I got a window seat on the flight out of DC because I was eager to see whatever could be seen while flying into London. Thanks to the cloud cover, that was little to nothing, although I did witness a beautiful sunrise while we were still above the clouds. What little I could see didn’t look too radically different from the US, but at least it was raining, as it ought to be in London when one first arrives there. In the airport, everything was exciting to me. I loved buying my first Costa coffee with a British 5-pound note and receiving some fun coins in return. The bathroom stalls were roomy and fully peak-proof, unlike bathrooms in the US. Even the toilet paper was dispensed like tissues! Yet another novelty. This state of perpetual excitement over every little difference between my home country and England would only intensify as my sleep-deprived state of mind got worse with every passing minute.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
When I stepped out to catch the bus, I was thrilled to find the temperature just brisk enough to warrant the jacket I’d brought with me. We got onto our bus and began the drive to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace and home to the Royal Shakespeare Company. The terrain had beautiful rolling hills and is dotted with horses, cows, and sheep, while the scenery is vibrantly green from the near-constant drizzle. I’ve seen many weeping willows since arriving, as well as many strange, thin, green trees I intend to learn the name of.
Lunch upon arriving came from a small barge on the canals of Stratford-Upon-Avon that sold sandwiches on freshly baked baguettes. I had a ham and swiss cheese sandwich with nothing else on it, because when the woman asked if I wanted “salad” I didn’t realize she meant lettuce and tomato! Still, it was absolutely delicious. The walk to and from the hotel was gorgeous, with tons of flowers and interesting statues lining the canals.
My favorite things about England so far are as follows: the proliferation of hot tea (I was served some on my flight, even!), the beautiful old buildings, being surrounded by English accents, the constant “sorry’s”, and the money. Pounds are so incredibly colorful in paper form, and the coins have unique shapes that are just so different from the perfectly round US coins I’m used to. Why we picked a dull green for all our paper money is beyond me. (Although don’t get me started on the new hundred-dollar bill! It’s a good thing I’ll hardly every be around them because the obnoxious Word Art that looks like it was stolen from Microsoft Word is even worse than the dull green.)
Why, yes, it is my first time out of the country! How could you tell?