Maybe Notting Hill...

Again, it's only 2:00 here and I've already had a full day! I started out going to the Natural History Museum, but it really didn't interest me that much--I suppose when you've seen one TRex, you've seen them all. At this museum though, they had you walking through in a set path, and you were crammed in there like sardines...not good for me 1. it made me a little claustrophobic and 2. people here freaking smell...not the english people so much, but the french and spanish...There's tons of tourists here, and they all reek! Though I am questioning if it's just the tourists, or the English too!

So after I had my fill of bones and stuffed Wild Boar, I went next door to the Science Museum, again, I was less than impressed. It wasn't interactive at all like the ones in the states. I had lunch there...a bag of crisps (plain--no prawn cocktail for me) and a cheese sandwich. The "sandwich" was 2 pieces of white bread with one slice of cheddar in the middle. DRY. It's weird they have all of these pre-packaged sandwiches here in weird flavors like chicken curry and egg and pickle. I'm not into pre-packaged anything, but I figured a cheese sandwich couldn't be bad. While eating I took out my map and decided it would be a good idea to walk to Kensington High Street and Notting Hill to see if they were places I might like to live...It seemed like I was walking FOREVER! Kensington is very nice, and again, the High Street has a GAP which is key, but it's kind of snooty if you ask me. Notting Hill was also nice, but it's kind of far from a tube station--you'd think "Notting Hill Gate" tube station would be in Notting Hill, but it wasn't....I had to walk another 1/2 hour to get there! Maybe I just walk slow, but it seemed like forever! Notting hill is very cute, but I don't think it was any cuter than Fulham, and we can certainly get WAY more for our money there. The only thing is that it's a bit more centrally located which, depending on where Mike's client is, might be key. Hopefully, he found that info out today.

Mike is somewhat adverse to blogging to I'll tell you about his first day. He was in a "New Hire" class, with one NY associate, and 2 other Americans (Living in the Cloisters w/ us) from Portland and Seattle, and all experienced people from the UK. He made it seem like the class was pretty dull, but he was trying to make friends w/ the Americans so that maybe we'd all make friends! When the UK people found out that he was an American manager, they were all trying to network with him, but he really wasn't interested in them! LOL! I told him he should make nice with the natives!

After he came home from work, we went out and got "Pay as You Go" mobile phones...they are really just prepaids...I think he's afraid I'm going to get lost on one of my little outings and I'll have no way of reaching anyone! We figure we'll keep them for now, and have them on hand when we have visitors.

As for the city itself. I find it very safe. I haven't felt threatened at all, and I've been walking all over it. I also haven't see ANY homeless people...NOT ONE! Mike thinks they have a really good welfare system here, but there aren't even any particularly scruffy people. Granted, I have only been in central London for the most part, but you see homeless people in midtown Manhattan, don't you?

Okay, back to Harry Potter, I really need to finish this book already! I heard it's hot back home...stay cool everyone!