Homeless no more

See the red target? A two minutes walk away from the Pimlico tube station and less than three blocks away from The River Thames? THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE!!!!! We gave the landlord half of the deposit less than four hours ago. It's clean and beautiful and safe and conveniently located. There is also a Mexican restaurant down the street called "Loco Mexicano" which was a big draw.

Unfortunately, we won't have real photos until we actually move in.

Ryan went to look at the flat alone this morning so I could pick up Jon at Paddington Station at around 11. Our landlord is a young woman named Lina who is very nice and very understanding. Before meeting Jon, I had to move out of my first room in my hostel into another room (in the basement) which took along time because everyone moves out at around the same time and there was a lot of congestion. Even though guests who change rooms do not qualify for a new set of sheets, I demanded a fresh set from the woman behind the reception desk—she's lucky she delivered.

Last night, Ryan and I went to Wagamama (this really amazing Japanese noodle house that's a few blocks from the GIL site) and then spent some quality time in the pub in my hostel drinking £2.50 beer. Then we went across the street and bought some wine which we sneaked (silly Brits and their past tense and past participle forms) into the basement of my hostel in a messenger bag. Then I made Ryan go to the bathroom to transfer the wine into an empty Evian bottle. As soon as the bottle was done, we went upstairs and watched four French teenagers attempt to sing Oasis's "Wonderwall" three times. Then we went outside where we met a Finnish couple who were tanked. The woman kept pointing at me and saying I looked like her husbands middle sister who is 23. Somehow we ducked out of the conversation and I pretended to walk Ryan home. Then I tried to call my mom and then I went to bed. I slept really hard last night and only woke up once—when the man who has been sleeping above me stumbled in at 4:45 am.

My new roommates are the Finnish couple (what are the odds). Needless to say, they were very happy to see me when I walked through their door this morning.

We move in on Monday at 10 am. or so. Now I need about one billion pounds—in cash—to pay for it. Paying for things with fistfuls of cash seems really wrong to me, like we "happened upon the money" and from where is not important. It also makes me feel rich which is awesome.

If Jon can stay awake long enough, we may go to Wagamama again for dinner and then to the Trafalgar Square Arts Festival for some free music. It feels great to have the freedom to look around London without having to look for a place to live. We're city folks now.