All packed and twiddling my thumbs.

Well, I have finally finished all my pre-departure business.  I have my boarding pass, checked bags paid for, my ISIC (International Student Id Card) and my things are just about totally packed.  As I sit in my room wide awake, I can't help but feel my excitement growing.  It's 12:46 at night and I'm researching more and more fun places to go in England and Helsinki.  Instead of the typical tourist places to go, I decided to go to some fun and a little off the beaten track places.  I've found out that Ian McKellan owns a pub in eat London called The Grapes.  It was frequented by Charles Dickens back in the day and has been around since the 1600's.  Seeing as Ian McKellan is an amazing actor who has played nearly every epic character in nerdy recent entertainment, with the exception of Dumbledore  I must to get a drink at his pub.  For those of you who are unaware (if there are any left), I am a total nerd and proud of it.

So, the places I have planned to go: The National Gallery, The Photographer's Gallery, Museum of London, The Grapes pub, Platform 9&3/4, the Science Museum and possibly the Natural History Museum.  The Photographer's Gallery is an obvious destination for me, but they also have in intriguing exhibit up for a few more days.  It's about the phenomena of cats all over the internet.  Why not?!  Surely Laura thinks I'm crazy, but hey, she's probably at least half right.  Laura and I are also going to see her family and I get to meet some of the cute nieces she has told me so much about.  We are going to have a very bust first week in England!  Now, if anyone knows an Australian in England, I would love to be introduced so that they can take me inside the Australian embassy right off Trafalgar Square.  I know this is a very strange request, but that embassy was used as Gringots bank for Harry Potter.  See, I'm a huge nerd.  While I could go on and on about what I'm going to see in England, that would ruin the surprise of the future blogs now wouldn't it?  I've got to try and keep my readers on their toes.

Leaving home without a plan.  Probably one of the scariest and most wonderful things in my life.  I absolutely love the mystery of it all, but of course not having a plan for after England is terrifying.  While I sit here twiddling my thumbs and gaining excitement, I am also very nervous.  Which I know is understandable, yadda yadda yadda.  But I am leaving home to go live with a great friend and two strangers who seem perfectly nice.  But I am also starting out on the rest of my life.  Having just graduated college I am giving myself this much needed break from requirements and rules, but it's going to be such a wonderfully scary challenge.  I guess you could say that I am extremely excited to start this new chapter in my life but also nervous as hell.  How's that for a summary?

Speaking of new chapters, I have to say how incredibly proud and excited I am for my brother.  He was accepted into art school today and is going to begin his own new adventurous life chapter. We are all thrilled and so looking forward to what the future holds.

That's all I've got for now.  I really should get on with the last finishing details.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to post tomorrow when I land.  We shall see, but I'll try and at least keep this a weekly update!  Until next time.


Well, they came here and now it's time for an American to travel to Britain!

As the 10th said, Allons-y!!


Love and pixels,
Kaylen