here are some quotes for you:
"I'm not cynical, I'm realistic. There's a difference."- Kathy. "I'm actually optimistic"- Kathy.
"Oh, Rachel, I'm so glad we're roommates, give me a hug!!"- Kathy. "Me too! We're so alike! It's like we're the same person!!"- Rachel
"Oh, they're kissing!! I wanna kiss!" -Rachel. "Did I just say that outloud?"- Rachel.
"There are two thing you need to know about English history: Henry the VII had six wives, and we always beat the French."- Our tour guide.
Last night I woke up to go to the bathroom and Kathy woke up too and was waiting outside the door, which "gave me a fright". After she went in the bathroom I went back to bed but realized I needed a kleenex, so went back and waited by teh bathroom door, which startled Kathy when she came out! This was really funny when it happened....
LONG AWAITED EUROPEAN ADVENTURES:(this is a long one, go get a cup of *insert favourite beverage here* and sit down!)
PARIS: We had the most incredible luck!!! I think it was karma making up for all of the rotten luck I had when travelling during the program, but this one week was seriously the most amazing of my entire life!! Sometimes I would just sit back and think, how did this happen? For starters, the fact that I was able to actually get all of my stuff safely in storge in London and survive the ordeal is a miricle in itself, and it happened to Kristi, too! whats more, is we both made it to the airport and onto our flight in time! Wednesday night was bittersweet, because I was missing the farewell party and I had to say goodbye to all of my Sussex friends whom I had come to know and love over the previuos two months. However, getting into Paris was exilerating, and even though Kristi and I had no idea where our hotel was and therfore had to pay an extremely large cab fare form teh gare du nord, we were really happy to be there so it didnt matter. our hotel was in a nice area but not exactly centrally located. we tried to find a bite to eat after checking in at 12:30 am, but that wasn't really working so we went back to our room and made a meal of the rice cakes and granola bars and V8 we had brought along, and watched a Barbara Streisand movie in which she pretends to be a guy so she can study (I think?) and ends up marrying a girl... for the rest of the trip, and random moments, Kristi and I both were prone to breaking out into "Papa, can you hear me? I have a voice now!". We had the most amazing day in Paris ever!! In the morning, over breakfast, we met two guys from Irvine, they're everywhere! Fisrt, we went to Saint Denis basilique because Kriti's lab guy had written a novel about it and told here about it, so she wanted to see it. It was really pretty, but of course there just happened to be a group of sans papiers demostrating outside. luckily, it was a friendly, upbeat riot. Then, we walked down the Champs Elysees, which is as beuatiful and charming as ever. It sounds crazy, but Kristi and I noth had forgotten how much we love Paris! Its totally a there in the moment atmosphere thing! We ate in a croque monsieurs in a cute sidewalk cafe, then walked down to L'Arc de Triomphe, and back down the otherside. Kristi bought a Yannick CD in the Virgin Megastore where, years ago I purchased my Pink Martini CD, and this brought back many memories of French class. After the Champs Elysees we saw the ferris wheel in the Jardin de Tuleries, so we headed there. Stoped for yummy chocolate Berthillon glace and again for crepes avec fraise.. yum!! the ferris wheel was great fun, and awesome views! after the ferris wheel, we walked to the Pont Neuf metro, I saw Samaritine and we went inside and took a picture of a harry potter made of lego. This is when things got crazy. We go off at adiffernt metro stop that we thought ould be closer to our hotel, but it really wasnt. we had to ask for directions and ended up taking a bus. By this time we were seriuosly behind schedule, we showed up a gare du nord with 3 minutes to spare before our 1022 train to Munich, and that was a miracle! then, the guy at the information booth informed us that the Munich trains leave from gare d'est, a five minute walk. But, luckily there was a mistake in the timetable I had, and the munich train actually left at 1058, so things worked out perfectly. What are the chances of that happening? God is on our side.
I just decided I have way to many adventures to do them all in one sitting, so look forward to the train ride, Munich, and Nice later on!! Cheers!
Mon Sep 02 2002 19:34:
Wahoo! several days into my livivng in London adventures, and I am still loving it!! Last night me and my roommates cooked dinner (lasgne and garlic bread and salad, yum!) and our friends Rob and Tom came over with dessert (cheesecake!!!) and we had such a fun night! I love living in London!!! Kathy is sitting here next to me, and told me to write that. "yay me"- Kathy.