July 9, 2013 - Camden (again), St. Paul's, and the London Eye!

I slept in this morning and Kasee woke me up at 10:01 and was like uh Chels, don't you have class? So I ran downstairs. I worked on Facebook pictures and just hung out. Nate's classes were combined because he was picking his wife up at the airport. It was actually really cool because I was the only person in the class that wasn't in both of his classes so I got to hear the disease class. They talked about the plague back then and compared it to AIDS now. It was interesting. I wrote my last paper for Rick's class. I hurried upstairs and got ready. Brandon, Kasee, and I went to Camden Market to get a few last minute things. It was so fun to just be with them and not with the whole group. I mean, I love the group but it's easier to travel and do stuff without having to count 20 people. We went to this place I found the other day and got my aunt a purse. When I went yesterday, the lady said she would give it to me for 20 pounds but I didn't have cash. The guy today tried to jip me - he was like 30 pounds. I said the lady yesterday was going to give it to me for 20. He said well she only works one day a week (uh so...?). I just told him that I only had 20 pounds in cash. He said you don't have 25 or anything? I said this is literally all I had. So he gave me a high five and was like done! Sweet right! You'd be proud of me Dad! Anyway, we browsed through the shops for a while. Brandon and Kasee both ended up buying bags from the same guy. We headed to the other side of the street to try to find the famous grilled cheese we had heard about but we couldn't find it. So we just looked around the shops for a while then I got a piece of pizza, Kas got Asian food, and Brandon got some donuts. Turned out that the donuts were so good that Kas and I went back to get some of our own. They were really greasy and the oil was seeping through the bag but we didn't care because they were so freaking good. We headed to St. Paul's to meet up with the group. They all left the flat at 2:00 for St. Paul's while we didn't leave Camden until 3:15 so it wasn't surprising that we didn't see anyone. We walked around for a bit. We wanted to go inside and walk up the stairs but it was 14 pounds so we were like uh ya no!

So we took a bunch of pictures outside then headed to Leicester Square to find tickets for Les Mis. I wasn't planning on going but we found some for 28 pounds which is very good for Les Mis in London. So I did it. Afterward, I had a little freak out over money but Brandon and Kasee are the nicest people ever and helped me calm down. We went to M&M world and it was so cool! I have never seen so many M&M's in my life.

Brandon got a little too excited and poured too much into his bag so he ended up having to buy it all (Brandon, if you're reading this, I'm not going to share how much you spent because I already broke our pact tonight when I told Stephen. I'm sorry haha hopefully this makes up for some of it). We walked down to Piccadilly Circus and went to Cool Brittania to get a few more little last minute things. Then we headed home. I worked on my computer for a bit and Facetimed my dad. I made pasta for dinner than we all headed to the London Eye!

It was seriously one of the funnest nights I've had on this trip. A few people got slushies that we all passed around because it was another freakishly hot day in London. We all got to be in the same pod thing so it was so fun! We took a million pictures. We went at 9:00 just when the sun was setting so it was so beautiful! Ah so much fun! We walked along the river, crossed the bridge to Big Ben and Parliament. We got on the tube and headed to Wafflemeister. Ok I'm usually not a big fan of waffles, especially for dessert but holy crap this was amazing. I got a waffle with peanut chocolate gelato and chocolate drizzle.

Oh so good! I wanted another one before mine was even gone. It was just such a fun night spending time with the wonderful friends that I've made here. It was just a magical night in London. It's hard to think we are leaving here in three days but we've had a wonderful time and have made timeless memories. I'm so grateful I was able to come on this trip and thank you for all of those who helped me get here. Hope you guys had a great day. Love you! Good night!

June 8, 2013 - Sherlock Holmes, Camden Market, and Sweating

Today was a really fun day. I slept in until 10:30, showered, got ready, then Jena, Missy, Lex, Lora, Anna, and I went over to Baker Street where Sherlock Holmes lives! Even the Baker Street Underground station had little Sherlock wall coverings.

We turned the corner and saw a big line of people and we figured that was for Sherlock and we were right. We didn't go into the museum because we didn't want to pay but we went inside the gift shop and took pictures outside.

I bought a few things then we headed next door to a Beatles shop. It was ridiculous! I have never seen so many things Beatles before.

The rest of the girls were going to Westminster Abbey but I was meeting Kasee, Camille, Jess, and Shelby at Camden Market so we split up. It took me a while to figure out how to get there on the tube. At one point I thought I was on the wrong train so I got off but then I realized I was on the right train so I had to wait for the next train haha but hey I figured it out! Once I got to Camden Market, I realized that it was much bigger than I thought it was and there was no way I was going to meet up with the other girls. So I just walked around and looked at the shops. I didn't have any cash on me and there wasn't at ATM around so I just browsed. It was so cool! Usually I would freak out over being alone in London by myself in a crowded market but it was actually really nice. I felt really independent and I just listened to my music. 

Here are a few pictures of Camden...

I walked around for about an hour and then just headed back to South Ken. I feel like I rode the tube for an hour. I stopped by Subway on the way home and got a footlong, half for lunch, half for dinner. I came home and ate it then just chilled. I went through all the stuff that I've bought and made sure that I had stuff for everyone. Kasee came home and started doing that as well so at one point, our room was completely covered in souvenirs and bags. We then headed to Waitrose and got groceries for a week before we leave for Rome. We came home and just chilled. I finished my sandwich, facetimed my momma, then we all just hung out. Our flat doesn't have freaking AC and it is freaking hot so we are all wearing the least amount of clothing that is appropriate with boys around and just stewing here sweating. Jess bought henna at the market today so we all plastered ourselves with henna. I put the Deathly Hallows sign on my left wrist, a mustache on my right wrist, a Mickey Mouse head by my left pinky toe, and a lightning bolt by my right pinky toe. 

Really we just had a chill night. Stephen and Tayler went to Harry Potter and told us how amazing it was so I'm really excited for Friday!!! We all hung out in the living room for a while but it was just so freaking hot. I made some bread for my cheese but I burnt it (making the kitchen hotter...) We all moved into our room because it was cooler. Some people are doing homework, others are blogging like me. I am probably going to bed soon because I'm exhausted. Night! Love you guys!