London - What the hell is this, some kind of tube?

Well here I am in London. I havent really done anything of a touristy nature yet, so there isnt much I can tell you about, but I'm quite comfortable in my new home with Dan and Liz.



Here we are, looking all brother and sisterly.

It was with a heavy heart yesterday that I left Michelle to wrap up her affairs in Mainz alone. I'm pretty sure she was thrilled, as I was one less thing in her apartment to be walked around or climbed over.

I've had longer cab rides than my flight from Frankfurt to Heathrow. Dan was on hand to meet me and guide me through a maze of public transport to my new home on Broadhurst Park road. The first cool thing I found with London is that everyone has their own tube station to devote themselves to like a street gang. I've been here less than 48 hours, but already I'd lay down my life for the Finchley Road massive.

I've got a double mattress set up at the foot of Dan and Liz's bed (like a dog) and its probably the most comfortable sleeping setup I've had so far. There is Wifi all through the house and laptops lying all about the place. I've hit up the supermarket stocked myself up with butter, full cream milk, bread and peanut butter, so thats taken care for the first 2 meals of every day Im here.

Today Liz took me out to Central London to go shopping for a waterproof jacket for when we hit Ireland. Found ourselves a bargain little number in H&M, then we went shoe shopping.

I was distinctly reminded of going to Hogs Breath and having a Hickory Smoked Steak (medium well) waved in front of me with a side of garlic bread. You get that raw, choking desire and your teeth try and jump out of your face to annihilate whats in front of you. The shoe stores here are just the same. Every colour, flavour and esoteric limited edition style of tennis shoe dances in front of you like candy laced with laces.

I didnt want to spend a lot of money here because the pound is so expensive, but there is something so arresting about a pair of Vans with "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" by Hokusai printed across it. Oh well, money is printed to be spent.

Ireland will be awesome. It was the last thing on my mind when I came here, but I'm catching the travel enthusiam bug from Liz and Dan because for them this will be the first holiday in a while. We leave on Saturday the 28th and get back on Wednesday the 1st, just in time to meet Kristy coming back from Scotland.