it doesn't apply to us (we can't go on some of the program-sponsored trips because our class schedule is so different from everyone else's), and a lot of it is geared toward undergraduates (who, perhaps, are not yet of drinking age in the USA and whom they assume need reminders to be responsible with alcohol here -- whereas most of my classmates are over 25).

Some of the information was useful. A reminder to register an Oyster card (tube pass) in case of losing it. Or not to be alarmed that "Casualties)

At 2:00pm was the security meeting with an English police officer. And she was pretty hilarious, and also informative.

After that was over, we met with one of our professors briefly. He said that they're going to try to adjust our schedule so that we can do more. Later in the day, I ended up signing up for a day-trip to Avebury, Lacock, and Salisbury. I am hopeful that it will work out so I can go.

I went on an optional "practical walking tour" around the area with one of the GCs (I don't know what it stands for... but they're kind of like RAs). It was actually really neat. I got good ideas about places to head on future days of wandering.

I walked in

Wifey and I went to a pub called Princess Louise. It's GORGEOUS! It's filled with etched glass, stained glass, and dark wood. And rumor has it, you can get a pint for 1.66 pounds. But it was packed, so we left. We also considered going to one called Crown (it might be "Old Crown" actually), but it was packed as well. (Fun fact: at Crown, about 10 minutes before closing time, they pass out plastic cups so that you can pour the remainder of your drink into it and bring it home... No open-container laws in London.)

Other notes on today:

- There are a shocking number of people in London with pink, magenta, or Crayola-red hair.
- You cannot buy natural colors of red hair dye in the local drugstore, Boots. (They only have brunette and blonde shades, or shocking punk colors.)
- Brits really like to put sweet corn in their tuna. I haven't seen tuna salad WITHOUT sweet corn yet.
- I have been trying to download songs by Natalie Imbruglia (my favorite singer) that are available in the UK Amazon MP3 shop but not the US Amazon MP3 Shop. (I couldn't buy them in the USA). But the UK Amazon says I have to download the program for downloading again, and our internet is slow and doesn't let us download programs (All-The-Way has had a heck of a time trying to download Skype). Not cool.