Day Thirty-two in England - London Monument and still a little girl at heart

Ello mum,

I want to start by saying Unkie Dave is an awesome guy. Even though he is sick, he has gotten up every morning to get us up for the day so we have plenty of time to do the things we want. Some mornings it's more of a struggle to wake up, but I appreciate so much that he's doing this grand favor for us. This morning, after Unkie Dave coming in a couple times, I finally got out of bed and got completely ready. I went back into our room, expecting to see Alix getting ready as well, but I found her still sound asleep in bed. I gently shook her and told her it's time to get up, but all she did was mumble slightly and turn over. Bored, I turned on the tv and got on the computer. After about 45 mins to an hour, she finally opened her eyes and was surprised to see me dressed and ready to go.

When she got ready, we were off to the LONDON MONUMENT. I took pictures and filmed us climbing all 311 steps to the top.











It was an awesome view. I didn't expect it to be that tall, but I could see the entire skyline of London. It was amazing. On top of that, when we got to the bottom, we got certificates proving we climbed the monument! Very cool :)


After we climbed the Monument, we decided to go to Leicester (pronounced Lester) Square. There were a tone of booths selling tickets for musicals in Piccadilly Circus for half price! Alix and I are going to do some research to see what we want to see, but I'm thinking Les Miserables :)

We grabbed a bite to eat and walked around some of the shops in the Square. We wandered into what seemed to be a mall, but was actually one big arcade! It was so cool! It had three floors and was filled with games, bumper cars, and bowling. Neon signs hung brightly everywhere we turned and we stared in awe. The only thing that would have made that experience better... IF WE HAD A COUPLE OF BRITISH HOTTIES TO BOWL WITH. But, we enjoyed ourselves none the less :)

When games began to bore us, we walked outside and it began to rain. It was getting late anyway, so we decided to head home. On the way home from the train station, there were tons of puddles from the rain. My inner child came out in the best of ways. I got a running start and jumped into a huge puddle. I stomped through every puddle from then on out, thoroughly soaking my shoes and pants. I couldn't hide the huge grin on my face. I felt so carefree and I didn't care how childish I acted.

Well, now that I'm all warm and dry, I think I'm going to go to bed now.

I love you mommy and, as demonstrated tonight, I'm still your little girl despite how old I get :)
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Thirty-one in England - another lazy day

Ello mum,

Today Alix and I had, yet another, lazy day. Although, we did help out poor, sick Unkie Dave. Since he came back from California, he hasn't been feeling too well and the doctor thinks it is possibly swine flu. So, Alix and I had to go out and pick up his prescription. We took a bus to the nearest hospital and after we picked it up, Auntie Sue called and said she could give us a ride home. We didn't have to wait too long for her. When we got home, we decided to go out to eat. We walked down the block and half the food places that looked interesting were closed. Our last resort was McDonalds (hey, we were desperately hungry). After we ate, we went over to Sainsbury's to satisfy our need for ice cream. We ate contentedly on a bench across from the Sainsbury's and took in our surroundings. It was a little cloudy, but good weather otherwise. We walked around a little more and found a shop with clothes on sale we bought a skirt together. We each thought it to be an adorable thing, but didn't want to buy two, so we're going to share :) To seal the deal, we paid half each, making it an unwritten contract that we both own at least half of the skirt. We walked home happily and now we're just chilling and enjoying each others company.

Tomorrow we're going to the London Monument and we'll see what else we can do after. I love and miss you mommy!

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Thirty in England - "I've been here a month - Tower of London

Ello Mum,

Wow, I've been here for a month now! It's a wonderfuly strange feeling.

Anyway, Alix and I got a bit of a late start this morning (surprise, surprise), but we FINALLY went to the Tower of London! It was so cool! When we stepped out of the underground, the first thing we saw was the Tower in all its magnificence. Before we went to buy our tickets, hunger called and we bought some sandwiches. When we bought our tickets, we walked inside and decided to venture by ourselves rather than waiting for a guided tour. It was so awesome walking around all the towers and learning about the history of it all. We visited a tower where there was a case study about two princes that were kept there and another tower where there were carvings in the walls made by prisoners. When we exited that tower, we saw a guard standing in front of another tower. He was REALLY cute. He had brilliant blue eyes and I love a man in uniform! Lol, anyway, the last place we visited (before we were booted out at closing time) was the crown jewels. I wasn't allowed to take any pictures, but I'm so glad I got to see them. They were incredible. Just as we were leaving, two guards caught my eye and, what do you know, it was the guard we had seen earlier! We both did a double take looking at each other, but he left to carry on with his important guard duties.

We walked around town for a little bit, but it began to rain so we decided to head home.
Well, good night mommy. I love you!

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-nine in England - "Someone needs to take a nap."

Ello mum,

Today, Dave and Sue came home! In our sleepy haze, we were very happy to see them. They were exhausted, so they retired to their bed. I went back to sleep for another hour or two, then I finally got out of bed. Alix, on the other hand, refused to rise. Now, I love Alix like I would love a sister and we hardly ever argue, but this morning, we were not happy with each other. I tried talking to her to wake her up, but she snapped back at me, so I left her alone. When Alix is tired, she has quite a temper. I knew she didn't mean it and she would have apologized... if she didn't roll over and go back to sleep. I don't understand how she can sleep so late and fear I never will. Afraid that my temper would flare up against hers, I got onto the computer began listening to music and facebooking.

When Alix finally awoke, we decided to go shopping for the supplies needed to make Dave and Sue dinner. Not wanting to wake them unnecessarily, we left them a note saying we'd gone out for a bit. We walked to Sainsbury's in silence. I felt a tension between us and didn't like it one bit. While in the store, we bought rice, chicken, a creamy mushroom sauce, some rolls, and juice to replace the bottles we had depleted. Walking from Sainsbury's, I offered some comic relief and that seemed to make the uncomfortalbe tension ebb. We were much happier when colaborating to make dinner.

Dave and Sue woke up right in time to help us set the table and await our suprise for them. They loved it. Dave thanked us continuously and commended us for a job well done.

After dinner, Alix and I were back to our old happy selves. I guess food and sleep are incredibly important things when it comes to our happiness!

Well, I think I'd better get to bed now. I love and miss you incredibly mommy.

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-eight in England - Standing in two time zones.

