Day 2...Is it Thursday Already?

Although we were up late the previous night, we were up and out of the flat (love that) by 10. We headed over to Boots (kind of like our CVS) and Waitrose (a local market) but were advised to go to Sainsbury's instead because they had better prices. We had decided to buy our own toiletries but to split the cost of all the food. Once we got to Sainsbury's, we grabbed a trolley (a cart) and made our way through the store. We loaded up on everything: from paper towels to Frosties (their version of Frosted Flakes, both made by Kellogg's) and cheese to air fresheners. The produce is all pre-bagged and the apples are small like the ones at Claim Jumpers. I love it. They are the perfect size. Once checked out we loaded up our backpacks which we brought with us and still had multiple bags to carry. What a sight we must have been. Four girls walking down the street with loaded backpacks and each with at least two or three bright orange grocery bags. It did not seem like a long walk to get there but going back took forever. We thought to get a taxi but decided against it. We were not so sure that that was the right decision but we made it back. I completely ate it on the way back. The footpath (sidewalk) is not completely flat. It is made up of pavers so there are many lips that a foot can get caught on. I tripped on such a paver and went down. My backpack went flying over my head and the bags went forward but I nothing broke and everything stayed in the bags. Once back we filled our fridge and cupboards. It is nice to have food available in our flat. Plus we won't always be eating out. We were back around noon. Not to bad for a massive grocery trip.

When we went to put some of the food in the freezer and we discovered the vodka from the previous night had frozen. Yes, our vodka was frozen. We had no idea vodka could freeze. We asked some of our neighbors and none of them had ever seen that happen before. Later that night I looked up vodka and accounts of it freezing. I came across a listing of the freezing point of vodka. 80 proof vodka has a freezing point of -16.51 F or -26.95 C. Somehow our freezer was so cold it reached -16 F. The more we thought about it, the more it made sense. Our ice cubes were ready within an hour. We decided to turn down our freezer just a bit.

At 2.00 we had another orientation. We were excited for this one because we got our Oyster cards there. Oyster cards are pre-paid Tube and bus passes. Finally we were mobile. Some in my group wanted to get a top-up mobile (prepaid cell phone). We hopped on the tube to go to Kensington High Street, one stop up. We get on the tube that is in the station. I had found directions to a store. It was on the left hand side upon exiting the tube station. We walk in the direction, following the numbers to the address. Nothing is there. The number does not exist. I pull out my phone to find where we are. I am confused at first to what the map is telling me, then I realize that we are on the wrong street, wrong tube station...wrong train. We decide in stead of backtracking, to go across the street to another store that sells mobiles. We took the tube back (making sure to look at the signs this time). My flatmate Jessica and I decided to walk around the area and see the neighborhoods and if there were any pubs to visit. We walked down Gloucester and around Fulham Road (past the old Michelin UK Headquarters) and up around to Thurloe Pl and back to wards our flat, passing The Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum. We ate dinner back at the flat, enjoying our new food purchases.

All in all very successful first full day in London.

Until we meet again,

-Maggie the traveler