Our first day in London
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: "London Skies," Jamie Cullum
We arrived this morning at 7 a.m. We took the train from London-Gatwick to Clapham Junction and then to East Putney. Saying Clapham made me laugh for some reason. Not sure why. Anyway, Catherine still wasn't feeling well and it was difficult for her to carry her suitcases. The trains were surprisingly very clean and COMFORTABLE. We had to walk about half a mile to Kat and Gary's house on Wadham Road after we arrived (around 9 a.m.). After we arrived, Catherine went to bed to catch up on some rest and I decided to start my sightseeing. It was a bit scary navigating one of the world's largest cities alone, but I did it! I purchased an "Oyster" card, which is a fancy way of saying a travel card, at East Putney. I got lost on the tube and had to ask a handsome Australian gentleman for help. We sat together on the tube and he gave me advice on what to do and where to go. The roads were all brick and all of the stations had rows of stairs everywhere. I then got out of the tube at the Westminster station. As I walked up the stairs to the "Way Out" (British for "exit"), I immediately noticed that right in front of me was PARLAIMENT, River Thames and Big Ben (Stephens Tower). I walked around for a while and went to the Prince of Wales pub near the house. I befriended the bar tender, who suggested some pretty neat wines. I came home, showered and napped. We both decided to go do a bit of night sightseeing. We rode British Airways' London Eye, which is a giant ferris wheel spanning 144m. It is so large that it never stops to let passengers on and off. The enclosed glass capsules can hold about 10-15 people. It was so incredible to see London lit up at night. It was about 14 pounds, which is the equivalent of $26 or so, a bit expensive, but so worth it. We ate dinner at Azzuro's Italian restaurant and had pizza and wine. We returned home after getting lost at the Waterloo Tube Station. Our home was in a quiet neighborhood in the Wandsworth Borough of Putney in London. It is around 100 years old and quite comfortable. Jet lag caught up to us, so we went to bed early after watching some soccer with Gary.