Famous Double Decker Buses and to the right you can see the construction beginning for the 2012 Olympics. This picture was taken back in June when I first arrived in London.

Today was a gorgeous day in London, so decided it would be an excellent day to head towards downtown London.  Decided to stop at the local Burger King in Statford to have a quick bite.  Here they will have the 2012 Olympics.

Original plan was to head to a museum and then to the Saint James Park, but while sitting on the subway decided that going to the Tower of London would be a heck of a lot more fun.

While traveling to the Tower of London, I learned that the Underground subway runs on a color code system, and that it is very helpful to know this when traveling around London.  For the first time ever I transfered from the Central line which is red, and got on the District line which is green.  Ah, love to learn new things each day.

I was in a state of awe today, more than normal as I was sitting on the subway. I looked around at all the different cultures, heard many different languages being spread amongst the train car I was sitting in. Sometimes, I think it is really good that I don’t understand them, because for all I know they could be saying “Man, that girl’s bright green shoelaces do not match her outfit.”

All kidding aside, I feel pretty connected to people. Although, I am learning the hard way to not make eye contact and smile at everyone. Not everyone takes it as a minor friendly gesture. Today, a gentleman made goo goo eyes back at me. You know how in the cartoons when their eyebrows go up and down dramatically… yeah, you get the point. It didn’t feel menacing or threating, but it did put a snicker on my face, as that clearly was not my intention.

As I sat in the subway looking around at all the different cultures and their outfits, I can’t help but ponder certain questions. If you know the answers to these, please feel free to share with me as these are questions that I sincerely want to know the answers to. For example, today I saw a woman wearing a full berka over her face with a baby stroller sitting to the side, and I wondered “Did she have to wear that during childbirth? Or is it only in public that she is required to wear it?”

Another thing I am amazed at as I see women get onto the subway is the extremely high heel shoes some women here in London wear. I mean, I am impressed. I’m wobbly in tennis shoes, and these women are walking gracefully with what seems to be heels that go on forever.

After my many silent ponders, I finally arrive to my destination of The Tower of London. I was excited to go in, as so many other intuitives had said that they felt immense amount of energy swirling around. It is said to be haunted.  I wanted to experience all this in person.  I paid my 17 pounds and entered into the Tower.  It was pretty amazing.  I have to admit, back in school I absolutely loathed history.  I hated listening to the teachers go on and on about it.  What fun is it to hear about from books?  But, when you are physically on the property, touching the very stone castle walls, and seeing the actual fighting weapons it puts a whole new spin on things.  I love learning new things about history now.  I almost can’t get enough in.  I find myself wide eyed and soaking in all the history.

To celebrate the 500 year anniversary of the reign of Henry the VIII they had a special section featuring all his life.  I have to admit I didn’t know much about this man in this lifetime, but I couldn’t help but find myself thinking what an ass he was.  I don’t know why, but I found myself not liking him at all.  As I looked at his memorabilia I found myself going “this guy was a cocky son of a bleep.  In fact, I REALLY don’t like him.”  Of course knowing that he had 6 previous wives, 2 of which he had beheaded didn’t help his likability in my eyes either.  Sorry, Henry…you’re just not my favorite person from history.  Although, you do rank higher than Adolf Hitler, but that’s not saying much.

While, walking inside the other rooms I did find myself feeling a lot of energy.  I found myself getting angry in a couple of the towers which were used to hold prisoners.  Also, in one room where they hold the actual crowns I found myself wanting to get the heck out of there as fast as I could.  The energy was heavy, intense, and I don’t know if that was the “protective energy” over the actual jewels I felt or the actual crowds in the room.  Probably a little bit of both, but that was the end of the tour for me.  I was ready to head on out.

On a final note, you’re weren’t allowed to take photographs of the inside of the Tower of London.  However, I did manage to get some shots of the outer towers and the famous tower bridge.  Enjoy!  For those of you who have visited the Tower of London prior, did you feel anything?  Let me know, as I love to hear other people’s experiences.

A view of the Tower of London

Another view of the Tower of London

Another view of the Tower of London

The famous Tower of London bridge

I did it!

I packed my favorite green blue polka luggage with the barest essential of clothes and Nintendo Wii, and headed from the Pacific Northwest in the USA to London, England.  I said goodbye to my American comforts of a spacious modern country house on 5 acres, dishwasher,clothes dryer, and automobile in trade for a new life adventure; that I will lovingly refer from now on to  ”The Joy Tour.”

I’ll be documenting my new adventures here on this blog with pictures and posts often.  My intention this year is to not only live outside my comfort zone, but to have fun doing it as well.

Speaking of adventures… Boy, did my first day in London start off with an entertaining creation.

My flight from Seattle went beautifully.  There was zero turbulence, and endless online movie entertainment.   I had a great isle seat towards the front, which I highly recommend to anyone traveling; especially internationally. You’ll want to get up to walk around, and I guarantee it’s much easier to just get up from the isle seat verses wake up your drooling fellow flight mates to ask to get by each time.  Who wants the window seat anyway…especially when you’re travelling 30,000 feet over the Atlantic ocean.  Certainly not me!

Anyway, back to the story…

I was quite excited as my flight had landed about 10 minutes early, and I was incredibly giddy to arrive to my new London flat.  I had preordered and paid for a driver to take me to my flat.  I thought I had prepared everything I needed.  However, I was proved wrong as I cheerfully entered into the UK immigrations security line.

As I weaved my way through the long cattle line awaiting entrance to the UK, I had no clue what I was about to walk into.  The first thing they ask you is why are you here in the UK?  I said I was visiting, and staying at a friend’s flat for 6 months.  She asked for my friend’s phone number in which I did not have on me.  That was my first mistake, as she could not call them to verify my information.

