Practically British

I hate London! This was honestly my first impression of a city that I actually grew to love over the three weeks I spent there, and the very reason I chose to do extended stays in a few places. There is so much more to every place than what the breadth of tourism offers. I hate being referred to to as a tourist actually. I'm a traveler. There is a difference. The difference is in the richness taken from each experience. It's in understanding what lives beneath the surface of a place, the culture and the people, as opposed to simply paying to see iconic buildings and buying cheap souvenirs. I do love London, but I would never buy a shirt that says it.  My first few days in London though were spent doing just that: being a tourist. Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace. I'm in no way saying that these places aren't fascinating. They are and shouldn't be missed, but oh my goodness the people. It was worse than Times Square in New York or Disney World on the Fourth of July. Okay maybe not THAT bad but very much like someone stepped on an anthill which sent the whole colony scrambling. There was the mix of locals in business suits trying to live their normal lives, but I'd be willing to bet that it was 90% visitors. How do I know this? Because about every fifty steps the person walking no more than a foot in front of you suddenly stops with a camera held to their face. Brake check. Like we use to do in elementary school while walking single file. This ends in one of two ways depending on how quickly reflexes are firing that day. You either run right smack into the back of that person, or you gracefully dodge that collision, slide to one side, and run into the person walking shoulder to shoulder with you. I've mellowed out quite a bit in terms of just going with the flow, but I have patience with this for about an hour. I like to swing my arms when I walk, and I don't like strange people in my pictures. Me and Central London just didn't mesh well.

  

London, however, has a beautiful under layer: eclectic markets, green and expansive parks, quaint English pubs. Every section of the city has it's own personality, it's own character; and I fell in love with more than one of them. I stayed with a young couple near the Battersea area which was walking distance to a beautiful park, a popular strip of pubs and delicious multi-cultural restaurants, a Crossfit gym, and an outdoor cinema complete with bean bags, wine, and Disney movies. Perhaps my favorite area was the Camden market. Food vendors with practically every cuisine imaginable, clothes, purses, shoes. Sensory overload at its finest. My first two weeks there I had beautiful weather to explore: mid-seventies and sunny. Everyone kept telling me that I was lucky. That I caught a great summer in terms of weather. I definitely underestimated their sincerity with this until it started raining my last week. It rained. And rained. Small rain, big rain, sideways rain. A lot like Forrest Gump. It'd go from sunny without a cloud in the sky to torrential cold downpour in the matter of one thunder clap. And the people. Oh you know, they just go with it. No big deal. Some pull small umbrellas out of purses or bags but most just keep walking not caring that they are getting soaked. I never became that British. I had my umbrella, and my poncho, and would zig-zag down the sidewalk doing small leaps over puddles so my shoes wouldn't get wet. This American is a wuss in the rain. Don't get me wrong, I'll dance in the rain all day long.. If I know I have a shower and dry clothes waiting for me. Not so much when I'm headed to sit for two hours at movie theater or to do a 30 minute EMOM of squat cleans. Maybe that level of tolerance comes with more time. 

Three weeks is enough time to start building relationships with people you see often. Still very much a revolving door, but maybe one that you stay in and go around a few extra times. I found a family in London and made some friends that I hope to stay in touch with for a long time. Crossfit Perpetua. Another home away from home. I'm getting pretty good at quickly getting a feel for the environment of different gyms. Some you walk in and know that it'll be fun and a good workout for a few days. Others you walk in and know that you could make it a home. From the moment I walked into Perpetua, I felt in my element. Great trainers, great people, solid programming, and they even have a sweet little coffee/protein shop in the gym. It was nice to be on a set schedule for more than a few days again and to train along some solid athletes. I'll be on the lookout for their team's rise in the European ranks over the next few years. One moment consistently stands out in my mind with this group though. It was Saturday, and we were doing this awful two minute cardio interval workout. The energy among the group was overwhelming. So much camaraderie. Just like home. Another great moment was when they recognized the 540 on my shorts and asked if it was the same 540 as the 540 workout. "It sure is", I replied proudly. How awesome is that?! A little ole Arkansas gym known all the way in London. You better bet that I've been wearing my Crossfit 540 gear proudly over here. The same five shirts actually, but the only five workout shirts I brought with me. I'm definitely proud of my Arkansas home. Arkansas home, Italy home, London home. How awesome is this community? It's like no other; I can guarantee that.  I walked a mile in the rain more than a few times to train with this crew, though, and there was always a full house there laughing with/at me for complaining about being drenched. Welcome to London they would say. When it came time to say goodbye, I realized it was a place I was really going to miss, but I'm walking away with a few weeks of good training and tons of new friends. Best of luck to everyone at Perpetua and thank you for truly unforgettable experience. 

That's the last of the UK. I'm headed back to a land where the language is foreign and pubs can't be found on very corner. More adventures to come