A week of freedom!

London was what the doctor ordered. I direly needed a break. I did not do a lot on this trip. I have been to the UK several times before and thus I was not going to do the touristy stuff. The plan was to just visit friends, walk A LOT, browse shops and museums (art!), drink loads of hot chocolate in cafes, watch bad television, etc. It really was about being able to be me and getting back to my normal routine that I miss so much (like being able to walk places!).

I left Doha last Saturday on British Air's red eye flight to London via a quick stop in Bahrain. The massive 747 plane left Doha with only about ten people on it. It was kind of bizarre to have a whole section to oneself. See:

But more passengers did join the flight in Bahrain. Who the hell lives in Bahrain? BTW horrible airplane food! Not a strength of BA, but it is really not a strength of the British period. You do not go to the UK for good food.

I spent most of my days with Christina. She used to live next me growing up in Sedro-Woolley, but her family moved back to Greece where she finished high school and then she moved to the UK to attend university and has never left. We have always stayed in touch and it feels so good and real to be together every single time we meet up. We can chat endlessly about so many things...and laugh a lot (Favorite Christina quote of the week: "Cheese in this country is so poncy."). Fantastic times!

However, she had to work during the week and thus there were times I was on my own. No problem! I am not the biggest fan of London, but I think I lived there in a past life. I got the place down after my very first visit years ago. And I tend to have such good days in the weather department in London. It only rained on Tuesday. The other days were sunny or partly sunny. And cold, but I wanted it to be cold. It felt so good! I also visited my friend Nick "Chulo" Cross in Bath. He and I met last year in Boston through our friend Mike Kavulic and have stayed in touch ever since. However, I could never completely get away from Qatar (my reactions when I saw this: "I cannot get away from the f**kers!"):

This trip was so great, but it only added fuel to the fire that I need to change something about my current situation. I want my life back! AND the number of massive dead cockroaches I found in my apartment when I got home: 8. Yuck! But a week from today I leave for an almost two week holiday to Mexico with mi familia! I am thinking these trips are both good and bad - I get a break, but then I do not want to come back...