Her eyes looked down on me disparingly as she continued to ask the next question.  Do you have a return ticket?  Which I of course said “Oh yes, I’m coming back on such and such date.”  ”Do you have the ticket or travel plans on you to prove this?”  Of course not.  That never made sense.  I was planning on doing that 6 months from now on my way back.

These answers apparently were not satisfactory, and I was quickly placed in what I lovingly like to call “the first waiting room” while she convescated my passport.  I waited there for an hour until I was interviewed again.  They came back and said they had to do a complete bag search.   Well, they were very thorough with the bag search.  They went through each pocket, crevice, and zipped container.  Nothing was sacred.

I thought that was it, and I was going to be free and clear to move forward into the UK.  I had zero weapons, no mass quantities of cigarettes or drugs to sell, or items that would say “She needs to be deported back to the USA imediately!”

However, I was sent back to the “first waiting room” while waiting for another security immigration person to interview me again. While here this time, I sat next to a couple others who had gone through the exact same baggage check.  They were grumbling, cursing about time, and how they hate being treated like they are criminals.  I, too, found myself going “OMG!  I have my car transfer waiting for me!  I need to go now.  Hurry up people! I don’t have time to wait.”   I found myself matching the grumpiness of the two gentleman sitting next to me.  This lasted about 15 minutes while I waited longer to see what was the next hoop I would have to jump through.  After 15 minutes of silent cursing and grumbling, I then closed my eyes and started to pray for help with my current predicament.

I heard the words “Surrender Shannon.  Stop trying to control the situation, and surrender!”  So, I did.  I energetically threw my hands in the air, and surrendered.  I had remembered an inspiring auditory from the Hicks that I had heard just the day before saying “You have a choice on how to react to circumstance.”  I knew that I could be grumpy or I could make this an entertaining adventure.  So, instead of getting scared or grumpy whenever I saw the security guards coming my way I got delightfully tickled as they were allowing me an opportunity to get one step closer to arriving home in London.

After sitting a little longer, I was then sent to a room where my finger prints were scanned electronically in to the computer.  They then took my mug shot, which I playfully pretended I was getting put into jail and refused to smile.  It’s a sad looking mug shot.  You wouldn’t know by my frown that I had secretly decided to have fun with this adventure instead of feeling like I was doomed.

Next, I was then taken into the “detainment” room which is a large white room with large glass windows that security guards can peer in to see what you’re doing.  All your belongings are taken away at this time, and put into a closet.  You are locked in this room that is only accessed by a code.

When I first entered into this room I noticed others who were also here.  They didn’t look so happy.  In fact, one gentleman was confronted and told that he was being sent back to his country ASAP.  He was being denied entry to the UK, and nothing he said could change their minds.  I then looked over at a pregnant girl who had puffy eyes from crying.  She, too was being sent back to where she came from.  Then a mother daughter team was told that they were going to be staying the night in this room.  They were given pillows and blankets, and they quickly layed down on the plastic chairs.  At this point I was thinking “Hmmmm.  The others here don’t look so good.”  For a moment I thought I might be going back to the states, too.  I decided to sit down and write a letter to God.

I proceeded to write to God where I state my concern, worry, and then ask to have a channelled message to come through.  Instantly, the words started to flow through my pen.  I received that I was going to be fine.  I was going to get out around 9pm.  It was currently 7pm.  I heard that all would be well.  That was all I needed to receive.   In my head I was thinking how I had sent my friend my transfer taxi information prior to leaving to the US, and that they would notice that I didn’t make my destination on the time and perhaps try to call the airport looking for me.  I kept sending a telepathic message to my friend to research where I had gone.

While sitting in this room I was told they were researching my background.  They were trying to find out exactly who I was.  The funny thing is I had put in a brochure for my Intuitive Boot Camp in my bag along with my Schedule book for my intuitive readings and classes.  They convescated these too.  I couldn’t hide that I was an intuitive counselor and taught others how to tap into their spiritual gifts as well.  Talk about letting the world know who you are!

Meanwhile, I played happy hostess to those who got thrown into the “immigration slammer” as I call it.  I would smile and ask them “What are you in here for?”  I’d ask them about their finger print and bag search experience.  My light heartedness helped relieve the fear that naturally floated through out the detainment room.  I found myself giggling outloud at the craziness.  Here I was sitting in the middle of another country behind locked doors with security guides peering in to make sure I was okay.  What kind of crazy ass manifestation piece was this?

After 5 1/2 hours of fully waiting for the next interogation to happen I was finally called by a very tall gentleman.  I actually was excited to finally get questioned.  I sat down, and answered all his 40+ questions in which I had to explain in full detail of why I was in the UK.  I then had to tell him I was psychic, how I made my money, what my business was back in the states, and here in the UK.  There wasn’t one stone that was left uncovered.

After the questioning was over, I was then told that my friend had gotten worried that I hadn’t showed up, and called the transfer company which lead them to the immigration office.  They were interrogated as well unexpectedly.  However, it was their answers that helped me to finally be released.  Thank goodness they followed their intuition to call and follow up on where I was.

Prior to being released, another security immigration officer came in and asked if I really did psychic readings.  She then had me do a quick reading on her boyfriend, her, and her father.  She then informed another officer, and I did a reading and healing for that gal as well.  I was laughing that here I was detained in the UK doing psychic readings and healings for the very people who had me detained. Funny stuff!  I was then told I could leave right around 9pm—the very time I had channelled when communicating to God.

I cheerfully waived good bye to all those in the detainment room, and pushed my cart to the taxi.

Next time I travel to the UK, I’m bringing more documentation such as my travel plans, airline tickets, proof of income, and of course phone numbers.   But hey, its not every day a girl gets to travel to another country, get finger printed, interrogated,  her mug shot, and released to blog post about it.