Museum, Movie, Market, Play, and Sermon

Sup Readers (Mom, Future Me, Dad?)

After the hazy acid trip of jet lag, London has been absolutely amazing.

When I get back to the states, ask me if I revisited the British Museum. If I say no, slap me in the face. Because for real, it's amazing. They have everything. I didn't get even close to seeing all I want to, and goodness knows I didn't take enough pictures. But. It's ok! Because I believe in taking the real-life time to appreciate and enjoy what's right in front of your nose. Plus, you can find pictures of objects and buildings on the Google. (This just means I need more pictures of myself. But...selfies? Eh.)

THIS IS THE REAL ROSETTA STONE.

After the British Museum (which I WILL be returning to) I went over to the BFI (British Film Institute) with a small group. (By the way, when I walked out my door that morning wearing my Twenty One Pilots shirt, I ran into a guy from the group who was ALSO wearing a Twenty One Pilots shirt! His name is Tree. Instant best friends.) We spent some time in the bookstore and then spent two hours in the mediatheque watching Alfred Hitchcock (The 39 Steps). I...fell asleep for 20 minutes. In the booth across the room was an old, fat British man that looked like Alfred Hitchcock. I kid you not. Magical.

Then I went grocery shopping and finally unpacked! 'Twas a good feeling.

The next morning we went as a group to Camden Markets (outdoor markets with touristy stuff and other stuff also) I bought a touristy but classy bag because I liked it and also I needed a bigger bag to carry the stuff I needed around with me. You can see it in this picture of me and Jeff riding on the Tube:

Later we went to see King Lear at the National Theater. Words cannot express how amazing it was. Those actors absolutely must be emotionally and physically exhausted after each and every performance. It was beautifully designed and perfectly executed and I only wish I was more familiar with Shakespeare.

Collin and I making serious faces because it's a serious play (seriously).

This morning (Sunday) we went to Church in a British ward (duh?) and they had a special Sunday school class for visitors because they get so many visitors. Next week we'll be split between several wards.

Then we made our way to Westminster Abbey, where we attended a service called Evensong. It was so beautiful and inspiring, not even mentioning the actual building. The music and the vastness was...belittling? For lack of a better word. I couldn't not think of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ while I was in there. He talked about Saint Peter and how he had faults but he was still a Man of God and a Saint. He said that we, too, have faults but that doesn't mean we can't be good. It was amazing.

I am very unpredictable, which is why...

...you should always take multiple pictures.

Group! Me, Collin, Ethan, Drew, Daniel, Thomas

Selfie! Daniel, Drew, Collin, Ethan, Me, Thomas

This is where the Royal Wedding happened, right?

Anyway, London is beautifully amazing. I love it. Also, I have never seen so many cool cars in my life. We live in a really nice part of town. There's a Ferrari store just around the corner. Whaaaaaa?

A neat building

Westminster Cathedral

Very large picture of a cat

Travel Stuffs

Just some things I left out of previous posts that I can't stop wanting to post.

First, this picture:

My mother insisted on taking it as I was going into the airport. That makes it sound like I was reluctant and I hate it, but lookie here, I'm posting it online, so....yeah. I love my mother.

Second, airplane food. It's a cliche, I know, so I'll just put up this picture and you'll get the story from our faces:

Julia and I were lovin' those bland mushy things they called vegetables.

Jet Lag is Real

After arriving in the Heathrow London Airport we were immediately thrown into things and had to take the Tube (the underground train) to our flats in the middle of morning rush hour. We were already worn out from the 48-hour travel fiasco (see previous post) and I hadn't been able to sleep at all on the plane. We had to lug our baggage a few blocks and our arms were tired, but we made it. Realizing everyone was in class, we then had to go several more blocks to the church building where they hold class.

We were welcomed, sort of, because they were in the middle of class. We stowed our stuff somewhere and took seats. I was pretty alert, but my arms were tired, I hadn't showered or eaten, wasn't wearing makeup and I was sweaty from the new humidity.

The first thing I did in London was go to class. Anti-climatic, a bit, but I'm a Film Student and I still love my classes.

I made it through class. I got a key to my flat. I got something to eat. Before showering, however, our Study Abroad group left for Harrod's. I didn't mind the lack of shower. Who needs makeup? It had been hard day already.

Except this "been a hard day" feeling was coming at the end of a Utah day, not a London day, where it was only noon.

The jet lag hit me on the train to Harrod's.

You guys, jet lag is real. It isn't just something they say in movies to get out of going to meetings. Jet lag is super very much real and it is miserable.

Harrod's was fun. It's like, the biggest most nicest department store in the world probably. I spent most of my time in the toy and technology sections. They had real Harry Potter wands and a scooter-submarine. I bought a fancy English cupcake. Strangely, it tasted like a fancy American cupcake.

Harrod's really looks like this. It's the craziest.

