4 flights, London layover, spotting royalty

I have so much to say and my apologies are extensive if none of it makes any sense.

I flew to Dallas and had a 30 minute layover until our flight left for London.  The flight wasn't that bad.  Like 9 hours. The lady sitting next to me and I had a nice chat.  She kept asking me to watch her 7 month old baby while she ran to the bathroom. funny.  I only slept for like 2 hours but I don't even care.  I have this weird thing where I kind of honestly think "I'm not going to have jet lag"...and so I won't.  Is it going to work?  I dunno.  It worked in Paris and Rome.  

We get off the flight from London, trample our way through security and leave to check out London--12 hour layover!!  Bless the dear travel agent that gave us a 12 hour layover.  Otherwise we'd four flights in a row and I'd be exhausted and look haggard.  Unfortunately the looking haggard bit isn't really in my control regardless of the length of the layover.  Oh well!

We took the tube.  yeah, like the british metro.  Can I stop and rant for 10 seconds?  I'm pretty sure the entirety of my time in London has been spent nauseated and moaning.  Not because I'm unhappy or sick.  On the contrary, I just realized how much I love love love Europe.  I love it.  I love everything about it.  I love riding the metro (or tube..you darling brits), I love the pretty buildings, window shopping, all of the well dressed men, all of the things to see....all of it!  I've been in complete bliss--trying to soak in every minute because who knows when I'll get more Europe time.  Ugh, if I could ask Santa for a place to live for the rest of my life, it'd be somewhere in Europe.  Dear me, it's not even a touristy place for me.  It's home.  I love it here. Bah, as if I haven't rambled enough about that...just wait!

So, we headed to do the touristy goods.  We took pics with Big Ben (we'd literally been out of the tube for five minutes), were walking to see West Minster Abbey (yes, Will&Kate's wedding spot apparently) and the streets were LINED with people and those darling brits with their red coats and fluffy black hats.  We asked someone what was going on and the policeman said, "the queen is coming."  haha WHAT?!  Yes, just when our layover HAPPENS to be and when we HAPPEN to be in that part of town, the queen herself came by in a little carriage waving like the lady.  We were all dying.  We just went on our way taking pictures and doing hilarious things and as we're walking to Buckingham Palace, the queen just HAPPENS to drive back.  We stopped and took more pics and Prince Harry was trotting a few carriages behind her.  It was hilarious.  I literally walked around all day muttering very profound statements like, "This is absurd!"  "This is insane!" haha Yeah, it felt so unreal.  I still can't believe it happened.  I've been dying laughing all day.  What an awesome awesome start to our trip.  I'll send pics and add the video perhaps when I make it to Uganda.

So two flights down and two more to go.  We're flying to Kenya from here...I think it'll be an 8 hour flight or something.  Then we have a flight to Uganda and then a 4 hour bus ride.  I've been awake for what...apparently was all of your Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  I'm hoping to get some good sleep on the way to Kenya.  Bah, I have missed traveling.  I miss being in a new place, foreing money, foreign languages being spoken everywhere, and the classy people.  Mmm...

ALSO, my cute niece Mya gave me a Lightning McQueen car for the birthday.  She asked me to take it to Uganda and take pictures of it in cool places where I go.  Guess who's the git that forgot it at home?!?  This lass right here.  I've been feeling so sick about it and like the worst aunt on the planet.  So we went to Harrod's here in London which...blew. my. mind.  And I went up to the fourth floor where the toy store is and bought a new one. haha Random purchase but I had to do it here.  i didn't think I'd find one in Africa.  So good news, Lightning McQueen will see Uganda afterall. :) 

Wow, I don't know if any of this makes sense.  I don't really have time to proof read it.  I love you guys.  I'll post more when I get to Uganda.  I can't wait to meet the people.  This all just feels like such a surrel dream.  Did I really just see the Queen of England on my way to live in Uganda for the summer?  This is absurd! haha And I love every minute of it.  I'll post again soon.  Be safe.  Love from England,

Mals