My wicked world Head in the clouds, feet on the ground, mind on food and heart on the road!

Sunday morning, or should I say noon, found us wandering the streets of London, as usual, but we had specific goals for that day – experience the Dungeons, cross several bridges, buy souvenirs, drink Starbucks (that would have been me) and then get some rest as we were flying back home the next morning. Plan – check, tourists – check, locations – check…Let’s go!

We found them dungeons (of course after checking the map at least 3 times while a freezing wind was blowing – we blamed London bridge for that) and entered, ready for a cool experience (me not so much as I knew at some point there will be a free-fall ride and I simply “love” them).

It was great – creepy statues, a guy with rats on his shoulder (live ones at that, a sight that sent chills down my spine), a labyrinth of mirrors, live actors. We reach the lair of a psycho-surgeon, who upon parting the crowd to their lefts and rights, picks me to sit on the torture chair. Lovely. After being the “victim”, the show is over and we arrive to a room where a fine damsel presents several torture tools used back in the day. And who do you think was the model for the demonstration? Me, of course. Nana said they picked me because I am tall and stand out in the crowd, but I think it’s because of my charming personality. Anywho, said demonstration over, we head to a courthouse, where several people would be judged. A lovely south-corean gal is charged for witchcraft, dancing naked under the light of a full moon, then the judge’s attention heads towards….me (again…”why me?!?”)…So there I am in front of the crowd, being charged for sharing intimacy with a horse (a stable relationship they called it). Three times I get picked out. Must be written in the stars. Nana was having the time of her life, but little did she know…muhahahaha. It was time for Jack the Ripper to rear his charming head. We enter a tavern like the ones in the old day, the matron tells us about dear old Jack, then a sudden flash of lightning, the wind blows the curtains, and from behind a secret door Jack charges towards Nana with a knife. Suddenly Nana becomes my coat, she wrapped herself around me *evil smirk*. The spirits calmed down and we were on our merry way towards a courtyard of some sort, in a time when witches were burnt at stake. The executioner (the same dude playing the psycho-surgeon) picks a member of the crowd – do I hear sounds of recognition? You guessed it, dear old me again. After reading the parchment that this is all a joke, bla bla bla, I take my designated place on the stake, eagerly awaiting my roasting.

This done, we go to the much-dreaded place – the free fall ride. We were supposed to be hanged, for heavy accusations were brought against us, etc etc and then it happened – I was watching in terror, heart beating frantically as the mannequin’s hand slowly activates the mechanism – a loud snap and we’re dropping to the ground like a heavy sack of potatoes. Midway, a sneaky camera took pictures. You should see my face. Complete and utter terror. Was I ever so glad it was over. Sure, I laugh now, but right at that moment I was not. This charming experience over, we bought some souvenirs, then headed to other attractions.

We crossed the Tower Bridge (after taking some photos in the sunny yet freezing weather), London Bridge (actually we went under it) and Millennium Bridge (happy to see it in one piece – after all it gets destroyed in Harry Potter 6 – cool special effects, I have to give them that). So pretty exhausted from our experiences, we marched towards a Starbucks *enter chorus of angels*. I ordered the usual vanilla latte, the biggest size (Venti) and I literally felt like I was in Heaven. Of course I got Nana hooked on that thing *cheeky grin*

When we got home, around 11, we were too wired up to sleep, so we tossed and turned, waiting for 4 o’clock to get up, get ready and get out.

Little was said on the road to the airport but one thing was for sure – we were dead set on returning to London!

I loved London so much, I even locked myself inside a phonebooth as a protest, but they got me out…darn it!