London Calling

So it has been quite the busy week/weekend! Want to hear about? Sure you do!
My story starts way back into last week. I was busy working, anxiously trying to get my three essays written. I arrived back to Lancaster a week early solely to write these essays. It was a rather productive week. there was no one on my corridor so it was quiet and there were few distractions to get in the way of work. However it was also quite lonely. On my breaks there was no one to talk to, no tv breaks (as there is no tv), it was just me sitting and reading my book "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" for entertainment inbetween work. I survived the week and the work, finnishing everything off with a marathon writing session that lasted roughly 23hours. Then i stumbled up the spine to hand in the threee essays. Upon returning to my room, promptly fell asleep for the rest of the day.
On Tuesday I went out with the guys on my corridor. we went to this bar called The Crypt. It is essentially a basement that has been converted into an alternative bar. It was a good night, we had a few drinks and then headed out to this club called Revolution. It was a great night, they played good music, plenty of fit birds to watch (heh, i've taken up bird watching whilst in England), and good friends to hang out with.
Wednesday was uneventful, don't really remember what i did, so it makes for a boring description of the day. Moving on to Thrusday. I remember what happened on Thursday.
Thursday was my friend Bryony's birthday, so we went out to celebrate. first it was this bar called Bentley's. It was half off all drinks and Karioke night. I didn't sing because of the self-imposed ban of Karioke because of my Karioke experience in Luton. Anyways, Bryony and some of the girls that we were with did a number, it was rather good. and a few other of our party did some, but on the whole the karioke machine was put to use by all the chaves of Lancaster.
After Bentley's we made our way to the Sugarhouse, the student bar. we drank, danced, etc. typical night out. was a lot of fun.
On Friday i made my way down to London. It was my 2nd cousin Mark's 30th birthday. I hadn't been to London yet on this trip so i decided that this weekend was the best time to do it. I arrived in the afternoon, and just kind of wandered around all day looking at the sights and taking it all in. The weather was beautiful. Upon arriving at Euston station the first thing i did was to head to Kings cross station to have a look around there. (Any HP fans will understand why i went there) then i just decided to walk from there towards the Thames and have a leisurly walk along the riverside. I saw the London Eye, Big Ben (well to be accurate the clock tower that houses Big Ben) the exterior of Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.
Then that evening, Mark, Dan, Kelly (Mark's flat mates) and I went to a local pub in Kilburn, the bourgh of London that Mark lives in.
On Saturday, the most amazing thing happened, and i mean i don't think any random thing will ever hold a candle to this chance enounter. Saturday i got up and headed into town. I wanted to get into Westminster Abbey and have a look around, as it had been closed the day before when i got there. I was keen to see the monuments to all the past Kings and Queens, William Shakespeare and Newton. (Funny sidestory, as i was sitting beneath Shakespeare's monument, the announcer who leads visitors in a prayer he announced that it was the anniversary of Shakespeare's death. which was kind of cool as i was sitting admiring the bard's statue at the time)
when i left the abbey i decided that i was going to go to Greenwhich via a boat cruise on the Thames. so as i was walking towards the parliment buildings, i noticed that some guy ahead of me was staring at me. I looked and thought to myself, is that Martin?
He said "Rob?"
I replied "Martin?!?!"
He then turned around and got my sister's attention and we had an awesome reunion on the street outside Westminster Abbey!
I knew Alex and Martin were going to be flying into London, i just thought that since they were going to be flying to Dublin that same night that they'd be arriving in the evening and hurrying to catch their flight. or that they'd just remain in the airport and as there was no way to get in touch with them there was no way to let them know that i was going to be in London that same weekend and practically impossible to arrange a meeting. It was jsut an awesome coincidence. Funny thing is, the day before, as i was in relatively the same spot, i was thinking to myself that i prefer sightseeing with other people, and was wishing that i could randomly bump into someone who i knew on the street so that it make for a more enjoyable trip in London.
We decided to take the Thames River cruise to Greenwhich, along the way you pass by all the famous monuments such as the tower of london, the tower bridge, shakespear's globe, the london eye, etc. when we arrived in grenwhich we headed to the Royal Observatory to stand on the Prime Meridian. Well Alex and I made our way, martin kind of followed, he wasn't as much of a geography geek as i was so it seemed like he wasn't that interested that we were standing at 0 degrees latitude. Sorry Martin, i'll make it up to you.
Alex and Martin had to make it back to the airport so we navigated the tube to green park where we went our separate ways. Saturday night was mark's b-day celebration. He reserved a spot in a night club called the Soho club. it was a great evening, though the ac was non-existant and it soon became like a sauna, one that was filled with cigarette smoke and had no air flo at all! i just wilted by about 12:30 and had to wait until everyone else was ready to go at 2am. overall it was a really great night, the company was great, and when we got back to Mark's flat we had a good time chatting until 5am!
Sunday i did some more walking around saw Canary wharf, Trafalgar square, walked the mall, and went to Picadilly Circus. That night everyone took it easy, I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the 100 greatest kid's shows of all time. though it did have a huge british skew, and no degrassi junior high, which hands down is the greatest kid's show.
Finally on Monday i caught the train back to Lancaster, and have been trying to sit down and get to my revision ever since.
so there is my novel weekend (ha pun!) i'll upload some pics later, right now i have other things to do!
Later!
Rob.