Back... to London

Time when you are traveling is a weird thing. Sometimes it passes so slowly and sometimes so quickly. Tuesday and Wednesday seemed to pass so quickly, and I felt like the whole last two weeks had gone by fast. But today, Thursday, I feel like the last two days have been forever long.

I was up early yesterday morning to be at Pendle Bar by 7am to check in keys. At 8:30 I was relieved and ran off to breakfast, scarfed down a full breakfast (yay!) and ran back to the Bar to continue checking people out. I was bummed to miss the last admin team meeting...but I don't know if anyone else made it either! I was able to attend most of the last session then, where worship was quite good. We then got to work approving the epistle. I don't even know what the final version is yet - I had to leave early and run back to the Bar to get the door unlocked so people leaving on the 12 bus could get their luggage!

The next few hours were spent checking people out, directing people traffic, trying to answer questions, etc. Also saying goodbyes to people which was quite sad. After many had left I took myself over to the office where the walls and desks were looking quite bare. I helped clean up the rest of the place. It was quite odd how bare and empty it felt, how life-less. And yet, you could still feel the energy in the rooms and halls.

I caught a ride down to Lancaster Meeting house and was reunited with about 20 participants who were staying the night there. I had a homestay though, and after dinner in the meeting house, two Rachels and I headed out. Rachel Phillip's house is way out in the middle of nowhere. It was a long drive! But so beautiful. It was quintessential English countryside. It was the Lancashire dales I believe, covered in fields and grazing sheep. We did have a near run in with sheep on the road a few times!

Rachel's house is quite simple and very old - about 200 years old perhaps, and is right next to a public footpath so there are always people walking by. She doesn't have a fridge, just puts items in the window and keeps the window open. That tells you how cold it is there! It was a wonderful, peaceful place to get a good night's sleep.

This morning Rachel and Rachel and I went into a little town to dry my clothes in the smallest laundrette in England - a little room on the end of a building holding one washer and one dryer! We did some shopping at a few local shops, collected my clothes, then drove on to Lancaster. There were still several participants hanging out so we all walked over to a great vegetarian restaurant called The Whale Tail.

Rachel, Thomas, Matt and I all had to get on the 2:24 train to London. Thanks to Chrissy for buying the wrong tickets so that Rachel and I could use them! =)

Getting back to London was weird. The noise and craziness was a bit overwhelming and shocking to the senses. And yet, I do really like this city. I had to drop off a lost passport at the Friends House, and then made my way over to my youth hostel. I'd tried to book this place a month ago for my first night here and it was full. I'm so glad I got it this time! I'm using the computer in the lobby and there is a big window right next to me. Out the window I can see St Paul's Cathedral, all lit up. And I can hear the church bells chiming each hour, and more often during the day. It is wonderful. I've mostly wandered around a few familiar spots today and will be going to bed soon as I am really knackered! =)

I think I might spend the whole day at the British Museum tomorrow, but we'll see...