London! Natural History Museum Edition

Today I ventured out of the Pimlico area where I've been cat-sitting since Thursday for possibly the most amazing lady I've ever met.

Here's what the area looks like.

And a few blocks away.

Natural History Museum

The museum was amazing. Like many of the museums here in London, it is FREE. So, definitely worth a visit if it's raining cats and dogs. My visit was slightly marred by the masses of screaming children, so maybe bring earplugs. Seriously, it sounded like they were being eaten alive by the stuffed exhibits. (If only...)
Highlights of the day were the massive collection of rocks and minerals, dinosaur fossils, and the Spirit Collection which was tucked back into a corner and I nearly missed. I wish I had known about the tours at the time I was there, I might actually go back to do one.

There were rows and rows of these specimen jars behind glass.

Pickled snakes, anyone?

I totally want to decorate my house with specimen jars now, whenever I get a house again that is.

Who is that adorable little guy? Oh, just a vampire bat. (If they sold these in the gift shop I would have purchased one on the spot.)

Glasgow

Here's what happens when you don't book a hostel before arriving in Glasgow on a drizzly Friday evening:

That's the full tour of my 6 bed female dorm at The St Enoch Hotel (£14). I'll spare you the horror that was the bathroom in this place. The toilet only flushed every 10th time you tried it. My dorm mates apparently couldn't shower without getting water everywhere. I mean literally everywhere. The floor, the top and back of the toilet, the shelf of the sink had an inch of standing water.

The good: a bagged breakfast of apple juice, milk, and cornflakes. The beds were reasonably comfortable, and the sheets and towels (small bar of soap and packet of shampoo also included) appeared clean. 

I decided to get the hell out of there and pay a ridiculous amount for a room to myself at Alison Guesthouse (£50). I have my own fireplace. I'm currently drying my things by it as I got lost on my way here and got DRENCHED, but by the magic of wool, not cold.