While waiting to be able to check in to our hostel in Earl's Court (the first hostel we stayed in when I got to London), we went and checked out the Natural History museum, something we had been trying to do ever since we first got to London, but were continually prevented by lack of time, or a fire alarm, or a second fire alarm, so it was with no small amount of tension that we entered the museum. They didn't immediately evacuate, so I assumed we were safe to proceed.
There were dinosaurs. They were awesome, and therefore they were dinosaurs that were awesome. Including a giant animatronic t-rex that frightened small children. There was also a giant blue whale but it was closed for cleaning. (Um. Ew.)
That evening we waited in the hostel for our friend Jana to arrive. Jana was a German exchange student I met back in year 12 but hadn't seen since, tho' Lexi had seen her a few times overseas (though only once in Germany, oddly enough). She was flying over to spend a couple of days with us before my return, and after a fun evening getting caught in delayed trains (something I can relate to), she finally tromped in at about 12:30. We celebrated by immediately falling asleep.
The next day we hopped on a bus and went out to Stonehenge!!! Stonehenge was awesome, all big and stone and hengey. Standing in the snow, clutching an audio guide to our ear, we slowly circled the monument, taking in all it's splendour and it-looks-smaller-in-real-lifeyness. As it turns out this is partially due to design, the way it is placed makes it appear to tower over you as you walk up the hill towards it, and was possibly used to add a sense of power to those who approached it (although the giant calculator and alien theories were there too).
The next day was my last planned day in London. We started out by finding a twinings shop for Jana so she could bring some goodies back to her family, then said our farewells as she headed out to her (hopefully not snowed in) flight back to Germany.
After that we went shopping! Our venue of choice was Foyles, the one time largest bookshop in the world. Naturally this was a very dangerous place for me to be, and I proved it by stocking up on books and graphic novels for the flight home.
After tea in a little cafe, we headed back through the steadily building snow to the hostel, got my bags, and went to the train station, where I said my goodbyes to Lexi. I owe her a huge debt for the organisation (and decision making skills) she did for my holiday, it was a great success and this was largely down to her planning.
From there it would be fairly straightforward. A flight to Bangkok, a short 6 hour stay in a hotel room, before catching a flight to Perth, getting me in the next morning...
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