Oh London, how do I love thee. There is so much energy in this city and I am surrounded by theater which really makes my heart happy. I think a large part of my excitement is the ability to not only have conversations with people in a common language but to also make funny comments (or at least I think they are funny). I will say that London is not as British as I expected, maybe it's to much television or something but I really thought I would see more Fascinators and Bowlers, have high tea and watch a cricket match or two. I am still waiting to see spotted dick on a menu or in the store, there is such a thing and not just an item sold at World Market, right?
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| For the serious cider drinker |
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| Where Big Ben lives |
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| Scotch Egg |
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| Changing of the guard |
We were so happy to have some friends join us during our first week here, we did the Hop on Hop off bus which really gives you the chance to see the sites and decide on what tourist stops you want to revisit and did the Beatles/Rock and Roll walking tour. We stopped in a local pub where the Beatles used to meet with Brian Epstein and had a pint and some chips, we were the only women but it was very cool. We have rented a flat (English term for apartment) in the Herne Hill area of London, talk about diverse and eclectic, I love all the Caribbean markets, food, smells and people. We are only about 30 minutes outside of central London so we take the red double decker bus in to town which Tatum loves and it gives us an opportunity soak up the sites. I have made friends with the checkers at the local grocery store after sending them into a tail spin when I asked for coffee creamer (liquid). Multiple people were searching the store until we realized it was single cream (located in the yogurt section and in a yogurt looking container)...
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| Tower Bridge |
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| Selfie on the Hop on Hop off bus |
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| The London Eye |
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| Our flat |
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| Splash - neighborhood festival |
We are 3 months into our travels and I wont lie it hasn't always been fun. Traveling is hard, we are all sick of our clothes and ready to burn them. I miss my family and my friends, I miss the summer events back home and yes I know I am living the dream and people would trade places with me in a second..it's still hard. I am also spending more and more time thinking about what is next, remember I left my job, health insurance and retirement plan, rented out our condo, sold our belongings and stored the rest...so in 6 months when we return I need a plan. I will be working with a life coach while on this adventure and looking forward to exploring the next part of my life.
One of many things I will take away from this is the need for human connections and how I have been doing it and how I want to do it going forward. Life is not how much you cram into it but how much of it you experience. When was the last time we sat face to face with someone we cared about without an electronic devise in our hands or a table seperating us and just enjoyed each other? The parks in Copenhagen were filled with people of all ages, kicking a ball around or sitting on the grass and enjoying a conversation. There was no concert, no festival or sporting event just time spent with each other. I can not wait to get home and get togther with my friends in the park!
I will be in a British commerical in September. I was asked to film a spot with the British Red Cross (ha ha almost typed American Red Cross) for National First Aid Day. They asked me questions about first aid to see how much I knew as they are promoting their new first aid app. So stay tuned as I may just post the link to the ad.
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| Buckingham Palace |
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| The City |
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| Fortnum and Mason |
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| China town |
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| Fun in London |
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| Filming | |
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| Tatum's chum Tara |
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Tatum getting down in the park
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| The new hair cut |
Cheers!
