Lost in London

Going to London when your sick is probably not the best idea. In fact I can tell you, it's not. I had already paid for the tickets and all my friends were going otherwise I probably would have backed out and found another weekend to go (although to be fair most of them are booked.) But I went and it was wonderful, I just spent the entire weekend feeling totally exhausted because I was sick.

I chose to take the train instead of taking the bus so I woke up bright and early Saturday morning to grab the 25 to the Stoke train station. I really enjoy the Stoke station, it is cute and little and has a Pumpkin Cafe and wifi. I had a tea and chocolate croissant and then I was on my way. It was beautiful to see the sunrise over the English country side, I really enjoyed the ride and the view. The group I was meeting up with was already there and so they text me directions for after I got off the train. "Buy a day pass, when you get off at Kings Cross take the Picadilly line north to Hyde Park Corner, we'll meet you there."

Thats when the adventure started. I managed to stand in 3 different lines before I was able to actually buy a day pass. Then I figured out that they thought I was at a different train station than I actually was (I was at Euston, they thought I was at King's Cross) and there was no Picadilly line. So I took the Victoria line towards Green Park (because it sounds kind of like Hyde Park and it had the Picadilly line) it turns out the Hyde Park was only one stop off from Green park, great! So soon enough I was climbing the stairs at Hyde Park corner.

After several phone calls it was determined that I should walk from where I am to Buckingham Palace since they were already there. More directions "Walk through the park with the arch and the tube station behind you, once you get through the park it'll be right there down the street" so off I go. I start walking through Hyde Park, while 15 minutes later when I exit Hyde Park, I don't see it anywhere. I found a map that politely explained to me that it was 15 minutes the other direction, I HAD WALKED THROUGH THE WRONG PARK. Yeah, that happened. So another 15 minutes back through Hyde Park and then through Wellington Arch and then through Green park, I found Buckingham Palace and my friends. Success.

The rest of our Saturday, we went to Westminster Abbey, saw the House of Parliament, the London Eye, an interesting lunch at Ned's Noodle Box, we saw the outside of the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge, then we finally headed out to our hotel. We had to take a train and a taxi to get there but it was so worth it to have a room just for our friends and a shower.

We began Sunday morning with a service at Westminster Abbey which was so absolutely beautiful, I wish we could have taken pictures but I understand why we couldn't. Then we went to the Tower Bridge so we could actually go inside and see it. The exhibit on the crown jewels was amazing. Then we went to see the millennium bridge. Then our group split up so a few of us could take a tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theater which was amazing. It is now one of my life goals to go back and buy a groundling ticket and stand for the whole show, just to have the experience. Plus the tickets are only 5 pounds. I am so upset they are closed for the season. Finally we headed to King's Cross Station for the great 9 and 3/4 photo shoot. Finally to fit in one last thing before my train home we rushed off to Trafalgar Square and then it was back on the tube to grab a train back to stoke.

Little did I know that wasn't the end of my adventure. I had the experience of sitting on the floor of the train for 3 stops before a seat finally opened up. I wasn't the only one there was a little corner of the 3 of us sitting and reading plus others sitting or standing in other parts of the train. Luckily the website was wrong for what time the 25 would be there so I didn't have to wait the extra half an hour to get back to Keele.

Sorry this took so long, Sunday I will be posting my recap of the week which will explain why it took this long, but here is a hint it involves the library.