I Got Lost.

Is anyone surprised?


In hand: a Carlsberg to go with my late dinner.


Let me just start off by saying that London has Ben wonderful. 

Why hello, Big Ben!

Alright, all lame jokes aside, I have really been enjoying my time here.  My hostel is wonderful- it's so cool to be surrounded by other travelers, mostly around the same age as me.  The lounge is always full of people and has a bar/restaurant open until late.  The past two days, I have been focusing on finishing things for school, getting my life in order, and finishing Mockingjay.  I did this by positioning myself in cafes in the middle of important parts of the city and getting to work.  This way, I could still feel as if I am exploring the city and a part of important things, while still doing what I needed to do.  I bought myself an Oyster card with a week pass, which will truly be worth the cost considering how many times I have already used the underground and bus system.  So with this, I was able to take the bus and underground to any "important part" of the city I desired.  Yesterday, it was the Houses of Parliament area.  Today, it was the National Galleries area.  Good choices, right?


Well, if you don't know me, or you do and you haven't learned this about me just yet, I truly don't have a sense of direction.  I don't know how, but I was born without one.  My instincts are unfailingly off every single time I try to get myself anywhere or even point myself in the right direction.  I am usually okay if I can use a map to navigate, but I am also too proud to be seen as a "tourist" (as you might remember from previous entries), so pulling my large and detailed map out tonight in Central London just wasn't an option for me.


So I got lost.


After I left the cafe, I wanted to walk around a bit, considering I had been cooped up all day with my nose either in my laptop (does that work?) or in my book.  I started walking and just kept on walking, feeling confident that I'd be able to find a bus or tube station that could take me in the right direction no matter how far I went.  I passed theaters, stores, restaurants, and cafes.  The city is overflowing with 4 main chain coffee companies (from what I could see): Starbucks (which, in fact, DOES take my partner discount here), Caffe Nero, Pret A Manger, and Costa Coffee.  Talk about competition!  Well, I eventually realized that it was time to start to find my way back.  My way back consisted of: waiting for the wrong bus, finding the "right" bus, getting off on the wrong stop, taking the underground, getting off on an unexpected stop, and finally finding the right bus to take me back to the hostel.  It also consisted of: a man singing "Ain't To Proud To Beg" to me, buying my dinner in a Tesco Express, and taking 3 long escalators out of Westminster Station right into the view of the London Eye glowing beautifully bright blue in the night.  All in all, not a bad experience, and probably had to happen at some point.  


Needless to say, I was lost.  But I also found my way back.  And I think that in most cases, discounting the typical shirt button or homework assignment, things that are lost do find their way back.