I Never Want to Leave, Part 1

Consider yourself warned.
This blog post is basically a novel.
But to spare you, I'll break it up.
Look out for the second part sometime tomorrow.

Ok. So let's get down to the nitty gritty.
Here's a few minor things about London I need to complain about.

1. No matter how long I reside here, I will never get used to how small the sinks are. I'm sorry, but normal human beings cannot wash their hands or faces in these washbasins without making a colossal mess. I am no exception to this fact. I am ashamed to say that I get water all over the floor (and myself) when I go about my nightly routine. 
2. Seriously with the lack of AC?! I think I might be melting. Actively melting. I am going to ask all of you to do something for me. Close your eyes and think of the last time you saw a dog sticking its head out of the window of a car... got it? Good. Now imagine a 20 year old girl sticking her head out of a window on the 4th story of a building and you have successfully imagined my life. This is the only thing that provides me any sort of relief from the blistering temperature of my flat (that, and I guess keeping hydrated; drinking water and whatnot).
3. Humidity. I honestly think it would be ok if this just left and never returned. On the plus side, this humidity thing does wonders for my skin that no amount of lotion could ever do in Utah. 

As you can clearly see, these are all minor details. 

Other than these complaints, I really am having the time of my life. 

Let me tell you about our recent adventures. 

And maybe, hopefully, you get super jealous of me. 

Alright. So we got back from Salisbury on Saturday evening and I don't know if I've ever been so tired in my whole life.
I can honestly say that I don't really remember what happened that night.
This is not from being drunk or what have you (I don't do that stuff any family member that's reading), but is quite simply from exhaustion.
So far I'm not sure if I've felt anything short of delirium - from being so tired of course. Goodness guys.
Get with the prog - a common term in the flat. Coined by myself. OBVI.

Sunday was a beautiful day.
I woke up to the sound of my roomies getting ready to go to church and I have never felt so inclined to jump out of bed and get ready for the day.
Seriously, I was stoked on it.
This might be because I didn't want to miss on a good time with my roommates, but I am leaning more towards the idea that it's because I love the Church and the Gospel and was excited to experience something that I know is the same wherever I go.
I suppose it's that it's a little piece of home. And that makes me incredibly happy!
I miss all of you. So much.
After church we got ready to go to some street markets that we had found on the infamous "Jack the Ripper" tour.
I found the cutest ring for 5 pounds and was thrilled.
And then..... we hit the mother load.
There's this market, you guys. It's called Old Spitalfields Market.
I'm going to need you to do some more imagining.
Imagine... walking into a market (similar to City Creek when the roof is covered but not two stories, ya know?) and just seeing vendor after vendor, as far as the eye can see! SOOO much happiness!
Ok now imagine, walking up to the first vendor and finding the worlds happiest record.
But then being cut in line by a grumpy stinky old man..
Now imagine that grumpy, stinky, white-haired old man passing over the very record and grabbing a different, slightly less wonderful record to purchase instead.
Madonna. These are the instances that make life worth living. These are the instances that restore my faith in humanity.
So, if you're imagining all of this correctly, you should be feeling a roller coaster of emotions.
I was.

I snatched that record so fast, I think the man I was purchasing it from was afraid I would run off with it.
I didn't. I'm an honest person, you guys! Gee.
It was slightly more than I wanted to pay but..
It was a Beatles record. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to be precise.
Go ahead and be jealous. I'll allow it.
I found a really good necklace and some high-wasited denim shorts too but those aren't important.
RECORD. SO GOOD.

Monday. 

Tower of London.
Sheesh. This place is un-freaking-real.
In all seriousness, I thought this place was a legitimate tower.
AHAHA joke's on me. It's a castle. With lots of towers.
When we got there, one of our professors, Nate, decided he would trick us all with fake facts about London.
He starts rambling off about how the Tower Bridge was built and I didn't hear the whole thing, but apparently it was built in 1988 but 1 million Chinese men. Each stone weighed roughly 5 ton and several men died in the process. Clearly false, but gosh dang-it, the guy is so convincing. You'd believe it too if you didn't hear the 1988 part.
But ok this place is beautiful and wonderful and any other word you can think of that ends with "ful" that's has a positive connotation.
I saw the crown jewels and so now I'm convinced that when that lucky guy gets to ask me to marry him, I will be unsatisfied with that ring weighing anything less than 5000 carats. Seriously the jewels are breath-taking. And Queenie is such a lovely lady.
The whole time Kasee and I were looking at them, I couldn't help but think how terrifying it would be to be royalty.
To sit in that coronation and have millions of dollars worth of precious stones atop your head.
An entire country watching you, waiting for you to mess up.
Knowing your kids and grandkids are subject to that same attention and will one day sit on the throne.
Scary scary stuff.
We then saw some ancient weapons and then made a break for it.
By the way, Tower Bridge is unreal as well.
Later we went to Primark, which is like H&M on steroids and I spent too much money.

This is the Tower of London. I know, it threw me off at first too.

Tower Bridge of course. It was on the Olympics all the time, if you don't recognize it... You need to get out more.

I'm not entirely sure if this building had a specific name but this is where the Crown Jewels are held. So pretty.

This is the White Tower. This is where you can see all the weapons and such.

More of the White Tower. I just think it's funny that they have babies on the "Toilets" signs.

Tower Bridge up close and personal. Ain't she a beaut?

And now I'm not very sad to say that this is where I'll end because I know you guys are tired of reading.
I'm sick and tired of writing.
So... so long. Farewell.

XOXO,
Sam