Playing tourist (England: Day Two)

London! London! London!

I'm so glad to be here. It's just nice to be back in a well-developed, highly populated city and out of a third world country. Everything just feels like a luxury after a trip like Ethiopia.

Getting through Customs and baggage claim was no problem. I didn't realize how bad the exchange rate was until I actually exchanged money and found that the pound is worth twice as much as the dollar. Yikes! With that said, everything felt super expensive. Now I know what people from poorer countries feel when they come to visit the States.

Carol navigated us through the airport to the trains and then to our hotel. She already reserved rooms for us, which made it super easy for us. We just have to pay her back when her bill comes in. She gave Ini and I one of the suites, and man! what a nice suite!!! It was incredible, and I giggled quite a lot when Ini and I first walked in. Of course, within minutes our stuff was all over the floor, our laptops were out on the tables, and the TV was on. I love being a guy.

A couple hours of settling in, the three of us met in the lobby and went to walk around. Hyde Park was just across the street, so we took a stroll through there. What an awesome looking park! It was like Central Park in NYC, and nothing like the parks I've been to in California. They gotta have city parks like that in California because they're just way too cool.

After getting enough of the park, we went to eat at Pizza Hut. I know, I know. Our first dinner in England and we chose Pizza Hut. Ini was having some bowel problems, and he needed something a little easier on the stomach, so he got first choice. Not that I minded, I like pizza. Carol also took us to see the Picadilly Circus, which is like the Times Square of London. It's not nearly as majestic as Times Square, but that's alright. We walked around the souvenir shops there and bought stuff. On the way there, we also walked by the Hard Rock Cafe and looked in their store. I saw a really nice shirt that I liked, but got scared away by the price. I'm so cheap.

We finally got back to our hotel around 11:30 or 12. Tomorrow Carol will take us to Harrods, which I guess is like a famous mall here. Shopping time!