If I had to pick one day to be the best day of my life today would have been it.
We stayed up late, and woke up before the sun.
If I could live in a hostel with 7 of my best for the rest of my life I would.
We started early with breakfast in the hostel. Making new friends is easier than making a grilled cheese sandwich.
Something that’s always stuck with me was Mark and Chrissy Donnelly, The Chicken Soup & the Soul Authors, told me. Mark said, “Every day I try to make at least five new friends a day.”
Ever since I’ve tried to do the same.
But being an American in London is better than I’d ever expect.
Today, all 22 of us made it to the dock for the cruise ship to take us on a water tour. We passed Big Ben, London Bridge, and The London Eye.
But the train ride was a mess. It was our first day using the Tube. There is a herd of us, and when the shepherd is lost, we are all lost.
But eventually we got the hand of it.
One of our group members got sick in the Tube, and threw up on the floor of the train. It splashed on another mans jeans. If anything startled me today, that was it.
We walked by parliament, and I learned the hard way.
Never wear a dress on a windy day.
Stew, our broadcast professor said we had to get fish and chips. This can be translated to french fries and fried fish. Since I’m a health nut, I got grilled fish with a sliver of salad and “chips.”
I saw an old man sitting by himself, so I left the group to strike up a conversation.
I’m so glad I did! We had lunch, and talked about relationships.
We talked about his deceased wife, and children.
I found out in England everything revolves around money.
Frank told me he would visit his aunt, who was a couple of hours away. He was the only one out of his siblings that would visit her, and “hit it off.” After his aunt died she left him a LARGE amount of inheritance.
He said that the father of the girl who he was madly in love with was one of the wealthiest men in the U.K. So, he showed her father his bank account papers, and he happily gave his daughter his hand.
Frank also gave his love advice below.
Jokingly, I asked him if he knew Prince Charles, and Prince William.
He firmly replied, that he saw the Queen, and Prince Phillip last week.
Stunned in disbelief, I thought I might as well ask if he went to the Royal Wedding too.
He confirmed with a smile, and said yes.
If anything got my attention that was it.
I found out that he works at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea.
After that I figured that I could probably ask any question, so of course I asked him if he’d let me meet Prince Charles or Prince Williams since I only had one more day in London.
He politely declined, and said that he would not do that.
Slightly disappointed, I changed the subject to the Royal Wedding.
I asked him if he wanted William and Kate to get married. He firmly said no! We went into details, but that would go against why we moved the conversation outside of the restaurant where no one could hear.
But he did slip me his business card, and said to e-mail him. Networking at it’s best!
(Frank)
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After lunch we regrouped, and hit up Starbucks.
I saw a guy around my age studying, so naturally I went up to him and asked him what he was studying.
He told me poetry, but not by choice. He was taking his last exam for the semester at the Naval Academy.
Keep in mind he was replying with a heavy british accent.
PS- I love british accents.
I asked him about the uniform, and he told me that he was studying to be a pilot in London’s Naval Academy.
As the last girl from the group walked out of Starbuck’s door, I said I had to leave. So he insisted that he’d take me out, and handed me his name, university, and phone number.
I agreed, and said goodbye.
We had a tour at the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).
It was awesome! We toured the entire building. They showed extra attention to us since we were from Los Angeles.
Later Gina, Morris, and I competed on London’s Version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. It wasn’t aired on television, but it was a BLAST.
Gina won. But we all got prizes. Unfortunately, no cash prizes.
We left, and everyone changed like a switch. Their hunger pains hit the roof, and their mood began to show.
We got back on the underground Tube.
Gina and I ran into a man from Ireland, and we talked to him about relationships.
He told me that I should not get married. He had great advice.
He also said, “You always take your roots with you. It’s not a flag country or ideal. It’s what you are.”
I made a another friend named Greg. He was a competitive boxer in London, and exchanged stories like it was Christmas Eve.
I saw some of the group getting off the Tube. So I grabbed my buddy on the trip Alex, and got off.
Completely exhausted and more than excited to go back to hostel and lay low, the group said that they were headed to Hyde Park.
But soon we shed the tiredness, and cranked up the excitement.
Hyde Park is the same size as Monaco, which another place the group is going.
The Queen’s Jubilee is this weekend. This happens every 60 years. This means the Queen gets a diamond every 60 years. They are holding a concert for her. Some of the artists include Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, and others. Kate Middleton is expected to show.
We got lost in Hyde Park, and stumbled upon a restaurant.
I had a salad that tasted like sour milk. Not sure if that’s the thing in London, but I didn’t approve.
Afterwards, Gina and I went on an adventure for floss. We walked to 7 places! No one had it.
A little concerned, we asked the workers why they had dried salted salt fish, and not a piece of floss.
They didn’t have an answer, but I did buy the grocery greeter decked out in the British flag vest, British flag hat, and British flag glasses a candy bar.
katielynnowen 