THE post

I feel like this is the post our parents have been waiting to read. THE post about Oxford. I don't blame them for being nervous about couch surfing. It's a scary thing trusting your kids with other people you've never met. However, of the days I've spent in UK this has been my favorite.

Ellie and I woke up around 930 and took a while to get packed. Our bags were far past capacity to begin with, so buying 3 new items didn't make it any easier to get things together. We had some laughs trying to wrestle with our bags and praying the zippers wouldn't fly off, but after a while they had to give in and close.

After breakfast at the hotel (and a heartfelt talk) we walked about 2 blocks to catch the train station. Here is where I'm going to display how we've come to understand the London underground/train/bus situation. It was a very proud moment for us:

We went to green station and took the jubilee line to baker street. At baker street we switched and got on the bakerloo line to paddington station. From paddington station we got on the train to oxford, and about 2 hours later we were here. Go us! Ellie is adorable when she's on trains:



We got off the train and grabbed a snack at the station, then got in the cab and headed towards Sam's house. He called while we were in the cab and told us he'd misplaced his key and we laughed as he tried to figure out what to do with two tired(ish) travelers with luggage about half their weight each. He had us redirect the driver to his college room. As a sidenote, cab drivers here are so much nicer than ones in new york. It's uncanny. They apologize when they misunderstand you, don't hold their horn on anyone (one guy was in the middle of the road and the driver just slowed down and waited a minute, then barely tapped his horn and waved SMILING EVEN), and tell you to have a good day when you get out. Everyone here is so nice.

Anyway..Sam goes to Oxford University and explained that the uni itself has a bunch of little colleges that make it up. This blew my mind: each college has it's own many things like dorms, classes, etc but most importantly each has its own LIBRARY! And if the library doesn't have what you need you can ask to borrow it from the teacher's library. If that one doesn't have it you borrow from this massive...massive library on campus that claims to have every book ever written in the English language. He said that no one is allowed to check out books, and we also weren't allowed in. Super let down. What's not a let down though is how freaking beautiful Oxford is:





and EVERYONE rides bikes...



Ellie and I went adventuring and on our way back to sit in a park we ran into Sam and 2 of his band mates (I think I left out the part that he locked up our stuff in his room to run off to a show they were to play in a garden for another college. They are in a 4-piece jazz band) just leaving the other college. They were frustrated because for petty reasons I won't get into but they weren't allowed to play the show. But for comprehensions sake something along the lines of plugging in an amp being a fire hazard. They suggested we all go to one of the main pubs on campus and have a quick drink to lift their spirits.

His band members were really nice. They could only stay for a bit because they had to get back into London - 2 came all the way up just for the show that they couldn't play. Apparently there was some form that the guy booking them was supposed to sign, but he didn't. Man look at that - I said I wouldn't get into it and I did. Ellie does always say I have such a thorough blog. Afterwards Sam took us back to the... oh wait! I just realized I haven't put up a picture of Sam. Well,

Sam, our host, picking something off his shoe:


Anywho he took us back to the college to have one more drink at their college pub where drinks are significantly cheaper. We sat outside on a lawn with 2 professors, apparently they socialize here a lot more than we do with our professors back in the states. They seemed so intelligent. I mean I suppose that's what professors are supposed to be but they were really smart. I was trying to chat along with them but kept getting my references mixed up. I blame it on the 2 ales!

After the drinks we went back to Sam's place that is really lovely. He lives with 3 other people, a girl and 2 guys, and Ellie and I are set up in a room with spare mattresses, sofas, pillows, blankets - the works. It's great. We went to get amazing middle eastern food and now are about to go on a walk.

I'm sorry mom and dad...but there is a good chance I'll move here some day. I'm sold.

Also, in case you forgot how cute Ellie is:



Tomorrow: punting!