FROM CHRIS AND JAS

WE ARE IN LONDON!!! WE ARRIVED ON THE 15TH, AND WILL BE STAYING IN LONDON UNTIL AT LEAST THE 24TH.

NEW YORK WAS AMAZING!!! We stayed at The Chelsea Spot Hostel, which was in a great location and very cheap! (recommend to anyone who doesn't mind small spaces). While in New York we went to Rockafeller Center, Central Park (and ice skated there!!), Time Square, Bryant Park Library (which is the most beautiful library I have ever seen, it even made Chris want to read!), The Garment District, Little Italy, China Town...all the fun stuff. The subway system is amazing (wish Seattle had it), and the night life is EXPENSIVE!! ($8 for a well whiskey coke!). All in all, New York is a great city, and a great way to start off a long backpacking trip abroad.

LONDON IS STUNNING!!! When you are in central London, Victoria, Westminster, (any where really) you can not help but feel humble, and blessed to be surround by such beautiful, massive, detailed architecture. London's subway system is also great! We bought oyster cards (which is like an unlimited subway and bus pass) which have let us get around everywhere really easily. The longest we have had to wait for the subway was 5 minutes! We stayed at the WORST hostel ever our first night (figures, it's what we get for a free hostel that came with our flight booking). The hostel is called 639 and I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND this place! It is dirty, in all forms...not only that but it is located in a bad area and is over looking the run down Green Kensington Cemetary. Yes, we had a lovely view of this decrepit cemetary from our window. Upon entering, we both wanted to cry. After one night we were out of that place, and now staying at The Globetrotter Hostel, which besides our first night (bed bugs and a mouse!) is AMAZING! They have a movie theatre, dining hall, full kitchen, full bar, GYM!!, and even a hair dryer!! The place has 24 hr cleaning staff and is just a minute from the subway, so even though it's not a central location, it isn't hard to hop on the subway (which London calls, The Tube). We have made friends everywhere we've gone! Singapore, England, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and BC. London is not as expensive as everyone thinks if you figure it out. We can make food at our hostel and all the museums are free!! The beauty of London is mostly in museums and the outside of buildings anyways. However, we do want to attend a futbol (soccer) match, which will cost us!! We feel right at home in this city, and the weather is not much different than Seattle, a little colder and not as much rain (yet). Pictures of BIG BEN and Parlament do not do it's justice. IT IS BEYOND MASSIVELY BEAUTIFUL!

WE ARE ALSO POSTING ALL OUR PICTURES FROM OUR TRIP AT PHOTOBUCKET. YOU CAN ACCESS THEM THROUGH THIS WEBSITE:
http://s549.photobucket.com/albums/ii367/chrisandjas/Europe/