Trying to be a Local

We slept until 11 today, missing breakfast and feeling guilty for wasting the 'money' on the meal plans. My roommates and I went our separate ways around noon. I went down Gloucester Road to get a few things I was not able to get yesterday. I survived walking by a homeless man and his dog a couple times. That makes life awkward, walking by them. I purchased a cool scarf that is now a flag in our room with union jacks and skulls on it. It is quite "bad ass". It was 4 pounds. I also got a coffee cup, a spoon, plastic wine glasses, some wall sticky hooks, and free hangers from the dry cleaners. It was successful. I went to Partridges to buy some lunch. There I bought a vegan yogurt (to expand my horizons of food) it was gross. I also got a couple rolls, and laughing cow cheese. It was a yummy lunch.

I met up with Emily on Kensington High Street where her and Kathrine had lunch. We three went shopping for a bit. I got a dress, some necklaces, a phone case, and some earrings. Dinner was good today at the dining hall. We headed back for dinner. At a stoplight an elderly French woman asked me where the nearest Tube station was, and I definitely gave her proper directions. I was so proud of myself and my localness!  We had beef stir fry, fried rice, oriental veggies, egg rolls, and shrimp chips! I enjoyed it.

After dinner, Emily and I walked to Kensington Gardens to sit and read a book. Little did we know that up over the hill sits Kensington Palace! We took some pictures, basked in the pure fact that it is so close to us, and looked out across a small pond filled with ducks and swans. It was indeed a beautiful park! We sat near the water on my Mexican blanket and just chilled. I read my BBC History Mag, while she read a travel book. About 20 yards away there were 4 guys on a bench smoking weed. It was really weird. Right in front of everyone at that park! What in the world?

We decided to walk back towards home around dusk. We wandered through the other side of the park so we would land on Queens Gate road (which we did) but we did not know that that corner of the street is where the Royal Albert Hall is and that giant pretty monument of Prince Albert. I was so excited! It was a wonderful surprise. Before arriving at the Prince Albert things though, I spotted my first sight of things dedicated to Princess Diana! Cathy would be so proud of me for seeing the seal on the ground by the Flower Garden Walk. It is a beautiful pathway covered in flowers and such dedicated to Princess Di. It smelled magnificent.

On our way back home (for real this time) we saw a little pub tucked off of the Queens Gate Terrace (our road). It was adorable. That is going to be our go-to pub! Since it was tucked away I feel like there won't be as many American's there, but more local people. (Me, trying to blend) It was seriously perfect and smelled like heaven. I cannot wait to return there! We took the ally all the back out to Gloucester Road, it turned a couple times and was filled with little homes covered in pots of flowers and vegetation. It was such a beautiful quiet little residential place. It shall be a get-away walk for me.

Today was an easy day, but tomorrow will be quite filled with excitement as there is an involvement fair and we get to meet Andy Steves. Rick Steve's son! He is going to talk to us about travel and such at 11:30am. Horay!

-Cheers