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My diary

As anyone whose ever been on holiday knows, if the weather isn't cooperating you can be quite limited as to your options for sight seeing.

Wednesday was our stormy day. The wind had been picking up for days and the rain had begun off and on, but I was determined to make the most of my time here. So, on the tube I hop and get off at Covent Garden.

Covent Garden is and indoor/outdoor market. Lots of kiosks and buskers selling Great Britain souvenirs , rude, crude and ridiculous t-shirts, anything and everything with a map of the tube on it, and knock-off designer handbags. As well, indoors, you'll find the Whitehall tea shops, restaurants, and generally overly-priced stores and items. The exterior is interesting, ripped off I believe from the Romans.

Sadly the wind picked up something fierce that morning and spring allergy season is upon me. I was having trouble with my contact lenses, and if anyone has ever had that they know exactly what I'm talking about. However, I sojourned on!

For some reason I wanted to spend some money, do some shopping, but was having the hardest time doing that. Covent Garden, though neat, was not what I was looking for. So I stopped a nice looking lady and asked her for directions to Oxford St- that's apparently where all the shops are. She was sooooo nice, stepped to the side, whipped out her smart phone, looked up the maps and tube stations I needed and quickly had me on my way. Beccs was right, people in London understand its a tourist city and they are happy to give you directions.

So, off to Oxford I go, (I'm getting quite good at the tube, crossing lines and still finding my way back). I find Oxford St, and I find the shops. As well I found all the tourists with money. HOLY CRAP! When I saw the shops I understood why Beccs thought I wouldn't do well there. ALL the high end shops (even more than New York) lined up for what seemed miles. The street curved giving the appearance of an Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole experience- curiouser and curiouser!

The weather was still holding, but steadily getting worse. I popped into a few stores and popped back out again. Shopping in Canada, even Vancouver, is a very different experience. I walked, walked and walked some more, crossed the street and did the same thing back to the tube. I thought, I must go into at least some of the shops and see what the fuss is about. I saw the Burbury shop and thought, that's the one. I step inside (greeted by a guard that Im sure was armed), to the multi-leveled, marbled floor, glass-encasing itemed shop. It was sort of circular in style, with the items for sale on the outer edge, and then in the middle- sofas. I think I even saw an Asian family sitting down to tea- though I saw no café. TV's on the wall in between suite jackets and scarfs- I didn't see one price tag even slightly popping out. Too afraid to ask for a price, I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman the first time she goes shopping on Rodeo Dr., only without a wad of cash in my pocket. Yeah, I left pretty quickly.

Out on the street again, the weather was doing its best to piss everyone off. I found Pret a Manger, a place Beccs and Rich told me I should try to eat at, and settled in to a plow mans sandwich (cheese and pickled onion- very good!) and strong black coffee. I faced the window to sit and eat and then saw the rain- coming down diagonally! Even the locals were running for covered doorways and holding their umbrellas against the wind and rain.

It wasn't letting up and I was tired of sitting there, so I braved the nastiness and quickly walked/ran to the tube, along with everyone else.

Wiped out, that was the end of my dreary day. I headed home, had a 2 hour nap which messed up my sleeping schedule and haven't slept good since.
Oh well, guess it cant be perfect all the time.