So this was my first trip over the big pond and I went with a carefree roll with the punches kind of attitude. That didn't work out so well after a 20 hour flight, having way to much luggage and no good place to put it. So my first experience on this trip was not great. I got re-routed to London-Gatwick airport instead of Flying into Heathrow. At least I got to see more of the area on the 40 minute tram ride to central London.

I took the train all the way to the Victoria station and made my way to the surface, The first thing that I see as I come out is a Starbucks Coffee. Nothing can make an American feel more at home than seeing a Starbucks on the corner. I sit down to have a cup of Joe and my first bit of food in the last 14 hours and almost fall asleep in the coffee shop! After a little rousing by a fellow coffee drinker in attendence, I get up and take all my luggage on a little stroll to find a hostel or b&b to get some rest in.

What I didn't acount for was the Wimbledon Championship. That of course meant that every bed in London was and had been taken up for the better part of two weeks!

Just like the little engine that could I climbed that metephorical hill and finally found a little b&b hotel and put on my most charming Yankee smile and looked the part of a lost and helpless student traveller. (In my experience playing that part can fix most problems and get you out of a fair bit of trouble.) The keeper of the Morgan House was named Rachel and happened to be the owner. She could see the exhaustion and desperation on my face and rushed me inside. She didn't have anything that I could afford, but being the doll that she is, she lowered her rate and put me in a small room.

Tip 1: Tell them your a student and get an International student card from STA. Show it everywhere and it can save you loads of money!

Tip 2: If you can, wait til later in the day, hotel and rental agencies want to fill all their beds every day. If it late and they have no guests they will often rent it for a much reduced rate.

I slept all the way through the next morning. This day started out much better, but in an interesting way. I decided that London was just to expensive; with the dollar being so low(2.18usd-1gbp) and no place to stay. I decided to head to Paris to meet a friend. I found STA travel on the same street as my beloved Starbucks and they helped me to sort my travel away. I caught a bus to Paris later that night.

Tip 3: Travel to Paris or other nearby places is very cheap as a student if you use STA. I found travel day of for less than 40 GBP. That's cheap!

Tip 4: If you can, take the very back row, and LAY DOWN. Don't get up if you don't have to. It is the only place to lay out, except for the floor of the bus, which I did. That is not very comfortable!

So I arrived in Paris at the Gare de L'est train station and started my Paris experience from there.

Tip 5: Always, always always bring a good book!

Au revoir!