26 May: See ya later, London!

It’s 4:30 AM and I am on the bus to Heathrow. Our flight to Athens leaves at 6:50, so our bus journey began at 3 when we checked out of the hotel. We decided to make the most of our last night in London and go out for some late night fish and chips instead of sleeping, so a twenty minute power nap and my Johnny Cash playlist (right now I’m listening to “Bridge Over Troubled Water”) will have to keep me going until we get to our Athenian hotel this afternoon. I’m experiencing that peculiar feeling that seems to be exclusive to vacation and summer camp, where I feel like I’ve been here forever, but can’t believe my stay is over already. I feel amazingly at home in London, but it still seems like the week flew by. If this is what the rest of the trip is like, then homesickness won’t be a problem =)

Yesterday we mustered up a bit more touristyness and visited  London Eye and Westminster Abbey. I had skipped the Eye last time I was in London because of the price, but this time around I paid the eighteen pounds to ride it. Truthfully, I’m not sure if it was worth it since that view can be found from a number of towers and bridges in the area and I kept imagining the whole thing just breaking and falling into the river. However, I did enjoy watching a family who were sharing our pod with. The star of this group was the father, who had apparently gotten dressed that morning with the goal of looking as much like a stereotypical American tourist as possible. He had on (too short) kakhi pants with black socks and loafers, a golf course polo and a belt decorated with Texas flags, all topped off with a fanny pack and around-the-neck passport holder. My favorite moment came when he pointed out the Parliament buildings to his teenage son and daughter with the phrase “That’s their White House!” 

This man was very nice and we had a good time with his family, but I just kept thinking about how much I hoped I didn’t ooze “foreigner” as much as he did. While I’m sure that it’s painfully obvious I’m a tourist, I really have made an effort to be as low key as possible and not make a scene when I don’t get ice in my drink at restaurants (apparently that’s a purely American custom.) Other than to avoid getting robbed I’m not exactly sure why I’m so averse to being seen as a tourist, but for whatever reason I’d really like to fit in. At least I didn’t bring my American flag shirt.

I’m looking forward to meeting up with the rest of the group, although I don’t know too many of them very well. I’m mainly really nervous about the whole experience, but it’s too late to turn back now! I need to stop writing because this bus is making me sick, and I’d prefer not to make the flight to Athens covered in puke.