First Real Day in London Commences Swimmingly

After sleeping for an unprecedented twelve hours Umlat and I made our first cups of authentically British tea. Our authentically British teapot is utterly confounding and may well be missing some vital heating components, so we improvised by boiling water in a saucepan and then sort of dumping it into mugs.

Thus fortified we threw on out trench coats and set off to explore Paddington, most notably finding THE Paddington Bear, who will now accompany us on all our travels, and the grocery (Sainbury’s). Find pictures wherein the Paddington Bear explores our flat and -I am startled by his sudden appearance- on FaceBook! Also BooBah, which 8th roommate Rachel brought! He is terrifying!

We then meet up with all our roommates for our first ever tube ride [Not that different from SEPTA, but MIND THE GAP!!!] to CAPA, where we’ll take our classes and be orientated tomorrow. Mid-search for a museum Umlat and I were mistaken for Londoners and asked for directions. Needless to say we were flattered beyond belief.

Brief exploration of Paddington followed (must find a new way to string sentences together- and then and then and then and then) wherein we grocery shopped. I was initially concerned as to how I would possibly survive in London on what had seemed a meager meal stipend because every restaurant seemed exorbitantly priced but groceries are actually quite cheap (Umlat and I found a place where we could split lunch for a pound and a half each, two packs of pasta for two and a half pounds, etc.) My theory is that restaurants are so expensive because they have to cover the cost of rent in London as well as the food and preparation.

I endeavored to purchase a small bottle of wine because for the first time in my life I could legally. Examining the selection, over ninety percent of the decently priced ones were from California. Are you happy Mr. Bottleshock!? I wasn’t going to buy American wine in Europe so I found a French, only to be told by the cashier that he needed to see ID because he thought I was fourteen. Dismal.

More tea in the flat because, well, we’re in Lond- I would actually totally have multiple cops of tea in the states, so that’s untrue- when an unexpected eighth roommate showed up, her home-stay having been miserable.

All at a pub for about twenty minutes because they close at eleven, declined to join my suitemates at a bar having to get up early tomorrow.

Cornish Pastries of beef, onion, and potato wrapped in flaky goodness for dinner!

It’s super late here and I have to be up early! Cheerio!