Phase 3

Okay, so I haven't blogged for over a week. Currently I'm in Switzerland and one week into our 2 week Rick Steves trip. First I should fill you in on what happened in London.

Me and my mom went to 3 musicals. My favorite one was Billy Elliot. Since it's going on tour soon I'll probably go see it when it comes to Seattle. We also saw Legally Blonde the Musical. I was pleasently surprised how good it was. My least favorite was Oliver. I just didn't like it very much and the plot was very confusing.

We also went to the British Museum. I was outraged about how people were touching the artifacts. There were do not touch signs all over the place and they STILL touched them. I mean these were artifacts that were hundreds of years old. It was amazing that the staff of the museum didn't do anything about it.

On one of our last days in London we had tea at Kennsington Palace. I am now addicted to clotted cream which is basically a spread in-between whipped cream and butter. It is soooooo good.

After checking out of our London hotel we went to another hotel by Heathrow airport. It was the nicest hotel we stayed in so far. There was even a speaker in the bathroom.

Next we flew to Rome. On the airplane I got food poisoning and air sick. I felt horrible. Luckily I didn't throw up and felt much better when the plane landed.

When we got to Rome phase 3 officially started. Me and my mom are going on a 2 week family trip to Europe via Europe Through the Back Door. We got to see all the sites in Rome but it was really hot. Then we moved on to Florence which to date is my least favorite part. This is because I got over 20 mosquito bites. I was miserable.

Then we went to Venice where it was still hot. I am now terrified of gondolas. We went on one and it kept rocking back and forth. The tour company hired this singer and I didn't like it (it was overkill.) SO on that one gondola ride I was thinking half the time that the boat's going to tip, a fourth of the time how much my bug bites itch, and a fourth of the time wanting to knock the singer into the water.

Next we went to Austria which was so much fun. The hotel had a trampoline and a playground (not to mention adorable bunnies.) It also rained so hard and I LOVED it. I have missed the Seattle rain so much and it reminded of home.

Now we are in Switzerland and the cool Alpine air is certainly refreshing. Me and my mom are having our lazy day.

I might complain about the trip a little bit but four moments are really stuck in my head.

The first is when our tour guide "lost" us. He was trying to get us all together to get on the subway in Rome. HE then thought we had enough time to all get on. Eventually though only he got on and the rest of us were still at the station.

Next was when I saw a member of our tour group fall into a Venetian canal. He was trying to save this other girl who had fallen into the canal and he also slipped in. Sadly we don't have any pictures. I'm not kidding!

Next when we were driving to Austria we got in a fender bender. A car swerved into our lane and the bus hit its door. We caused a giant traffic jam.

Finally when we were in Germany my mom bought me a traditional Bavarian dress. IT cost 60 Euros and was a rash decision. Now I have to wear it for Halloween and maybe go to Octoberfest in Leavenworth.

Here's a small taste of Switzerland. I will post more photos at the end of my trip.

Anyway that's it for now.

Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Popsicles Here

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, but would you if you were on your first vacation to London.

They don't speak English here. I'm serious they have a lot of different slang here for some of our commonly used words. Also the goulash of accents make it really hard to understand people.

So now I present the....

Incomplete Dictionary of English Slang

• Elevators = Lifts (this may because an elevator can lift you to higher (or lower) floors in a building.)
• Popsicle = Lolly (this may be because popsicles are on sticks.)
  
• Where's Waldo = Where's Wally (I have no clue why they would change a perfectly good book title.)
• Baked Potatoes = Jacket Potatoes (because they still have thier skin on them like jackets.O
• Bacon = Bacon (though it's called bacon you could get American bacon, or British bacon. or plain old ham.)
• Lays Potato Chips = Walkers potato chips (I don't know why.)

These are just some of the English slang I've heard over the last few days.

On another note they have some crazy potato chip flavors here in England. So far I've tried Smoky Bacon, Onion Bahji, and Roast Chicken along with other more normal flavors. By the time I'm don e maybe I'll have worked up enough courage to try American Cheeseburger or Brazilian Steak.

So long for now on my English adventure.

To London and Beyond

So I just got to London a few hours ago. I'm doing this post from yet again another hotel computer. Our room won't be ready for another few hours so we were thinking about going on a bus tour. You know those iconic red double decker buses.

We also saw Toy Story 3 yesterday in the theaters near our Washington DC hotel. Me and my mom both though it was really good.

Also if anybody knows where I can find a Thunderbird 2 matchbox toy in the London area - tell me. That's what my dad wants when we get home.

Try to update you tonight but there's only one computer at our small bed and breakfast hotel so I might not be able to.

More details on leg two of the vacation later.