Wednesday, May 16, 2007

This is the Picadilly line, servicing Cockfosters

Well so far today has been a success. I am through security for my Entebbe flight, so all that is left is getting on the flight, which I doubt will be a problem to Uganda. OH MY FUCKING GOD! I'm going to Uganda! This is so exciting! I am not scared at all, just excited, even though I have no energy to be excited.

After I got my listing squared away (boy did that take a lot of effort!) I took my bags to "Left Baggage" and walked to the underground station. The man at the ticket booth didn't think I had enough time to go to central London. I asked him if there was anywhere near by and he suggested Earl's Court. I bought a two way pass to Earls's court and hopped on the tube.

While on board I chatted with a British man and asked him what I should do. I told him that Earl's Court had been suggested, and he thought that it was a very bad idea. He told me to go to the Liechester station and he couldn't have been more right. I walked all around the area, around Picadilly Circus, by Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, and even by the big ferris wheel, which I could have gone to had that man not advised me against it.

So you would think I would be on cloud nine, walking around the streets of London. But I wasn't. I was hardly impressed. I am just so Jet Lagged and sleep deprived. Now I understand why that flight attendant titled her book "Around the world in a bad mood." I was walking around the streets of London, but part of the time it felt like any other street. But then every few minutes I would think "I'm in London, that's pretty cool" and even feel slightly happy. I haven't felt much happy or excitement today. I don't have the energy to be happy or excited. It's sort of funny, I saw the streets of London in a comatose state, seriously! I was really only half-concious to experience it.

I took pictures of things that looked like I was supposed to take pictures of them. I took a picture of a fountain in Picadilly circus, some tall monument with a statue on top of it, some guys on horses looking really serious and official, and some arch. Of course I knew I was supposed to take pictures of the houses of parliament and Big Ben, and WOW was it amazing! I wished I could have gone inside, it cost 10 pounds to go into westminster abbey, so I skipped that.

Unfortunately I have spent over $100 today, and I don't any luxurious experiences or purchaces to show for it. I spent TONS of money on the underground, because I didn't figure out how to use the turnstyles right, and I spent 19 pounds, nearly $40 on a bus from gatwick to heathrow. What a rediculous waste! All I have to show for my day was 2 coffees, some lentils and rice, a magnet, and my bags being held for a few hours. It is really gross to think of how much I spent here. Just gross.

The best part of the day might have been when I decided to get off at a suburban stop to have lunch/dinner. It was a huge strip mall lasting 5 blocks, but less geared towards tourists, and more geared towards it's multicultural residents.

I was going to spend a few days in London when I was done in Uganda, I am having second thoughts. I may want to go to stonehenge, but I don't think I want to play tourist around London anymore. It was a little boring and lonely. I suppose if I went to a youth hostle I might meet people, but even so, it was so expensive, and I would rather save my money for a trip to India.

I have my hopes high that I can make up some of my lost sleep on the plane to Entebbe tonight, and have more energy and enthusiasm for the day tomorrow. I imagine when I see the prices of things I will be a lot more energized too.

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