I'm been lucky enough to stop over with Meg in London for a few days. She has done an excellent job putting off work and all other priorities in order to guide me around. I slept for 2 hours on the flight over and 13 hours last night so all in all I'm feeling damn good.
I can't help remember when I first arrived in London about 3 years ago, Mike and I partied through our jetlag the first night. He stayed out later than me and woke up the next morning in incredible bodily pain with no wallet, debit or credit card. While the hangover and jetlag faded, he'd need a little help for me and Western Union for the rest of our Eurotrip. Sorry Mike, but I still find this morning after picture entertaining, so much pain:
It has been a good re-entry into travel: confusion, market food, trouble communicating with people and the refreshing, exhilarating feeling of things foreign and novel. People are impeccably put together in downtown London. The fashion has such a formal feel to it and while the style can be original most clothing is black, grey, white and blue. Canadian backpackers can be spotted from a mile away thanks to MEC bags, jackets and stitch on Canadian flags.
Meg is living in a small, clean two bedroom apartment with her roommate and her roommate's brother. There are now two brothers, both named David, taking advantage here, but he has a 5 week head start on me. Meg is making £'s now and has a great routine and knowledge of the downtown. We've walked all over to the British Museum, Tate Modern, Borough market and LSE. More recently, we've been taking double-decker buses everywhere to avoid walking any farther. We're now sitting in other Dave's bedroom (the living room, he's sitting beside me right now) resting our feet.
My 85 liter pack has thrown up it's contents in Meg's room. Although I've brought bottles of poppy-seed dressing to Meg and am carrying warm clothes to a friend in Nepal, it is hard to believe I'll carry such a big pack with me for the next 6 months.
I'm starting this trip:
- at 186 lbs and 4 1/2 inch hair
- with $4500 CDN, £50, $170 USD, 4570 Rs
- at least 75 L worth of Canadian bought gear, including lifejacket, drytop, helmet and sleeping bag
- a durable point and shoot (HD video ; ) ) camera and $179 netbook
- a durable point and shoot (HD video ; ) ) camera and $179 netbook
- packed pelican case first aid kit, containing everything for cuts, sprains, dysentery and malaria.
