London Calling (Day 1)

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I have created this thing to keep you all updated on my world travels. Come here to read about me!

I flew out of Dulles on 27 Dec. at 6PM. Of course, I barely got past security (almost) because I never signed my passport. Thanks, TSA. Anyway, my very first flight was semi-delayed about 30 minutes, so I had to wait to board by myself, until a very loud sir complained he might not make his connecting flight to London. Instant friends! The flight adviser person assured us we would, so I wasn't too worried. Finally we boarded! The plane was tiny in the sorry-I-just-breathed-on-you kind of way, but luckily, I had a window seat, so I got to see everything there is to see at 7 at night (lights!) It was a short one-hour trip to Charlotte, NC. I booked it across the airport to my next gate, with Very Loud Sir huffing behind me. This 8:50PM flight was delayed about a half hour as well, so needless to say I got a coffee. The next plane was huge! After quickly realizing I was in the wrong seat before the correct passenger had a chance to embarrass me, I was off. 2 movies and 2 hours of sleep later, I arrived at Heathrow Airport, into my sister's waiting arms! Yay London!

a little too happy to be eating

After an hour or two of the Underground (yay!) and hauling luggage (boo), Natalie and I arrived at her cute little apartment in central London. We took a quick nap, nearly overslept, and went to church at St. John the Evangelist. Then it was out to eat for a quick bite of chicken pie at my very first pub, The Nags Head. Mmm.

  

This was followed by a lot of walking, stopping to peruse the Apple Market,

casually levitating ornaments with my mind

where we met Paddington,

Paddington says hello

Then it was over to Leicester Square,

more like BEST(er) square

followed by Piccadilly Circus:

at the corner of happy and tired

mmm&mmm world

the Knight Bus whipping by the muggles

Paddington looked a little thirsty

Silly Paddington followed us all the way to Downing Street (hello Prime Minister!)

 

 

Then came my first sighting of Big Ben and this annoying picture:

a little too excited

Big Ben & Big Caroline

us and ben ft. double decker

Shortly after, I spy with my little Eye...

Eye & I

Then we got up nice and close to Big Ben,

a little too close actually

it chimed it chimed!

Which is when I snapped this picture and realized I was really in London!

Big Ben to the London Eye

Thus ends day 1 in London (leaving out a scary encounter with a couple of mimes)!