Monday, February 11, 2013

Familiar yet Foreign

Back in London for a little over 24 hours.

It's GREAT to be back!  But, it's also a bit strange...I'm staying in a hotel, not my home. I've thusfar interacted with people I didn't know when I lived here (ie new colleagues), and I'm staying & working in a part of town (Camden) that I barely spent half a day in when I lived here.

Oh, and Simon isn't here.  I don't know London without Simon; we met the 4th day after I arrived; on the flip side...Seattle without me now must be a bit odd for Simon.

Everything feels familiar, yet oddly foreign all at the same time.

Friday, February 8, 2013

London Bound!

In less than 48 hours, I will be back in London for 2 weeks for business.

I've had this trip planned for several months now, and was feeling rather mixed emotions about the trip-somewhat because I'd be going solo (and haven't been in London the past 5 years without Simon), and somewhat because business travel (especially when dealing with a red-eye flight and 8 hours of jet lag) is hard.

But, I've started reaching out to friends and setting up dinners and drinks. And dinners and drinks.  And, more drinks...and find that I'm actually quite excited now at the prospect!

Oddly too, I find that there are a few things on the 'shopping list' that I'm keen to pick up while there-that I can't find here in the US.   So, my behavior the previous 5 years when going to and coming from the US with an empty suitcase to stock up on is about to be repeated-but in reverse.

I'm looking forward to walking around again and taking the tube as my primary mode of transport.  The things I used to complain about the most (well, at least the tube..) are now currently part of what I'm looking forward to. 

Oh, and Lebanese food.  Lots and lots of Lebanese food!