Lending Voice to Thoughts

Since people have been asking, figured I'd sit down and see how much London actually cost. Click the links to where I bought things.

Air Fare: $840
Place to Stay: $550
Transportation: $108
6 Day London Pass: $149
Insurance: $79
To & From Phoenix: $80
Cash in Hand (food, gifts, misc): $1200 (approx £730)

-I came back with £100($165) in hand, so about $2850 total. For 12 days of International travel.

In retrospect, would not have gotten the London Pass. Most of the places I wanted to go were free or ended up not being included in the London Pass, although there were a few places that I went to that I wouldn’t have otherwise. *shrugs*

The Insurance was a safety net, and very nearly needed it with getting sick and a 7 hour delay back, so glad I had it even if it wasn't used.

Missed the Shuttle back from Phoenix, so that was $40 lost.

All total, pretty pleased. ^__^

Currently have three trips in tentative planning stages, kinda hoping to get one solidified soon. Am feeling somewhat off balance without travel looming in the future. #^^#

Should be writing today up and uploading pictures, but right now I'm sewing. Sewing?, you may ask. Y'see, it's like this, I noticed what kind of coats people were wearing and noticed that while most were mid-thigh, there were a few that just came to the waist or went to the ankle. But either way, there was one major theme.... fitted waists, usually flairing out. Very flattering, no matter the body type.

My baggy trench? Getting a lot of weird looks. So I found a coat. Told myself that I'd open the budget up a bit if I could get a leather one, for riding the scooter in Tucson. Found a leather one that goes mid-thigh for £50, but it's.... awkwardly tight in the hip after fitting over the bust. So I'm fixing that. Have leather needles and thread, will add gussets.

... May have to put a dart in the back too... hmm...

It's really confusing my hosts. "You're doing what?!"

So the original plan for today was to be ironic and visit Buckingham Palace and either Westminster or St. Paul's Cathedral in honour of the American Thanksgiving.

But to paraphrase Eddie Izzard, it's a good thing I'm not the Church of England, cause I changed my mind.

Went to Leicester Square to redeem my London Pass so I could get into those places and realised it was familiar. The Tube let's out right next door to the Wyndham Theatre, were Megs and I saw David Tenant and Catherine Tate in 'Much Ado About Nothing'. And the place to redeem is next to the National Portrait Gallery.

Which much to my surprise, is across the street from Saint-Martin's-in-the-Field, and the Cafe in the Crypt.

Guess where I had my morning tea? ^__^ It was a lot brigher than I expected, not gloomy at all.

From there, I followed shiny object to shiny object, until I was suddenly in front of Big Ben. And across the Thames from Big Ben? The London Eye.

It's my birthday gosh darnit, I went on the London Eye because I've been wanting to go on it for YEARS.

Brb, shower.

-Wow, came home at the right time, it's raining out.

Anyway, on my way from Big Ben to the Eye, ended up getting my fortune told, except the wind kept stealing the woman's words. Prolly a good thing, she kept going on about a man in my life who gives me money-? O_o

The Eye was great! The ride was so smooth, couldn't tell when we stopped or started for the wheelchairs except through observation. Was very cool.

From there, got really lost, Embankment past the Ministry of Defense, until suddenly I was at Charring Cross and really confused. Stopped by a coffee house and asked about their Mocha, not sure if I wanted the caffeine or not. Dunno if I looked like I needed it or not, but the lady told me sit down, it was on the house, and no one would tale my money. So I put it in the donation box for the homeless that they had. Good mocha too.

From there, wandered in circles in Convent Garden, finding a place that makes gorgeous embroidered Swedish clothing and Bolongard Trevor, who in addition to carrying some really odd vinatge stuff (birds in jars) does some interesting things with digital prints, like taking photos of pinned moths from an antique collection and using it as a print on a dress.

From there, tried to find z place that sold wool or yarn, and was directed to John Lewis Department store 'just up the street' to Oxford, which is always a bad sign. Got lost around Tottenham Court, was directed to go 'under a building' (totally true) before finally finding it.... on the faaaaaaar side of Oxford Circus.

After which, I took a double Decker bus back to Whitechapel. FYI? Bus MUCH slower than the Tube.

.... Which brings me back to sewing. ^__^

I leave Tuesday for London, so put a post on FB and Twitter asking if there was anything I could bring back from England for people.

Thus far the responses are:
Matt Smith
Photos of things in Museums
Crazy stories
A Corset
Alan Rickman
The City and Buildings of Liverpool
Photos of me in a Corset
A Doll in some sort of UK clothing
Photos from the Royal Armouries of "rapiers, hilts, and any armour that's leather lookin"
-Why didn't you take any photos of swords last time?
We Will Build You A Corset.
Prince Harry

I also have requests for a pin/lanyard from Hard Rock Cafe, a rock from somewhere in London, and real Cadbury Chocolate, a jewel-toned scarf, and a mug of the London Tub that says 'Mind the Gap'.
... And my boss wants "Genetic material from the Queen".

Any other requests? Preferably small and non-living?

Got an email from British Airlines saying my flight out to London was cancelled, they were moving it from 19 Nov to 20 Nov, which meant only 8 days in London and two travelling.

Called them up, they moved the flight back from 29 Nov to 1 Dec, which means an EXTRA DAY IN LONDON!!!! \o/ With no fees! And I still have Sunday, 2 Dec to get over jetlag before work on Monday!!!

Huzzah!!!

Heading to a foreign country by myself again! why yes, I did fail my sanity check, why do you ask?

Tickets are booked for London. Flying out 19 Nov, flying back the afternoon of 29 November.

Still need to figure out where to stay, prefer B&Bs over hotels, but the tickets out are the big thing. ^__^