No Regrets!

After landing at Heathrow, we tubed to central London, found our bearings, and navigated to our hostel in Piccadilly Circus.

It takes some coordination to squeeze into our tiny room. There are two bunk beds and space for one human between them. It’s a good thing we all like each other.

We dropped our bags and immediately set out to Green Park for the Sandeman’s free walking tour of central London.

Our androgynous but friendly guide Suzie showed us Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, and the clock tower erroneously known as Big Ben. When we return to London at the end of the trip, we’ll definitely spend some time inside Westminster Abbey, my favorite building in the world.

Since arriving, some my London-area friends have been coming out of the woodwork to meet up. Even Melissa, my fourth great grandmother’s husband’s great aunt’s husband’s sixth great nephew’s wife (no joke, I connected with her through my family tree research on Geni) has offered to show us around.

Last night, we signed up for a pub crawl organized by the hostel. The awful drink specials at various bars around Piccadilly did the trick, keeping us out until the wee hours of the morning. Our first 24 hours in London felt like a week.

I awoke this morning freezing and hungover, in much worse shape than any of my buddies. My alcohol tolerance, which was never that high to begin with, is definitely waning. Bags in tow, we clumsily checked out of the hostel, grabbed a quick breakfast, and navigated our way to Euston Station.

Right now, we’re on the train to Liverpool. Outside, a rolling English countryside of crops, pastures, cookie-cutter houses, and industry floats by. Inside, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson’s doppleganger is sitting in the corner blasting techno from his tinny laptop speakers and slamming his plastic water bottle to the beat. Would playing loud music from my own speakers send the right message or start a fight?

We’ve got an afternoon to explore Liverpool before kicking off another birthday celebration tonight.