Good Morning Baltimore!

Hello! It's 6.04am here, and due to Jet Lag I'm wide awake. I haven't quite thrown open the curtains and sung to Hairspray classic, but maybe once I get used to the time zone I'll be cheerier and do so. So, I am actually here, in the USA, safely. Can you believe I managed to do it all by myself? I think this means I'm an adult now but I'll get confirmation later...

Upon my last morning in England, I woke up and slowly but surely completed the last of my packing (which Mum can tell you was an incredibly long-winded process) and set off to Heathrow Terminal 5. Having flown from Heathrow before, I thought I knew what to expect, but Terminal 5 (for BA exclusively) was lovely - the staff were very helpful and everyone very sympathetic when I was crying a tiny bit going through security.

My UCAS reference was finished when I was in Heathrow, so I hurriedly sent my application off - not many people can say they sent theirs off from Heathrow! My flight was delayed for 2 hours, meaning that we took off at 18.15 rather than 16.35, so I had plenty of time in the departure lounge to read trashy magazines and novels - I indulged myself and ignored the 4kg of books I've packed, and bought another, "All She Wants" by Jonathan Harvey and read that on my 8 hour flight. Safe to say, it's awful but very, very British.

I met a lovely couple from Baltimore at the Gate who had travelled around the Med, and they were very friendly - as were most of the Americans I encountered on my journey out. The passenger sat next to me on my flight was a lovely half-Greek man who talked to me about how much he loved London and England, and how impressive the Olympics were, and he made me feel very relaxed; priceless considering I'm quite a nervous flyer.

Not looking like a convincing gap year-er, definitely not enough luggage!

Dad and I in London...right? Right?

Mumma and I before I left, feat. grumpy girl on the right (name, unknown)

I really enjoyed travelling BA (and not just because of the free wine and food...) and I indulged myself further and watched Matilda. Landing in Baltimore, it was a barmy 27 degrees and very humid, but I managed to get through security and get the right bags, then met Steve and Glenda (Baltimore-ian-Godparents) and then drove me to their house on Kent Island in Chester. By the time I got home and settled in, and met their gorgeous cats, it was 11.30pm EST, so 4.30am in the UK, and I was about to sleep when Steve said David Cameron was due to be on the David Letterman show that night and I couldn't resist.

It's strange, seeing as he doesn't complete interviews like that at home. He made a wee bit of a fool of himself, but I couldn't help but smile that English politics had followed me transatlantic. I went to bed very late, and have had a total of 4/5 hours sleep, although, I have found that I can listen to BBC Radio online which I am so chuffed about! It's the little home comforts that make this easier. But hey, only 9 Sundays until I see my parents again. Today I think I might explore Chester, and just grow accustomed to the heat (although it is due to rain today, something else which has followed me from the UK...) and the time zone. I have many books to read, and two suitcases to sort out. Tomorrow I'm going to Washington DC to see the memorial, the museums, and the White House - fingers crossed I bump into Obama...

My room for the next three nights (lush) and after one night, it's definitely not that tidy anymore...