MIND THE GAP

Hello and greetings from the UK.....

Well, all is well here- having a total blast...spent the first two days wandering london, taking the tube, having yummy food, and freaking out at all things american....

We just got back from Brighton where we went and spent an amazing day and night with the Delemoses... (Nikky's parents). They were such great hosts- totally took us in and fed us, and we had proper english tea, and indian food, and it was so wonderful to BE IN A HOME and to be taken care of.

But we are back in London tonight, and we will hit the town tonight and then be off tomorrow to shop and see the markets, and the parks and gardens and I've got a few friends here that all come back into town (mike, louise, Melanie) so it will be fun to be here with people I know.

It's so fucking expencsive here- my mind is kind of blown (so is the wallet actually).. and as such we are staying in a decent hotel- really far out of town. When I told nikky where I was staying she relpied 'that's the armpit of london' like she needed to tell me that. let me put it this way- it's in Zone 3- for those of you familiar with london.

But the fucking pound is DOUBLE the dollor. So take out $500 bucks at the ATM, and you've just spent a grand.

Brutal.

But god bless London- there are lots of cheap eats, and I've got my tube pass, and all the museams are free...so we're just fine.

We will be here till tuesday- then it's back to Rome.

And I have to say- I'm really looking forward to going home to Rome. I love it so much there- and this little trip to civilization- or at least one that I recogonise so easily-has really reinforsed my desire to stay in Rome.

It's crazy to be around all this American shit. And I probably wouldn't be enjoying myself as much if it weren't for Ali. This is his first time to London, or an english speaking country for that matter. He is like a deer in headlights....he had his first starbucks the other day...it was really exciting, and made a totaly mundane experience for me really fun.

You get the idea.

We are having a blast, and when I return to Rome I will write much longer.

Hope this finds you all well. I hit American soil on the 6th in NYC and I hit the west coast on the 10th or the 11th...( can't remember).

So- I will see you soon.

Much love

c