Finale

London was amazing. Fall weather, wonderful people, and the comfort of not having to photograph it, but just sit in a cafe and be apart of london. I loved it and i want to move there. So did my hosts. They offered me a rooming spot for September. I obviously turned them down.

I barely made my flight, though, which was not fun. I got to the check in counter minutes before they were about to close check in for my flight. good. then i had to ruuuuuuuuuuuun to the gate...which was gate 42. I also had to check my camera bag which was terrifying. They only let you have one carry on for unknown reasons, so the one with my money and entertainment was the choice for the plane.

I was running with an eight pound bag and in flip flops and a sweatshirt. I beat the golf cart though. I was pretty proud of that.

Don't ever watch scary movies on a long flight.

Since I have been so cinema deprived, the plan on this flight was to watch as many films as possible. First: The Lives of Others. awesome german movie about the GDR. Second movie: Vacancy. Bad bad bad very bad idea. Im sitting next to a stranger and all i want to do is scream and hold on to her. I did not do this obviously, but when the flight attendants came around to ask for drinks I was biting my pillow, jumped suddenly, and threw my pillow in the air. When she handed me the drink I could barely hold on to it I was shaking from being so tense. I will never watch a scary movie on a plane again. So to change this mood I watched The Pursuit of Happyness. I cried. I was all over the place on this plane ride.

It felt so good to be able to turn on my own cell phone and have service. So great. American soil. I never e ver dreamed I would say this, but I am glad to be back in America.

Couch surfer picked me up from the airport, which was awesome. I slept in his bed and he slept on the couch, though, so that was kinda weird. Especially since he hadn't changed the sheets and when I went to put my head down there was some sort of critter to welcome me home. I thought i was in america?

Last night I stayed with another couchsurfer, Leif, who is pretty cool. We had some beers and went to Coney Island for fireworks night. It was fantastic, even though I was completely exhausted, 1) from dragging my luggage around the mta for an hour, and thank you new york for not having any lifts or escalators. 2) it was 3 am on my body time 3) these guys are the fastest walkers i have ever been around. i am a fast walker, and usually ahead of everyone else. they were in tennis shoes and me in flip flops but still, i was literally jogging to keep up. i have blisters on the pads of my feet from walking so fast in flip flops.

OH and i do love new york. I get it now. There is a certain energy about it. Very different from Chicago, and i think i still like chicago better, but new york is alright. And i do not know why they are tearing down coney island. Its fantastic and i am glad i got to photograph it before they do tear it down.

Today I will take a cab from Leif's apartment, seeing that the roller handle of my new suitcase broke off yesterday and dont really feel like squating over all through the subway to roll it. I shall arrive in Chicago tonight at 6:14.

I cannot wait.