Ello mum,

Church today was really good. All the lessons kept my attention and, in turn, kept me awake! It would seem that we missed the date of the dance. I was very depressed. Anyway, after church, we didn't have long before Dawn was to pick us up. We quickly made some ramen noodles to tide us over until dinner. When Dawn picked us up, her and her husband (whose name I never quite caught) took us to Greenwich! We walked around the observatory of time and saw the Prime Meridian! It was so cool. We learned all about time and clocks and stuff like that.

It didn't take long for us to get hungry again, so they took us to a pub and we ate roast beef and vegetables. It was very delicious and for dessert, we got a chocolate sundae. Right as we stepped out of the pub, the heavens opened up and it began to rain. We hurried to the car and drove around for a bit until the rain subsided. They showed us around Greenwich some more, but our exhuastion became apparent, so they took us home soon after. It was a very nice Sunday and I loved Greenwich. It holds so much history and importance.

I can't believe after doing so much today, my email is still shorter than normal! I guess I'm not utilizing my writer's ability to its full potential. Well,

Dave and Sue get home tomorrow and we can't wait to suprise them with their sparkling clean apartment and the dinner we've planned!

I love and miss you dearly mommy. Good night.

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-seven in England - "I sure do miss your cooking."

Ello mum,

Well, I think this is going to be one of my shortest letters yet. Alix and I were so exhausted from yesterday that we didn't do much of anything. We cleaned the flat (that EVERYONE so constantly reminded us to do. Ahem lol.) When finished with that, we chilled. We watched tv, facebooked, took showers, and made baked potatoes for dinner! I've come to realize how much better it is living with someone who provides the food. When living on your own and the responsibility comes down to you, it's suprisingly difficult to keep up with. No worries, we're surviving, but I sure do miss your cooking. I can imagine how glad you must be to read that.

Well, tomorrow we're going to church and Alix's other great Aunt Dawn is picking us up to spend the day with her. No worries, no more unplanned visits.

Well, I suppose I must get some sleep otherwise I'll be falling asleep in church! Good night mommy. I love you so much.

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-six in England - London Dungeon

Ello mum,

Wow. Today was definitely an adventure. A good one of course. Today, Alix and I met up with our friend Megan, who also happened to be on a Euro-trip. We took the train to the underground station where we found Megan. After taking the underground, we got off and found the London Dungeon! We began waiting in one line and actors from
the next door attraction, the London Tombs, started to tell us how much better the London Tombs were and how much scarier and cheaper priced it was. We gladly found we were waiting in the wrong line because there weren't any actors near the other line. After waiting a few minutes, two men (with French accents) walked up to us and asked if we would like to buy their tickets because they didn't want to wait in line for that long. Only paying 15 pounds each (which was an unbelievable bargain) we had to go back and wait in the first line. More actors tried to entice us to go with them to the London Tombs, but we valiantly refused. Soon, we were inside the London Dungeon. Like the fraidy cat I am, I jumped at every turn. The actors inside told stories of murder, torture devices, and tragedies. I bought a picture that was taken from a ride called "The Gallows" where we were lifted up where nooses hung in front of us, then we were dropped suddenly. Our facial expressions are priceless!! When we exited, the plan was to meet up with Megan's parents near the Tower of London. It took us forever to find them, and in turn, we didn't get to go to the Tower.

However, Megan's Mom and Dad were able to get us tickets to a show in Pickadilly Circus (or Square) called Avenue Q! First, we were hungry, so we went to Sainsbury, bought food, and went back to eat at Megan's flat. After resting our feet, we took the underground to Pickadilly! It was amazing! There were so many attractions! We found the theater and the show was really good. It was a bit raunchy, but good none the less.

Tired, we decided it was time to part ways with Megan and go home.
Well, good night mom. I love and miss you.
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-five in England - no internet

Ello mum,

Today was the day. Our fate in the hands of mother nature once again. At long last, after days of being condemned to the inside, Alix and I walked, victorious, all the way to town. We wanted to find the internet cafe to send my emails to you. After walking seemingly forever, we found the big sign that said internet cafe! Walking in, we were surrounded by electronics of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. There were already people inside, so we were crammed in a little corner. The guy at the counter asked us if he could help us with anything, but we simply said we guess we found the wrong shop. Feeling a little down, we walked to Eden mall and found a library. Sadly, you had to be a member to have internet access. Was there really no place with free internet access? Surely this isn't so. Our last known option was the Starbucks inside the mall. The only problem was, I had to make it there without any detours to nearby shops taunting me with their stylish clothing and accessories. I tell you in complete honesty, I died a little inside when I walked past the sale at Top Shop. It was a relief to sit down inside Starbucks. We tried, yet again to send you my emails... to no avail. How does Starbucks not have internet access! All Starbucks have internet access! In desperate need of a pick-me-up, we bought hot chocolate. Alix's was caramel and mine was hazelnut. They were very delicious. After we finished, we called aunt Pam to take us home. When we got home, we ate, watched some tv with Pam and Paul, and we began the long journey back to Dave and Sue's flat.

The week spent with Pam and Paul was very fun, but it felt good to be going back. I read more of Jane Eyre on the way. I absolutely adore it :) Now that we're home, safe and sound, I think I'm going to get some sleep.
I love you mommy.
<3 always, Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-four in England - "I cursed the sky and it rained harder."

Ello mum,

I woke up this morning, the sun shining, birds chirping, filled with hope that today would be the day that Alix and I would do something. As I got ready, the sound of birds chirping began to fade. The light in my room dimmed. I assumed that it was just a cloud passing by. To my dismay, the pitter patter of raindrops grew louder and louder upon the rooftop. As I slowly opened the curtain, with every inch revealing the storm outside, the burning fire of my hope was put out. The very same wall of clouds that has plagued the skies for the past two or three days was back, yet again. Could I not have this one victory, this one freedom? I cursed the sky… and it rained harder. I apologized and finished getting ready. Alix and I watched Monsters VS Aliens to entertain ourselves until Paul or Pam got home. When the movie was finished, I decided to pick up Jane Eyre. Paul beat Pam home again and we watched The Golden Compass with him until Pam got home. We had planned on asking him for a ride into town, but he fell asleep in the middle of the movie, so we let him sleep. Pam came home and she helped us do our laundry because we were running out of clean clothes to wear. We had lasagna for dinner (but it wasn’t nearly as good as yours is, so you’re still the reigning queen of lasagna.) We watched more TV, but Jane Eyre was calling my name.

