London, England. Leaving Osprey, Loving Louis V

OK, so this nine month endeavor little resembles my last seven month backpacking adventure. For one, I will be studying which means no books for leisure (not that I do not immensely enjoy the one's assigned by my professors, now "tutors"). It will also mean less traveling during the terms and keeping the explorations more local. What this also means is that I have replaced my Opsrey backpack with My Louis Vuitton luggage. I have also expanded my four lonely outfits from my last trip to include: my vintage fur coat, 16 pairs of shoes, and a few more outfit changes.
Just to offer reassurance, while Osprey did get left behind, my adventuress backpacking spirit did not remain storaged in New York, like him. No, this trip will be a welcome hybrid of goose down comforter, pretty clothes and Prada purse luxury mixed with my roughing it, backpacking budget exploration.
Some of my "not so roughin it" London adventures have included:
* tea at the beautiful 5 Star Dorchester in Mayfair, a posh London neighborhood.
* dinner at one of the highest rated international restaurants. Food was great!
* exploring Harrod's the department wonder-they have multiple food and meat sections-In a Department Store where Gucci bags are sold in the next room. I found this strange

London, England. When Getting Out is the Most Difficult Part

After a six hour flight I arrived at my friends apt at St George Wharf around 11pm. I left the dinner party early to catch up on sleep. The next day I was alone in the apartment contemplating my first day in this new city. I consulted the "Lonely Planet" guide for what to do,and yet....
There's always a certain amount of fear that builds when being alone in a new city. The longer I looked out from the apt balcony to the River Thames and the city of London, the more fearful I became. But from all my travel experiences I have learned that if I want to enjoy my time, it's ok to feel fear but i just have to do it anyway. The "doing it" part for me constituted just leaving the apartment. Ok, so although leaving the safety of my living environment to explore the unknown is difficult regardless of what city I find myself in, in London I found it virtually impossible. The door exiting the apartment did NOT HAVE A DOORKNOB!! (see pics provided). Something that I was capable of doing in NY (opening a door) turned into a twenty minute escapade.
This episode served to be what would become my London experience: everything I thought I knew, was different here; this included the words, the food and even the doors.