Arrival
After my set of flights that took me into London, I checked into my hostel (a real mess of a place, with peeling paint and rickety beds, situated in the back rooms of a pub). Anyway the place was clean and friendly enough. I chose the highest rated grocery store within walking distance from my hostel, without glancing at the name or description, and walked one block down the street and into a lovely Lebanese grocer. The shelves were literally piled up with Asian foods, and although I had thought the sign outside guaranteed all halal food, I saw an employee bringing in five whole, skinned pigs. I purchased a pack of laughing cow cheese, three mini cucumbers, a pack of five pita bread, and two candies and one soft drink that looked interesting for a total of £3.62 ($5.70 CAD). I took my late lunch to Roundwood Park nearby, sat in the shade, and enjoyed the absolute cacophony of the birds behind me.
The plants here are different than I'm used to, which makes sense since I've travelled across the world, and some more tropical varieties seem to do well here (palms and bird of paradise-esque flowers).
As I write at the park, I'm just trying to keep my brain awake for six more hours until I can go to bed to get onto London time. Right now I've been up for 25 hours, and I'm starting to feel it.
After a wander around the park, I found the source of the bird noise: an aviary right inside the park enclosure. There were probably several hundred birds, squawking loudly in the fenced area.
Back at the hostel now, I'm not sure I'll make 8:00. I've been running my brain for too long, and I think it will demand a reboot soon. My only say in it is whether it happens in the bar attached to the hostel, or in my bed. I'll be heavily proofreading this tomorrow.
-Aliya
The plants here are different than I'm used to, which makes sense since I've travelled across the world, and some more tropical varieties seem to do well here (palms and bird of paradise-esque flowers).
As I write at the park, I'm just trying to keep my brain awake for six more hours until I can go to bed to get onto London time. Right now I've been up for 25 hours, and I'm starting to feel it.
After a wander around the park, I found the source of the bird noise: an aviary right inside the park enclosure. There were probably several hundred birds, squawking loudly in the fenced area.
My late lunch
The aviary sign
Bulk cheese and olives in the grocery store
My room in my first hostel. This was an 18 bed room
A toilet in the hostel. Not one toilet in the place had a seat that matched the bowl
A sundial I saw at the park
Back at the hostel now, I'm not sure I'll make 8:00. I've been running my brain for too long, and I think it will demand a reboot soon. My only say in it is whether it happens in the bar attached to the hostel, or in my bed. I'll be heavily proofreading this tomorrow.
-Aliya
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