He Is Risen

How is that for damn-near biblical self-importance?!?

Well here I am in a cyber-cafe type place on Grafton Place (right by Tottenham Court RD., I'm sure you know the place.....)

I actually got into London yesterday but I spent the entire day Tuesday asleep. It must be a sure sign that you're getting older when you can't just fly to London and be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed right when you step off the plane. I have to say, in terms of pure traveling nothing could be easier than navigating London. Granted my companion (i.e. my girlfriend Victoria - take a bow) has spent a lot of time here, but I'm the newbie and it all made sense to me. Clapham (where we are staying) seems to be a nice lively place whose slightly shady past is being atoned for as it slips into a sort of yuppie purgatory status. London itself I'm getting to know by the walking around-getting lost-finding myself right only to discover that I'm not exactly where I thought I was-method. So far so good.

Irony has already sought me out this trip. We came to London because Victoria had a bit of research to do at the British Library. Well, we go over there today so she can get her readers card (needed to get into the manuscripts room) and I thought I'd ask for one as well...purely for giggles. Well it turns out Victoria left her drivers license at home and couldn't prove her place of address. The folks at the Library were nice enough to help her out with a one week pass. As for myself, I am sporting a card good for three years. Victoria, British historian that she is, was not amused. I would have laughed myself silly if I weren't afraid of getting "shushed" British style.

I'll write more after I have taken care of all my London firsts:

-first pint in a London pub
-first time walking the Abbey Road crosswalk
-first time nearly getting run over by a double decker bus when I forget to "look left"

On the plus side I have, so far, been able to "Mind The Gap."