Well, I hope I have something a bit more interesting to write you tomorrow! I love and miss you dearly mommy.

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-three in England - A lazy, cloudy day

Ello mum,

Today was a VERY lazy day. I woke up earlier than normal this morning with the sunshine beaming through the window. Alix, still in slumber, didn’t stir when I got out of bed. I was curious to see how late she would sleep in if no one woke her, so I quietly got ready for the day. Soon, I heard noises coming from downstairs, so I assumed Paul had come home. I glanced out the window to find the same wall of foreboding rain clouds closing in from the distance. Thunder boomed, announcing its presence. Surprisingly, Alix came to life at that point. We went downstairs, endured the wise cracks from Paul about rising so late, and watched Ratatouille. When the movie was over, Paul flipped through channels, attempting to find something interesting to watch. When Pam came through the door, we immediately turned to the news for her because she wanted to watch the memorial service that was planned for Michael Jackson. I learned so much about him that I never knew. I guess you never really understand a person unless you’re really close to them like his family and friends were. Before, I thought he was just a crazy guy who got in trouble with the law, had lots of plastic surgery done for no reason and I felt bad for him because he was messed up from the world of show business. I never understood that he was such a humanitarian or what an effect he had on the music industry. Anyway, when that was finished, Paul had ordered in chinese for us and we all watched East Enders together.

I asked Pam when we were going back to Dave’s flat and she said Thursday night, so I’ll be able to skype you then,
I really promise this time. lol.

I love and miss you mommy.

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-two in England - "you might think, once you've seen one mall, you've seen them all. To me, this isn't so."

Ello mum,

When I awoke this morning and looked out the window, the sky was abundant with dark and dreary rain clouds. I tried my best not to let it affect my mood, but it was hard knowing that at any moment, the heavens could open up, release its fury, and keep me from exploring High Wycombe. Hopeful, Alix and I prepared for the day, whatever the outcome. After eating and watching Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, we decided to brave the chance of a storm. A few minutes of walking, and as luck would have it, it began to rain. We were just glad that we hadn’t gone too far from Pam’s flat. Paul offered us a ride to the Eden shopping center, and we gladly accepted. You might think, once you’ve seen one mall, you’ve seen them all. To me, this isn’t so. Wandering from store to store, finding the unique quality that lies within them, is one of my favorite past times. Anyway, Alix and I found many stores, but there was a particular dress store that caught our eye. There was a dress in the window that Alix wanted to try on (this was a huge break through for her. She NEVER wants to try anything on.) Upon finding the dress, I found a few of my own. When she came out of the dressing room in her dress, we both knew that she was destined to have it. I had found a similar dress (with a few details and designs different) and I almost didn’t get it, but with a push from Alix, we contentedly walked out of the store, a dress each (you have to see them, they’re gorgeous.) After more stores, trying on piles of clothes, and Alix’s depression when she didn’t buy the shoes that she adored because they didn’t match her dress, we got hungry and ate at a Subway’s. It rained on and off all day, but only in short showers. Soon after, the stores started to close. We called Pam for a ride home and she picked us up no problem.

Well, good night mommy! I love you!

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty-one in England - Windsor

Ello mum,

Alright, allow me to start off by saying, I love Pam and Paul dearly. They’re so nice and accommodating and funny, but whenever we want to go somewhere exciting and interesting, we always leave a little later in the day… when everything is closed. However, when I really look at it, it’s not their fault. Paul has to work late some days and we can’t leave without him because he has the car, so they’re just as much victim to the situation as we are. You know, they are almost the polar opposite of Tony and Maggie. Tony and Maggie got us up so early that although we were tired, we got to do everything that we wanted. Pam and Paul, having jobs to do, don’t get us up and, in turn, we don’t get very much done. Hm, just an observation.

Anyway, today, we went to Windsor. It’s a very quaint town and right in the middle of it is Windsor castle. Usually there are tours of the castle, but the queen was in! Paul suggested that if we stood outside one of the windows long enough, we might see her pass by. There’s a statue of the queen outside the castle, so we settled for a picture of that instead. We walked around the closed shops, peeking through the windows to get a look at their merchandise. There was a pastry shop with cakes, sandwiches, and all sorts of desserts. We stopped in and Paul bought us some cake. I got a zebra looking cake and Alix got an elaborate chocolate cake.

After that, we looked around some more and then began the drive home. Since it was a bit of a drive, I took the opportunity to read some more of Jane Eyre. I’m so glad that I don’t get car sick from reading! Anyway, we stopped off at a chinese restaurant on the way and were home before I knew it. I’m really tired, so good night for now!

I love and miss you mommy!

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Twenty in England - Stratford-upon-Avon

Ello mum,

Happy Fourth of July! I wish I were there to celebrate with you. The English don’t really recognize this holiday (sore losers I guess. lol just kidding.)

Well, today, Pam and Paul took us to Stratford-upon-Avon. Where is that, you may ask? Well, dear mother, it is the birth place of the infamous poet, Shakespeare. This is also where his tombstone lies. Unfortunately, we were too late to go see his grave or his house where he was born. I was a little disappointed. My spirits lifted a little when we walked around the town and saw some of the old buildings that had been there since Shakespeare’s time. We stopped in a book store and I bought Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. After exiting the book store, the sound of music drifted over to us from a distance. We followed it to a crowd of tents selling all sorts of foods, some jewelry, and a big pavilion where local bands were performing. It was fun to explore all the different foods. There were some Italian guys with a tent of desserts, some barbeque tents, and a French guy making crepes and waffles. The bands were pretty cool. One band reminded me a little of dad’s band because they played “Mustang Sally”. There was another band that I really liked. Every other song they played was folk-ish and they had a female singer with really awesome fashion sense. The base player was a girl too and I loved her. She had red dread locks, fish net stockings, black boots, and a really cool skirt (sorry, I didn’t get a picture.) I think she’s a really cool person because of her free spirit. She must not care what anyone thinks of her to dress the way she does and wear her hair like that, so I admire her greatly. I’ve also noticed on the streets, I guess the new “in” thing is having multicolored or blonde dread locks. I’ve seen at least ten girls with this style. Anyway, we left soon after the bands had stopped playing and I was eager to begin my book as we drove away. On the way home, we stopped at a pizza hut. Our waiter was really, REALLY cute. I couldn’t help but smile whenever he looked at me (why yes, I am a dork, thank you for noticing.) But he smiled at me too! It was a good dinner lol.

