Home safe and sound but forever changed...

I had to know that I would feel differently about the world after being overseas, but it didn't occur to me that I would be so passionate about travelling. Even when I lived in Ireland, I didn't truly appreciate where I was in the big scheme of things. Re-visiting Ireland and other equally amazing countries reaffirmed my love of far off places.

To finish up with England...

Leigh-Anne and I spent two full days touring London before spending our last full day in England at Canterbury. On the first day, we saw Buckingham Palace of course (did anyone else know that Queen Victoria was the most unfortunate looking woman on the planet?!? And did they have to be so accurate with her statue?), before heading on to Westminster Abbey. At Westminster, we saw the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, the tomb of Elizabeth I, and Poet's Corner. I basically lost my brain in this last section of the church, as I saw the graves of Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, the Brownings, Tennyson, Eliot, etc. as well as memorials to Shakespeare, the Brontes, and so many more. We also saw the Coronation Chair, used at - yup, you guessed it - all coronation ceremonies. Stupid tourists carve their names in the back of the chair when they can do it without being seen. Leigh-Anne also bought a shotglass with Westminster Abbey on it in the gift shop, which we found to be fairly hysterical. What's with churches being so sacrilegious overseas?!? Breasts carved into the ground? Promoting alcohol? Strange indeed.

We left Westminster Abbey across the Westminster Bridge to the London Eye. It's basically a massive ferris wheel with observation decks instead of bucket seats. We were 140 metres in the air, and we could see all of London. What a view! I was a little nervous when the wind started whistling through the doors, but other than that it was an amazing experience. We tried to go to Churchill's War Rooms on the way back to the Charing Cross tube station, but it was 13 seconds after 5 o'clock and the guy at the door wouldn't let us in. Jerk.

We headed back to Leigh-Anne's aunt and uncle's house (Vi and Arther, who were so so so nice) for fish and chips - and it came wrapped in newspaper! It was easily the best fish and chips I've ever had...ever...and possibly will ever have again (unless, of course, I go back to England)!

The next morning we took the train (a train with no driver, by the way...that was a little freaky) to Greenwich to meet Leigh-Anne's cousins - Diane and her husband Chris (who was the best tour guide we could have asked for), and Sandra with her daughter Stacey - for a day in London. We started out in Greenwich Park, where we saw the clock set for Greenwich Mean Time, as well as the Military Academy (where Prince William goes, but alas, no sightings!) We then took a boat ride down the Thames to Tower Bridge, where we docked and went to see the Tower of London. We saw the Bloody Tower, Traitor's Gate, and the crown jewels. The Imperial State Crown was easily the most beautiful accessory I've ever seen. I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't one of those plastic Dollarstore tiaras - that it was made from the best metals, the most gorgeous jewels, and the softest velvet in the world! Vi told us that she has watched a program where Charles talked about his mother tucking him into bed while wearing her crown, to get used to the weight for her coronation. Can you imagine that?! "Oh hold on, hunny, I have to go and get my beautifully crafted million dollar crown that shines like an entire sky of stars before I can tuck you in!"

After Tower of London, we had lunch and headed to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. It is a reconstruction of the original theatre, but WHAT A RECONSTRUCTION. It is so authentic; I was absolutely amazed. The theatre troupe was rehearsing the final scene of Titus Andronicus, which is easily one of the goriest Shakespearean scenes. Everyone dies! It was very cool...especially because I once played Titus in the same scene for Dr. Sale at Windsor (I was not nearly as effective).

After the Globe, we walked across 'the wobbly bridge' (also known as the Millennium Walk) which originally wobbled liked crazy when first built. It doesn't wobble anymore, but apparently will never lose the name. We got on the bus and drove around to Piccadilly Circus, past St. Paul's Cathedral where the Princess Diana and Prince Charles were married. When we got off the bus, we looked in a million stores for Arsenal and Manchester United wear to take home to my sister Sarah and her boyfriend (quite the feat, but Chris should get a gold medal for perseverance and knowledge of soccer teams) before heading to the Prince Edward Theatre to see Mary Poppins, the musical.

Mary Poppins was amazing - the chimney sweeps and the supercallafragallisticexpealadocious (oh God, I have no idea how to spell that word) number were incredible! I loved the whole show so much...it may go right to the top of the list of my favourite shows, alongside Wicked!

After the show, we said goodbye to Leigh-Anne's cousins and headed back to Bromley for the night.

(I'm getting to the end of England, I promise...one more day).

On our last full day in England, we went to Canterbury to see Canterbury Cathedral. I felt like it was a pilgrimage (I know what they were talking about in that stagecoach in Chaucer's work now) because it was a good hour and a half on the train. The Cathedral was amazing though. I was slightly disappointed that the gate to the Cathedral - the ornate Medieval gate, easily hundreds of years old - was next to a STARBUCK'S. Stupid chain stores. Anyway, I got over the commercialism of it all eventually and enjoyed the Crypt, the Nave, and the Quire in the Church. It was so beautiful, and I was very happy we made the trip.

On our last day, before leaving, we went with Vi and Arther into Bromley proper for breakfast. Leigh-Anne bought 18 Flake bars...it was awesome. I contributed 8 Dairy Milks of varying fillings, and I'm sure the cashiers thought we were crazy (crazy or really unhealthy...perhaps quite pig-ish actually) but we weren't about to come home empty handed. Everyone requested chocolate!

The flight home was delayed two hours because the power went out in the galley, and the turbulence in bad weather was no fun, but we made it home alive. Tired, but alive. Leigh-Anne and I both had to buy an extra carry-on bag to get everything home (Leigh-Anne's weighed 95 lbs. or so with the weight of five German beer steins).

This trip was by far the best idea ever. We both had so much fun, and I've never learned so much in such a short period of time. I was moved by so much, and I will never forget a second. I would recap the lessons learned, and it would be very funny, but I think you all get the point that it was a definite life experience worth having. The bottom line, and I'm sure Leigh-Anne will agree:

While the trip was a year in the making, we made it. And there's nothing funny about that.

Second to last line:
And the next time someone laughs as they hand over the key to your hotel room....RUN LIKE HELL.

That's it, that's all...thank you for your support, your comments to keep us going, and your good wishes for safe travel.

Love,
Katie and Leigh-Anne

To my travelling buddy, Miss L.A. McKenzie: thank you for all of your hard work in putting the trip together. We wouldn't have made it without you. A million memories were well worth every penny, every moment planning, and every step we took.

See you soon...maybe for cappucino, you caffeine freak? :)

Katie B., signing off....