Sex Crackers and Pub Quiz Champions!!

I was just sitting outside and the sky was amazing. The clouds were flying past the moon and the garden is starting to fill with roses. The weekend was a load of fun...which meant I wasn't exactly as well-read for my class today as I could have been. Saturday Shannon and I went out with a plan, only to find that the tube wasn't running in our area of town. So we got familiar with the bus system very quickly. The London buses are actually a great way to get to know the city better and if you ride up top the height and perspective makes the ride a little exciting as these giant double-decker buses seem to squeeze where it doesn't seem like they should fit.
We walked up to Kensington Gardens and Palace to have a quick look around and then spent the rest of the afternoon in a shopping frenzy on the high street. I came with almost no appropriate clothing and now I have a perfectly serviceable wardrobe mostly. We got back home and spent the rest of the night relaxing and eating the pumpkin soup Shan made.
The next morning we meant to do the chores of going to find more hangers and stopping at the hardware store to rig up something to insulate and close up the chimney holes. We ended up going for a jog in our park and then got caught up cleaning for the lunch party Beth had planned. The walk was beautiful again, I swear I'll have pictures of that in the next post. The Thames was low and there were dozens of rowers fighting for space with the swans in the diminished water. We were laughing as the coaches would follow behind in their nice motorized boats, yelling out instructions with their megaphones. If I were sweating it out, I might have a few choice words for where that megaphone could go.
Anyway, the lunch party turned more to a dinner party as the lack of transport made the guests later than expected. No matter, we had wine and appetizers while we waited for Beth's dinner of roast pork, goat cheese and mushroom polenta, and green beans. For dessert a chocolate and pear tart. It was very good! There wasn't too much time after clean-up before we were due to leave for the pub quiz at our new favorite place, The Pear Tree.
It's not too far from here and the atmosphere and staff are really great. We tried to do the quiz last week but it was suspended for some sort of impromptu play. This week it was on! A hilarious and heavily accented Scotsman was heading up the somewhat unusual quiz. He kept saying at one point, 'six crackers,' which sounded like 'sex crackers.' Jokes, jokes... Beth's friend Max, Shannon, Beth, and myself. There was a 10 question 'general' knowledge part, which we thought we did okay at until he read the answers later. One particular question - "Harvard did a study asking people this....If you were in a port-a-loo(potty for those in the states, which I think is everyone) and you were sitting down to have a number two, and you look up to see the ceiling covered in spiders do you a. finish and then go or b. run like the wind." Needless to say there was no lack of interesting discussion as we tried to figure out what people would have said.

There were other parts - anagrams, which we sucked at....alot. A movie section. And then a section that looked like the last round of family feud. You know, pick the most popular answer out of 100 people surveyed? That one was my responsibility. The random section where you did a little red/black betting, went to Max who managed to score a massive 7 points. And last, but not least, was what they call a bush trucker trial...yeah ok. Apparently it can be like a fear factor thing...luckily for her it was just 5 giant crackers and what turned out to be a shot of balsamic vinegar. She and nine other people raced to finish the crackers and then take the shot of vinegar. The early lead went to some guy who polished off three but Shannon came up from behind and kicked the pants out of everyone! It was amazing. The entire pub was in a frenzy. Somehow even with our crap answers the first round, and dismal showing in the anagrams we ended up winning. And the prize was a bottle of champagne...bad news bears. This morning didn't feel stellar but it was so worth it.

Life in London

We're finally living in London! I can't believe it's been over two weeks already. We've had some troubles with actually getting internet in our apartment and the sketchy one we've been paying for has finally decided to work properly so I thought I'd start my blog again.

We got here and pretty much jumped right into things. We had welcome drinks at the wine bar down the street with our roommate, get signed up for classes, and everything else administrative that needed to be done. And that sentence makes it sound so much easier than it was. The first week or so it seemed like we hit every possible frustration and annoyance. The dogs had a bit of trouble but managed to make it here. From money issues, to having pants too long for shoes that weren't comfortable enough to walk anywhere, to the Tube pass machines not taking credit cards for no good reason...it has been a bit of a struggle but we've managed alright. What is most surprising is how at home I feel here.

I've joined the university chorus which makes me proud of myself. Since I'm normally terribly lazy I struggle to make the changes in my life I want to see. I said before I came I wanted to get back to singing and now I have. Now after the first rehearsal I realize that so much disuse of my voice has cost me most of my range. Oh well, practice will help. Poor neighbors...

We've been getting the in's and out's of traffic here as well. Apparently a green man doesn't always mean walk if you're in the driver's seat. A car nearly hit a group of us and one girl yelled out, "IT'S BLOODY GREEN!" Which just made me laugh like a maniac. For the same language there are quite a few sayings that do not translate or they translate but the comic factor is out of this world. Some of the girls in my program and I went for coffee in the cafe that is actually inside Russell Gardens (very pretty) and discussed the differences. Speaking of my program. I really love it! Global Migration and UCL was definitely the right choice. There is only one guy in the program, which is hilarious, and the group is very diverse. There are quite a few countries represented which brings an interesting dimension to discussions - England, Estonia, Norway, Canada, Italy, Romania, etc.

Well, it is time I did my reading for my International European and Refugee Law course....yeah I'm hoping it's not as bad as it sounds. Pictures to be posted on the next entry.