Anyway, I have to get back to Jane Eyre. She’s waiting.

I love you mommy!

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Nineteen in England - "there's no place like..."

Ello mum,

In the words of Dorothy, "there’s no place like..." Dave’s flat. Ok, so she didn’t really say that, but it’s the truth. Tony got us up at the crack of dawn this morning and took us home (we had to get up so early because he is going camping this weekend and he wanted to get an early start.) The first thing we did when we got home was water Dave’s plants. They looked quite parched. After tidying up a bit, we watched TV and facebooked (of course.) It was hard to find something to do to pass the time. We couldn’t really do anything because Alix’s great-aunt Pam was to pick us up to spend a few days at her house. We got hungry, so we walked to Sainsbury’s (the English version of a Publix or Kroger) and bought a couple of oven pizzas, some cake, and cheesecake (never shop when you’re hungry.) When we got home, we checked the time to see if East Enders was on yet. East Enders is the less dramatic equivalent to One Life to Live. Nearly all of Alix’s older relatives watch it. In turn, we got sucked into it during our stay at Tony’s. Luckily, we hadn’t missed it. Relieved, we cooked the oven pizzas and watched random things until East Enders came on. Pam and her husband, Paul, picked us up around 9:30 and it was a bit of a drive, but we arrived safe and sound. The only thing is, I’ve come to realize that they don’t have internet connection so you probably won’t get my emails for a couple of days! I only wish I had been informed sooner so you wouldn’t wonder or worry about me (knowing you, you’ll be doing the later.) Don’t worry mommy, I’m safe.

I sure love and miss you.

<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Eighteen in England - The Bus driver who got up on the wrong side of the bed.

Ello mum,

This morning, Tony got us up early, yet again, because today, he sent us off on a bus to Brighton! I was really excited, but because of another rough night, I slept nearly all the way on the bus (it took an hour and a half to get there.) Upon our arrival, the first thing I saw an H&M at the entrance of the mall. My desire was to head straight there, but my growling stomach staged a coup. Alix and I found a table and chairs conveniently across the street and we ate the sandwiches made for us. Finally, I fulfilled my desire and immersed myself in the store. We walked around some more inside the mall, and because we were there so early, we had all day. It was so much fun. We tried on lots of clothes and I bought a few things. At around 4:50, feet hurting and wanting to go home, we tried to catch the bus, but didn’t know where the stop was. All we knew was that the bus we wanted came every hour on the hour. We had ten minutes. Frazzled, confused, and desperate, we looked around for a bus stop. When we found one, we waited for about twenty minutes and decided we had missed it. We found a nearby coffee shop and waited for the next bus. At around 5:40, we went out to wait again. A little bit before six, down the street, I watched as our bus drove out from an intersection. I grabbed Alix by her purse strap and ran like crazy. We caught up to it at another bus stop where it stopped to let off passengers. I saw the doors close, to my horror, and I sprinted up and knocked frantically on the door. Two ladies that had gotten off the bus slightly protested on my behalf as well. Reluctantly, the bus driver opened his doors and I asked if he went to Horsham. He replied, his words coated with sarcasm, “Yea, I go to Horsham.” With that, he shut the doors in my face and drove away. The ladies that had protested before were outraged and attempted to help us, but they didn’t know where Horsham was. I felt like crying right then and there. Luckily, there was another lady who overheard our predicament and helped us find the correct bus stop we were looking for. It amazed me how people could be so different. Not but a few weeks ago, we had the bus driver sent from heaven, Steve, who was nice enough to pick us up at the wrong stop and give us directions to the store we were looking for. Now, we had the bus driver who got up on the wrong side of bed this morning, who didn’t help us at all. Anyway, with another hour of waiting, we caught the right bus and Tony picked us up from the station. We ate dinner with one of Tony’s friends named George and then went up to pack our things for we are leaving tomorrow! I’m glad to be going home, but will dearly miss the hospitality and kindness of Tony and Maggie. Well, good night mommy! I love you.

<3 always,

Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Seventeen in England - "Ello mum"

Ello mum,

I think I’m going to start my email off like this from now on. I think it adds some proper British to my letters, don’t you think?

Anyway, today Tony got us up early to go to Arundel Castle. It was amazing, incredible, indescribably beautiful, and all of the above. Because of the type of ticket we bought, we were allowed to explore every part of the castle. The rooms and decorations were so elaborate and intricately designed. I loved that there were plaques on the wall, describing each room’s use and the history. We spent most of the day inside the castle walls (it was a very big castle), but once we couldn’t ignore our hunger any longer, we left. We had explored everything anyway, so we were content.

We met up with Tony and ate sandwiches in a little clearing where he had parked his van. He asked us how we liked the castle and said it was really almost like a fairy tale castle. Acting silly, he began to fabricate a story of

Princess Alixandria (Alix) and her friend, Princess Rachel Colleen. The two little princesses traveled far from their home to visit other kingdoms and visited their court jester, Uncle Tony, who made them laugh all day. The end. I

t was cute. Then, he bought us some ice cream, and sent us off to explore the town of Arundel. Alix and I went inside a few shops, and I bought something for aunt Jani. I’m sure she’ll be glad to know that. Alix also bought me a birthday present, even though I protested stubbornly. I’ll show you when I get home, but it’s a beautiful little cream colored heart shaped box that would go wonderfully with my room. Soon, the shops began to close, so we met up with Tony and began to drive away from the fairy tale town. We picked up Maggie from work and went to visit Tony’s son and his family. When we got to the house, we were greeted by a little girl with long brown hair and blue eyes. Her name was Claudia and she was the eldest of two. We met Harriet, Tony’s daughter-in-law, and Sophia, the younger daughter. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. Alix and I occupied our time by playing with the girls. They showed us their bikes, their rooms, and they put on a little puppet show for us. Sophia took Alix to her room because she wanted her to read a book and I played with Claudia. She reminded me of a little version of myself because she told me she had a boyfriend! I asked if she had kissed him, and she said yes! Definitely a younger version of me lol. Sophia would come in sporadically to give me a bracelet or necklace as presents. It was very thoughtful. Too soon, Tony came up and said it was almost time for us to leave, so before we left, Sophia and Claudia showed us their kitty, Tilly. Reluctantly, Claudia and Sophia hugged us good bye, and we drove home. Today was a very busy, fun day.

