Codface

It's 1:30am in London and I don't think I've ever been so physically exhausted my entire life. My hips hurt; I must walk funny. My shoulders look like a violent sunburn. And my feet are nearly completely caloused. gross.

I really wish I had a picture to show you how ridiculous I look when carrying all my gear. I have a 32.5 lb pack on my back, a 18 lb camera backpack on the front of me, a purse draped across my shoulder, and hand-holding a hot pink Frida Kahlo bag stuffed with important documents and books. I look like a freakin idiot. I packed entirely too much and I hate myself very much for that. My body hates me for it.

New York redeemed herself slightly last night when I ended up eating in Greenwhich Village (which was a breath of fresh air from uptown, but I know I probably wouldn't like it if i lived there)for an appetizer and a much needed glass of red wine. Feeling good about my new appreciation for New York I was ready to curl up on a chair in the airport and get 5 hours of sleep. And then it happened. It took me two hours to get back to the airport and five trains. Oh...my...Lord are those trains confusing! So by then I was wide awake and needing lots of chocolate. I walked around the airport a while with my very heavy camera backpack (which was completely useless since I didn't take one picture while i was out) until I could walk no further. I would say about 50 people had the same idea i had to sleep in the airport, but they got there faster than i could and snatched all the spots with outlets to plug in their cell phones and ipods. GRR. So I curled up (in pain from walking with so much weight improperly placed) on a cold hard tile floor underneath the staircase. Everyone else was lying parallel to store fronts where the plugs were. It was actually hilarious and really creepy looking but it was too dark to take a picture, i didn't have energy, and i didn't want to wake them.

So with maybe two hours of sleep, more like 45min, I finally woke up, picked up my luggage and washed my face ready for my flight to London. Even waiting in line for Virgin Airlines with that pack on I thought I would die of pain. Finally I was on the plane, food was in my stomach, a pillow in my possession, and the prospects of London in the horizon. huzzah!

As soon as I figured out the train system in London I immediately knew I loved London. I love it here and I've only seen it when it's dark for about 4 blocks. But good lord did i arrive at the hostel completely drenched in sweat. The hostel is pretty cool. It's in a hip part of town (Hyde Park) and is surrounded by shcwanky hotels that look exactly like the hostel from the outside. I've never been to a hostel but this is sure not what I was expecting. At first it felt like summer camp. Separate showers that you need flip flops for and bunk mates. But oh how that would change.

After a really really great shower I was ready for fish n' chips to be in my belly. It was 10pm by this point and things were starting to close; my options narrowed. But huzzah! An arab restaurant in the area was still serving fish n' chips and soon my taste buds would be reunited with that wonderous fried cod taste that they first experienced so long ago when I went to Ireland. WRONG. Their fish and chips was a giant fried piece of cod with regular old french fries. no oil. no vingar. no pieces of fish. no chunks of chips. I felt like i was at Shoneys. But whatever, I was in London and there was food in my stomach.

Upon returning I met a girl on the stairs of the hostel who goes to Pratt school in Brooklyn, NY and we have a lot in common. She is super cool. With my reservations i made for the hostel I got a free beer from the bar below. I'm thinking it's going to be this really small laid-back bar. no. It is like a night club down there and it's one giant hook up party, so that was weird. But whatever, i got a free beer.

But I love London, everything about it. And I can't wait to start photographing tomorrow, which is a relief since I was so discouraged in NYC. I'll meet my couch surfing people tomorrow and stay on their couch instead of this hostel and I am looking forward to that immensly. I could most assuredly see myself adapting and living in London quite easily...except I would need to be more fashionable x 10.

Good news! I have an idea for a final or atleast a direction while I'm in Italy, and hell, all over Europe. I like it, but i'm not revealing it yet. Too premature, and i'll see how it goes tomorrow. But for now, I'm pretty sleepy so I'm going to tuck in.

I miss you guys already!.....well sorta.

peace,
elise