British Stores are Closed on Saturdays

I wanted to buy a phone today, but I forgot that most British stores like that will close on the weekends. Yay.

Today’s internal clock seems to still be on American time. I couldn’t go to sleep for the life of me until around 2ish – which would be about 10:00pm back home –even though I had been walking and was exhausted. But that makes sense, seeing that if I had been walking all day back home, I’d have been just as knickered and would have crashed around 10:00 anyway. So, I eventually fell asleep whilst the party in my hostel continued (they had an Oktoberfest till 4am, apparently), and I woke up today around 1pm.

I went to get a shower, had to change my card for the luggage room because mine didn’t work, again, and found I had to dry my towel because there’s no safe place to hang it. So, 50p ($1) and ten minutes later, my towel was dry and I got a shower. I walked around Bloomsbury and Holborn a little, just trying to figure out which was north and south, so maybe next time I won’t get lost. I stopped in a Café Nero for some food, got a caffe mocha and an egg and sprout sandwich, and was on my way. Yeah, and as small as that food was, it cost me £3.50. So $7 for what should cost about $2. Yeah. So I continued on my walk around, trying to learn the way, and continued getting my legs sore. I found a small corner pub called the Cawthorne Arms where the rugby match between England and Australia was on. Australia ahead 10-6 (and no, I don’t know what that means), and I grabbed a £3.10 Guinness (still delicious though), and tried to map out some sights to see today. I decided on Westminster Abbey and London Tower, which are only a couple of stops down the tube, so about 10 minutes away. I could walk there in about 20, but what the hey, right? While I was there, a couple of older chaps sat down behind me and watched the game, criticizing both teams as they watched. A group of young lads and girls watched the game with their bitters, Bulmers’, and Guinness’s and some plates of food, and they reminded me of the group from Indy back home, except only a couple of them were married. But they were laughing and joking and watching the game with as much enthusiasm as we watch our beloved Colts.

I didn’t go to London Bridge or Westminster Abbey yet, although I might have enough time before Vespers. I’m going to try to get to Vespers around 5:30 at the Russian Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and All Saints in Knightsbridge. I certainly hope it’s in English, but even if it’s not, it will be nice to have a piece of home here. Last night, for the first time so far, I wanted to be home, mainly because of Men’s Group and some JBC’s from Wendy’s. But today, sitting in that pub, I really think I’m going to enjoy myself here. Once I get my job and actually get settled in, this is going to be an amazing place. If my only worry is whether or not I should get Guinness or a bitter, I should be in good shape. And any decent paying job - £7ish/hr for 35hr/week, which is almost all of them in London – will assure me that is my only worry.

I’m looking forward to the days ahead, but trying to stay in the moment, here and now, and not thinking about the past. I want to be able to come home in May and say I had an amazing time, saw everything I wanted to see, experienced the best, drank good wine and good beer, had good food, and made good friends. Because if I come home wishing or thinking ‘what if,’ then what am I doing at all? So here’s to the next few months. Here’s to finding a job. Here’s to Vespers tonight and Liturgy tomorrow being in English. Here’s to England just winning the match and advancing in the Rugby World Cup (that should make for a few good parties later tonight). Here’s to my next password to get onto the wireless internet in my hostel being “turdle” – I guess the British can’t spell “turtle” Here’s to my next pint and to your new comments.

Cheers everyone!