Sight Seeing and New Plans

First off, I want to say Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful, wonderful, and amazing Mum! I love her dearly, and miss her lots.

On to England stuff!

I've been here just under a week now, and have done quite a few London things! I have got a handle on the tube (which is actually quite easy), but it does have some things that need to be fixed.. Every single day I've been here, some part of the line is down because of something or other, usually a signal failure. AND it is the most expensive transport system. Granted I was way out of central London, but still.. I shouldn't have to pay 20 dollars for off peak times! (30 during peak hours..)

Anyways, my first full day I went out to the Tower of London. I've been dreaming of going there for years, so it was really cool to be there. It's where Anne Boleyn was beheaded and buried, and Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned when she was still a Princess, it was a palace at one point, and it's where the crown jewels are kept.

Tower of London

Beafeater 

Traitor's Gate

Norman Toilet

The next day I went to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus - just to see it, not to shop. Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures inside the Abbey. It was pretty cool to see the tombs of royalty and other famous people (Queen Elizabeth I, Chaucer, Handel - just to name a few), but what I didn't realize was how many other people are buried there too. I mean, there are dead people everywhere! You can't walk anywhere without stepping on someone..

Westminster Abbey

Buckingham Palace

Piccadilly Circus

On Friday I went to my SWAP orientation and Kensington Palace - sorry there are no pictures of that. But it was pretty interesting to see where Queen Victoria grew up. The Palace had a whole section on her of course, everything from toys, to her wedding gown. She and Albert were pretty cute, I have to say.

I have come across some other iconic London sites as well!

Tower Bridge

Big Ben and me

London Eye

Quick story about this: I was asked by two East Indian Guys to take a picture of them in front of the London Eye. After I did, they wanted to take pictures with me.. They don't know my name, or where I'm from, but they have pictures of me. Very odd..

Hanging out with Churchill

A Palace guard with a crooked hat

Also, I have made a departure from my earlier plans. I'm not longer going to try and find a job and work in London. Rent is astronomical here (like 110 pounds a week), and I would only get paid about 5 pounds an hour. I really don't want to work all the time and that's it. I'd rather see the country. Also, my possible Olympic job fell through..they overestimated the amount of workers they would need. Oh well. My plan now, is to do some work in exchange for room/board through www.helpx.net. So far I've got a response from one host so I've already got one place to go! I think in between hosts, I'll be visiting relatives. I also might try and do a stint at a hostel somewhere, working reception and such like for a room.

However, before that, I'm going to be doing a tour of Cornwall, with a tour group called HaggisAdventures. I leave tomorrow! It looks like it should be a lot of fun, plus I'll get to meet some fellow travellers! So, since I have an early start tomorrow, I'm off to stay in a hostel in central london tonight. I'm excited!