This is a sweet summary...

...though it may not be as short as we all would have liked...

Alas, here it is! This is your sneak peak into a horribly exciting and MIND-BOGGLING London adventure that began over two weeks ago. True, the first couple of posts may be looking back on events that have already occurred (ones that have been slowly convincing me to find a permanent residence here) but they will be beneficial to myself and you, reader, as they will allow you to see how terribly thrilling it has been, is and will continue to be under London's silver skies.

May I begin with January 3rd 2011?

I awake on an American Airlines plane, after a night of The Social Network, beautiful essays and lovely music with a groggy Dana (my roommate and dear friend) to my left and a buttery croissant on the tray table in front of me.

But starting on the 3rd is a silly idea. I will instead invite you to the two days prior to the 3rd before we begin our London-based story.

January 1st 2011 - Quickly and taken from le Journal...how quaint.

AH! Last night! Board games and fun with Michael, Ellen, Jordan, Kat, Bud and Andrew <3 It was divine! We ate chips and made muffins and played Sorry!, Apples to Apples and then Uno. It was the perfect send off :)

GOOD NEWS! ...on January 2nd 2011...

Suitcase...49.7 pounds...HOLLER!

I left my beautiful home after saying goodbye to my boyfriend and headed to JFK Airport with my parents and sister. After seeing cars drive in reverse on a highway for the first time in my life we arrived at the airport and met up with Dana and her family. Hadn't seen her in two weeks and we were about to go on such an amazing adventure...starting with getting our tickets. After we searched for the line to pay for our bags and practice carrying all of our things BY OURSELVES we finally had to part from our amazing families. I hugged my parents and sister and Dana's family and my family again and waved as I walked through security.

Sure I was a little sad but really...all I could think about was how incredibly amazing it was that I was going to be living in London for the next four months...and how uncertain I was about my OTHER roommate...Emma (turns out she's a doll).

We walked towards Gate 5 and found our future flatmates chillin' like thieves. We perused, got food, exchanged currency and then boarded our flight.

HIGHLIGHTS! Sat with Dana in seat 43J (back of the plane oh yeah) and the flight was delayed about 40 minutes so I got to say my very last goodbyes over the phone...then we took off and here begins the greatest four months of my life.

January 3rd 2011...again.

So I had a Dana to my left, London to my right and a croissant and all of its buttery goodness in front of me.

We landed. We got off of the plane. We were in London...AND EVERYTHING WAS FLIPPING AMAZING!!!!!!!! THE PEOPLE WERE BEAUTIFUL! THE FOOD WAS BEAUTIFUL! THE FACIAL HAIR WAS BEAUTIFUL! THE TRASH WAS BEAUTIFUL!

Fast forward to Palace Court. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Palace Court. In the basement. The biggest room with the best view and the two most fabulous roommates and OUR OWN KITCHEN! YES! ...in the basement? B3. Oh. Yeah.

But. Despite all of the gloriousness...and our smashingly darling Resident Life Assistant Phillip...we had been up for over 24 hours...and we had to stay up until 12 am which meant we were to be up for a total of 36 hours. So the delusions began.

After unpacking, connecting to the internet (I'm sorry...what internet?) and attempting to comprehend where we were...my new flatmates, roommates and myself went on adventure to find coffee and food.

Down Bayswater we went with cameras clicking away and feet stumbling down the road (lack of sleep...) and finally, after purchasing bedding, finding out that English people do not know what the word "comforter" means (it is duvet and duvet only here) and many price comparisons, we found a cute cafe to eat and slowly go insane...

Emma, Dana and I each got a Pot of Coffee which was JUST NOT ENOUGH CAFFEINE!

Although, this was the first real meal we all ate together in London and therefore, despite our loud and very noticeable American tendencies (no. sleep. + Brooke + Dana + new friends + coffee = LOUD!), it was amazing...even though I literally felt as though there was an enormously fat goose sitting on my head every time I stood up.


We were then invited by Phillip to take a tour of the area we were to be living in for the next four months guided by no other then Phillip Godfrey: Englishman. On this tour we were informed that we live in an incredibly "posh" area full of "sloanes" and this, according to Phillip, means "random rich person." Quite intriguing. We walked/stumbled down streets and were shown where we could buy groceries and what places were good to eat and we were lead directly to the mall where Phillip bid us adieu. So...we shopped. Obviously. I took pictures instead of spending money so I had a few quid ("bucks") to spare for dinner.

Welcome to tuktuk...the second restaurant I ate at in London. Cheap Thai food that came out on giant plates and did not disappoint (Tylyn concurs). Well, everyone except Grace...but really now, her sauce looked like bogeys (boogies, eww). Here we learned that in London, the waiters do not refill your water when your glass is empty. No, you have to ask...many times for water...on no sleep accompanied by dehydration. When we returned to our lovely new home, after "Cheers"-ing every time we had a glass in our hands, and after we said "Guys, we're in London," because it was too surreal to be true, we stayed up until 12 am (PAINFUL! SO PAINFUL!) and then collapsed on our super duper springy London beds.

More to come obviously. And hopefully I can catch up soon! For now, enjoy this small taste of London!    

xoxo (because I can)...