This trip was really exciting, not only because I was spending time with someone from home, but this was also the first time that I was traveling someplace by myself and tackling the train system. Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous about the train system. One of my friends that I've made here used the trains the weekend before and had a pretty bad experience, but I knew if I wanted to get to London I was just gonna have to conquer my nerves! I woke up super early Friday morning (7:15....which I guess isn't really that early, but I thought it was haha) and caught a bus to the train station. Since coming to Nottingham I have been very paranoid about being late, so I was at the train station about 45 minutes early....oops! I took the train from Nottingham to Grantham then switched to a train destined for Kings Cross Station in London! It honestly could not have been more successful!!! The final anxiety was trying to find Shelby in the station. Unfortunately, I lost my local phone the day before I left, so I sent Shelby a facebook message telling her the area that I would be in and sent a BIG prayer to God to help me find her!! When I first got off the platform and was looking around I didn't see her. For anyone who doesn't know, I tend to be someone that over thinks everything! Before I got off the train I already had back-up plans in case I didn't find her, all of which were incredibly irrational. Luckily, just when I thought I was going explore London alone and homeless, Shelby walked from behind a massive group of people!! I don't know if it was relief, excitement to see Shelby, or a mixture of both, but I immediately burst into tears....leave it to me to make an embarrassing scene in Kings Cross Station hahahaha
Once I pulled it together, Shelby took me to the student apartments where she is living and then walked me down to a very trendy and delicious place for lunch called The Elk in the Woods. After lunch we went back and I utilized my time the best way I could think of...I took a nap. Yes, I went all the way to London to visit my roommate and I took a nap...and it was great!
That night we met up with some of the friends Shelby had made and we went to perhaps the best Indian restaurant I have ever been to. Oh man! It was awesome!!!!!! Now to get to the restaurant we had to conquer another one of my weak areas...the tube. I am a firm believer that God gave us feet that belong on the surface that he provided, so things like airplanes, tunnels, and undergrounds really challenge me. I tried really hard (and I think I was successful) in not letting anyone know how freaked out I was by the Underground. Honestly, of all things to be scared of haha
After dinner we went to this really cool bar that was actually very Texas reminiscent called the Blues Kitchen. Really cool atmosphere and there was a band that played that was amazing! They were Irish, but they broke into this awesome country-ish music. I don't like country, but I loved what they were doing!! We went back to Shelby's and I absolutely crashed on the floor!!
Saturday, Shelby was woken up by a very excited Kate. Poor girl haha. We got up and decided to do some of the touristy things in the morning, first stop Trafalgar Square :) There were lots of street performers, a countdown to the Olympics, and this just happened to be the location of the last Harry Potter movie premiere....yes I am one of THOSE Americans that gets excited over anything Harry Potter that they see in England. Nothin' I can do about it!! We got breakfast overlooking the square, then walked over to the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Several photo ops later we got back on the tube and went to Buckingham Palace. Finally, we ended up in Piccadilly Circus where we walked to Leicester Square for lunch. We literally walked into the restaurant and 2 seconds later it started raining....PERFECT TIMING! After lunch we just went back to Shelby's flat and hung out. That is one thing that I miss a lot about my friends back home. We have all hit a point where we don't have to try anymore...we can just hang out or watch TV and it just works.
That night, we met up with a BIG group of girls for a birthday dinner for one of the exchange students. It was chaotic to say the least, but I think we can all laugh about it now....just picture trying to get 17 chicks from one location to another via tube....it was funny. We went to a really really good Chinese place that served very very little portions haha. We all left wanting burgers! After dinner, the girls that we went out with the night before and myself went to a bar right down the street from their apartments called the Lexington. Another really fun night and a cool place!!
It was so much fun hanging out with Shelby and I had a couple moments when I asked myself, "I'm sorry why am I leaving one of my best friends and a super cool city?", but Nottingham is starting to feel like home in its own weird way haha
The next two weeks I think will be just as packed as the previous ones! I'm going to a place called Whitby in Yorkshire on Saturday and next week I will be preparing for a very special visitor.....JOHN!!!!!!! Watch out Nottingham, you're about to get both Barrys!!
Hope everyone is having a lovely February!!! I know I am :)
Kate
No comments:
Post a Comment