It's a Klunderful Life : September 2013

This past week, a bunch of us girls kept talking about potentially going to London for the weekend. Tuesday night, 12 of us crammed into a room to try to plan a trip, and eventually didn't follow through. The next day, we were perusing the websites again, and found round trip bus tickets from Chester to London for £13.

Which is basically free in terms of transportation to London. We looked at train tickets upwards of £80. So it was a necessary decision. We were so giddy with excitement, booked a cheap hostel, and packed our bags. To leave the next morning. Oh, the life of spontaneity is one I am trying so desperately to become accustomed to.

Our bus ride was surprisingly pleasant. It took about twice as long as a train would've, but saving close to $100 was worth it. If I could only verbalize all of the things we did, it would take a novel. Instead, I am going to leave you with two anecdotes, and many pictures.

#HostelLyfe.

I have never in my life stayed in a hostel. Nor did I really have any desire to experience sleeping in a room with people I don't know and linens I can't be sure are clean.

Well let me tell you, I got the full effect this weekend. As a preface, I am not going to lie and say that I am not high maintenance when it comes to much. I have been so blessed to have a family that can provide for me, warm bedding, internet wherever I am, the ability to Google things I need to know the second I want the answer, and a history of staying at Marriott and Marriott chain hotels every time my family travels. Dad, THANK YOU. I was dreaming of a Towne Place Suites or Courtyard the whole trip.

After spending almost 2 hours using the Tube and Double Decker buses to get around the city, we made it to Bayswater Hotel...AKA my first hostel experience. The website we used said that linens, wifi, and breakfast were all included. Well, they meant the hostel had those, but not for free. Oh mercy. I didn't pack a towel because I didn't have room in my backpack. But no worries, people, I wasn't about to shower anyway. Our room was on the third floor, and the stairs we had to walk up and down made me out of breath each time. Ha! Don't judge. There were four of us girls traveling together, and the room we booked was an 8 person room. Mixed. Here's to firsts, right?

I made my bed with the sheets they gave us. Honestly, it wasn't bad at all. But I was scared out of my mind and buggin' about the potential germs I might encounter. Truthfully, the bunk I slept in was more comfortable than my Uni bed....if that tells you anything. Casey and Amy, I am SO missing my huge bed in the dark basement right now. And Livy's warm blanket.

Just our luck, the other 4 occupants were men. One from Bulgaria, who I barely understood. One young, extremely attractive Australian man, and two other men I didn't get the pleasure of meeting. Darn. The room was very small, and there was one outlet in our room, which the extremely attractive Australian man was using. The bathroom light was controlled by the room light, so the night we got in at 5:25 am after walking miles around the city and seeing basically everything along the Thames River, I used my flashlight app to go the restroom and change my clothes.

The first night, I wore long running tights, a long sleeved shirt, socks, and wrapped my head in my scarf as to avoid touching as little of the bedding as possible. I know, I am absolutely ridiculous. But I am learning. I also was nervous about the potential for theft when the Bulgarian left at 11:30 pm. Wrapped up like a mummy, I slept with my backpack and huge camera/purse bag in my tiny bunk. I thought I was super clever by turning my camera-purse bag with the clip part next to my stomach, and my arms through the strap. If anyone tried to rob me, they would have to touch me to get to the opening of my bag. To which I would wake up, obviously. If only you could hear the thoughts going through my head, you'd have deep chuckles for days.

I have learned that I am extremely, undeservedly, and overwhelming blessed. If anything, my incredible trip to London has given me valuable insight into planning a trip in advance and double checking my resources. And after reading the above, I am chuckling to myself. Because it wasn't that bad. And I did sleep well. Besides the naked man in the bunk next to me snoring as if he was calling for a ship to port in New York from his bunk. Lawd, it was SO LOUD. The Bulgarian kept mumbling things under his breath, and the Aussie beneath him kept kicking his bunk above him. #hostellyfe for sure.

Wicked in London

The first day we were in London, we walked into this place next to our hostel that "sold tickets" to the Broadway shows in London. This schmoozie man was trying to get us to buy £47 tickets to The Phantom of the Opera. He said he would give us a receipt that would get us in. Sketch. While being frightened a bit by this man, another man was kicking the wall and I about had a heart attack. Again, I am learning people. Well, my sweet friend Taylor and the two girls that also traveled to London this weekend, found Wicked tickets for £22 and bought us tickets. We knew we needed to be at the theater by 7 pm, and boarded a bus at 6:15ish. Well, on the way, we passed the Kings Cross Station. So we all rapidly jumped off the bus, and snuck into the train platforms to find platform 9 and 3/4. Turns out it is a tourist attraction, and sneaking in was unnecessary.

After snapping pictures running through the wall to get to Hogwarts, we boarded a bus to take us to Victoria. Only, we boarded the bus going in the opposite direction of the theater and didn't realize it until we were miles from where we needed to be. We jumped off, while I was having an internal heart attack, and were running through the street trying to find an Underground entrance. At this point, it is 7:15 and I am trying my darndest to not freak out. Natasa and Missy, you are angels. Thank you for putting up with my nervousness. Anyway, so we had to switch trains, and by the time we got to our stop, it was 7:27 and we ran up what seemed like a mile of escalators, were literally sprinting through the street, and ran into the theater. It was 7:31, and the ticket lady made us recite all four names that the tickets had on them before she would give them to us. Finally, we grabbed our tickets, and at 7:32 we ~~pantingly ran~~ were escorted to our seats. Mind you, I am sweating head to toe, and a mess due to the whole no showering and walking 6 or more miles throughout the city during the day followed by sprinting through London trying to make it to the show.

The only thing we missed was the opening of the curtain, and about 36 seconds of the first song. Thank you, Lord. I was praying the whole time that we could make it there and not miss the show. And let me tell you, it was UNREAL. Better than when I saw it on Broadway my freshman year. During Defying gravity, I had tears streaming down my face because the woman playing Elphaba BROUGHT IT. Goosebumps-and-tears brought it. And not to mention I was seeing Wicked in London.

If you want more of my weekend, Facetime me! I have so much to share, but for now, the pictures!