Final days...

Update: A union of underground drivers is striking today (see picture above); only about 40% of tube trains are running.

It seems the whole past year has slipped by me; I can hardly believe I'll be home by Saturday night. It really has been a blast these past couple of weeks (aside from a surprise project presentation). I have been spending some much-deserved fun time with my friends here without the worry of exams--including dinners, going to the usual clubs and pubs, and bigger events at fabric and matter. I don't think there has been a day this week where I've been up before noon... oops! I think it will be a good thing to be home, a welcomed come-down from all of this, though I will miss everyone terribly that I'll be leaving behind in London (those of you who are reading this staying behind, I will follow up with a more personal good-bye later on). I'm pretty sure the exams (apart from 1 really abysmal one) went well; I'll have to wait until July to see those grades.

But still, good heavens, where has the time gone! I haven't even started packing up yet!

Nickは日本に行くよていです！ (Nick is going to Japan!)

Well friends,

It's finally happening. I've waited most of my young adult life longing to visit the Land of the Rising Sun, and I am scheduled to depart London City Airport for Tokyo on April 2, 2009, returning April 10, 2009. Adam and I found a flight for around £450 and decided to seize the opportunity. It still does not seem real to me that I am actually going to Japan for Easter break, but it will soon enough. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara are on my list of things to do over the 6 full days we have to spend there.

I will no doubt get to visit more of Europe in due course, but I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. I better go brush up on my language skills! Ganbarimasu!

:D

It's a series of rocks

Because it needs no introduction... Stonehenge and Salisbury pictures can be found here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2113320&id=1711138&l=7016e



Sorry for the lack of posts, but I've been busy working.

Cheers,

Nick

Tally Ho!

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that I am now back in the UK.  My flight arrived at approximately 8:00 this morning at London Heathrow; sort of almost on schedule except we had to circle the airport a few times because too many planes arrived at the same time.

I have already finished unpacking and everything and am going to bed early to be ready for school tomorrow.  More will come later.

Trip to Ireland

Hello friends,

I have only slept for 5 hours, but that is because I got back to John Dodgson House at about 1:30 AM after a wonderful long weekend in Ireland. There is much to say about what the trip was like but I will try to boil it down as much as possible.

We flew with the budget-friendly RyanAir from London Stansted Airport to Dublin Airport on Friday evening, arriving a bit before midnight. We spent Saturday exploring Dublin, including going to the James Joyce Museum and to the Guinness Storehouse, known by many as the "Guinness Factory". In truth, while there were a lot of cool exhibits at the Storehouse, it still felt like the tourist trap that it was; but it needed to be done, and there was a complimentary pint at the end. The top floor offered great panoramic views of the City of Dublin. I was surprised at how everything seemed so old, as the ~10 story Guinness Storehouse is probably the tallest building in the city.

O'Connell Street, Dublin

Jesus!

We then hopped on board Bus Eireann, an intercity bus service, to Galway, a smaller city on the Western Coast. Galway had a much different feel than Dublin. There was a lot of that old feel, but also more posh, contemporary shops and attractions aimed toward younger people. The pubs in Ireland are amazing. The inside tends to be very ornate and beautiful and everyone seems to be having an awesome time. Galway also had a very nice landscape and scenic seaside areas. We meant to rent bikes and travel out to cliffs north of the city, but things didn't end up going the way we planned, as we woke up late that sunday morning. Galway also had a cool street market with a very medieval feel.

Boats in Galway

Galway Lighthouse

On monday, we departed for Cork, once again on Bus Eireann. This was yesterday, the day I was to split with the group and go home from the Cork Airport. Though I did have to leave, I was still able to spend several hours in the city, which was entirely the opposite of Galway. Cork is sort of inland, on a river, in very hilly terrain. It is a large city with evidence of a manufacturing history, with some large smokestacks and buildings. Now, it is much more commercialized, and the main shopping area is a lot like Oxford Street in London.

Cork

The rest of the people I was traveling with (Nina, Leo, and John) are staying in Cork for another 2 days and at this moment, are probably visiting Blarney Castle, kissing the Blarney stone for good luck. Meanwhile, I must get back to my lectures. Curse this life as an engineering major that I chose. Check out my photos on facebook to see more!

Cheers everyone!