London.

Hello There.

I just got back from the AMAZING city of London. I had more than a blast, and I think that part of that was because I got so close to alot of the people Im here with and not just acquaintences. So that was fun! Friday we touched off from the Manor at Harlaxton and drove to London where we took a 2 hour bus tour of the whole city. Amazing. There is so much to see and it is such a huge town, you have to go for at LEAST a week. So I definitely plan on going back soon! The pictures are a bit out of order...this post was a bit harder to put together.

This is the town of Surrey (where The Holiday was at!!)

This is me in the back of Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace

This is my standing under a HUGE tree in the Gardens at Hampton Court Palace (Sunday afternoon)

Me standing against another HUGE tree in the Gardens at Hampton Court Palace

This is me trapped in the dead end of a "Bush Maze" that is in the Gardens at Hampton Court Palace

Me sending Peace from the U.K. to you in the U.S.A (At Hampton Court Palace)

This is me standing in front of Buckingham Palace :) (Saturday)

This is me and my friends Laurel (left) and Sam (right) at Buckingham Palace at the Changing of the Gaurd Saturday morning

This picture is me and my roommate Cassie and in front of the play that we went to go see Friday night!!

This is a picture of me outside the Leicester Square (where we saw the play) on Friday but you cant see it very much

This is a picture of my by the Tower Bridge (which was the only stop we made on the bus tour on Friday)

Friday afternoon was spent going to Leicester Square (the big theatre district) to buy tickets for a show! I went and saw "The Little Dog that Laughed" with my friends Cassie (roommate), Carrie, and I cant remember the other girls name. The title doesnt make sense to me at all but the show was great and really funny. We went to a really cute pub for drinks and dinner before the show. Later that night I got back to the hotel and went out with some of my other friends Laurel and Sam and met everyone at this popular bar in London called "The Rocket" were we had drinks with alot of people from school and danced to some kickin' American hip hop :)! (and keep in mind that we got in at 3 am) Overall, great day!!

Saturday came early at 8am. I got ready for the day to go sightseeing with Laurel and Sam and a couple of their friends from the States who were in London for the weekend after being in Kenya for a month doing medical research. We first went to Buckingham Palace where we saw the ceremony of the Gaurd Chaning...very interesting! At that point it began to down pour on us...good thing I had an umberella. And it was also freezing outside. We continued on the Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben. All Amazing and I have to go back to get the full effect because it was raining and miserable. We spent the rest of the afternoon in this very cute pub in Covent Garden (which is my favorite place in London I have decided...among Notting Hill) eating and enjoying each others company, and then we went to the British Museum which was very cool but I was so tired that I ended up splitting from the group and going to relax in the cafe with my littel friend Hot Chocolate. At this point I had been trying to get ahold of Larkin all day because my phone wasnt working correctly but finally with the extensive help from Lauren and Danny (mostly Lauren) I got ahold of him and left from the museum to go to his house (south of the Thames river...bad side of town) haha! Got there and then realized that i left my cell phone in the taxi cab!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I have been trying to recover it ever since but it doesnt look too hopeful. (sorry mommy and daddy) I met his flat mates who were very very cool...one of which was a large bunny rabbit call Zandar BAHA! it was the cutest thing ever. We hung out for a while and then we went to Notting Hill (Livin' the Hugh Grant dream) to go to a FABULOUS Taqueria with some of his friends from school!!! After that we went to a Piano Bar in Notting Hill that was completely rockin and a great time (maybe one of the coolest things I did in London). It was about 10 and I left to go back to the hotel to meet my friends to go out dancing. We went to a really hip club called Fabric that Larkin warned me was SUPER Intense and a couple of his friends DJ there alot. This club was Insane....It was three floors and was a huge rave with just techno out the wazzooo and people from every country in the world and it was awsome. Finally got in at 5am....yes I know....5am. But hey people....ITS LONDON!! So basically I have had no sleep and I am among the walking dead right now haha.

Today we went as a whole group to Hampton Court Palace which was the home of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn (Bailey...), William and Mary (from the Glorious Rev.) and so many more. It was such a beautiful place and a great experience. We were there for about 4 hours and then we came back to the Manor and I am writing all of you now :) I cant remember if I left any funny details out of this post but I will update if I think of anything.

I miss all of you so dearly much and you would not beleive how bad I wish that yall were here with me....especially you mommy, daddy, christi, lauren, danny, and derrik haha because I wouldnt have to compromise doing what I want to do for what other people want to do (because I am the center of attention in this family and dont you forget it!). And Because we like the same things and food!!!

I hope all of you had a great weekend (not nearly as great as mine obviously ;) ) I hope my post was efficient so you could live vicariously through it...if not, write a letter to the editor please. Well back to a week of school and reality! Hooray.

I miss and love all of you so much! Oh and mommy, I L (to the) O (to the) V (to the) E my Rebel!!!!

Chip Chip,

Eli (Ali in an English accent)