"Where's the flatware for going on vacation alone?"

I have the best friends in the world.

My good friends, Faith and her fiance Ethan, threw a party for me Friday, under the premise of raising funds for my London trip.

I had been posting on Facebook about trying to use crowdfunding to raise money for it. None of that worked, so I was joking that there's no opportunity for single adults to get free stuff.

It went something like this:

"Where's the flatware for going on vacation alone?"

Carrie is absolutely right. We should celebrate each other's lives, even if our friends don't follow the standard life path of graduation, engagement, marriage, babies.

I was just joking, but my amazing friend, Faith, actually did something about it and threw me a vacation shower.

I was dreading it, actually. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Why should I be asking my equally broke friends to subsidize my vacation?

And if nobody showed up, I would just have to kill myself. There would be no other recourse. It would be too mortifying.

But I went and had an amazing time. More people showed than I had expected (though, I had expected no one to show up). And my friends donated $85, between them.

I couldn't believe it. I feel so grateful to have such great friends. I have felt so down for so long, and so lonely for so long, and they showed me how much I was taking for granted. I've got tears in my eyes, as I write this. It was so touching. 

And it's that, that I'll think about when I'm trying to muster up the courage to do things that intimidate me in London. I'll think about the people at home rooting for me to explore and have a great time, and how much I don't want to let them down.

Friday was one of the best nights I've had in a long, long time.

My First Night In London

Lately, I've been looking into things going on in London during the week I'm there for another once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not like Hamlet isn't enough. But I have only a few nights and I want to make the most of them. Nights specifically. I have plenty of things planned for the daytime, but I don't want to be wandering around alone at night or hanging out in bars, so I need events to attend.

Well, I came across a perfect one today. I love John Finnemore and his radio programs, like Cabin Pressure and the Souvenir Programme. Today, I saw a tweet that he's putting on a new stage show called Souvenir Cabin for two weeks only, and the last night in the run happens to coincide with my first night in London!

I bought a ticket, and I can't wait. Brilliant!

So, that's two nights dealt with, counting the night in Hamlet.

And it's my very first night in the city, too, when I'll be super anxious to get out and yet not at all famliar with the city yet. The plan is, I arrive in London on Sunday morning, amble casually to the hotel, check in and have a shower. Then, I go to Sunday roast at The Stag, and then shopping at Camden Lock Market. Then back to the hotel to drop off my stuff and freshen up, and head off to the Shaw Theatre for this hilarious show.

This trip is getting better and better.

The Sorting Post

Now to figure out how I'm going to be spending my short time in London.


Must do:

Sunday
Browse Camden Market - Closed Tuesday, all others 10-6
Stop in at Eclipse tattoos and consult on a tat
Sunday Roast at The Stag
Walk to the top of Parliament Hill and enjoy the view
Stop in somewhere and get some nibbles to keep in the room
Go back to the room and rest up


Monday

Double decker bus tour
Starts at 8:30 am from Green Park underground. *Need to book.
Changing of the guard at 10:20 am - 10:35 or 10:50 at the latest
Ride to Trafalgar Square
National Gallery and lunch?
Scene in London movie/TV spots walking tour from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Ride to Regent Park and walk to Speedy's Cafe on N Gower Street to eat (unless the walk goes through there, anyway.)
Walk back and ride to Tower Pier
River Cruise to Westminster Pier
*Check on last boat time
Or do the mysteries walk
(Evening stroll along Southbank, if not exhausted.)

Tuesday

Tour the Globe Theatre - open at 9:00
Tate Modern + lunch in the museum cafe until about 2 or so
Walk across the Millenium bridge
See St. Paul's and ogle St. Bart's Hospital
Pre-theatre afternoon tea at Bea's of Bloomsbury *Need to make reservation for 4:30
Hamlet at the Barbican at 7:15

Wednesday

Eat my way through Borough Market
Maybe get a drink at Aqua Shard?


Thursday

Window shopping on Oxford Street and around Piccadilly Circus, maybe.
See 221 Baker Street and maybe tour the museum
Browse Soho and China Town
Dinner in China Town or Soho

Friday

????

Want to do:

Browse Portobello Market?
Browse Old Spitalfields Market?
Museum of London?
Victoria And Albert Museum?
Covent Garden?

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are a little fuzzy still. But this is progress. I'm trying to fit everything in and be mindful of location and travel expense/time. I'll keep coming back to update this, as I figure things out.