It was fun, but I probably would have had more fun if I didn't feel like I was about to die. My head was throbbing, the ground was swaying, and my eyes were exploding.

They say to push through the tired and go to bed according to your new time zone, but it's not as easy as it sounds! After Harrod's, I went with a group to an Argentine Steak House to watch the US Soccer game (the pubs were full, unfortunately). I ate a tomato.

The whole group went on a walk around London after that, so the directors could show us where the National Theater and the BFI are, because we'll be spending a lot of time there.

I was acting like a drunk person at this point, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was carrying around all my belongings in a Harrod's bag because why not? Also I was too sick and tired to be aware of normal things. Luckily I was with a group that had experienced the same thing a day or two prior. They were sympathetic and willing to hold my hand and nudge me in the right direction.

I left the walk early and fell asleep the same millisecond my head hit the pillow.

Good news, though! IT WORKED. Staying up until nighttime was the hardest thing ever but I felt great the next day and I'm mostly adjusted now.

UP NEXT: My first conscious London Adventures!!

Houston?

Hello Readers (Mom)!

I'M IN LONDON.  Let me tell you, though, getting here was not an easy task. Luckily I was with three other Film students (Jeff, Julia, Collin), because if we hadn't been there to support each other I'd still be in Salt Lake...or Houston, crying in a corner. Houston? But why?

I'll tell you why.

Originally we were supposed to fly from Salt Lake to Houston, wait around for a couple hours, then fly to London. Our flight to Houston was getting more and more delayed and we got afraid we wouldn't make the connecting flight. So we talked to United Airlines. They put us on a Delta flight to Houston and we were supposed to make the connection without a problem. So we get on a Delta plane.

And then the plane stays on the ground.

For four hours.

"There's a storm in Houston and they're not letting anybody land. We can't take off until the storm passes."

"We are being redirected, so we'll have to go back to the gate and get more fuel."

"We accidentally put too much fuel on, and we might have to take some luggage off to decrease the weight."

"Nope, we're leaving the luggage on. We can take off now, let's taxi to the runway."

"Wait, they need us at the runway on the other side of the airport."

"Woops, now they need us on the side we were just on."

"We were taxiing so much our brakes overheated and we have to sit and wait for them to cool down."

Remember that episode of Community where they put people in room and keep telling them to wait, just to see how long it takes for people to completely lose their minds? Yeah, it was like that.

Meanwhile, we're realizing that we aren't going to make our connecting flight at all, which concerns us. Having been switched to a Delta flight, we become aware that United Airlines was not aware of the delays and wasn't going to hold the connecting flight. We panicked. I called United, was put on hold for 20 minutes, and talked to a guy with a thick accent who didn't know anything. (Pretty sure it was his first day on the job, he kept saying, "I don't know how to do this, I'm going to get my supervisor." and then putting me hold again.) I hung up.

We called a travel agent at BYU. THIS LADY DESERVES AN AWARD AND A FREE DINNER. She was super helpful and nice. She called United, let them know of our situation, and booked us on the next flight to London just in case. She stayed at work well after closing time to help us.

Eventually, the plane took off and we made it to Houston, exactly as our London flight was supposed to be leaving. As fate would have it, our terminal was on the other side of the airport. So. We. RAN.

We ran through that airport like a man  in a rom-com trying to catch the flight to Paris of the woman who's a magazine editor and his one true love. At one point, we jumped onto a tram to cross the bulk of the airport. Jeff had to squeeze/leap through the closing doors of the tram. It was hardcore, ok?

We make it to the gate. (I say "we" but I mean "they" because I was the one who was behind, wheezing, and saying things like, "Go on without me!" and "No but really, don't leave me. That was a joke. Don't leave me or I'll kill you." I also had to use the bathroom...it was at a level I don't want to go into.)

"Did we make it?" we said, panting dramatically.

"Nope," said the guy at the desk not even looking up from his computer.

"Are you sure? I can see the plane right there."

"That's not even your plane, you don't know anything about airports work, ok? You're too late!"

....At least I got to go to the bathroom.

The next flight didn't leave until 3:20 PM of the next day. We tried a little bit to get a hotel, but Delta said it was United's fault and United said it was Delta's fault. It was night and everyone was grumpy and rude, so we didn't get anything.

And we were suddenly staying the night in Houston.

Luckily, Julia (part of the Terminal Troupe, as we staring calling ourselves) lives in Houston and her parents were kind enough to let us stay at their house and wash our clothes and stuff. Thank you thank you thank you.

The next day was relatively hassle-free. We arrived at the airport early, got lunch, our flight was on time, we didn't crash and die, I watched movies, we landed in London, and we found our luggage.

This story is long and boring, but the point I want to make is that I'M IN LONDON AND I'M HERE TO STAY (temporarily).

Leaving for London

I leave for London in a week and if I don't end up teaching Muggle Studies at Hogwarts I'll have done something very wrong.

Stay tuned for Amy Abroad: Adventures in London.