Cambridge

Today for work, I visited Cambridge for the first time.

First, I have to say, I LOVE being on trains in England. I always feel like I'm going somewhere exciting and new. So to have an Americano in one hand and a train ticket in the other, I'm a super happy girl.

I took the train from Canterbury to London and then walked 5 minutes between two train stations: St Pancras and Kings Cross for those of you that know London transportation. Then, I went from London to Cambridge. I made it just in time to catch the "express train" which was like 45 minutes straight - no stops - between London and Cambridge = BRILLIANT!!! I arrived 30 minutes earlier than expected.

I decided when I was in London for like 20 minutes total today, that I am starting to understand why the Lord does not have me living in London. I think if I lived in London, I would never leave England. I LOVE London. I love the atmosphere. I love the hustle and bustle. I love the underground. I love the diversity. I love the travelers. I love the sky line. I would even say I like picking the black boogers out of my nose due to all the smog - but that may be taking it a little too far. Typically, I love most things London! I even had a quick chat with a backpacker from California in the bathroom - love that!!!

So, again, my insight today was that I don't live in London, because I would never want to leave and I know the Lord has different places planned for me in the future.

SO....moving onto Cambridge.

My taxi drivers today were fantastic and hilarious!

I picked up my first driver at the train station. He told me he was born and raised in Cambridge. He had no clue where I needed to go though with the address I gave him, so he pulled out the map. When he located the place, he asked me why I wanted to go there. For confidentiality reasons, I dodged the question. We talked a little about where I was from and he found out that I had never been to Cambridge before. He asked me if I was sure I wanted to go the address and suggested that I should visit the town centre, Cambridge colleges, and go punting instead. He even decided to take a different route so he could show me some of the sites. He then asked me where I from again and after I said Texas for the second time and he started singing the Dallas theme song! HILARIOUS!!!! He talked to me all about JR, Sue Ellen and the gang. All I could really contribute to the conversation was that I hear they are making a new series - he was excited about that though. Before he dropped me off, he suggested again that I have 'my friend' take me punting on the river before I go home. What a cool guy.

On the way back to the train station, I had a Turkish taxi driver. He, too, was interested in where I was from. After I told him Texas, he reminded me that George Bush is from Texas. I agreed. He said he met a lot of tourist and he says that sometimes the tourist from Texas tell him that George Bush is from Massachusetts?!?! Then he asked me if there were any wise people in Texas? "excuse me, I don't understand the question?" He said that he wondered if there were any wise people in Texas because they voted Bush for governor and president. I laughed, told him that many people from other states voted him president two times in order to dodge the question. He was pretty funny. I was thankful to him because I booked my taxi to the train station, but I told him I was super hungry and asked if he had any recommendation near the train station. He told me about a Subway -- so I said YES PLEASE!!!

The Subway worker from Pakistan thought I was Canadian ... not sure why ... but he did!

Today was a good day! I wish I could get out of Kent more for my job! :) I recently tried to convince my District Manager she should send me to New Zealand for an assessment ... but she told me it would not be cost effective and instead suggested I write a letter. I jokingly questioned her commitment to safeguard children ... HA!!!! Hopefully, I get to go somewhere else exciting in the future!