Right-Handed Romans and Jaffa Cakes

I'm here! I'm finally here! And yet it still doesn't seem entirely real...

First off, the good stuff. I am constantly breaking out into a silly grin at all the accented conversations going on around me. I also just break out into a silly grin for no reason at all because, golly, I'm in ENGLAND.

Getting acquainted with their strange foodstuffs is also quite amusing. I've already fallen in love with Jaffa cakes, which aren't all that strange but are extremely addicting.

London was fun, but not at all what I expected. It's smaller, not as grandiose. Still brilliant of course, with pretty buildings absolutely dripping in history and mad people in business suits bicycling to work alongside double-decker buses. I'm also in love with the pubs and the boys in bow-ties and the sweet old Scottish man who gave us adorably terrible directions. Also the free museums. I might suggest that they make street signs a wee bit easier to find however instead of sticking them on random buildings in a sick game of "let's see how we can make Sarah even more inefficient at navigation."

The countryside's lovely. Lots of sheep and huge, cheerful cows. I can also attest to the fact that there is a lovely rest stop at Shakespeare's birth place, complete with a KFC (which lacks fried chicken of any kind) and a Burger King. O dear.

I'm not at all homesick as of yet, but certain things are starting to get to me. Currently it's cars not driving on the right (opposite of left; also meaning "correct") side of the road. I have no idea why it bothers me so much, but it does. Part of it is that I keep almost getting run over because I don't remember which way to look before crossing the street. Also I feel disoriented, like I imagine a drunken hamster might. The reason explained to us why Brits drive on the left makes the whole thing even more infuriatingly dumb: because the Romans did it. And the Romans did it because they carried swords in their right hand, so in case they wanted to have a slice at someone in the oncoming chariot they were all set. Boo.

At this particular moment also, I miss warmth. I think I'll be fine, nay, utterly contented, once I have a nice thick pair of boots and the equipment for tea-making, but right now I keep stepping in puddles of mud and my ugly, chilly little room is no comfort.

Anyway, here is a picture of a creepy guy in a bunny costume hugging me to lighten things up:

Cheers!