And Now, the End is Near....

I said I was going to write a new post yesterday. Sorry I've been slacking these last few weeks. It is with deepest sadness that I announce that this will be the last post of this life-changing trip. My plane leaves Heathrow at 10:25 AM tomorrow morning from Heathrow. I have yet to fit all of my things into my luggage. I wish I'd have listened to everyone before I left and put a smaller suitcase inside of the bigger one. I insisted that I'd have enough room. I now find myself going home with my friend's fold-up suitcase so as to avoid overweight luggage.

I was going to go out and do some last-minute touristy things, but have decided against it. It would have been a visit to Westminster Abbey to do the audio tour just because it's said by Jeremy Irons. Instead, I'm staying in and packing, playing piano, and practicing trumpet. Yesterday was the first time I played piano in a VERY long time...well, more than my short attempt at Michel and Monir's. That doesn't count. Yesterday, I sat down with music I've played before and struggled more than I ever have to get through simple pieces. I'll be playing my trumpet at some point later today, too.

Germany was wonderful- except for the sunburn part. I find it interesting that I got a worse burn in Germany than I did in Spain. The Spanish sunburn was gone by the next morning. The German one's still sticking around. As for the flight- if you ever fly on one of the cheap European airlines, choose in this order: 1) Easyjet 2) Aer Lingus Lastresort) Ryanair. The flight to Munich was one of the smoothest I've yet had. On the way back, the pilot informed us where we were when we were flying over something exciting thanks to the incredibly clear night. He pointed out our flying over the Dutch coast and when we got to the southern coast of Britain. Pretty neat. Sadly, the pictures out the window didn't turn out too well. I wish I'd not have slept the entire ride there, as it was during the day.

The border agent back at Stanstead (i.e. London) gave me probably the 2nd worst time I've had entering the country. I had forgotten to bring my itinerary back to the US with me. Here is a paraphrase of our retarded conversation:

"You've been here enough times you know you need to have it with you. Why were you here for almost 4 months?"

"Um...it was less than 3....I was here to observe the London Symphony Orchestra."

"And you really needed 3 months to do that?"

"Um....yes....*thinks: Yes. If you were cultured, you'd understand.*"

"What address is this?"

"The flat at which I've been staying."

"Whose address is it, then?"

"Well, I guess it's my flatmate's..."

"Why did you need a flat if you were only here 3 months?"

*thinks: Where the hell am I supposed to stay for 3 months? Do YOU want to pay 3 months of hotel fees?* "Um...yes...."

She then asked about my money situation, quizzed me on when my flight leaves Tuesday, interrogated me about my being at university, and informed me that she'd be taking note of my not having my itinerary. Thank God the guy on my first trip here didn't write down the same, even though it happened then, too.

Oh, and I'm not staying in the *entire* day- I'm going to the 2nd to last rehearsal before St. Bart's Hospital Choir concert next Tuesday. Today's Ivor's birthday, so it's either going to be great or horrible....After, I'm meeting up with the Exmouth Market gang at the choir's pub of choice. It's going to be a sad night of festivities....

This summer has been beyond words. If you've been reading up on all of my adventures, you'll understand how overwhelmingly perfect it's gone, for the most part. There are a billion things I couldn't fit into this blog, but I've been keeping a separate and more-detailed journal saved on my computer. Perhaps you can read it in my memoirs at some point down the road...it is about the length of a book.....

See you all on the other side of the pond tomorrow.