Day 1: This Place Smells Like Brit

4:00pm Oct 19

I've arrived.

Thanks to the magic of pharmaceuticals, I slept for 9 hours and 20 minutes of the 10 hour flight. After deciding that 3 bags and a backpack was too heavy to lug on a train, I hailed a Black Cab to the apartments I'm staying at in the Kensington/Hyde Park area. Besides Double-Decker buses and red telephone booths, Black Cabs are about the most "British" thing you'll see. I'll see if I can grab a picture one of these days.

The 'flat' (the cool way of saying 'tiny apartment) I'm staying at is nice, and has all the basics. I did learn one thing, however - this is not a hotel, and as such does not come with any of the usual hotel amenities. No shampoo, no soap, only weekly maid service, and just two flimsy towels which, according to my judgment, are made out of something texturally similar to 20-grit sandpaper. Therefore I'll have to go pick up some "make me smell better" supplies tomorrow.

Here are some more photos of my place:

I call this masterpiece "Kitchen".

The "Loo". Complete with "spray all over the place" showerhead and sink. (EDIT: Fixed within a couple hours after complaining at the front desk. Top marks, Grand Plaza!)


9:30 pm - Looked out my window to see this beautiful view. To think that some of these buildings are literally hundreds of years old is amazing. They were around before America (and might just outlive it, too).

That's it for Day 1. I'm exhausted from the trip and it's time to get to bed. Luckily I'm tired at exactly the right time, so I'm hoping I'll escape from jet-lag.

'Night.