Alright, I've completed a new interface so that I can now post blog entries online. Before I had to edit code every time I wanted to make a post. The purpose of this now was to make it easier for me to post while on my trip. I leave for Europe Monday.

I've been very busy running around, getting last minute things, packing, trying to figure out what I still need to do. Tomorrow I am going to the auto club to get some traveler's cheques.

I love my new iPod, it also like the case I got for it except for the fact that the belt clip broke. I need to go to the Apple store in Yorkdale tomorrow to get a new one.

Well, I'm just about all packed. Just a couple of final things to through in. I am amazed that everything seems to fit into my backpack.

If anyone wants to e-mail me while I am gone, I will try to check adam[dot]nayer[at]gmail[dot]com when I can. I will only be using that e-mail address while traveling.

I will take lots of pictures to show everyone when I get back.

The plane flight was pretty good, we actually arrived about an hour early because of a good tail wind. I chatted a bit with a guy from the UK who had been in Canada for the past 4 months.

It’s a 5 hour time change to here, but I woke up at 3:30am Toronto time so I should be able to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight. I have no clue what I will be doing this week, I will figure it out when I get up tomorrow

Well, I have survived my first day in London. I managed to get up about 9:30 (4:30 back home) so I'm at bit tired right now. I took the tube downtown with my mom and grandmother for lunch and then walked around for the rest of the day.

Right after lunch we walked along the Thames river. It was very nice, the bridges are all constructed differently and some are really neat. We went by the London Eye, a huge observation wheel. It is somewhere around 10 stories tall and takes about 30 minutes to go around. I did not feel like standing in line right then, but I hope to get back to ride it later.

Continuing along there was Big Ben and the parliament buildings. We then took a bus to Trafalgar Square which are very nice. Shortly there after I went off to wonder on my own. I made it up to Regent's Park. It seem like you are cut off from the rest of the city when you go into the park, it's great. I rested there and read for about 45 minutes before wondering around looking for supper.

I managed to make it back to where I'm staying without getting lost, however, on the front door step I managed to lock myself out of the house. It took almost two minutes (with me on the outside and people trying to direct me from the inside) trying to figure out exactly what I had done to the door and get it open. All in all a good first day with great weather.

One thing they got correct in London is the Tube (subway for those who need translation). You can get anywhere quickly, its easy to navigate, it just works. On the escalators everyone one who wants to stand still and enjoy the ride stands on the right hand side. Everyone who wants to run up has the left hand side. It's really not that hard to understand.

The system is huge. Where I am staying is by no means downtown. It would be the same as being the same distance out as at least the middle of Mississauga is from downtown Toronto. However I can walk to a tube station is 10 minutes or less. In Mississauga I would have to ride on a bus for close to an hour to make it to a subway.

What I have not gotten the hang of are the roads. I am very thankful I do not have to drive. Just crossing the street can be tricky. I don't think pedestrians have the right of way here. At least not from what I have seen. When crossing the street I look both ways and still don't see cars and I have no clue where they may be coming from. Its interesting and keeps you on your toes.

Today I went to see the Tower of London. It is really really really neat. The place is just so old, so much has happened there, it just gives me a weird feeling to walk through its walls. Much of the Tower dates back to the 1200s. The fact that most of it is still there is incredible. Its not quite the same now that there is grass instead of water in the moat but that's alright.

The Crown Jewels are very nice. The crowns themselves are the best part. The amount of diamonds there is just stunning. The armory is also really neat.

After London Tower I walked across Tower Bridge. I had driven across it before but it was right there so I felt compelled to walk across.

Sunday I move onto the second leg of my trip when I move to Paris. I hope everyone back home is doing well, drop my an e-mail at my gmail account and let me know.

First off, the keyboard I am typing on is royally messed up so this may be a messy post. We made it to Paris. Coming out of the train station the first thing I saw...a McDonalds. Sigh.

The buildings here are just WOW. I thought London looked old and neat, but here its just amazing. I don't know if any of the buildings I've seen yet have been built this century.

Last night we walked along la Seine then went for dinner. Food moves slower over here, it took an hour for the main course to show up. Today we start the major sightseeing.

One thing that I have noticed since I started my trip is that while the streets are very clean the air is not. I started to notice this in London and it is even ,ore noticeable in Paris. After arriving in Paris I had a sore throat for over a day but I seem to have adjusted. However I now have a bit of a cold.

We have been around the Eiffel Tower a couple of times but we have not gone up yet. Tomorrow I think we are going to the Louvre and I don't know what else.

In France dinner is later then we are used to and takes much longer. You need to plan on at least an hour if not two for dinner. The food has been very nice.

One other thing I have noticed in France is the number of Smart cars. They are everywhere. They are almost as common as Civics are at home.