Sherlock's Baker Street, Pinkberry, and the Train Incident

Hello! You found the compass!


     I know this post comes at an unusual time compared to the others. This vacation-er, holiday has messed with my writing schedule. But fear not! I had myself a little adventure into London yesterday which I can report on. My parents are coming to visit today and I am sure when they leave I will have plenty of pictures from all of the touristy things we will do. For now: The London visit.

    I went into London not knowing quite what I wanted to do, with one exception: at some point, I was going to Pinkberry. With that being my only plan, I ended up walking along the South Bank and enjoying the views before heading over to Baker Street. I decided that I wanted to find the 221B used in the Sherlock series and had stared at maps long enough to know how to get there from the Baker Street tube station. So off I went.

He greets people outside of the station.

     The walk from the tube station to North Gower street is about 25 minutes. There were several times when I questioned if I was going the right way or if I had missed my landmark somehow. You can imagine the relief (and goosebumps) I felt when I finally saw this sign:

     I turned the corner hoping, but not expecting, to see a film crew. Indeed, they were not around. However, just walking down the same street they walked on was enough to make me giddy. The cafe, Speedy's, was open, and I decided to have a bite to eat before moving on to my next destination. I ended up getting a chicken special; it was very good and inexpensive! The walls have pictures of the cast and crew of Sherlock on the set as well as caricatures of the characters. It's a very cute place. I need no convincing to go back there.

Ever wondered what the blue plaque was? In London, the plaques mark locations of historic significance. 221B played host to an Italian Patriot from 1805-1872, apparently.

     Outside, I encountered some girls who were also clearly Sherlock fans by the way they smiled when they touched the door at the 221B. We took pictures and parted ways.

Attempting to contain how happy I am. And oh yes, of course I touched the door.

     I moved on from my Sherlock adventure, giddy over the fact that I was able to walk where my beloved characters had walked. London is, of course, an excellent place for people to do that. There are many opportunities to walk in the shoes of famous fictional characters. I love it!

     Oh, and by the way: As many of you Sherlock fans know, the third season is currently filming. This is the season we've been waiting for desperately. I suppose the fans can take comfort in knowing that somewhere, right now, as I type this, Sherlock and John have been reunited. We just have to wait until the end of the year to find out how...

No matter what, I'm going to cry. A lot. Might need a drink. Goodness knows that I can't watch Reichenbach Fall without going through a bunch of tissues and an episode of mild depression...*sniffle*

      But did you hear the exciting news?! Benedict Cumberbatch himself has confirmed that he and Martin Freeman have already signed on for a FOURTH season of Sherlock! HALLELUJAH! THE ADVENTURES WILL CONTINUE! Dance with me, readers!

I never thought that .gifs of dancing celebrities would come in handy. Thank you, internet.

      Moving on: My next stop was Pinkberry. In the states, the closest Pinkberry to me is an hour and a half away. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it: Pinkberry is a frozen yogurt place. Each store sells six flavors. The tart original flavor is always sold, but the other 5 flavors tend to change. There is usually something new to try every few months. Guests can also add a variety of toppings to their yogurts and get multiple flavors together! When I got there, the new flavor was strawberry. It is absolutely fantastic! (Pinkberry has yet to let me down.) I got myself a medium strawberry and original topped with strawberries, blueberries, and granola. Oh, how I'd missed that place. If you get the opportunity to go to one, absolutely do!

     After that, I made my way to the tube station. I got slightly turned around and ended up in a park with a statue of Dwight Eisenhower, but managed to find the station shortly after. I went back to Kingston, rested for awhile, and then went to Surbiton Station to make my way to Rayne's Park. I was meeting Amy at a pub where her flatmate works. On the train, the strangest thing happened to me. I was alone in my section of the car until one stop where a bunch of rowdy girls in various costumes (Minnie Mouse, Pocahontas, generic superhero, etc.) with rugby jerseys came on the bus. They sat all around me and were most interesting company. One of them had a plastic cup full of beer and was drinking away while another girl, who I assumed was the team captain, had a half-empty bottle of gin in her hand. The reason I thought she was captain was because at one point she began a sort-of speech. It went something like this:

Captain: "It is tradition of the *didn't understand this word* rugby team-"

Girls: "OOOOOH!"

Captain: "-To drink an appropriate amount of Juniper Juice to the tune of-"

All (to the tune of that Tequila! song): "Da-da, dadadada-da-da! Da-da, dadada-da-da!"

And they then proceed to pass around the bottle of gin and take swigs. They would continue talking and then this exchange happened:

Captain: "MANNERS!"

Girls Who Drank: "Thank you."

Captain: "I shouldn't have to remind you! We're doing it again!"

    She started her speech again, they sung, and they took swigs from the bottle. Again there was a pause, and the whole thing happened a third time because the drinkers once again had to be reminded to say "thank you".

     I heard the word "Freshers" being tossed around and the most drunk girls were being congratulated by the more sober ones. Ergo, I believed it was an induction. My suspicions were confirmed when I overheard one of the older girls explaining that part of the induction was to do something embarrassing in public. The Minnie Mouse girl was apparently a Fresher (she was pretty drunk) and had agreed to do her embarrassing thing. On the trains near the doors, there is an open space with a pole in the middle (you can see where this is going). Minnie Mouse proceeded to pole dance in the middle of the train while being cheered on by her teammates. I wanted so badly to ask for a team picture, but my nerves got the better of me. I wish I had. Next time I won't let such a valuable picture get away from me! (I mean, really, what's the worst that could happen? They say "no" and I never see them again. Big deal.) Well, at least I can share a story about the strangest train ride that I have ever been on. 

Isn't there a saying about people getting crazier during full moons?

     That about wraps it up. I'll have more to report as the holiday continues. Until next time...Cheers!