I love you mommy and I miss you!
<3>
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Sixteen in England -

Heyy Mommy,

Well, last night, I had a bit of a rough time. I couldn't get too sleep for some reason. The bed that Alix and I were sharing was a bit too small, so in the middle of the night, she got up and slept on the floor. When I woke up this morning I felt horrible! I suppose one of us will have to sleep in one of the rooms upstairs. Anyway, when we got ready for the day, Tony showed us around the town (I, of course, scoped out the clothing shops like Top Shop, Monsoon, Next, etc.) He showed us a beautiful church called St. Mary's and the really expensive flats, then left us to shop. We only had an hour, but Alix bought a dress, and I bought you a little something :) I hope you like it! Then, all the shops shut down for the day, so we headed home. Maggie had cooked us some spaghetti. She used authentic Italian pasta. It was awesome. They left to go watch their grandson's play, so Alix and I have just been chilling here. I really want to meet one of Tony's grandson's in particular because he just might be our link into the world of British teens!! (Also, I've seen pictures and he's rather cute ;) lol.) He's fifteen or sixteen years old, his name's Christopher, and if we ever get a chance to hang out with him, we might be able to hang out with some of his friends as well! Alix and I can't wait :) Without being blatently obvious, we keep dropping hints to Tony about meeting his grandchildren heh heh :) Tomorrow, we're going to see a castle and possibly hang out with Emma (Christopher's mom and Tony's daughter.) I'll be sure to take lots of pictures for you :)
I love you mom!
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Fifteen in England - staying in Horsham

Heyy Mommy,

You know what I realized? I always start my emails with "Today..." It's always because I never know exactly how to start off. Hmm I have to get more creative than that :P lol.

Anyway, Alix and I got up relatively earlier than "normal". We got ready and started packing for our stay at Tony's. We were almost completely ready when he came. I opened the door with a toothbrush in my mouth and he chuckled and said, "Are you going like that the whole trip?" The drive up to Horsham was very beautiful. There were fields and forests as far as the eye could see. Horsham is a quiet, sleepy little town. Surbiton seemed like a busy city comparatively. Tony's house is so quaint! You would absolutely love it. I'll send you pics later. Alix and I are staying in one room together upstairs. There are so many nooks and crannies that we got to explore. There are another set of stairs that lead to two rooms near the rooftop, but it's too hot to stay in those. We ate outside because it was such a nice and breezy day. Their "backyard" has the most amazing garden (the reason for the quotes is because it's not really big enough to be a backyard, but not small enough to be a porch.) There are so many plants and flowers. In the very back, there's an adorable little playhouse for their grandchildren to play on. It's made completely of wood and even has a mail slot on the door. There's one swing and I'm a bit too big for it because I nearly made it topple over. Alix and I discovered they are growing raspberries and stole one or two. They're so juicy! It is such a peaceful place that I think one of the days we're here, I'll take Alix's laptop and just write to my heart's content. Tony put tennis on and we watched Andy Murry's victory. Now, I think we're gonna go to bed :)

So goodnight mom. I love you!
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Fourteen in England - Two weeks in England

Heyy mommy,

Happy two weeks in England! Today marks two weeks that i've been here! I can't believe I've been here for that long because it still feels like I only got here just yesterday. Today was a lazy sunday, but not for Dave and Sue. They spent most of the day packing and preparing for their trip to California for the next two weeks. I bet they can't wait to get away on holiday! Alix and I learned the rules for when they're gone, how to do laundry, how everything works, etc. Aaaaaaaaaaand that's pretty much all we did today. We were going to go grocery shopping, but we're going to be staying at Unkie Dave's cousin Tony's house tomorrow, so we decided against it. Now, we just finished dinner and Auntie Sue brought us some creme brule (pardon the spelling) from where she works :) It was amazing! We also got to watch her put on the sugar and burn it. So cool. Well, hope I have more to write you tomorrow! I love and miss you dearly mom :)
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Thirteen in England - Wimbledon!

Heyy Mommy,

Today was incredible. Alix and I woke up at the crack of dawn and we went to Wimbledon with Unkie Dave, Auntie Sue, and their friends Heather and Bret. We were about in the middle of "the queue" (English for line lol.) It was a bit chilly at first, but then it warmed right up. The line didn't really start moving until after Alix and I had been reduced to playing card games like War or Go Fish. Even then, it was stop and go for a while. After 4 and a half hours of waiting, we were inside the gates of Wimbledon! I'd seen it many times on tv, and finally I was there. I couldn't contain my excitement.

The first match we watched was between Hiroyasu Ehara and Denis Kudla. I thought Ehara was pretty amazing with his asian awesomeness, but we didn't stay to watch the end of the match because there was so much to see. There were a couple of courts welcome to people who didn't buy tickets in advance, although I didn't know very many of the players. The real big tennis stars were playing in the center court, like Venus Willams, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, etc. There was a giant screen that projected those matches and you could watch them from a nearby hillside. We wandered from court to court and found one we liked. Sadly, we had to wait in, yet another, queue. It took about an hour for us to get seats...

... but it was totally worth it to see Jelena Jankovic and Melanie Oudin play. They were both awesome, but Jankovic had a bit of an attitude problem. I was glad that Melanie Oudin won. She played very well. I also got some great action shots!

The next match we watched was Amelie Mauresmo and Flavia Pennetta. Mauresmo was really having a hard time just getting her serve down. It was very frustrating, so we got up and left.

Exhausted, we met up with Heather and Bret again and went back to their flat for a barbeque. The food was awesome and Alix and I took a short nap while we were there. I realize now that I should've put sunscreen on my face because my nose and cheeks are a little sun kissed.

Well, I love and miss you :)

I'll write tomorrow!

