Cheers, Mate!

'Ello 'Ello!

We are currently in England , North London to be a little more specific. I can honestly say that these last two or three days have been theeeee lonnnngest days of my life, and I think Audrey would agree, let me ask her...ok, Audrey says that she feels like she's "floating in a surreal time warp thing where our current state of existence is all that has been or will ever be, completely detached from time as we know it in America"...that was an abbreviated version of what she just said, she talks way faster than I can type. ANYWAY, yes, it has been quite disorienting...but in an amazing exhilarating, I can't believe I'm actually here kind of way. There's so many little stories to tell that I don't even know where to begin...hmm.

OK

TUESDAY:



We boarded our plane around 2:10 PST on flight number 555 (which might seem irrelevant but the number five happens to be both Audrey's and my lucky number so it's completely relevant, you see.) While waiting to board we met the cutest little Australian children. We were just sitting there on the floor next to those giant windows where you can watch the planes come and go, and these little girls approached us quietly, holding hands: "Hello, my name is --- and this is my sister --- (didn't quite catch their names, it's difficult to understand children sometimes because they mumble, plus the whole Australian accent thing really didn't help) "We're from Australia, what are your names?" And then they proceeded to tell us that they were 4 and 2 and that they went to Disneyland! And they got to meet ALICE! And they saw fireworks! And that their mother was Canadian and that's why they were going to Canada...would we be in Canada? Could they visit with us there? How old were we? When they met Alice she had really big eyes! Mummy, they're going to Canada too! Can we see them in Canada, mummy?! So cute, it made me want children...but only if they have accents

Canada



We had a four hour layover in Vancouver...ahh, Vancouver. Just as the plane was landing I took a little look in my purse (I think I was looking for my phone or something) and I noticed my little Om container, aka my pot box. My immediate thoughts were something like "noooo wayyy, dude!" Opened it up...yep, a little nug and a few shoom remnants. I turned around to show Audrey who was sitting behind me "BRO!" I said in a loud whisper, "looook, bro." Audrey: "Bro! Are you fucking kidding me?! Sweeeet." Yes, I successfully smuggled drugs across an international border (on accident). How badass, right Lana?

So, since we had so much time to kill we thought it a splendid idea to wonder around the airport area. Asked the cute passport check guy where the nearest gas station-like thing would be, "Go East from the entrance" he said. Hmm, East...couldn't find my compass. Audrey asked the crossing guard outside, "Sorry, I can't understand you, you talk so fast!" We decided to follow our instincts. On the walk we passed a used joint and a lighter just sitting on a wall...Perfect! We thought, it's a sign. And our previous notion about it being legal to have pot in Canada was confirmed.


So we took the lighter (they made us throw ours away in bag check) and continued down the street. We found a gas station, bought rolling papers, and proceeded to roll a joint on the concrete behind the gas station in plain view of passers by. We got a few weird looks but whateves, no worries, it's Canada! We love Canada! Anyways, rolled the j, headed to a nearby open field that was not hidden at all-- it was actually next to the main road that lead to the airport, and got reeeeally high. We figured we needed it for the long flight ahead. Besides, they didn't catch me with the pot on the way here but what if they did on the way to England? Naas Canadian prison, we had to smoke the stuff.

We wandered around a bit more on the way back to the airport (Yes, we were fully aware that being super high = being slightly less capable of completing complex tasks such as finding your way back through an area you're unfamiliar with to an airport that you're also unfamiliar with...but we had faith). On our adventure back we stumbled across a forest... "Let's go into this forest really quick, it's so pretty and unexpected!" We did, and the first thing we saw was a police officer (mountee?) we immediately left the forest, laughing hysterically. Of course, of course there's a policeman mountee in the forest...why wouldn't there be?




Got back to the airport successfully and with time to spare. Decided to hang out at the bar near our terminal for a little bit because Audrey is legal in Canada! Had a couple of beers (still reeeeally high) texted Patrick about the marijuana laws in Vancouver, just out of curiosity. His response: "Same as Cali pretty much...but that's because it's Vancouver. Other parts of Canada might be different." Perfect. Excellent.

