There is a magical feeling about this place, and as corny as that sounds it is true! I'm sitting on the bank of the Thames watching a girl feed all the swans and there is a lot, like 30 of them. I'm not the only one sitting here, couples and friends sit on the banks talking or just enjoying each other's company. There are a good number of boats in the water, of all different sizes with all different purposes. One of them looks like someone lives in it, while others are just for cruising the Thames. A few have that old, homemade look, like many hours was spent maybe even on this bank fixing it up. Two boats are passing me now, and people are lounging around in the front enjoying the view. These two boats look like they could be put in the ocean they are so big and powerful sounding. Wow, um the two boys who are sitting nearest to me, one almost just got his foot bitten off by a swan, his dangling foot must have looked like food.

The town of Kingston Upon Thames is beautiful. Think of Downtown Crossing... well the aspect that cars are not allowed in it, and then think of Portland, with its little shops, and cobblestone streets, times it by 100 and that's Kingston. I was just down there food shopping with my suite mates, Cassandra, Kathleen and Ameya. They are cool... the last two have two things on the mind at all times: boys and alcohol. They are all from the midwest, and I think we will get along well. But back to Kingston... it's just so nice, people sit around people watching, or talking about their purchases with anyone who will listen.

I saw the most amazing thing on my way here- someone must have hit a big white bird. I don't think swans can fly well, or at all, so not really sure what it could have been. Anyway, a woman put her jacket over the bird's head, and was pressing her hands into the bird's side as though helping to stop the bleeding. There was blood on the bird's feathers, the wind had taken some down the bridge, and that was where I first saw it. A cop was standing over the woman, and another cop was speeding down the road for some reason, and I believe the two are connected. It was interesting to see.

I tried to take a shower when I got here and I flooded the whole bathroom! Thankfully when I told Cassandra she admitted to doing the same thing! There is a handle though that doesn't stay on the wall that well, so I was holding it, dropped it and yeah it wasn't pretty. The water temperature is out of this world too... it's only hot. Like scolding hot. We turned the water heater off so the water was lukewarm, but at least you could take a shower. That is being looked into!

But now jet lag is kicking it, so I will write again later! I LOVE ENGLAND!