"There is No Place Like Home"

As our 'easybus' pulled onto Baker Street, the first thing I said was "There is no place like home!" After the few hectic (but AMAZING) days in Edinburgh, it felt great to walk the familiar walk to my flat.

Anyways, I'm sure you are all dying to see pictures from Edinburgh, and trust me there are A LOT! I still had over 370 photos after I deleted the ones I didn't like! Ah! Here are a couple of my favorites:

View from my favorite table in the Elephant House where...

J.K. Rowling was inspired to write Harry Potter :)

A view of Edinburgh Castle from Grassmarket

A view from Edinburgh Castle,

I love the sky and the mountains! 

Again, a view from Edinburgh Castle

The North Sea/city of Edinburgh from Edinburgh Castle, 

one of my favorites! 

A third view from Edinburgh Castle

the Scott Monument from Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle from Elephant House 

2nd day, better lighting!

Arthur's Seat! 

definitely worth the climb!

Me, Jumping in front of the amazing view from Arthur's Seat

Chocolate Soup. The most amazing thing ever!

The places we went were:
1. Grassmarket- amazing shops/pubs/little restaurants! (I recommend the vintage stores, book stores, and the crapes kiosk) definitely one of my favorites!

2. Edinburgh Castle- beautiful!! if you go on a day that is sunny, yet a little cloudy, it is the most gorgeous views and you can see for miles!

3. Arthur's Seat- 100% worth the hike! i promise! the view is to die for!

4. Parliament- it is on the way to Arthur's Seat so might as well!

5. Holyrood House- same as Parliament, you get the best pictures from up the Seat!

6. Royal Mile/High Street- on the way to Edinburgh Castle! it has great souvenir shops, street vendors, picture opportunities, eclectic characters, and the Chocolate Soup place is right off it next to Starbucks!

7. George IV Bridge- this is where Elephant House (where J.K. Rowling got her inspiration) is located, along with some food options! It is right up Candlemaker Row from Greenmarket!!

8. Budget Backpackers- This is the hostel we stayed at and I really liked it! It was super close to everything! Grassmarket is like less than 3 minutes away, it is right on Candlemaker Row so it is close to George IV Bridge, and Royal Mile/High Street is not far at all! (you basically turn right on Cowgate then a left onto Blair Street and you are there! not to mention that is where Chocolate Soup is!) The staff are all really friendly, helpful, and fun! It is pretty cheap to! it only cost me £40 total for the thursday night - sunday day!

I recommend this place to everyone!! I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back! :)

I hope you enjoyed my pictures! if you have any other questions about Edinburgh feel free to ask (coughELLIEcough) :)

Edinburgh or Phail!!

Tomorrow/Today (depending on where you are reading this) I set on my first big adventure (okay, technically second after London) to Edinburgh, Scotland!! I'm insanely excited! We are staying at a hostel that is "a stones throw away" from Edinburgh Castle. Legit that is what it said in the description of the place! Haha! I am going with two (of my seven) flatmates, Zandy and Iris. We plan to go to the Castle, visit J.K. Rowling's place of inspiration for Harry Potter, and perhaps venture to Glasgow! :) I am taking my camera, so expect pictures of beautiful Edinburgh!

I promise to update more, it is rather difficult to balance school + London site-seeing + social life + a regularly updated blog :) I will try to be better...I guess that is why they call me Epic Phail ;-)

Pictures from Exploring Yesterday!

Since I am in a photo class, I thought I would upload some of the pictures I've taken for all to see :) 

Stonehenge, Salisbury UK

Salisbury, UK

Salisbury, UK

Salisbury, UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury UK

Jet Set!!

Tonight my flatmates and I started planning our trips. I'm definitely going to have to see London during the week..which I'm perfectly okay with. This is the tentative schedule:

Sept. 23rd-26th = Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct. 1st = Brighton, England
Oct. 9th-10th = Dublin
Oct. 14th-17th = Barcelona, Spain
Oct. 21st-31st = Fall Break = Prague, Vienna, Munich, and Verona (yayyyy)
Nov. 4th-7th = Bruges and Brussels, Belgium
Nov. 11th-14th = Florence and Venice, Italy
Nov. 18th-21st = Athens, Greece
Nov. 21st (ish) = Shayla Glynn comes to visit me for the week! Hopefully going to Paris, France at some point!
Dec. 2nd-5th = Rome and The Vatican, Italy

It is going to be CRAZYYYY!! But I'm so insanely excited for this!! I'm definitely full-filling all my hopes and dreams for being here. This is honestly the best experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

The Court

Ello all!

