Contiki European Horizon

This morning I got a cab to take me to Victoria Station. There was no way I was lugging all my stuff on the tube at 6 am in the morning. I was just in time to catch the next Gatwick Express train, and surprisingly, it was way nicer than the one I'd taken when I first arrived in London. Then I realized I was sitting in first class. Duhhhh. When I arrived at Gatwick I checked in and shopped for a bit, then made my way to the gate. It didn't seem like I waited that long. The plane was only about twenty percent full, it was amazing. I got four seats to myself. It was the best flight I have ever been on. An eight hour flight only felt like three hours. I even bought myself some duty free DKNY perfume. When I arrived in Vancouver I filled out my customs form. I was proud of myself for being completely honest when they asked how much I spent, which was around $450. Unfortunately, this makes me a suspect of foul play apparently, because I had to be intensely questioned by three different security guards and then taken to a special room where they scanned all my bags. I'm sorry I shopped a lot! I don't think $400 is that much for a two week vacation. I was so pissed off from it all and I didn’t want to have to bother with the skytrain and the public bus to the ferry, so I paid sixty bucks for a cab. The ferry was boring, and I was so tired, I just wanted to get home. I always am depressed when I get home from a great vacation. Usually I am missing the sun, and the beach, and the relaxation, but this time I was missing the people, and the bus, and the sights. I was dreading going back to work, but I knew if I was ever going to afford another Contiki tour, or to even go and visit some of the people from the tour, I’d need money! It felt weird to be back home, but it was nice to start telling everyone my stories. I had such an amazing time in Europe. I’ll have the memories forever!

Was still lonely today without my tour mates but determined to not have a repeat of yesterday. I got up and got ready and decided to head out without a plan. First I had to go back to H&M to get the security tag taken off my dress that they had forgotten yesterday. I managed to use the tube all by myself, which was a miracle. I got off at Picadilly Circus and saw around that area. I went to the store and then headed back to my hotel to meet my friend from the other night at 1:30.

We ended up back by the London Eye and we decided to go on it. The wait wasn't too long, and it was actually pretty cool. It was scorching hot in London by now and luckily the pods had air conditioning. You could see all kinds of sights from the top and it was definitely a great experience. We went for lunch at a Giraffe restaurant haha and then headed back to my hotel room and hung out there for a bit. I was all alone by about 5pm and then I had to pack and get ready to leave early the next morning. I had pizza and watched TV and tried to fall asleep early. I couldn't believe I was going to be home the next day. And it was back to work on Monday. Ughghghghg.

My most pitiful travel day ever was spent...sleeping. I slept the ENTIRE day today. So nothing good for a travelogue. I was so exhausted from the tour I really needed it. But I feel bad for spending an entire day in London stuck inside my hotel room in bed. Oh well.

Today was my first time in Europe that I got to actually sleep in! I didn't have anything planned for today, and it felt nice since the last 10 days had been so action-packed. I woke up at about 9 am, showered, and got ready to go out. I decided to do some shopping (yeah, not so touristy, but I didn't care at this point). I wanted to go to Oxford Street, because I'd heard the best shopping was there. However, I had no idea how to take the tube. I looked on my map and figured it was close enough to just walk to. I set out using my London map on my iPod, and using the wireless at the RN I was able to pinpoint myself on the map. If I had continuous wireless, it could have showed me my position all the way to my destination, but of course, it stopped as soon as I left the hotel. I forgot about this, and so accidentally walked way past Oxford Street thinking I still had a long ways to go. Oh well, I got to see Trafalgar Square during my lost adventures. I wen to H&M, Boots, and TopShop, and I ended up spending about 200 pounds. Oops. This took me most of the day, and I got back to the hotel in the late afternoon.

I got ready and then met my friend in the courtyard of the Royal National. This was my first adventure taking the tube, but we didn't get lost so I was glad. We decided to go and eat somewhere other than the London Pub, and ended up in Covent Garden ( I think?!) Anyways, the restaurant was called Paradiso e Inferno, and it was SO GOOD. I had bruschetta and tortellini and wine and ice cream and it was all heavenly after the Contiki food we'd been eating for the past week and a half. Also cost about the same amount as the tour LOL. But it was worth it. I polished off a few glasses of wine during dinner and was slightly drunk by the time we headed out to do some sightseeing.

We walked to Buckingham Palace and then down to the Thames River. We thought about the London Eye but it was closed by the time we got there. Ended up at the London Pub, staying until it closed, then at the other pub at the hotel. It was all really fun. It was strange though, to be hanging out with a tourmate without the rest of the group. I missed them already! And I couldn't believe I was going home in a few days. My other life seemed a million miles away. Especially sitting on a dark, empty London street at 2 am drinking alcohol. Never would be doing that at home! The whole night was great and judging by the way it ended, I guess it was a date Haha. I got to bed at around 3 am.

Today was our last day. I was really starting to get depressed now that it was finally here. I got up early and had a drunken shower, and then realized all my stuff was still on the bus. I had to wait until breakfast for Russell to open the doors. I was finally ready and we had to say our first goodbyes immediately. Korryn was staying in Paris as she was going to visit her boyfriend in Nantes, France. Then we drove to the airport, where we said goodbye to Amanda T, Summerlyn, Haley, Albert, Adrien, Duncan, Carli, Erica, Paula, Amanda S, and Lisa. There were way more people leaving in Paris than I thought would be.

There was only 23 people left by the time we were heading out to Calais. The bus was so empty we all got two seats to ourselves. It was a pretty quiet day, and soon enough we were on the ferry, and then back driving the streets of London, where it had all began. London seemed so dready and boring after the excitement of Paris, and I was already missing everyone that was gone. I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do with my three days in London. There was only a few people staying in London for a few days after the tour as well, but I was sure they all had plans already. I figured I’d just try to find things to do on my own.

This was the only day on tour where I actually felt under the weather the whole day. I was starting to get the Contiki cough. I wouldn’t actually get rid of it until a couple weeks after I’d arrived back home. The coach stopped in the courtyard of the Royal National, where 50 of us had left a mere 10 days before. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I said goodbye to the people who weren’t going to see us later that night and headed up to my room. All I wanted was to pass out in bed. A few of us were planning on having dinner that night in the London Pub, so it wasn’t goodbye yet. In my room I met my new roommate who was from Australia, and I’m sad that I can’t even remember her name. But she was very nice, and I told her all about my trip and she told me she was about to go on the London to Athens tour.

At about 9 pm I met her at the London Pub and we chatted for a bit, then I headed inside to find my group. At dinner tonight there was Filippo, Amanda, Chelsea, Candice, Melissa, Steve, Kaitlin, and Bianca. I was the last to arrive, and felt a little out of loop of the conversations they were having. I still was feeling pretty shitty, and all I wanted was to go to bed, but I didn’t want to have to say goodbye to everyone. Eventually everyone decided to call it a night, and it was sad saying goodbye to everyone. During dinner I made plans to meet up with a tourmate the next night for drinks, so at least I knew there was one person I was going to see again. The last person I said goodbye to was Candice in the elevator, and then I was alone. It felt very strange to be alone after constantly being with 50 other people for the last ten days. But I was exhausted, so I went straight to bed and had the best sleep ever