Comparisons and Statistics

I've been collecting observations over the past 9 days about my return to the US. First, a glimpse into how long 99 days really is: When I left home, the high temperature for the day was a scorching 106° F, which was very hot even for an Indiana summer.  When I returned, the high temperature for the day was 67° F (which occurred at midnight) and then fell to about 39° F. The interstate numbers have changed because a new section of I-69 has opened. My grocery store moved across the street. The Olympics started and finished. A tree fell in my backyard. The front of my house changed, as Laurel did some landscaping. Some observances on differences between Europe and the US which I see now.  It's the little things, really. Light...

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UK Day 8 - London

London is huge.  It's not something you can see in one day, or even 1.5 days, which is the amount of time I have here.  Earlier, I decided to go to Buckingham Palace and a museum.  Quartney went with me to the palace (she had never been) and then took off to head home while I went to the British Museum. Buckingham Palace is everything you would think proper British royalty is.  Enormous rooms?  Check.  Fancy staircases?  Check.  Huge portraits of your family tree?  Check.  More forks than you can shake a scepter at?  Check.  Unfortunately, they didn't allow photography of the exhibitions, so I don't have many pictures to share of the occasion.  I can tell you that they have...

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UK Day 7 - Brighton to London

This morning I got to try a "full English breakfast" which consisted of two poached eggs, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, bacon, sausage, and toast.  It was pretty good and a nice way to start the day.  I also got to try "brown sauce" which is apparently common over here in the UK.  It tasted a bit like barbecue sauce, only a little sweeter than average.  Interesting, and OK on eggs.  I still have no idea what the baked beans are doing at breakfast. We also walked around and got a few photos of Brighton's beach, which was nice: The next stop was the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.  I got a photo of it (through the rain) from the outside, but they allowed no photos on the inside. The Pavilion...

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UK Day 6 - Warwick to Brighton

Today started with picking up the rental car in a nearby town.  Quartney and I were headed out for Brighton and London, and considering the cost of rentals, train tickets, and Quartney's recently-acquired UK driver's license, it made more sense to rent a car rather than use trains.  I, of course, will not be driving.  Firstly, I don't know how to use a manual, and secondly, UK driving would be hazardous to my blood pressure, insurance rates, and ego. The rental car is lime green with a racing stripe.  Quartney was excited about this.  Take a look and see if you can tell why... The drive from Kenilworth to Brighton was surprisingly quick, especially when compared with the drive from Inverness to Kenilworth.  It...

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UK Day 5 - Warwick and Stratford

Monday was a day of sightseeing and friends in the UK.  I stayed with Sagar and Quartney, and as soon as we were dressed Quartney and I headed to Stratford.  The folks in the US may better recognize Stratford by its longer name, Stratford-upon-Avon.  As I'm sure you're straining your brains to remember, this is the town of Shakespeare. Stratford is not terribly far from Warwick ("Warrick"), so we took the bus over.  I got to ride on the top half of a double-decker bus!  It's slightly terrifying at first, but then you get used to it.  The British bus drivers should really be commended on their skill in maneuvering around corners, by cars, and through low-hanging branches. Quartney is turning into an unofficial...

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UK Day 4 - Inverness Race

Yesterday, I woke up and the first order of business was to complete the 10k race I had come to Inverness for in the first place.  The Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running, unfortunately, does not have a half-marathon to complement the marathon, 10k, and 5k events.  I usually run a half-marathon (about 21k) in the spring and fall of each year, but this time I had to make due with a 10k race. Quartney (I keep forgetting to link to her blog.  You can find it here.) is more hardcore than I am, so she was running the marathon.  Thus, she also had to be up and out the door earlier than the rest of us.  Sagar and I were running the 10k event, and Amy was our injured cheerleader (otherwise, she would have been in the...

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