Sorry it has been a while since I've posted (I'm pretty much only posting now because Molly mentioned it on Facebook..it made me feel guilty and like I was letting my "avid" readers down haha). So here is an update :)

Since the last time I posted (aka last week) a bit has happened. I've definitely been enjoying going out legally (don't worry, I've been safe). We found this awesome place called The Court, where a bunch of British students hang out. It is a super fun, relaxed, and cheap place! I got a pitcher of Stella for £9.25 with my special yellow card. It has just been fun hanging out with friends and getting to know new people. Not to mention singing to Don't Stop Believing, Spice Girls, and Total Eclipse of the Heart with random British people :)

And no, drinking has not been my only activity while being here. I've been sight-seeing a bunch! On Friday I went to see The London Eye (aka the huge Ferris Wheel that London is famous for) and Trafalgar Square with a bunch of friends that I don't live with. Then on Saturday I went to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guards, Big Ben, Parliament, and The London Eye with my flatmates. Then on Sunday we had a field trip to Greenwich where I went to the Queen's house, stood at the Prime Meridian, and went to Greenwich Market. I got Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the British version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone).

Classes started on Monday, and just by coincidence, I only have class on Monday and Wednesday. Honestly, it wasn't on purpose. And I got really lucky because there was a Tube strike for all of Tuesday. I really like all my classes, and they don't seem to be overwhelming which should allow for lots of travel!! :) We plan on going to Prague, Vienna, Munich and Brussels for Fall Break!! Also we want to get to Barcelona before it gets too cold! Ahh so much to do and so little time! Good thing I don't have class on Thursdays :)

I would post some pictures, but if you go to my Facebook then you can just go to my album very originally and cleverly labeled "London." I'm sure you all can find it.

Since my weekend begins tonight, perhaps there will be a Phail or two to inform you all of on Monday! But it shouldn't be too crazy this weekend, we are taking a field trip to Stonehenge and Salisbury on Friday and I have to be to Faraday (the SULondon centre) at 8:15am. Oh boy. Good thing I'm a morning person...not! Haha! Have a good weekend all :)

Loving London!

London is even better than I thought it would be! I already feel like I'm maturing and coming into my own! I've taken a few pictures..between orientation, shopping, unpacking, buying my phone, and unpacking..I've been quite busy. Even though I've only been here like, 1 day, I've already learned a lot of things.
1. queue = a line
2. holding 2 fingers up with your palm facing towards you = f**k you!
3. cheeseburgers are more like meatloaf
4. bathroom is where you take baths, not where you use the "toilet" or the "loo"
5. elevator = lift
6. there is no kraft mac n cheese, or cinnamon toast crunch, or propel, or white cat (hehe)
7. traffic comes from the OTHER way..thank god for the reminders on the street
8. the Starbucks menu is very different. an iced white chocolate mocha apparently is an iced hot chocolate..I now need to order an iced white caffe mocha.
9. I 100% love this city.
10. coming abroad to London was the best decision I've ever made.

There is nothing I don't love about this city (okay..maybe not being able to use my iPhone, but I could just buy one here). I feel like everywhere I look, it is beautiful, quaint, and everything I want in the place I want to live. Its the UK's Boston I feel like.

So today we had an orientation thing (pretty much useless seeing as we already have a flat..), we were super late because we obviously needed Starbucks (see list above), plus the tube was backed up for like 5ish minutes (okay it was a big deal at the time haha). And then we got our phones (trying to remember how to use t9-its like going back to the times of the razor..i miss my iPhone already!) We then went grocery shopping (i got pasta, olive oil, bread, and grapes..oh boy). Then we signed our lease with Duncan and thennnnn I had dinner with Stacey and Ellie (thanks again!! it was wonderful seeing you both!! love you!) to Getti, which is where 2 of my flatmates spotted Jude Law (god i hope i get that lucky!). It was delish!!! Now we are just relaxing, contemplating when/where/if we should go out tonight! It will probably happen..because hey..we are in London :)

Well I'm going to socialize..pictures to come (i think..)