Day 27- Goodbye France...

I figured it was about time I let you know what I did after I left France since the story doesn't end here!

I woke up around 9 when Harley stopped by to give me one of my power adaptors. I was hoping to go back to sleep but instead decided to download the map of London that I would need to get me where I needed to go for the next few days. About 30 minutes later, Ben the International Office worker shows up at my door with the land lord asking if I was ready to check out. I was obviously not since I hadn't showered and I was still in the process of packing. He said he would return in about 15 minutes and offered to take my trash down to the dumpster which I was most grateful for as I had 3 bags worth. After they left I made a mad scramble to pack my room, at one point I decided cleaning the room wouldn't be worth anything if I first didn't take a shower, so I showered as fast as I could and then threw everything I had been planning to eat for breakfast in the trash because I didn't have time to eat it. Ben was shocked at how fast I was able to clean up my room when he came back about 20-25 minutes later; the bathroom was totally empty and almost everything was packed. After he check that everything was in order he left and I was able to do my makeup and finish packing.

All cleaned out, goodbye room!

I went downstairs where I found Harley and two other PC girls waiting in the lobby. It was about 2 hours before Harley and I planned to go to the airport so we headed to the bakery next door to grab breakfast. I got myself a brioche sucre and a longet praline and a lipton tea and we sat outside until it was time to go. Harrison found us not long after we finished eating and hung out with us until he had to go. We left shortly after him.

Brioche sucre with a Lyon praline on top

As I lugged my giant, heavy bags down to the subway, a nice man helped me carry my blue bag down the stairs, too bad that was the light bag not the heavy one. We got to the airport and checked-in and sure enough, I had to cram my purse into my carryon again because they only allow one hang luggage. It was about 2 when we got through security and I was getting hungry but unbeknownst to me there was no shops in the waiting area for our flight after the passport check. Eventually it was announced that our flight was delayed which set back some of my plans for when I would arrive in London as well as when I would get my next meal. After we got on the plane we had to wait to refuel and then wait even more to get a take off time. The flight attendants brought around cups of water which was nice. I took a short nap as we waited to pull away. I was thankful when we finally got in the air and they came around selling food and drinks. I bought a chocolate muffin and a tea to help get rid of some of my left over euros, but it was so worth it!

After we landed, Harley and I grabbed some sandwiches at the M&S in the airport before parting ways as I was staying in London and she was heading back to the US the next morning. I bought my National Express bus ticket for the bus to London and then got in line for the bus. I wish I had picked a different carrier. I waited an hour and a half to get on the bus because the line was long, then one bus didn't show up and the other bus was late. If only I had picked one of the other, less popular buses. When I finally got on the bus we hit near dead-stop traffic which set us back a bit more. I got off a few stops before the main bus hub because I could catch the tube to my hostel anywhere. After struggling with my bags through the tube stations I finally arrived at my hostel around 9:30pm.

I was on the top floor and was all the way at the end of the many hallways, about as far from the bathroom as you could get, but I was just happy to have arrived. There were several very friendly Australians in my room as well as some Romanians who had taken bed I was assigned and spoke no English. I managed to take an empty bed and everything was fine.