Day 7, 1:55 PM Wednesday, Brighton and Arundel

Glen and Karen are awesome! They are neat, neat people. But as wonderful as their hospitality has been their beds really suck! Oh my gosh! Talk about, soft, squishy, springs poking in the back all night! It wasn’t the jet lag that encouraged us to get out of bed so early this morning. It was the stinking beds! Meghann also woke me at about 2:00 AM because she couldn’t find her hat. It didn’t take me long to realize she was still asleep. She kept telling me very determinedly, “I know I put my hat in the bag! I need to wear it now!” I finally convinced her that she was still sleeping. She started laughing hysterically (creepy) and then went back to sleep. She doesn’t remember a thing about it today. Add the drunks that had a party under our window last night and you can just imagine how long our night was!

We are currently on a train headed back to Brighton. We have spent the day in Arundel at the castle there. It was magnificent! I believe it is my new favourite castle, and I have seen my fair share. My guide book says it was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle in the Disney cartoon movie. It has also been in a great many fairytale movies. I just don’t think it is fair that some people get to live in castles and I don’t! Who decided this stuff anyway? I bet that in the pre-existence I was on my knees before God saying something like, “Utah! Are you kidding me! I want to live in an English castle! Why does so-and-so get to be the duchess of Norfolk and I get to be plain old everyday Michelle Murray! Why, just tell me why!” Oh well, I have always looked kind of silly in a tiara anyway. I suppose the big guy knows what is best in the long run. (Or he just likes laughing at me from above. I am convinced he has a pretty warped since of humor. Have you met my dad? Just kidding dad.)

Meghann and I have found ourselves adopting a slight English accent. This happens every time I come here! It’s a bit embarrassing actually. I am always afraid that the locals will think I am making fun of them. My little accent always sticks with me for a few days once I get home, which is even more embarrassing! Yesterday I heard myself ask Meghann, “Have you seen a rubbish bin?” At the Pavilion she asked me to look at her so she could take my “photo”. At this moment Meg is sitting across from me “having a listen” to her ipod. She told me last night that she wanted to go back to the pier for some “candy floss” and I think an “iced lolly” sounds very refreshing. With any luck our few days in Paris at the end of the trip will cure us of our little accent before we get home and find ourselves asking someone where the “loo” is.