London, England

[Repost from 8/25 9:00pm]

Dear Dad,

Thank you so much for taking me to London and ensuring I got off to sea okay! I had a truly wonderful time.

I got on the ship yesterday morning safe and sound, and about two hours ago (17:00) we set sail for Russia. This is my first real letter from sea!

Since getting on the plane for London, everything has happened so fast that I can barely keep up. One minute I was in New York, and now here I am all moved into a ship.

Maybe it's because everything has moved so fast. Maybe it's because they speak English. But in my mind, I don't think I realized I was traveling to a foreign country when I landed in London. It's not so different, but some things are. Like driving on the other side of the road. It wasn't until shortly after landing that it hit me. Not a car, but the realization that for three months I would be on the complete other side of the world from everything I'd ever known.

So I thus write this letter to my dad, to thank him for saving my life on numerous occasions. Because without his reminders, I surely would have stepped out into traffic without looking both directions more often than I did the days we were there. I won't ever forget it - England is NOT the US, and they drive on the other side of the street there.

I would also like to thank him for buying my first drink, because the other nice thing about England is that you only have to be 18. So thank you for the drink as well as a marvelous few days!


Love,

Nicole

PS: Update from sea! It's been crazy meeting 625 fellow passengers. The conversations all go the same: what's your name, major, home school, and oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-surreal. I kid you not, I've heard the word surreal so many times that the word has lost all meaning. But I still use it, because I can't think of a more perfect description of the experience so far. It has been surreal.