Happy Monday and 5 Good Things

Its been a little while since I did a Happy Monday post, what the hell, right? 

Bryce Canyon National Park

It's very strange to say you feel rooted to an area you've never lived. But for me, its the truth.

Central Park

I realize that I am jumping all over the place. I have a lot I want to document, and there is a lot of sorting and organizing of the UK trip photos that still needs to be done. Instead of putting this on hold, I am going to forge a head and finish one of the other dozen posts I have planned. Too many travel photos to go through... Very much a first world problem, right? So, forging ahead!

The UK- London Calling

The flight from JFK to London was a red eye, so we all attempted to sleep and failed spectacularly. I spent my time watching a few movies and reading "Rising Strong" by Brene Brown. The quote above is a photo I took while reading on the plane. Some pretty meaningful stuff.


We were due to land around 8 or 9 in the morning, so we were just starting to fly over some western islands just as first light was appearing. You could barely make out the little slivers of land below. Eerily beautiful.

I distinctly remember the exact moment I started to recognize that we were actually flying over and about to land in London. England. Its a huge deal, especially for someone who has barely traveled outside the western half of her own country. London was something I had only dreamed about. The shot below is the Thames and reminds me a lot of The Eastenders. A British soap opera my mom used to religiously watch.

 As we were starting our descent I'm looking out the window at nondescript greenery and little towns with my headphones in, completely zoned out. I came to attention as Step Out from the Walter Mitty soundtrack came on. Anyone that knows me understands the great meaning that movie and its music holds for me. I'm listening to the words and I realize that the river I'm looking at is the Thames... the music crescendos and then I saw the Tower Bridge. Then The London Eye. Then Big Ben and Parliament. 

I nearly cried you guys. It was kind of this defining moment in my journey where things came together to create the most beautiful chain of moments. And strangely, with the addition of the song, I knew my mom was there with me. Not at all in the capacity I wanted her to be there... but it did bring me some measure of comfort. 

We landed and made our way quite easily through customs and baggage claim, picked up our rental car and then somehow, by all that is good in the universe, we drove about 60 miles to our AirBnB. I don't think I will ever get used to being on the other side of the road... and I don;t think there will ever be enough anxiety medication for me to be a comfortable navigator/passenger. It was a little rough, but we made it!!

We were staying about 10 miles south of the heart of London in a little area called Hither Green. Adorable little area in my opinion. Picturesque little town pub called The Station is very near the train station. Its the kind of architecture you think is only in books and movies... but its everywhere.

Our house was about half a mile from the train station so traveling to and from London was super easy. The home we stayed at was at the end of a row of brownstone townhouses with adorable gardens. Ours had a sunroom that was super comfortable to drink coffee and eat breakfast in, even in January. The host was the most gracious woman named Susan. We emailed back and forth and she was very happy to answer all of our touristy questions. When we return to London, we will most definitely try to get this place again. You can see more photos of this place HERE

The day wasn't over yet!!  We unpacked and grabbed real fish and chips with curry sauce from a kind of sketchy looking little shop with the most adorable little old man. I was a little nervous ordering, but as I watched him prepare our food from scratch, and then tasted it... I was sold. Don't judge a book by its cover. To this day, I still dream about that curry sauce.

We then walked down to the station and hopped on a train to spend the last few hours of daylight wandering around London a bit.

 

I don't remember why I was scowling, but it isn't an accurate representation of how I felt... I was ecstatic. Its also a bit overwhelming. You get off of the train station and are surrounded by about 30 things you want to see and do all within a mile radius. We really were just trying to get a feel for the city, get our bearings a bit. 

 

 The City is full of history, with little monuments and artistic elements built throughout is long, rich history.  I believe that these City of London dragons with shields were added throughout the city in 1994. You will find touches like that everywhere... Roses added to park benches for one of the many Queens Jubilee, stamps into the sidewalk, symbols on light posts... Its proof that there is a lot of people who deeply care about their city, and have for as long as its been a city.

Iconic sign for the London Underground. Right after taking this photo, we actually ran into someone from Boise proving that after all, the world can still be a very small place.

Dinner was at The Walrus and The Carpenter Named after Lewis Carroll. Meat pies and local brews for all!! We then ended up wandering towards the Tower of London, (which was closed by the time we got there) and the Tower Bridge. Its everything you imagine and more.

As we crossed the bridge to get to our train station, we stopped and took a few London cityscape shots... and then just stood for a while and took it all in. Such a beautiful, special place for me.

The Bringers of Light

 

My heart was heavy as I went to sleep last night after watching as the country elected Donald Trump as president. My heart was even more heavy as I woke up this morning and saw how deeply affected and scared people I care for are. Scared for their safety, jobs and status as American citizens. Light is slowly being shed in the form of little shreds of hope. Hilary actually won the popular vote, so I'm not alone. I am willing to stand up and love and protect those whose rights may be oppressed under the leadership of one of the most hateful people to ever be elected president. I am not alone in this fight for right. 

A very dear friend, Jennifer Wilhelmi wrote her thoughts out very early this morning, and they are exactly what I needed to read, and what I feel I need to share with my fellow Bringers of Light.

And a great and terrible darkness covered the land.

It was cold and lifeless and infused with pain and suffering.

The land was no longer friendly or safe.

Out of this darkness came the Bringers of Light.

A million strong, ten million strong. 

They carried the light of promise

They carried the light of wisdom

They carried the light of peace and gratitude

They carried the light of compassion and love.

They were legion, with hands and hearts joined.

They came together from all corners of the earth,

From every race and creed

From every cut and cloth

They were the tapestry of the New Earth.

Into the Valley of the Shadow they came

Fear and ignorance stepped aside as they came.

They were the Bringers of the Light, the creators of the New Earth

They brought acceptance and togetherness

They brought health and prosperity.

They gave freely of their light, It would never dim.

And the darkness fell away before the light

And the darkness fell away before the love and the beauty.

And the darkness fell away before the peace and prosperity

And the light shown brightly for a thousand years.

The BIG Trip- New York

I knew quite a long time ago that on the anniversary of my moms death, I wanted to do something big every year. I wanted to spend the day celebrating her, and her memory, and experiencing something new and exciting that she never got to do. 

To see the world...

2016 has been quite a year... A lot of travel, a lot of work, a lot of love and heart ache and finding a new normal that works for us. And before it ends really wanted to start documenting my travels, mostly for my own benefit. You know, before they all become a blur.