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Interlaken, Switzerland Bungee Jump

Place: Simmental Valley in Interlaken, Switzerland
Time: Around 9:30pm
Went through: A place called Alpin Center located fifty feet from Balmers hostel
Cost: Around 280 francs!! (in 2006)
Event: I took a drink of crazy and bungee jumped off a swiss gondola.
Who with: A bunch of other people who drank a cup of crazy.

This video is short, sweet and too the point. There’s me (nearly drenched in rain) in a borrowed Balmers Hostel sweatshirt about to leap 80 feet over a swiss lake while looking down into a tiny boat where two people (more drenched in rain) wait to rope me in after a few bounces . . .

Note there’s an apology to my mother. The fact is, she told me in subtlety she didn’t want me to bungee jump. Her words I think were, “Don’t bungee jump.” So right before I leapt, my natural instincts were to tell her sorry and that I loved her. This was due to any extenuating circumstances where the girl who took the video had to mail it to my mother in Arizona with a letter stating: “I didn’t know your daughter’s name, but would have felt bad stealing her camera. So sorry for her death. Sincerely, the girl who saw her last.”

Then, I leapt. I leapt with all I had in me because I had to do it. The countdown ended and I was headed horizontal towards the horizon. Three milliseconds later, I was headed vertically to a very cold lake that was potentially my burial plot . . . instead, here I am alive and well writing about an adventure I took in Interlaken. And thankful a random girl didn’t have to write a letter to my mom :)

St. James, Green, and Hyde Parks, London, England

If you’re wondering where Londoners go when they need to unwind…it’s the pub. But when they’re done there, they’ll head over to the three giant parks to enjoy the few days of nice weather per year. Located in the heart of the city near Buckingham Palace, St. James, Green, and Hyde Parks offer a piece of nature to locals looking to relax.

We strolled for hours through these three parks and still didn’t cover every part! I recommend packing a picnic lunch with wine and cheese, settling in, and people watching for the better part of an afternoon. Or, if you’re looking for exercise, there are plenty of jogging paths and open fields for football (soccer!). These multi-functional parks would keep me sane if I lived in London. Make sure to go during the summer to experience the bloom of all of the manicured grounds.

Here’s some additional info about the parks if you’re looking for a history lesson: (All of the following information is quoted from Royalparks.org.uk)

St. James Park:

Three royal palaces skirt St James’s Park. The most ancient palace is Westminster, now known as the Houses of Parliament. St James’s Palace with its Tudor style still holds the title of the Court of St James despite the fact that the Monarch has lived in the third palace, Buckingham Palace since 1837.

Green Park:

The Green Park was first recorded in 1554 as the place where a rebellion took place against the marriage of Mary I to Philip II of Spain. It was also a famous duelling site until 1667 when Charles II bought an extra 40 acres and it became known as upper St James’s Park.

The Park’s primary role is as a peaceful refuge for people living, working or visiting Central London, and is particularly popular for sunbathing and picnics in fine weather. It is also popular as a healthy walking route to work for commuters. The paths are used extensively by joggers and runners.

Hyde Park:

When King Henry VIII and his court were thundering across Hyde Park in 1536 in pursuit of deer and wild boar, it would have been difficult to visualise that years later the noble art of tai chi would be peacefully performed among the trees in the early morning, and the Italianate tenor of Pavarotti would echo across the park, applauded by vast audiences.

For more information visit the parks’ website: Royalparks.org.uk

Contact:
The St James’s Park Office,
The Storeyard, Horse Guards Road,
St James’s Park, London. SW1A 2BJ
T. +44 (0)20 7930 1793
F. +44 (0)20 7839 7639
stjames@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

London Underground Stations:

St. James Park:
St. James’s Park - District,Circle Line
The Park is also easily accessible from Charing Cross Station - Northern, Bakerloo, BR lines
Westminster - Jubilee, District & Circle Lines
Green Park - Piccadilly, Victoria & Jubilee Lines
Victoria - Victoria, Circle & District, BR lines

Green Park:
Green Park - Jubilee, Victoria & Piccadilly Lines
Hyde Park Corner - Piccadilly Line.

Hyde Park:
Lancaster Gate & Marble Arch (Central Line) or Hyde Park Corner & Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line)

Busaba Eathai Restaurant, London, England

In my blog about Brown’s bar/restaurant, I did say that going to an “un”recommended place can be a fun experience because it becomes yours to have a story. However, when it comes to Busaba Eathai, Ali and I both highly suggest stopping by and eating there. I promise you won’t be disappointed in our recommendation!

Located in Soho, Busaba is a beautiful restaurant with excellent food and an astounding atmosphere. The dining room is unique in that you’ll be dining with more than just the people you came with. Cozy up to your table and maybe strike up a conversation with your new friends, the environment you’re in makes it so easy to have fun.

Beware: Busaba doesn’t take reservations and the line (or should I say queue) is often long, especially as the evening progresses into the later hours, but the service is fast, friendly-ish, and accurate with their meal presentations matching the mood. Sick as we both were with our colds, Ali and I were happy to have made it out of the house and into the warm Busaba Eathai ambiance.

Voted as one of the ten best restaurants in London, the menu (average price around 12 quid) features a wide variety of deliciousness - appetizers, noodle dishes, curries, pad thai, rice entrees, and don’t forget to try a house favorite, the calamari!

