Well, I'm in london, after yet another standby flight adventure. This one was relatively painless, Only stranded for 28 hours this time.

I left friday the 14 on the afternoon flight from hayden to chicago. This was very nice because I got first class on the way out. (It pays to have connections, thanks mom!) My buds stopped by to say bye to me at the ariport which was cool, and then I said bye to my folks, and I was off. I made it to chicago around 7 pm that night, just enought time to reclaim my baggage and catch my flight to london at 9 pm. So i made my way through O'hare and got everything done perfectly, and sat down at the gate for my supposedly empty free for standby flight to heathrow. I knew my luck wasn't that good to get on both flights flawlessly, so I prepared for the worst. The flight was over booked by 20 seats, and there was absolutly no way that i was going to get on. So i called my mom, and told her my situation. Of course, my parents weren't to keen on the idea of me going to get a room by myself. And I definatly wasn't going to take the flight attendants offer to go stay at his house, (sort of camp if i knew it) So My parents spotted me a room at the chicago hilton which is like just across the street. I felt like Maculy Kulkan in Home alone; however, He didn't end up going to a burlesque restuarant like i did by mistake. (I have pictures of my half naked waitress for proof, will upload once developed) So I went to bed around 2 am, and caught my flight to london at 4 pm that next afternoon. So that was my most comfortabe and entertaining airport layover ever.

-London 4 am London time

Got there early. Went through customs and baggage claim, and I navagated the underground flawlessly from Heathrow to Richmond station. I heard the bells ring in 7 oclock, and thats when I knew I was in London. Thats when It hit me that I'm off on my big adventure. Watching the sunrise over the Thames, listening to the bells of the city was quite the change from my little po dunk. Got together with my friend at the station, and we walked to his house from there. It is good to see these guys again. His grandmother even made me my favorite meal of roasted leg of lamb with english potatoes. Nats Grandma is an amazing person who has tons of stories, and can cook one hell of a roast. i'm finnaly here, emersed in a different culutre which you can automatically tell by listning to the conversation at teh dinner table. Had a nice walk through Richmond and Marble Hill park, I forget how beautiful this area of london is, everything is green, and its about 6 C really warm for this time of year. I know now that it is going to be an awesome trip.

So my friends have school tomorow, and I think I'm just going to hang out here, sleep in, walk around the shops, and relax untill school starts in spain. I think Thursday or so I'll take a trip into central london where I'll get a snap shot of big ben (another) and go to the turist traps for a while. But until then, I'm going to enjoy the company i'm in, and try not to spend a lot of money. But then again, thats extremely hard to do in london.

So, I'm going to a rugby match on wednesday, it is going to be awesome. But until then I'm goin to go to bed.

(Take it easy 6'th hour, just remember, when rillos assigns that next packet, I'll be sleeping in london, on vacation!) hahahahahahahah

-eric