I'm back, it's raining, and it's definitely the end of the summer already.

[silverflight8]

I'm back home! And before I start blabbering about my trip, I have to say something.

I hate planes. I abhor planes. I detest the very concept of flying on a plane with every fibre of my being. I wish I could never ever be reminded again of any flying metal object; I find airplanes immediately disgusting and I'd do without them for my entire life if I could.
(The more rational side of me acknowledges that I'm lucky because stuff gets imported by planes and also if there were no planes I'd probably have to take a boat, which would be a longer journey and I'd probably be seasick. At least with planes there's calm spots in the middle where one can almost fool oneself into thinking one's not on a plane. [on a unrelated tangent, the use of "one" as a subject is so rarely encountered that it sticks out in writing; substituted "you" there and it sounds perfectly fine.])

But anyway.

Paris was so nice (although it was too warm, in this Canadian's opinion); I'm still kind of disappointed that I didn't see the monument for the Bastille--apparently the place it used to stand is now a roundabout--ouch. As before, I marvelled at the trees--most of them carefully tended into spheres or squares--but the ground is dusty-white, blinding in the sun.

I thought the things people said about London traffic were just exaggerations. I think that just passing London from Manchester was awful; it took a few hours to travel what on an open highway takes less than an hour. London was exciting, though, even if it was just to see, for real, what these places are--all those famous sites and squares and roads that are mentioned in books but never expanded on. (Also, driving from Scotland to England and passing Gretna Green--I laughed so hard. xD) It also shocked me a little that King Henry VIII is buried with Jane Seymour--and he must have chosen it too, having died after her. Also, 221B Baker Street. (!) And the British Museum, an outstanding example of imperialism at its finest (collector's curios my hat! You've carted the Parthenon, not to mention thousands of priceless artifacts, to Britain without more than a by-your-leave!) 

Now I have a to-do list that I really don't think I want to even think about, the three birds are squabbling in the living room (although at least they're not having pitched battles anymore) and it's raining more at home than it did in England. I think I need a vacation from my vacation. 

Postcard and letter came from friends! And I think I may finally be able to find one of my friends (didn't know her phone number--she was moving then), so I am in a jubilant mood. :D