Happy New Year!

Happy 2010! I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year’s (and I hope I get to hear about it!). My New Year’s was memorable but not exactly epic. But before I get to that, let me just fill you in on our last 2 days in London.

So we changed housing all 3 nights and by the time we reached my Grandparents home in Suffolk, we were completely wiped out, sore, exhausted (mentally and physically), and ready to have a home for 4 nights. The night of the 30th, we went to the Christmas Market at Hyde Park in central London. This is a German tradition, in which every Christmas a carnival is set up just as every kids’ fantasy. There was a huge Ferris wheel, German wieners, German candies, carnival games, rides, live music, and everything one imagines a carnival should be. Honestly, I felt like I was a Disneyland and I was 8 years old again, excited for anything and everything. There was even an outdoor ice rink! Stacy and I were completely enthralled by the scene, despite the bitter cold, and freezing rain. We left with no sensation below the knees and elbows, but it was absolutely worth it!

The 31st. It didn’t feel like New Year’s Eve when we woke. I think we had just been so caught up the past couple weeks with finishing classes, packing, and then constantly moving, that we never had a chance for it to hit us that the year was actually over. First thing was first though, we had to go to the next hostel which was situated near to the night’s venue, and that was literally diagonally across town, involving 3 subway transfers with ALL our luggage. Yikes! Well, we did it and we made it. But it was long and semi painful to say the least. The hostel was shoddy. We were in a room with 8 people and it still wasn’t cheap. About $100 for the both of us, but like I said, it’s New Year’s in London and that’s just what happens.

New Year’s eve. Alright, it’s finally here. We’re getting ready and we’re getting more and more excited. We leave for the venue and it’s literally freezing. We’re wearing jackets and gloves with our New Year’s outfits underneath, but we’re seeing women on the streets wearing skirts, cardigans, and heels! Are they CRAZY! It’s one thing to be used to cold weather, but it was literally 0 degrees and the roads were iced over! That’s just stupid.

As we show up to the arena we see more women in heels and dresses. No jackets, no cardigans, nothing. What is wrong with these British folk?! When we get to the arena we see that the arena is actually open to the public for bar-hopping and dining and that not all these people we were seeing in 4-inch heels were attending the concert. Alright, their outfits make a little more sense I suppose. As we’re eyeballing all the restaurant-bars and getting really excited that we’re legal in the UK and can actually go inside, we realize something crucial; we forgot our ID’s. No ID’s, no entry. Wow. Go us. The ONE time we’re legal and we can’t utilize it. How… unfortunate.

After we got over that depressing detail, we decided to embrace the night that was to come. Calvin Harris, Deadmau5 (pronounced dead-mouse), and Justice. God, were we excited! As we walk in, Calvin Harris starts his set. He is amazing! Stacy and I have seen the other two, so this was the guy we’ve been yearning to see. Stacy, being her small little self, actually maneuvered her way (and dragging me along) to about the equivalent of the third row (it was general admission and no seating). AMAZING! And again, Stacy being her manipulative self at concerts was dancing and jumping so much on this guy in front of her that he finally told her to get in front of him and he left. Now, we were FRONT ROW. I’m talking, pushed up against the bar separating the stage from the crowd. And it’s for Calvin Harris, the man we wanted so desperately to see. And he was amazing. We stayed there for his whole set and then Deadmau5 came on after. Still front row!

We left after Justice but still before the whole concert was over. What can I say; we were tired from the past few days of travelling.

As we were walking home however, a beautiful thing happened. It started to snow. It’s 4am on New Year’s and it’s snowing gently. And even better, it was Stacy’s first time seeing snow. Perfect timing, right? A beautiful end to a beautiful night.

We got a few hours of sleep then made our way to my Grandparent’s. It’s nice being here. We’re finally having warm meals, comfortable beds, and actually resting. Something I don’t think we’ve done since before finals. What a welcome change of pace!

See you next in Ghana,
Annabelle