Birmingham, England

I've left my home and my country to come to Europe and travel. Being a native New Yorker and growing up around the USA has made me somewhat adaptable to new people, cultures and situations.

I flew in from Los Angeles to London's Heathrow airport - 10.5 hours on Air New Zealand. The flight was fantastic; smooth, quiet, good food, and I got to watch three full-length movies.

I had been told that England generally was chilly, grey and often rained, but unfortunately did not get to experience any of that sort of weather. Having lived in Los Angeles for the past five years, I was rather looking forward to something different. The three days I spent in Birmingham were warm and sunny. My friend and hostess, Viki, has a beautiful garden filled with flowers and trees, including an awesome palm tree. I felt quite at home.

With the exchange rate between US dollars and the English pound, I found things to be rather expensive, or at least seem that way to me. I also soon discovered that local security did not appreciate my taking photographs at the British equivallent of the local mall. Hey, it was a Starbucks! Just like home. So, I took only a few photos before I got on another plane bound for Amsterdam.