CJ in London

What a culture shock flying back into the first world from Africa!! We hit the tube at peak hour and it was so cold compared to where we'd been! Penny and I went our separate ways and I stayed with (another) Penny, who I went to school with, and her boyfriend Jeff in Islington. Was lovely to stop and settle for a week or so. Spent my days raiding Pen's wardrobe to try and dress appropriately for the weather and then hitting the town. Managed to catch up with Kim and Alex who I also went to school with and haven't seen for years. Pen and Jeff took me to watch 'The Boat Race' between Oxford and Cambridge. None of us had any idea who was who, but fighting the wind with the umbrella, drinking coffee to try and stay warm and milling in the crowd were exciting! Oxford won by the way...

Played the typical tourist and saw the big sights. Penny (Larcombe this time) and I traipsed all over town and covered the changing of the guard, Hyde Park, got a sandwich at Harvey Nichols, and a chocolate at Harrods (it's all we could afford!), climbed the monuments at Trafalgar Square, jumped in the red phone booths for a photo, admired Big Ben and The Eye, wandered around Covent Garden and along the Thames and battled the problems with temperature regulation on and off the tube. Spent a day out with Fiona in Tate Museum and dodging the protesters at the olympic torch relay.

Ate myself silly on Mexican in Covent Garden, tapas in Russell Square, Japanese down the corner of the street, curry at Brick Lane (which was great fun as all the waiters tried to coax us into their restaurants), drank in cosy pubs all over London, shopped til my feet hurt on Oxford Street, explored Camden and Borough markets, went and saw the play "The History Boys" and finally, saw "The Lion King" in Leicester Square which was one of my highlights and a great wrap up for the African stint of our trip. I grinned like a school kid the whole way through - it was spectacular!

Had a fantastic time and thanks to everyone who entertained me!! Wish I could've stayed for longer... Will have to come back very soon and explore more of England...

CJ xx