A Stop In Brighton

we're back in brighton now. amsterdam was great! we ended up taking a canal tour which gave us a good view of the city by boat. we went to the van gogh museum, and that was really cool. the main thing i liked, besides the coffeeshops was just how different everything felt. the trip has been amping up from most familiar to most unlike anything i've ever experienced: austin-seeing family in texas-chicago/midwest-london-amsterdam-?scotland?-india. Up to Amsterdam everything was so fun, but I was still waiting to get my mind blown by stepping into a new reality. That finally happened when we got to Amsterdam; just the architecture, the traffic, the iconography, all the little things that made this world so different from what i am used to. i actually felt like i was going home when we headed back to the UK. i guess being on the road a place becomes home in just a few days. we're renting a car in the morning and driving to stonehenge and avebury where there are some less known standing stones. the area is supposed to be mystical, so I'm looking forward to that. Sally knows of a great little pub with rooms you can stay in in the center of the village, so that is our plan for night one and maybe two. It is really not very easy at all to get online, much less to upload pictures and do the blog and all that. Whenever I get a chance, I don't have the computer with me (can't lug it everywhere- wouldn't want to), or it takes too long because I'm still learning or some other reason, or they don't allow you to upload pictures at that internet cafe or whatever. The point is, I'm sorry for not being in touch sooner. Also that the blog isn't just how I want it. I wanted the pictures in with the text, not seperate, but oh well. sooner or later i'll get this figured out. or i won't. we are having a great time, though. sometimes I feel a little bit silly, like what did i ever do to deserve to get to just be running around Europe doing whatever I fancy? I know not everyone gets to do this, and I feel a little bad being the lucky one. I don't know what to do, though, other than to just enjoy it while I can and feel lucky to be alive and where I am, and remember how lucky I have been. Sally and Russell have been the best hosts. They have made us feel so comfortable while we've been in brighton, and brighton is really beautiful. Russell could not have found a kinder, more intelligent and fun woman to marry. I am really happy to get to know sally and to get to spend some time with she and russell. I took a yoga class from russell which, of course (for those who know russ), kicked my bootay, but in such a good way. It's gotten me pretty inspired to do yoga in India. It's late. I should be in bed, but I just had to post while I had a little time online. We have lots more pictures, so I'll keep putting a few up each time I get a chance. We have lots of movies, too, so once I get a chance to edit them into viewable form I'll put them up too. I hope you are all doing well. I am having such a great time; so is mark, and this trip has been so good for both of us. Love you! -Asenath