The first few days

The First Few Days in ENGLAND!!

Day One:
Flew out on Wednesday night from San Fran and didn't sleep at all for the 10.5 hours. I'm the person who never has a hard time sleeping on a plane (or any where). Lucky me had an 11 year old kicking my seat the whole time, who never slept either!

On Thursday I arrived in London around 7 a.m. stood for a good 45 minutes in the customs line and almost didn't get my passport stamped. Why you ask?? Oh because the nice man that I had gave me the hardest time about not having a street address for Sara and Jay (they have an APO so thats what I use). Then I didn't have their UK number only the US number. Soooo that was a nice 15 minutes trying to convince the guy that I was actually here to visit my sister.

By the time I get down to get my luggage it was just sitting on the ground...now you wouldn't see that in the US anymore, luggage just laying around. I tried to call Sara a few times to let her know I was here and the hard time I was having, but no answer. So I made my way to the central bus station and found out that my ticket was for the wrong place, or so they said. I asked a woman there where I get this bus to Cheltenham and she oh so kindly informed me that my ticket is for Victoria, not London...thats nice and dandy but where is Victoria??? So after several times of asking I was told to buy another ticket which I did. After getting in this nice long line, buying my ticket I found some more phones to call Sara and go figure they were out of order, so off to find some more phones. I found some, Sara answered and bottom line didn't have to buy another ticket but I did. I waited another two hours in the cold, got on my bus and slept for two hours!!

Arrived in Cheltenham around 1:00 in the afternoon, was picked up by Sara and Jed. We hung out for a bit till Jay got home, had an awesome dinner and then went out for a bit that night to meet some of their friends from Church.

Day Two:

Sara and I hung out with Jed. We went for a walk down town and I got to go to one of their farmer's markets. Let me just say that it puts ours to shame. Amazing...lots of fresh veggies and cheese and meat and good stuff. Ohh yes the locally brewed beer :) Checked out a few more places downtown and then headed back to bake some cookies. Well, Sara baked and I wrapped the suitcase of presents :)

In the afternoon Sara's friend Nicole came over to train us (she's a personal trainer) for an hour or so. Then Sara, Jay Jed and I went out to ZiZi's...a wicked cool restaurant that is in an old church. Bobby and Nicole came over after that to watch National Lampoons Christmas!

Day Three:

We all got in the car and headed to Bourton-On-The-Water and Stow to do a little walking around and sight seeing. Both are really beautiful little villages. Had some fish and chips for lunch and walked around some more. Checked out some cool little shops too.

On the way home there was a van behind us with a young guy and girl and Sara was commenting on how he was driving like a jerk. He was driving really close behind us so she slowed down a bit so he could pass, which he didn't. He continued this for a little bit so she slowed again and eventually he passed. He also passed the person in front of us and sped up the hill.

As we came over the hill Sara slammed on her brakes and all we saw was two cars one on each side of the road and a mans arm on the ground (still attached to the body, but it was very visible). Sara rushes out of the car, as do Jay and I but we begged Sara to get back in. That was the last thing she needed to see, especially seeing as she was the one who noticed them acting like jerks on the road not even 5 minutes before hand. So she stayed back with Jed and Jay and I went to see what we could do.

The white van was on its side, windows smashed and the other car was small and black and seriously had NO front end left. Jay and I kicked pieces of the cars and glass to the side of the road. Sara and two blankets in the car and we brought them over to the people in the white van. Let me just say that seeing the accident was bad, and as many bloody movies that I watch and am completely fine with, its a whole other thing when you see it in real life right in front of you. I don't know if I will ever forget what I saw. The blood, glass and just everything was unbelievable. The man in the black car was fine for the most part, minus no front end left on his car, gas leaking everywhere. He had some lower back pain but could still feel and move his feet. He had a few cuts on his fingers and I gave him some hand wipes to take care of the blood. But honestly thank God for a seatbelt and airbags.

The guy in the black car said that he was just driving along and all of a sudden this van was coming at him and spinning, he didn't have enough time to pull off the road. I'll be honest, its hard to have compassion for people who are just flat out stupid when driving!! Sara just called the hospital because we couldn't find anything on the news or paper to see if everyone was ok, and it turns out that they are. The girl is in intensive care and they both made it threw the night. The other man was fine too.

Needless to say its been an adventure so far!

Today is Jay's 26th Birthday! We went out for breakfast (some nice scones, with butter jam and tea) Then back here to make his birthday dinner (well start it anyway...Sara's award winning chili) and cake (well chocolate nut pie, yumm). We are off in a little bit to see a Christmas Concert at their church then back here for dinner, gifts, pie and fun with Bobby and Nicole.

Tomorrow we are off to Stonehenge!!! Then its Christmas, time for some packing and on Wednesday we leave for Italy!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'll write more later (or when I get back) and will post pictures when I get home.