~ ANNE! ~

Soooo. In keeping with my new resolution to stop planning things so much and just go with the flow (effectively adoping the European model over the North American one) I am leaving for Bruges, Belgium, tomorrow morning. This is partly the same impulse that led me to cut my hair Tuesday at the random cheap hair place (new for me, a person who normally thinks about a haircut for a month before acting). It's an attempt to overcome my natural degree of premature stodginess and not overthink things so much. Although I suppose it's all relative - spending time around Geo, say, makes me feel less impulsive than spending time around Steph.

Anyway, yes, off to Bruges to check out this famous hostel that is rumoured to be eager to hire me. It pays almost nothing, but room and board is covered so I would consider staying for a while if the London job doesn't work out. I will hear back about that tomorrow or Monday, at which point I'll make a decision.

Yesterday I ran some errands, including trying to change my plane ticket back for August so I would be able to go to Folk Fest. I was so proud of myself - found the travel agent via my little free map with no problem at all. "Ha!" I thought to myself. "Navigating this city is no problem at all! Look at me good, I'm so good at this." Of course, I promptly completely negated that 45 minutes later when I walked past the turnoff to BUNAC twice - a place that I've been many times. Oy. Anyway, as it turns out Air Canada is booked ridiculously solid for that week. The travel agent could not find ANYTHING. I am not pleased but said I would call her next week and see if anything opened up. Missing Folk Fest would suck so much, though, if I had any chance at all to be there. However, not much I can do at this point.

So yes, then I stopped by the BUNAC office to check my mail (none, sadly. Send stuff to me! c/o Incoming Programmes, BUNAC, 16 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0QH) and see if there were any postings I couldn't pass up. There were, but they had all ended the day before. GRRRR. Although I did get a tip from a random girl (last name: Lovejoy) who told me about a catering company that caters to the Royals all the time. For what it's worth.

Then I decided to check one more thing off my list of London sights and walked to St. Paul's Cathedral. Sadly, there's work being done on it so the gallery was closed, and also they wanted seven quid to get in! Ha, I said. Right. Besides, I thought that it would not be as interesting to see it by myself, without someone along to ooh and ahh over it with me. So this is a call to my mother to stop dithering and come to London one of these months! It'll be fun, I promise, and then I'll have someone to see St. Paul's with. An offer she can't refuse, I'm sure.

I walked all the way back to the hostel at Great Portland Street, which is actually a bit of a walk. I was quite proud of myself actually. Getting exercise, not spending Tube fare - good stuff.

Last night was relatively boring except for talking to the Italian couple that moved into my room (with lots of gestures - the English is iffy) and getting a call from Scott the Aussie, who is back in the city. He wanted to hang out today, so that's what I did.

Had a very good time with Scott, actually. It was a great antidote to the overwhelming and nasty feeling of never speaking to anyone. I'm just not a conversation-starter, and the only person who has talked to me so far at this hostel is a Spanish guy who is moving to Montreal and was overjoyed to find a Canadian to ask about it. (I've never been furthur east than Saskatchewan! ah well).

Scott and I met up at Victoria Station (yes, Michael, at the WH Smith) and had lunch there, then went to the Natural History Museum to look at the dinosaurs. Do you realize that as well as an Albertosaurus, there is an Edmontosaurus and a dinosaur called Edmontonia? I jumped up and down and squealed. Dinosaurs from my hometown! Then we went and found some comfy couches at a Starbucks (the chai latte was a pale imitation of what Alex can do when she wishes) and talked for hours. Scott is the kind of guy who gets along very well with girls and gay guys, due to his penchant for sitting around talking about relationships. And being a girl myself, I was quite happy to indulge him! So it was a good time.

Had dinner at an amazing Indian restuaruant, tucked up some stairs at London Bridge tube station. It was incredible. It was also odd, as it's the first time in weeks I've eaten out twice, not to mention had three solid meals! I've been eating bread and cheese for lunch mostly, due to being paranoid about money. Better safe than sorry.

So tonight I pack, and tomorrow it's another long coach ride. I'm hoping to meet up with Steph and maybe Rem while I'm in the neighboring country, but we'll see. That's about all the news, except that the cough continues unabated. I'm coughing up disgusting stuff now. I really hope this ends soon. no fun.

Oh yes, one more thing. Thanks very much to everyone who read my slightly self-indulgent rant yesterday about feeling that I hadn't accomplished anything much and told me I didn't have to, I'm important already, etc. etc. It was a slightly strange feeling to get feedback on something I normally feel I'm just sending off into the ether, but it was much appreciated!