106-110 Wardour Street
Soho, London W1F 0TS
Tel: 020 7255 8686

Underground Station: Tottenham Court Road or Piccadilly Circus

Carnaby Street, London, England

Carnaby Street. For someone who’s usually a pretty good map reader, finding Carnaby Street seemed to be a little daunting. The tiny little streets and corridors wind together and double back on each other, and you trudge along diligently promising yourself that that was NOT the same kabob shop you’ve passed twice already!

Maybe we took the hard way, but regardless, we finally made it to Carnaby street. I’d been here once before when it was ridiculously cold and rainy (in London!?), so I was happy to see it again when I could actually stroll along and do a bit of window shopping. Believe me, window shopping was all I could afford. Discounting the fact that the dollar is worth about half what the pound is worth, these shops are STILL high end (AKA overpriced), and hiked up accordingly to the popular neighborhood where they are being sold.

It’s probably a good thing that Katie and I gave each other a pep talk about “no buying anything!” because it sure was tempting. Carnaby Street has all the cool stuff you always see other people wearing, but never know where they got it. If you have the money, and the suitcase space, you should splurge on a little something here…just to say you did.

Other than shops, Carnaby Street also offers quaint pubs and restaurants down side streets that become increasingly lively as the night progresses. You could spend the entire evening shopping and eating here, just make sure you bring your credit card.

Carnaby Street, W1F

Underground Station: Oxford Circus

Katie’s Big Ben Story, London, England

I love this story…it’s so typically American.  Thanks for making me chuckle every time I hear it Katie!  Read more about Big Ben in our Big Ben picture blog.

Chinatown, London, England

If I lived in London, I’d make it a point to go down to Chinatown once a week just to try a new restaurant. There’s such a great variety of Thai, sushi, Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine. If the shops, restaurants, and people aren’t enough to make you feel like you were in a different part of the world, then the decorations sure are. The streets are adorned with genuine Chinese paper lights that dangle above your head and shine happily through the pounding of thousands of footsteps tramping beneath them.GTG Photo Op: Underneath the beautiful paper lights. Enough said.

It’s easy to get lost in the many tiny narrow side streets, but wherever you walk and no matter how “lost” you get, I guarantee you’ll always find a bus stop that will get you home, and in the meantime, you won’t be disappointed with what you find. More restaurants, more shops, more of everything really.

Chinatowns exist in more than one city, but what makes London’s unique is that there are constantly events (such as the Chinese New Year event) taking place that only certain big cities like London (or New York) can handle appropriately.

It is such a different kind of pace in cities such as London because so many locals simply walk instead of driving everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still traffic, but it’s more of a cluster of buses, taxis and probably the few tourists who rent cars and clog up the streets.

Walking through Chinatown and of course, down Piccadilly Circus, allows for a unique and fun experience that’s so the opposite of what I’m used to here in Phoenix. I liked how things were just close enough to walk to and in Chinatown, I actually loved how clustered and confusing the streets were. The newness sucked me in and eventually I felt more at one with London than what I’m so used to back home. Walking through London’s Chinatown streets is one trek I hope anyone who visits there has the chance to enjoy! Don’t be afraid to walk into restaurants, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Underground Stations: Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus

The London Underground

Europe is well known for their accessible and abundant means of travel. Both Ali and I got to know intimately the many means of getting around towns, cities, and countries during our travels. London has one of the best and busiest modes of transportation for its citizens known as the London Underground (AKA the tube). Don’t let the maps confuse you-they aren’t that complex, you just need to pay attention.

The colors indicate different lines and each line has two end stations. Just find your desired station and your current station on a tube map (available for free in most stations). If both stations are on the same colored line, that means you only have to take one train to get where you want to go. To know which direction the train is heading, just look at what end station is displayed on signs leading you to the platforms. The end station is also displayed on the front of each approaching train, just to double check! If you need to switch train lines to get where you’re going, just find which stop is located where the two lines intersect (the one you’re on, and the one your desired stop is on), follow the previous steps to get to the station where you need to change, and then find the direction you need to travel on the new line (indicated by the end station you’re heading towards) and follow the signs that lead you to that platform. If you don’t have a paper tube map to keep with you, just refer to the posted maps in each station. If you get on or off at the wrong station, it’s no big deal either. Get back on the next one and you’ll be on your way again! You can take as many trains as you need to on a single fare (if you don’t leave the station), so don’t worry if you have to try a few times to get to your final destination!

Other than buses, tubes are the only way I’d recommend traveling while in London. The streets are loaded with cars and taxis are expensive. As for renting a car, I’d recommend thinking back to elementary school math. Ready for this? Gas in London is around 1.05 pounds per liter. Multiply that by four to make a gallon. Multiply that by two to see how much you’re paying in US dollars per gallon. Did you get $8? Now take into consideration parking costs (and hassles), and learning the new rules of the road. Yeah, so TGTGs highly advise buying a day or week pass and take the tubes. Easy to use and much cheaper overall. London even has overland trains for long distance travels to places like Brighton and Richmond.

It’s easy to get around by yourself with a few pounds spent on a travel pass and some patience. Be safe and enjoy the experience.

For more information on hours of operation, prices, maps and more, visit the London Underground website: www.tfl.gov.uk

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