I'm on my way

So I know you're all sitting on the edges of your figurative seats waiting to hear if I got home....

Well, hang on to your hypothetical horses and let's take it one step at a time. Just getting to the airport in Rome was a chore. Firstly, I got stuck in the subway door with my backpack on the outside and most of me on the inside. These, folks, are not the friendly elevator doors that close on you, excuse themselves, and then immediately reopen. No, no. I was fighting for my life with all four limbs off the floor and flailing wildly (I'm held up by the firm grip of the 'doors of doom' on my pack, you'll remember). Just incase you're beginning to worry that I didn't make it, you'll be relieved to hear that some kind soul pushed a button and reopened the doors. Secondly, have you ever actually read the safety card on Ryan Air? The most important part seems to be that you remove your high heels, earrings and other jewelry before hitting the emergency exit slide. Quite frankly, if I'm having to remember where the exits are, that my life jacket is under my seat, that the tabs inflate it (not until you leave the aircraft) and to adjust my own oxygen mask before attending to the small child with me, I'm really not going to have time to worry about my appearance.

Yes, I made it to London. In fact after plane-bus-train-subway-train I made it to Ashtead to visit old family friends. Have I mentioned before how exciting it is to see people you haven't seen in a decade or more? Or how good not-from-under-a-pane-of-glass food is? Helen (this is an entirely different Helen btw) took me for a drive to see the countryside and we ended up at Box Hill. Now we all know that no one else reads Austen like I do so I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that an important picnic takes place on Box Hill in the novel 'Emma' after which our heroine is reprimanded by Mr. Knightley for her inconsiderate treatment of Mrs. Bates. Who knew Box Hill really existed!?

Friday I visited Oxford with Maria and co. Maria gave us an extensive tour that went something like this: "This landmark is very important... I forget why and what it's called... but it's very famous." Sadly I didn't have my book with me so I have yet to look up all the famously important places that I've been. We did however take a ride called 'The Oxford Story'. It was like a rollercoaster in uber-slow motion. The cars were carrels (desks) and it took you through centuries of Oxfordian history sort of like a haunted house. (It was even nerdier than it sounds, but thoroughly enjoyed.)

Friday night we went to university hall party from which we were thrown out by security... (ahem)...