<3>

Day Twelve in England - Shopping, shopping, shopping

Heyy Mommy,

Today was so much fun! Alix and I got up a little late, but the plan was to go to Totenham Court Road so that I could buy a memory card for my camera, then to Oxford Circus to go shopping. We got on the train to Waterloo, then transferred to the underground. The underground was basically the English version of the subway. It was very easy to find our way around the railways. Once we got off the train, we went up about a million flights of stairs, and were on the streets again. The street we walked down would be dad's heaven. It was purely electronic stores. Sadly, most of them were closed because a lot of shops shut down at around 6. I thought all hope of finding a memory card was lost. With every 'Closed' sign I walked by, my heart sank lower and lower. Then, hope shined brightly with open doors and I successfully bought a 4 gig memory card! Alix and I grew hungry, so we found a Sainsbury's and bought sandwiches (yet again lol.) We hopped back on the underground and made it to Oxford Circus (a big shopping mall in Oxford. I thought it was literally a circus at first! lol.) The first, and only, store we visited was called Top Shop. It was huge! It had three floors and clothes everywhere. I was in heaven. Alix, however, didn't particularly share in my excitement. I've come to find she's very picky when it comes to clothes. It was hard to get out of the set of mind that I couldn't spend my money because after all the time of saving and saving and saving, now I get to spend it! Alix had to remind me that the reason we're here is to spend the money I'd earned and that I didn't have to be as frugal. I proudly bought a shirt, some eyeliner, and nail polish. I felt bad that Alix didn't get anything, but on our way out, she found the shoe section. We browsed through it and found the most adorable heels I've ever seen! She looks smokin' in them, and so she walked away victorious as well :) We wanted to shop a little more, but it was probably a good thing that most of the stores were closed because we were exhausted while coming home on the trains. It was a very fun and good day :)
Well, good night! I love and miss you mommy!
<3>

Day Eleven in England - "Totally worth the trip"

Heyy Mommy,

Hooray! Today Alix and I actually did something! We woke up a bit late again, but we were able to go to the train station and take the train to Waterloo. The first thing we did after exiting the station was head over to the Eye of London. The Eye of London is a HUGE ferris wheel where you can see all of London from the top! (the picture to the right is the view from the top of the Eye) It was amazing. I giggled to myself at the thought of Aunt Jani on the ferris wheel. I would imagine it would be much like the time you took her to the top of the Tybee Island lighthouse lol! I love you Aunt Jani! :) Anyway, when we got off the Eye, Big Ben was nearby, so we set off to see it.

On the way, there was a haunted house type place that caught my eye. It was called "The Fright Club" or something along those lines and it looked very spooky, but I was excited at the idea of doing something like that. Alix reluctantly followed me inside. The first thing we saw was a video playing of people's previous visits. There was a lot of screaming and things jumping out to scare them. I couldn't wait! It was a short line at the ticket counter. My heart was pounding. My hands started shaking. Alix and I got up to the counter. A man with bloody face paint said, "Ten pounds, please." ... I chickened out. All of the built up exitement scared me so much, I said, "Never mind!" and walked quickly out the door. I felt quite pathetic.

We made it to Big Ben and while I was there, I saw a vendor selling some hats. I had to buy the one that looked like Joey's hat from F.R.I.E.N.D.S! So I did :)

After Big Ben, we realized Westminster Abbey wasn't too far from our current location, so we went there as well. The architecture was amazing! It was so pretty. Totally worth the trip.

I realized we hadn't eaten at all today, so we met up with Unkie Dave at Waterloo station where I caved and bought American food from Burger King. I was starving! We rode the train back to Surbiton and now are relaxing yet again at the flat. Alix and I felt much better at our accomplishments of the day and can't wait to visit the Tower of London tomorrow!

Good Night mommy :)

I miss and love you very much!

<3> Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Ten in England - "...still regretting our lazy day."

Heyy Mommy,

Well, today was an incredibly lazy day. Alix and I woke up extremely late today and, in turn, didn't accomplish much. The moment we saw the time when we awoke, we sat there on the air mattress wallowing in our stupidity for not setting an alarm. Alix entertained herself by watching The Office, while I turned my attention to facebook. Hunger overtook me, so I made myself some bacon to tide me over until dinner. The day went on, and the first to arrive home was Auntie Sue. We were embarrassed when she inquired what we had done all day. Unkie Dave texted us saying he wouldn't be home until late, so we were on our own for dinner. Auntie Sue offered to make us something, but she appeared weary from her long day of work, so Alix and I decided to go out to eat to save her some trouble and give her peace and quiet for a while. We found a "take away" Chinese restaurant (take away here means "to go"). Since there were no tables to sit at, we decided to go a little further down the street and eat on the Thems River. We walked along the Thems and ran into (no exaggeration here) a SWARM of mosquitos. Alix thought that there was just a big group of them, but I realized there was a small group following us! It was the smell of the food attracting them! We ran for our lives and found a nice tall wall to sit on. The sun began to set, so we took that as our cue to leave. When we got home, Unkie Dave was there and was just about to go to bed. So, we're going to bed too :) Alix and I are still regretting the very lazy day, but it was nice to have just this one. Good night!

<3>

Day Nine in England - "I love how at home I feel here."

Heyy mommy,

Today was awesome! Alix and I actually got up this morning! Finally. We got up and went to the train station all by ourselves! It was like learning how to walk, except a little easier lol. The train ride was alright, except we went on the train that had a bunch of stops so it took a while. When we got to Waterloo, we went looking for a store to find my camera. We took a bus to Victoria and talked with the very nice and friendly bus driver, Steve. He helped us find where we wanted to go and he chatted with us about London and just silly things. He certainly made our day with his kindness. Alix and I agreed that there needed to be more people like him in the world. We told him that if we were citizens, we would elect him Prime Minister. When we bought my camera, our stomachs were growling so we went to one of the many sandwich shops located in London, and had the BEST lemon cheesecake ever for dessert. It was awesome. We took the 507 bus back to Waterloo, but we were very disappointed to see that the driver wasn't Steve as we had expected. We walked to the Eye of London, which is the BIGGEST ferris wheel I've ever seen! You could probably see all of London from the top. We had planned to ride it, but it was getting late, our cell phone had died, and there was a huge line. So, we decided we would have to go back tomorrow, ride the Eye of London, and go see Big Ben. When we got home, Dave and Susan made burritos and we all watched Hancock :) It was so much fun and I love how at home I feel here. Yes, it isn't really home, but it's pretty close :) Well, that's all for now.

