US Travels

I've been silent the last couple of weeks but have had a lot going on - here is a quick update! 

I spent the first week of February here in London.  The most important event that week was that I was able to get a lease signed on my apartment!!  I will pick up the keys tonight from the realtor's office and my movers are coming to delivery my stuff on Saturday.  The hotel has been nice, but it will be much more comfortable to be in my own place.  And with all my things back from home - movies, shoes and my own pillows!  I will post some pictures next week once I start getting settled in.  I will also send an email with my address and phone number. 

Saturday, February 9th I flew back to Atlanta because I had a work event the next week.  My flight was around 9am, but that made a very early morning because I had to take the Tube to Paddington Station, to take a train to Terminal 1 at the airport, to take another train to Terminal 4.  The whole trip took almost 2 hours!  Then I waited in line at the airport 45 minutes just to drop my bag off to check.  Crazy!  I'll have to remember to give myself plenty of time for this in the future. 

I stayed with my friend Beth over the weekend.  She did an fantastic job of pampering me - cooked dinner, organized a run/breakfast with my Team in Training group on Sunday morning and didn't even mind that I unloaded an entire suitcase of dirty clothes into her washing machine 10 minutes after I arrived.  It felt a little bit like visiting home from college! 

My work project was VERY busy all week but it was nice to see everyone there and to catch up with some other people in from overseas.  Beth lives a good distance from my office, so I spent the work week at the Phillips' house in Suwanee.  Staying there is also like being with family, so I had a very comfortable week - shopping with Wendy, watching Forrest Gump with Rob and hanging out with Madi, Ian, Cesar and Bella. 

Finally, I took a little "holiday" (do you like how I used that English word instead of vacation?) over the weekend to visit a friend in LA.  We spent a great few days mostly walking the beach, hiking the Hollywood Hills, watched the sunset in Malibu and eating some delicious food.  I even had a celebrity sighting at breakfast on Monday - Phil from the Amazing Race walked in!  The weather was beautiful, the company was wonderful and I had the most relaxing weekend I've had in a long time.  Just what I needed before coming back to a very chilly London!

So I'll get some pictures posted in the next couple of days and then update everyone on the move into my flat next week!