I love when we attempt to travel without any direction or sense of how to pay for public transit. But before I get to this first mishap, let's recap last night ...

We stayed out way past my bedtime, considering I'm normally tucked in with a cup of tea by 9:30 p.m. at the latest. Taking the tube is an atrocity when people are stumbling about, barely lucid amidst the masses. I was squished against the terrifying doors behind both of my parents. It was a blast.

It took us a few tries to make it home, and we breached the threshold at the ripe hour of 3:00 a.m. I couldn't fall asleep for the life of me - I was wired - which is exactly why I don't go out. I'd never sleep in a semi-normal fashion.

Eventually, I dozed off, until I was rudely awoken by my father at 10:00 a.m. Oh, how I wish I could have slept on that slab of concrete for a bed for just a few hours more.

We gathered our bearings, slapped on some eyebrows and sparkly eye shadow, because why not, and walked to the bus station, sans pounds (the only currency acceptable in the UK). Two ventures into a convenience store to gather some coins, which we didn't even need because the buses only take a prepaid card, and we still didn't have transportation into the city.

Therefore, we had to walk fifty-minutes to the nearest tube station. Now, I need coffee in my system to function at a normal level. Update: As I sit writing this little slice of my life, I still have not sipped on that sweet, sweet steaming nectar, and it is 12:31 p.m. I'm a little irritated because the tube ride is about an hour, and we also haven't curbed our hunger, yet. Hopefully we make it without killing each other, namely me.

Second update: we found food, and I had my coffee. Now, I can level up to optimal functionality for the rest of the day. The only downside to lunch was that my macaroni and cheese was made using some sort of truffle butter; therefore, a distinct stench attached itself to the delectable pasta. I have to consistently chew gum for the remainder of the day for fear of causing mass destruction with the toxic fumes.

After lunch, we hopped back on the tube in the direction of Westminster, which is where I will get the chance to see the London Bridge. It overlooks the city and feeds into my English addiction because British literature is where my favorite works reside. I am a literature junkie, and this was my one and only demand for this trip - that I got the chance to chill with my home boy Thomas Hardy ... in spirit. Actually, my other demand was coffee every morning, and we can all see how well that endeavor has gone over the course of these twenty-ish days.

I am now on my second coffee of the day in preparation for Phantom of the Opera on West End later tonight. I've wanted to see this show for some time, and I finally get to experience the magic that is a musical performance once again.

After sipping coffees and nibbling pastries, we decided to walk to Her Majesty's Theatre. But first, we thought it best to take a detour that would give us a prime view of Buckingham Palace. Of course, my minuscule bladder was crying for release due to the two coffees I consumed today. It was quite the walk to the theatre, but because it was still a bit too early to enter, we stopped for burgers and shakes conveniently across the street. Well, some of us ordered shakes and others opted for alcohol.

Once we finished our meals, we headed back across the street and entered the theatre. This was one of my favorite broadway-esque performances. The singing was beautiful, the acting was on point, and we sat in a loopy row trying not to let the drowsiness take over.

When the curtains closed, we left the theatre and took two tubes and a bus back to our lodging. While on the second tube, a scraggly blonde man tried to pickpocket my phone right out of my back pocket as he was leaving the train. Before he could swipe it completely, I turned around and grabbed it out of his hand. I don't know what I would have done if he'd actually taken it right under my nose.

Today was a success, and good riddens it was because we fly home tomorrow morning. I've loved my time in both Europe and the UK, but I miss my cats and my dog and my memory foam pillow. I'm sure our flights tomorrow will be eventful, so stay tuned.