Good Night!
<3 always, Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Eight in England - "...a very lovely dinner"

Heyy mommy,

Sorry this email is going to be a bit short because we didn't really do anything today :( We woke up late and took forever to get ready, and by the time we were ready Unkie Dave texted us and said that we were going to dinner with his cousin Tony. We went to an acutal pub! It was pretty fancy for a pub and no worries, we didn't have any beer. Tony and his wife were very nice people and we had a lovely dinner. We talked about visiting them while Dave and Susan were away :) I'm really excited about that because they're so entertaining :) That was pretty much it. Well tomorrow we're going to the eye of London so I should have more to write then :) Good night! I love and miss you!
<3>
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Seven in England - "Today was a very nice Sunday."

Heyy mommy,

Today was a very nice Sunday :) Alix and I got up for church and made it there right on time! It was a relatively small building and inside, there were no pews. Since it was father's day, the primary sang to all the fathers in the congregation. There couldn't have been that many because the entire primary was about the size of our nursery! After that, the young women got up and spoke about this year's theme, Be Thou an Example, and sang I Know My Redeemer Lives. When sacrament was over, Sister Beaumont, the young women's president, came over and introduced us to some of the young women. She's so nice and, as it turns out, she's originally from Idaho! What a small world! lol Anyway, we followed the young women to class and when it was over, we called Unkie Dave for a ride home. Unkie Dave's Aunt Pam had called earlier and asked us to join them for a barbeque, so after we changed, we drove up to see her. It was a very nice drive. At first, all you could see were buildings, stacked like dominos in a row. Soon, the road shrank and the buildings grew scarce. I found we turned onto a narrow rode in a never-ending field of grass. It changed like a kaleidoscope into a green and lush forest. It looked almost mystical. Then, it all faded back into city. We passed by Queen Victoria's castle and it was so beautiful! When we finally arrived, I was surprised to be greeted with a hug from Aunt Pam. I never thought to find a more friendly family than our own. It was cozy in her home as we sat and learned about each other. Pam's son, Steve, and his wife and two children were there as well. It was pretty cool to sit back and listen to the way they talked because they all had accents. Even the children! I could've listened for hours. After we ate, we chatted some more, then left. It feels good to be home after a long day :) Well, can't wait to write about tomorrow! I love and miss you! <3>

Day Six in England (...just a big guy in a King's costume)

Heyy mommy,

Thanks for the email :) I'm glad you're having a good time in South Carolina and I really hope you can take me there! Today was a good day :) Unkie Dave and Auntie Sue had the weekend off from work, so they decided to take us to Hampton Court Palace, which was King Henry VIII's favorite palace! It was a magnificent. They were celebrating some sort of anniversary, so there was supposed to be this big hoopla going on. There were actors dressed up in legitimate pre-elizabethan clothes! It was very cool. All they really talked about was how the King was coming and that we must prepare! We abandoned the tour guide and went off on our own. It was amazing. However, there were a lot of little corridors and doors that were closed and I really just wanted to take a quick peek inside. I think it would be quite embarrassing to be thrown out of a palace though, so it took a great deal of restraint! It was amazing to see the queen's bed chambers, sitting room, drawing room, and even closet. It was huge, but the description said it was considered small! There were a lot of beautiful paintings and a history of King Henry's many, many, MANY wives. Of course, I overexaggerate because he only had six, which is less than I thought he had, but still a lot. After that, we went to the gardens to see the King arrive off a boat from the Thems River! It was a lot of build up and suspense for just a big guy in a King costume (whom you couldn't hear from far away) and a few trumpet guys. A little let down, but hungry, we found a sandwich shop (in case you haven't noticed, the British are a little obsessed with sandwiches lol) and ate. We went back into the court to go through the maze, but everything was closing. So, we bought some ice cream and left. When we got home, Unkie Dave showed us a tv show that he helped produce called "Meet the Natives". It was a little bit of a documentary about a group of villagers (pardon spelling) that come from an island into modern day London to live with middle class, working class, and upper class families for a week or so. It was quite interesting. He and Sue made Alix and I mexican lasagna (which was very good!) I can't wait to go to church tomorrow and meet some of the youth to hang out with! Well, I'm exhausted! Good night and I'll write tomorrow!
<3>
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Five in England ... Finally ... success!!

Heyy mommy,

Today was very fun! Even though Alix and I got yet another late start, we still went out and walked all the way to Kingston! Hooray! After four days of failure, we finally made it. It wasn't too long of a walk and it was very nice outside. Although, I didn't plan for the walk and absentmindedly wore flip flops. I guess I've learned my lesson the hard way. When we arrived at the shopping center, the first thing we did was find an ATM and take out money! Another success that we had attempted for the past four days, but failed at. The plan was to shop first, then food, but our stomachs disagreed. So, we found a cute little cafe called Spuds and ate sandwiches and chips. It was very relaxing. After we finished, we went out and found a dress shop and shoe store. Nothing really caught our eye, so we left. We were not thoroughly informed because apparently, everything in the shopping center closed at 6! Disappointed, but not defeated, we left and successfully made it back home, safe, sound, and satisfied. When Susan and Dave came home, we told them of our victory and they congratulated us and made us grilled cheese, ham, and tomato sandwiches (yes, I had a sandwich with ham in it! I think the world will explode!) lol. Well, Alix and I have set an alarm for tomorrow, so we'll get a nice and early start! We're thinking of actually buying something in Kingston this time! In the words of Unkie Dave, "First stop, Kingston. Second stop, London... next the world! Muahahaha! lol." I'm having a great time here mom and I wish you and everyone else could enjoy England the way Alix and I are :) I miss you! <3>
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Four in England (bored . . . in England?!)