Plane to London

Nine hours. Baby screaming. Baby shrieking. Baby's father getting death wishes from 200 fellow passengers. Sleeping pills. Safe Landing.

WEDNESDAY



When we arrived it was around 3 pm London time, something disgustingly early California time. Erica and Audrey time was somewhere in between. Called my friend Ines from a payphone, "Me and Rich will meet you at Paddington station!" So off we went, Audrey had her first experience with the Underground, I discovered that Audrey is easy to lose in a crowd. Gotta take photos, bro! Fair enough. We arrived at Paddington station, turned a corner and literally ran into Rich. It was perfect timing. Ines was at a bar in the station so we went in to meet her and have a couple of pints.



Next we went to our friend Alex's flat, which was just down the street from where we already were. And he juuust so happened to be on his break from work at the very same moment that we arrived, so perfect. So he let us leave our stuff at his place and we all went wondering for food. Ate at some yummy Thai place, probably the best meal we had had in over a day (Airplane chicken = inedible) and then went back the flat to get ready for the big night! It was Alex's birthday so he'd invited a bunch of us to go out to a local club called "The Roxy." Audrey, Ines, and I got all dolled up and Rich went home, work early the next morning =(.

Miraculously, the three of us girls were actually able to find our way to the train station where we met up with Alex and a few of his friends. It was like, nice to meet you, nice to meet you, quick photo by a British phone booth, let's go! Took the train to wherever, got off, and met up with more friends outside of the Roxy. It was Paul and Anna! I hadn't seen them in years, so t'was super exciting for me

.

The Roxy was a fooking blast, mate. Audrey got in with her own ID with total ease because she's legal here! The German girl who was with us didn't, she looked sixteen and forgot her ID =(. Poor German girl whose name I couldn't pronounce, she was nice.




("That guy looks like what Huber and Curtis
would spawn! Let's ask him for a photo")

It was buy one get one free beer and discounted mixed drink night, so we obviously took advantage of that. It was like: mixed drink, beer, beer, shot, shot, shot...dance dance dance. shot shot shot. "Everything is different here, bro! Even the bathrooms! I love it. Let's move here asap!" "I know, bro. Been there done that but sure, I'm down." ha ha.






We left the club around three and about ten of us headed to our new friend Matt's house. Alex had a few joints with him "Wanna smoke, ladies?" Yessss, best night ever. So we all sat on the
balcony smoking, imitating eachother's accents, laughing a lot. Surprise, surprise, we got a noise complaint.



It was four-thirty in the morning and the sun was rising so we thought it best to head back to Alex's place. And by us I mean all of us. ten. Howie decided to go on a run for food and booze. Us girls were like, um, no thanks to the booze but we'll take pizza, chips, chocolate, candy, sandwiches...he came back with booze and more booze. It was five in the morning and no one else other than Howie wanted to rage, he got a little offended "we gotta keep this party going, come on!" Nope! Party over. He got belligerant, Ines yelled at him. It was hilarious. Everyone finally left and Anna, Audrey and I passed out around six-thirty on the only available bed. Still waaay more comfortable than half-sleeping sitting up on the plane whist there's a fucking baby screaming bloody murder in your ear.

THURSDAY

Woke up around six-thirty PM London time, refreshed and ready to explore. Only problem was that London wasn't ready for us. POURING rain (there we go, that's the London I remember). Off we went, umbrellaless and with waterproof nothing we made our way to the tube station, our final destination being Ines' and Rich's place in North London. Normally a thirty minute journey, it took us THREE HOURS to get there. The trains were backed up, the buses were confusing, we got stranded in Camden for awhile...so thirsty, must. find. water.



It's all part of the experience! Ines met us as the tube station when we finally arrived and now were hanging out in her cute lil' flat. It's about three-thirty in the morning and I'm nowhere near tired, lemme ask Aud if she is...she says "not so much!"

Better try and sleep, though. Trying to get used to this whole time change thing you see.

Ta ta!

Erica