I know these entries have been pretty far apart, but I seem to have managed to leave my camera battery charger back home, so as soon as I have that I will be able to show you all the cool things I am doing here :)

I am happy to report that I have lived through freshers week here at the RVC. There was drunken debauchery, there was nakedness, and staggering groups of people all tied by the wrists careening around Camden, and I can happily report that I blissfully watched from a safe distance. I am quite impressed by the spread that RVC put out for freshers week – the 80s themed roller disco, the freshers fair at Hawkshead, the black tie ball, and oh yes, the pub crawl and “beer drinking” (or, as it should be called “skeezy euro-trash club night” – don’t ask….)

Sunday was just a gleaming afternoon, and after leaving a great day at the London Zoo (and I am SO signing up to work with the giraffes …. Aghh so cool) I had a proper stroll through Camden Market. For my MOHOs back home, it is a tad like Northampton on Meth – so many cool handmade goods (many real cheap) quirky t-shirts … oh, speaking of, I found a Brilliant guy over in the electric market with the most amazing graphic tees … I think I am in love. I am going to shameless plug this guy because he is the best:

www.myspace.com/younggiftedandslack

I bought a couple of his things, and I will be sure to post some pics of me wearing them once my camera is up and running again.

I am now in my second day of classes, and am really settling in well. It is quite easy to find a rhythm here – classes generally start at 10AM and I have Wednesday and Friday afternoons off to explore. Just the other day I decided to get on the first bus I came across and I ended up in Fulham (in south west London – clear across town) and it was lovely (and rather expensive looking). I met my PhD advisor for the first time, properly yesterday, and he is just lovely – so laid back, super dry sense of humor, and looks suspiciously like Gary Oldman.
He seemed very enthusiastic about my work, and even better, he really was making a push for me to get involved with his. He is doing some really neat work right now with elephant locomotion, and needs another hand to come out to the Sudan next summer to take some data ….. my God, why did I only get to this place now???

*NERD MOMENT* during the Biomechanics lecture, Alan (my advisor) was showing clips of different kinds of locomotion studies, and he showed a clip of a kangaroo on a treadmill at the Harvard University field station .. .AND I WAS THERE WHEN THEY FILMAED THAT EXACT CLIP. I nearly died. I went up after class to tell him and he was like “ya, I figured you were.” *sigh* I am thinking of brining in my Fluid Dynamics of Motion textbook ( the he wrote) and asking for an autograph … do you think that would be too dorky? *shrugs* I don’t care.

American moment #254: I ventured into Mc Donalds because I was dying for a diet coke, and figured they would have them as cheap as anywhere else, and I discovered the wonder that is British McDonalds. It is true that things are generally more expensive (about $8-$10 for a combo meal) but the quality is SO much better, the establishment itself is clean, and even stylish and they have REAL APPLE PIE not that ‘pie-flavored brickette’ I am used to in the states. The McFLurry? They totally have 6 - that’s right 6 – different McFLurries and they even have SEASONAL ones. Seriously, I love this country.

On that note, I should be on my way, but stay tuned for new pictures in a day or two!