Heyy mommy,

Well today was quite uneventful! Alix and I got a very late start this morning. We planned on going to Kingston, but we remember we had to contact the Bishop and YW president. It was very frustrating trying to figure out how to dial on the phone! We didn't expect it to be so hard, but apparently you had to add a zero or 04411 or take it away and it was just so complicated! Finally we figured it out. I left the dumbest message on the Bishop's answering machine! "Hi, this is Rachel Clark (very helpful, he's never heard of me before) I'm calling because my friend and I are visiting from the U.S. and um we wanted to come to church! (DUH!) Give us a call back when you can! Bye! (I didn't give him a number, so how could he call back if he didn't have caller ID? Can you say FAIL?)" I got ahold of the YW president luckily so I wouldn't leave yet another embarrassing message, but she apparently got the impression that we belonged in YSA instead of YW! So I hung up the phone with the YSA rep's name, phone number, and the fact that they met on Monday's. Very informative! Too bad I'm not 18 lol. After that, we made ourselves lunch and hung out most of the day. We went absolutely insane. Realizing a few hours later that the cause of our insanity was being stir crazy, we ventured out to find somewhere to eat because we needed a reason to leave the flat. I bought a burger and chips (fries) and Alix bought fish and chips. Her fish wasn't very good and neither were the chips for that matter. Disappointed, we went back home and waited for Susan and Unkie Dave to get home and when they did, they made us nachos :) It was much better. It amazes me how even in London, boredom can follow you! Well, hope I have more to write you tomorrow! I love and miss you!
<3 always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Three in England

Heyy mommy,

Ok, so today was much more fun than yesterday lol. We got an early start this morning to buy tickets at the train station that we could use all day for any sort of transportation, so we wouldn't have to pay to get on the bus or anything, we could just flash the card. Although, Alix and I had stupidly stayed up late the night before and we could barely open our eyes. But, as soon as we got on the train, we became less like the walking dead. Unkie Dave took us to Waterloo and bought us a map (so we wouldn't get lost this time!) Waterloo is where we truely got a taste of the city. Dave had to leave to go to work, so Alix and I ventured off to the Tate museum of modern art. As of this day, I hereby declare that I do NOT like modern art. Most of the paintings looked either like squiggles drawn by a kindergardener or just very strange. It was an interesting experience to say the least. After we got bored with that, we were starved, so we found a sandwich stand, bought a couple wraps, and ate them in a small park outside the Tate. It was a very lovely day outside! There were a lot of kids in Waterloo on field trips. It was funny to see some of them in uniform and Alix said they reminded her of Harry Potter XD lol. So, we walked across the Milenium bridge to go see St. Paul's Cathedral. We couldn't go inside unless we were there to worship, and seeing as we're not Catholic, we could only view it from the outside. It's a very gorgeous building! We bought postcards in a nearby shop and mine has Prince William and Prince Harry on it :) heh heh they are very handsome boys! I think I'll give the postcard to Ali if she wants it ;) Then, we went to a familiar place, Starbucks! We desperately needed a hot chocolate and a place to rest our feet for a while. Each of us agreed that it might be time to head on home and on our way, there was an outdoor book sale. Alix bought a book about fairies for her mom and sister and she insisted on paying for my book so I let her. But I'll get her back soon! It's good to be at the flat though, despite the adventures we had today. We'll sleep uber good tonight, so good night!
<3>Your Rae of Sunshine

Day Two in England

Heyy mommy,

Well, day two wasn't quite as exciting as day one. It was still fun though :) Today, Unkie Dave and Susan were both at work, so Alix and I had to fend for ourselves for the day. We attempted to go to Kingston agian (because it's only a 15 minute walk from the flat), but we didn't know exactly where to go. So, we attempted to take the bus (and paid 4 pounds instead of 3 because we forgot to show our student ID's for a discount :P), but we didn't know where to get off at because there were about three stops that said "Kingston", so we got off and walked back home. I must say, it was quite embarrassing and we felt very defeated. Of course, it's only our first day. Anyway, we got back to the flat and watched Ocean's 12 and 13 back to back (can you say lazy much?) lol Unkie Dave eventually came home, he made us dinner, and we ate together. It was delicious! After we did the dishes together as well, he went to go pick up Susan at the train station. So, here we are, Dave and Susan gone to bed and Alix and I are watching Friends until we fall asleep. I can't wait until tomorrow because Unkie Dave's going to take us to Waterloo! We get to take the train! :D Oh... I almost forgot. Well... I think I forgot my camera on the airplane :( :( :( I'm so sorry! Unkie Dave said he'd call the airline tomorrow and see if anyone found it, but if they don't, then he has a camera we can use. Man, I'm such a ditz :( I kicked myself all day for it. Ugh, well I guess I'll just have to cheer up and move on :/ I'm sorry again :( Well, goodnight! I'll write you tomorrow!!!

<3 Always,
Your Rae of Sunshine

Hey Mommy!

Alright, well day one in England was pretty amazing! The first thing me and Alix did when we got off the plane was meet up with her Unkie Dave (yes it's Unkie not Uncle lol). We took the scenic route on the way home to his "flat" (enlgish for apartment). I love the way he and his wife Susan speak! But, Susan is from South Africa, so her accent is slightly more harsh than Dave's. They're so nice and welcoming and they're the cutest couple! Anyway, London is amazing! Although, we weren't truly in the heart of London because it costs like 8 pounds to drive through the city :P But, the part of London that I've seen so far is so quaint! It's hard to get used to the fact that they drive on the wrong side of the road and the passenger's seat is the driver's seat! English drivers are crazy too! They drive really close sometimes, but I like the fact that almost all the cars are brightly colored :) Mom, you would love to live in one of the houses here. They're so cute and they look almost like the cottages from those puzzles that you have. I'll take pictures, don't worry. After we drove around for a bit, Unkie Dave wanted to show us the Kingston shopping center, so we parked the car and walked there. It's basically like the Pointview mall near Dahlonaga and the Mall of Georgia smooshed together. It has some of the same shops, but I think it's really funny that the "in thing" here is 80's clothes! And I mean legitimate 80's clothes, puffy sleeves and neon colors and all! When we got done looking around the mall, we stopped at a ready-made sandwich shop and ate our sandwiches on the Thems River! We sat on a ledge over the river and there were some people throwing bread to swans and geese. They were so pretty :) After that, we went grocery shopping with Dave and back to the flat so Alix and I could get situated. We didn't do much besides watch British tv and sleep for a little while. So, that was my day :)

I'm so excited for tomorrow because Dave's going to take us back to the Kingston mall on a double decker bus! And we might ride the train too because the station is practically 10 minutes away from his flat! Well I'm going to bed now. Good night mommy and I'll write you tomorrow!

Sweet 16

Yes!! Rachel is finally 16 years old. She had the opportunity to spend the summer in England with a friend so that is her 16th birthday present. So the day before she left for England we celebrated her birthday and with tears in her eyes, her mother sent her off on the adventure of a lifetime.

She promised to e-mail everyday by way of a journal and so I thought it would be a good idea to create a a travel blog and share her adventures with ya'll. Enjoy.