London - Week One

Arrived in the city on Monday and overall I have found it... blindingly complicated. It's as though my mind is outside my body, watching it scramble through all the new sensations. Like today: I come out of the Underground at the Goodge Street station and even though my brain knows the first turn is a left, my legs and feet go right instead and I am lost for thirty minutes.

Left or right? That is the type of question that previously held a simple answer. Not so much now. A wrong answer to that question in London could weave you into a directional disaster. Another easy question that has suddenly become impossible is, "how long will it take me to get there?" Locals will tell you to multiply the number of tube stops by two, and that's the number of minutes you need without walking time. However, they leave out the part where you multiply the number of wrong turns by 30 and add in missed trains and "map time."

Thankfully, it gets easier every day. Each outing brings another bit of Londonian wisdom. For instance: when you come to a crosswalk on any major street, a painted reminder on the pavement tells you to "look left" or "look right." This is not just a useful tidbit, it is an imperative instruction. It can be difficult to tell where the oncoming traffic will originate, and drivers do not slow down for pedestrians. And they drive very fast. Very. fast.

In spite of all that, I will surely like it here. Yesterday I came out of Westminster station and there was The Clock Tower towering its clocky in front of me. It's a London site that might be considered cliche, but was the right thing at the right time to kindle my excitement. And that is where I am now. Sufficiently kindled.