So after three weeks in London, I'm not exactly a local but not a tourist either. I'm not feverishly rushing from place to place to make sure I see it all because I feel like I'm going to have time to see everything before I leave. But I still feel vaguely guilty like maybe I should get my act together and see something every day. After all, aren't I here for culture?!
It was that tourist guilt, that need to see EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW that took me on my latest adventure. Last night everyone from Butlers Wharf-the student residence where I live-went on a boat cruise down the Thames. In theory, this sounds wonderful. In practice, it was something else altogether, actually. Combining a boat that sways from side to side with 200 students and free beer was kind of a recipe for disaster. Or at least vomit. Fortunately I made it off alive and un-humiliated, although I was a little queasy and grateful for dry land. It was definitely worth the nausea, however, as we did have a chance to see the sights of London all lit up...Westminster, the Giant Bike Wheel-oops, I mean, London Eye, the spectacular disaster of the Millenium Dome...and at night, you can't see how brown the Thames actually is.
I've been adopted by my Norwegian flatmate and her group of Norwegian friends. It's so nice to be included but I feel like an imposition because they are all aware that I don't speak Norwegian (somehow I missed that language option in high school) and are careful to always speak English which is so polite but must feel awkward to them. Anyways, we're going to Brick Lane tonight to check out the many Indian restaurants and some of the pubs and bars. National law here states that pubs, etc. must close down at 11 p.m. (in LONDON?), but on Brick Lane they manage to stay open until 1 a.m. Giertrud, my flatmate, just stumbled in the door from school where she's been studying in the library all day. We both looked at each other and chorused, "I'm soooo tired!" Yet we're still FORCING ourselves to go out and make the most of the time we're here. So tonight, we tour.