The Streets of London...

I made it! Can't believe it, but it's already over. I jetted off to London to surprise Alastair (www.roundtheworldbybike.com) at his official homecoming just for the weekend, and we had a blast. I even managed to deviously arrange for him to pick me up at the airport without him even knowing it, and the look on his face when he saw me step out into Heathrow was priceless. We then drove for over an hour in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the M25 out to Kent, where Sarah's (his girlfriend) parents were hosting a big dinner party for him. We had a lovely meal and I met some fabulous people, then slept on the floor with pretty much everyone. The following morning we headed into London, where Alastair took me to the Royal Geographical Society to hob-nob with world explorers and researchers. Very interesting!
I then met up with Emily Brown (from Saudi) for lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon watching a rugby match (England vs. the All Blacks) in a pub.
That evening was Alastair's official "End of the World" party, where I had far too much really bad wine, and met many more amazingly friendly and funny people.
The following morning, (which felt like night for me) was horribly, horribly painful-- and I awoke on Duncan's (another friend, who came to Canada last year) sofabed with a carpet in my mouth and what seemed to be a jackhammer in my head. Despite actually putting my bed away, showering, and dressing myself, I somehow managed to fall asleep on the couch again before breakfast. Classy.Alastair, Sarah and their friends Kate, Wil and Paul (I think...) took me out for the afternoon on a lovely tour of London. Alastair took full control of my camera and took some fun toursity shots, including one of me climbing on some sidewalk monument (see below). We spent a few hours in the Tate Museum, which was absolutely hilarious, and wandered down Fleet Street and saw St. Paul's. After ordering a pizza at another friend's flat, Sarah took Alastair and I out to her flat in Reading, where we spent my last night.
Suddenly it was morning (evening?!) again, and I was packing up to go to Heathrow while Al was climbing back onto his bike for the last short journey right home to Yorkshire.
I made it back to Vancouver on Monday evening and was working again Tuesday morning. Time for a weekend!


Al and me on my first night in England.



Emily and me out for lunch




Al and Sarah... back together after 4 years apart!



A fun afternoon wandering around London being tourists



The boys boosting me onto a monument in an attempt to get a cheesy tourist shot



Me not fitting onto the monument quite the way we'd envisioned...



A London sunset... it was bright and sunny all weekend!