As promised, a real update.

My avid readers-

Okay, so I think I might have somewhat gotten the hang of things around here. Sort of. When I got in at around 11:00 pm yesterday, I couldn't get any money using my debit cards. My credit cards didn't work in the tube ticket vending machines. I was freaking out, and having an attack etc, etc, etc. That was quite the way to start my study abroad experience... however, I feel a little better knowing it can only go uphill from here. Last night was spent on skype with my wonderful and supportive parents until almost 04:00 London time, trying to sort out how I can get some money, and it ended up with me being able to get enough to last at least the next 4 or 5 days. So, the grand total of sleep I have had in the last 48 hours or so is maybe 9 hours on the high end. However, I've found a lovely chain with 99p coffee and free wi-fi, so that solves that problem.

I wanted to go to the British Museum, but there was apparently some sort of gas leak, and it had to be evacuated earlier in the day. Hopefully it will be open tomorrow! So, instead, I checked into my hostel and quickly learned that you get what you pay for. for £16.00 ish, I was pretty happy just to have a place to stay, but I really wonder what kind of backpacker's hostel doesn't have lockers big enough to hold backpacks! So, I put all my valuable stuff into my rucksack and threw it in, and hoped for the best on the rest of it. I don't think anybody would want to steal my suitcase full of old shoes and underwear. The hostel smells intensely like BO, and the mattress is approximately 3 inches thick, but the bed has a curtain so I can have a little privacy. And there's a free breakfast. Tomorrow, I go to a different, and most likely better hostel, so I can definitely deal with this for one night. I wish CouchSurfing had panned out for London!

After settling into the hostel, I made an attempt to find a place to get a SIM card, but failed miserably. I ended up wandering aimlessly for a while, which was interesting, though the blisters on my foot from wearing bad shoes yesterday are getting pretty painful. I ought to find some moleskin or something before I explode in a pus-filled mess. Yuck. The plus of that escapade was the fact that I found a place to get a passport style photo to use to get a 16-25 discount railcard. Being a moron, I presumably left my photos in America. I walked into a store with a sign outside, got my 4 pictures for £3.99, but then they messed one up and gave me a pound back, which was lovely, considering that most places seemed to be charging £5 for 2 pictures! The picture is terrible, but it doesn't matter. The next step is getting to a rail station to buy my railcard and a ticket for the Stansted express and one for Edinburgh. Then, I'm going to take it easy for the evening, since I am EXHAUSTED.

Monday is the Notting Hill Carnival, which I hear is a pretty huge deal. I'm going to meet up with a bunch of Couch Surfers at a pub (P.S. Responsible grown-ups reading this blog: note that though I am of legal drinking age here, and have gone through several ordeals since arriving, I have yet to purchase an alcoholic beverage. That's restraint.) and then watch the parade and listen to the Caribbean music. I am very excited for that. That leaves tomorrow to move my stuff to the new hostel, hit up the British Museum, British Library, Science Museum, and Museum of Natural History (or, you know, whichever of the above I have time to visit. They're all FREE!). I'll probably end up at the British Museum since it is just a hop away from the hostel.

Okay, this novel is over. I have a few hours in which to get to a T-Mobile store and get phone service, then figure out if I can take care of my rail stuff on a Saturday.

Over and Out.

P.S. I'm trying to think of a way better sign off. We'll see if that ever happens.