London’s Calling You

When my friend told me she flew to London from Boston for cheaper than I could get home to see my family in Utah, I knew I couldn’t leave the East Coast without hoping over the pond.

It took me another few years to finally take the plunge and leave the country, but I did it!

Some of my favorite things were the slightly more “like I live here” kind of things - spending an hour reading in the Queen’s rose garden, going on a picnic after Church with some new friends, meeting up with a friend of a friends and walking around town and getting the insiders tour of Harrod’s department store.

Or the day we did laundry and when we checked on it we noticed a strange gap in the clothes hanging on the line. Turns out someone stole my socks…hope they liked them!

There were also some great random moments – like when I filmed Kiersten eating chocolate covered cheese curd. She was very concerned about it, but said it was good. And I got video of the whole thing, so you can enjoy it too:

We definitely played tourist as well:

A few other highlights:

1. Going to Evensong at St. Paul’s only to find out they were appointing a new bishop and getting to participate in that ceremony
2. Going to The Globe theatre and watching Love's Labour's Lost in British Sign Language (one thing I didn’t think of was how few props you can use if you are speaking primarily with your hands – fascinating!)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   My view of the stage from my front row groundling "seat" at the Globe
   
3. Going to Parliament was one of my favorites – just being in the balcony looking down and listening to the witty banter was incredible. I also had just recently watched Amazing Grace and it was touching to think I was in the same room where the slave trade was abolished.
4. Riding the London Eye
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Finding a local park and playing there at dusk
   
   
   
6. Taking a bus out to Abbey Road to reenact the Beatles famous album cover photo
7. Touring the Tower of London
   
   
   
8. Walking over bridges along the Thames (note, London Bridge is not very noteworthy)
   
   
   
9. Eating Magnum bars and an incredible mango passion fruit donut sitting in Trafalgar Square – and then climbing on one of the lions (they are HUGE)
10. Seeing Antigone set during WWII at the National Theatre – very powerful
11. Portobello Road (yes, I sang the song from Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, repeatedly)
    
    
    
12. Childhood Museum
1. Care Bears: Funny how you can see something you loved at a child and it evokes very strong memories and emotions.
   
2. Pound Puppies: My brother Anthony had one EXACTLY like this for years!
   
3. Spice Girls: Reminded me of one of my dear friends Emily Smith
   
4. Right Left Shoe: Just in case your child can read but doesn't know which foot is left and which is right
   
5. God Save the Queen
   
6. Kitchen Gadget chandelier: Really cool ceiling hanging thing made of kitchen utensils - not sure why that's at the Museum of Childhood, but I liked it.
13. Personal favorite “pop culture” references
    
    "Perhaps we should call on them next time we are in town" - anyone, anyone?
    
14. Fantastic London signs
    
    
    
    
    
    Every time I saw this on the Tube I thought "I didn't think it was that bad" complete with the best mental British accent I could muster
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Does it really work?
    
15. Falling in Fountain Pic
    
    
    
    Shout out to Jessica Smith Schaugaard and Christina Smith Shupe - we did a similar photo in Southern Utah right after I graduated from high school. The best part was a couple who were there did the same thing, and then apologized for "stealing" our idea. I loved that they copied - and hope her son did enjoy the pics
    
16. While not actually in London, one of the coolest things we did was take a bus out to see Stonehenge
    
    Giving you some perspective about how far from this we had to stay. Having been to Foamhenge in Virginia (near Natural Bridge - check it out if you get the chance!) this was almost a little disappointing because at Foamhenge you can walk right up and see how small you are in comparison to the structure. At the real thing you had to stay far, far away.
    

As with many travel experiences, one of the best stories that came out of this trip had the potential to be one of the worst experiences of our lives. One night early in our trip we were back at our flat making plans for the next day when we hear “tink, tink, tink” and realize someone is “knocking” on our door (by pushing the mail flap).

I go to check it out, calling “Who is it?” as I look through the peep hole and see a man in a hoodie with the hood pulled over his head. Not the best sign, but I don’t feel my spidey sense going off. I don’t really understand his response, but hear that he’s asking for Jerry, and I think maybe he is the guy from Spain our host (Jerry) told us was staying in his other flat. So I say, “Jerry’s not here right now” knowing he left town for the weekend, but not going to share that piece of information. “Oh sorry,” comes the reply in a distinct British accent as he pulls his hood off, “didn’t mean to scare you. Can you call him for me?” Still talking through the door I tell him I’ll get him the number, he says he doesn’t have “credit” while I walk over to get a scrap of paper for Jerry’s number.

Kiersten is sitting on the couch and silently tells me NOT to open the door (never fear, that was never my plan) and I walk back over with the number. This is when I realize I have to pull the mail slot towards me to get the paper out to the man on the other side of the door.

When I do, I see his face in the slot – his nose would likely have been hit if I dropped the flap, which I very nearly did! My spidey sense is still doing okay, but this situation was definitely getting stranger. “I’m not a thug, or a nasty person,” he says and tries to explain that Jerry’s helping him get a job and he just wants to come in. I give him the number and tell him he can’t come in. After a little back and forth he finally says, “I understand, better safe than sorry!” and walks away.

Once Jerry got back we talked to him about the experience and he explained that he was trying to help the man who showed up at our door get a job and “he’s not all right in the head” and “I hope he didn’t alarm you.”

Before we left, I made Kiersten take a video of me pretending to be the man talking through the peep hole – and she did drop the mail slot when she first saw my face. What an experience!

Despite our “nasty man” experience, it was a wonderful first trip out of the country.

Now to fill the rest of my passport…