Kew Gardens

First Thursday of the first week of classes, and I realize maybe I didn’t make the best schedule of my life but nonetheless I am enjoying every moment I am here. Our first outing for my blog class would be Kew Gardens. Now I swear I thought the skies were going to open up and pour on us all day. But fortunately that did not happen. However, after it came apparent that my fear of heights would be put to the test I was seriously considering a rain dance. My whole class, which is four people, had their hearts set on going up in the trees and walking from treetop to treetop courtesy of some ramps. Not one to sit out, I was willing to give it a try and if it was really unbearable I would just meet people at the bottom.

After what seemed like a never ending tub ride, and a strange encounter with a people-friendly peacock (Sarah Hagan had never seen one before so we were all camera happy), we arrived at the base of the staircase that lead us up to the tree. Might I add that on top of being afraid of heights, a thunder storm was not too far away and you are not suppose to stand under trees during storms let alone be in the tree tops in a metal walkway. Fortunately for me when I got to the top Dietrich’s daughter, who is seven, is much braver than me. In my state of vulnerability, she looks at me and goes “do you want me to hold your hand?” I gladly accepted and was once again conquering my fear, even in the tiniest way. As my peers made jokes like “Ingrid, are you holding Gretchen’s hand or is she holding yours?”, everyone was proud of me at the end.

I manage to walk the shakes off from being so nervous and found myself actually loving the park. I find although it is always fun to be seven and fearless, I appreciate much more as I get older. As we walked along the way the four girls, two had tagged along for the outing, took pictures and laughed when Dietrich asked us “Is this what girls really do?”

Katie Hibson and I managed to somehow lose the group and when we were questioned if we were lost, we instinctively said no. Because are Americans ever REALLY lost? (Just kiddin’). However, a cute old British man who knew better pointed us in the direction of a beautiful green house “we just had to see”. We ended up walking through a beautiful butterfly garden that instantly took me back to my third grade butterfly garden, which was not as successful. We finished the day with the rock garden, which only made me miss home and my dad’s “creative” rock sculptures.