Scared

I'm kind of scared to do my long run on Saturday morning. One, I haven't run in the morning ever.  Two, It's 11 miles.  That's 5 more than I've ever run.  I did 7 on Monday of this week and it felt great but I have to do 4 more on Saturday and I really should do a couple of miles tonight or at least do kick boxing for 40 minutes to stay on top of the amount of calories I've been eating (I am not doing very good on that end of things).

I can do it.
I know I can do it.

Europe Re-cap and Apologies

I had every intention of blogging every day at the end of the day and uploading pictures and stories but it ended up being easier to just upload pictures and occasionally movies and some little blurbs about our day. 

I think the things I’ll remember most are the things I did wrong and learned from this trip.  And the amazing things we did.

The top 15 things I learned:

1.       You don’t actually REALLY need reservations like the damn RailEurope website likes to pretend. 

2.       Rail passes on the other hand very useful and probably save you a crap ton of money. 

3.       European rail systems are amazing and we should have them in the U.S. (ahem Scott Walker ahem)

4.       Dublin is the best city for travellers to start if they’ve never been to Europe before. 

5.       Amsterdam is only a two day max place to stay

6.       I know more French than I realized

7.       Hostels are awesome places to stay but try to get ones with kitchens every time

8.       Having even some language skills is very helpful when going to another country even though they probably speak English as well. 

9.       Travel with someone who does things well that you do not do well: Steph was good at holding onto important things (I lost my key to our hostel within an hour in London).  I was good at finding our way around cities.

10.   Europeans build things to last.  Even their cookie cutter houses are built substantially enough to last for years.  Ours are built to last 5 before they start falling apart

11.   Electrical voltage on things such as camera battery chargers, computers, and kindles sometimes are built to stand any voltage and hz from U.S. or Europe.  You just need an adapter for the plug.

12.   The underground and buses are ALWAYS less confusing than you think and a hell of a lot less expensive than a cab.  It’s also better to muttle your way through the public things than to pay the astronomical prices.

13.    When you get to a restaurant unless there is a sign asking you to wait to be seated, just sit anywhere that looks good and the staff will come to you then. 

14.   Tipping is weird.  It’s still done but only for very good service and not as high as in the U.S.

15.   Amsterdam is expensive for what there is to do.

16.   Should have spent more time in Paris and Dublin

17.   People in hostels are very friendly.  Make like a freshman and ask everyone to be your friend.

18.   Most countryside in Europe looks exactly like the Midwest.  Cows, farm houses, small roads, more cows

19.   Beef in Europe is different than in the U.S.

20.   Leave room for dessert

21.   Booze is less expensive in Europe.  (HOORAH!)

22.   Soda tastes different.  Maybe it’s the lack of high fructose corn syrup? It’s a mystery

23.   It will cost more than you realized

24.   Spend money on things you REALLY want to do

25.   The tower of London is not nearly as impressive as I thought it would be

26.   People run everywhere and it’s cool to pack your running shoes and do a little along the thames or down by the Seine or the Rhein.  Something that is beyond words

27.   Churches are different no matter how many you go into

28.   Museums get very boring when done in excess

29.   Kindles are a gift from the electronic/book gods

30.   Best thing you can do in your entire life

Traveling

I'm already itching to travel again. I want to go back to Europe but I feel like something cheaper is in order and something in the United States.
Traveling options for spring of 2012:
New Orleans
California (with a stop in Utah and probably Nevada)

Boston
North Carolina (To see my brother)
Orlando (I might just apply to go to the conference to do this so I might end up doing it either way)

and of course in June I'll be headed to Tulsa, OK for Pinto World Show in order to rock that and bring home some champion belt buckles.

Samantha Brown in Dublin

Every time previous episodes of Samantha Brown have come up in the past I have always been "I wish I could go there".

Well.... I'm watching Samantha Brown in Dublin right now.  I HAVE BEEN THERE!! I was at almost all the places she went to and walked down the streets she's walking down.

I feel accomplished because of that some how.  It's silly but I feel like I've accomplished my first step in my traveling adventures.  I want to go so many places but I've started now.  I've done my first three weeks in 5 cities and I've learned so much that I'll be ridiculously happy to go back and to head to other spots I couldn't go this time around.

I can't describe the feeling I have of having gotten to Europe after planning this trip for 2 years and now it's over. One of the best things I could ever do with my life.

Videos from Westminster/Parliament and at the changing of the guard.

The rest of London

London= a ton of walking, drinking with Australians, making fun of New Zealanders (i.e. Kyle).  And taking pictures with more walking.

I forced myself (i.e. Steph made me) go for a run.  I ran along the Thames up past Parliament across Westminster bridge and then back to the hostel.  In total just over a 3 mile run.  It was a blast and it felt amazing even though I'd been walking all day solid for the days leading up to it and had partied the night before and then only gotten 3 hours of sleep.

Steph's First Train Ride! Toot toot...

Steph and I in the King and Queen's Chairs in the Young Henry VIII exhibit at Hampton Court

In front of the fountain in front of the William and Mary part of Hampton

Westminster Abbey.  Unfortunately no photography allowed inside so this is one of very few pictures of it

Totally random statue of Abraham Lincoln.  Why is he in London?

Total rip off for 6 euros to go through a really lame museum but I do love me some Sherlock Holmes

I want a carriage like this and two really gorgeous horses like those. Ah... To be a REAL queen

Sunday at Parliament and Trafalgar Square and Ponies!!

And by Ponies I do mean War Horses. Their Irish bred and beautiful if not nasty tempered animals.  Apparently quite a few of them are bitters and kickers and such.   Which might be because they aren't worked with until they're 3-5 years old.  Stupid.  Legitimately the horses are never going to be war horses again so why allow them to have that type of behavior is really unacceptable.

It was a short little tour through the military horse museum but it was pretty cool.

And then we took lots and lots of pictures of Parliament House and the clock tower (i.e. Big Ben).  We had an amazing lunch at Clarence right down from Trafalgar Square, Parliament and Westminster.  AMAZING food.  Steph had a cheese and leek cake which was heavenly.  I had a burger with bacon and chips (fries) and also heavenly in a slaughtered cow kind of way.

Everything is really impressive here.  So so so much history and hundreds and hundreds of years of it on almost every block in the downtown area.  It's amazing.

I do have to say that as far as a friendly service and patience for tourists Dublin does it best.  Londoners are less patient and can be kind of persnickety.  Still overall it's been a great experience.  I've met a lot of amazing people and have decided that Australians are definitely a good group of people to get to know (plus a Kiwi).