just returned to the states tonight. not sure if i should sleep or not, as it's mid morning in london. the trip overall was fab. i got to go to some local pubs and gigs. i also saw jerry springer: the opera. it's a big musical in london right now. and the guy who plays jerry really looks and speaks like him. the best part was the theatre handed out "slut junkie" and "crack whore" pins as you exited. also, i learned the french got it right. you don't need to bathe everyday. i only showered 3x during my entire trip. i admit i was a bit smelly but it's easier to not bathe in hostels. also took the train to manchester. it's a lovely city. i prefer it to london. good atmosphere, amazing music scene, high culture. london is overly congested and crowded and frankly, makes me mean. i got impatient and snippy even though i had no particular place to go. but maybe staying in hostels and barely sleeping (shared a room with a loud snoring bloke) also added to it. tip of the trip: go to the tate modern near the thames river and eat at the 7th floor restaurant. it has a spectacular view of the river, st. paul, and the city.