Garnet's Life Adventures

Phagocytosis Practical & Dinner with Tiffany

Well this morning's lectures were on chemokines - wow there are a lot!!

During our lunch time we went to hear Greg Bancroft's lab talk - he spoke about what his lab has been doing and where they are hoping to go from here - very interesting talk!

This afternoon's lab was on phagocytosis. We got to go and see the confocal microscope and the FACS machine. They are up on the 6th floor with no lift - I can't imagine how they got all that equipment up there - the lift only goes to the 3rd floor. In England the first floor is the what in America we would consider the 2nd floor. Here it's LG (lower ground), G (ground), 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on. Either way you look at it from the 3rd floor you still have to go up 3 more flights of stairs to get to this room with all the important equipment - maybe they did it so if thieves ever came they'd get too tired walking up that they'd decide to skip the floors not serviced by the lift.

Took the tube home today - BIG mistake, it said severe delays but there wasn't a big crowd so I thought I'd try it, big, big, huge mistake. I was able to get on the first train that came by without major problems. We went northbound with no delay, until we reached Mornington Crescent - we waited here for 10 minutes - they were "spacing" the trains out. If it hadn't been pouring rain I would have walked from this point (probably only 30 minutes). Finally got to Camden Town and had to switch trains b/c they were only running Edgeware trains on the Charing Cross branch today. So I walked over to the High Barnet branch and joined the mass of people hoping to catch the next train. Luckily lots of people got off that train b/c they wanted the Edgeware line, so we were all able to get on. This time the train was really packed and when we stopped at Kentish Town - I had to push and shove my way across the carriage in order to get off. It's amazing how they don't want to let you get off - don't they realize if I get off they can have more room?!?!? So today that took me a little over an hour (compared to my normal 20 minutes!!)

Now off to dinner with my friend Tiffany - she's here for her MSc in Public Health & Nutrition, she was a public health nurse in Toronto before coming here.

photo taken with back to tube station

Okay back from dinner, Tiffany and I went to the Assembly House for dinner - we split the quesadillas for 4.50 and watched the England vs. Poland football game (soccer). When we left it was tied 1-1 the crowd was not happy with this. I'll have to read the paper on the way to school tomorrow to find out what the final out come was. It was nice to have dinner and compare notes about our different programs. She's always in huge lecture halls with about 100 or more people while I'm in a class of 17 (12 Immunology students, 4 Molecular students, 1 PhD student). She really liked my neighborhood too. She lives in the International Lutheran Student Dorms, sort of halfway between school and Kings Cross, if I understand her directions properly. She was excited to get out of the school area and see what else there was - I was happy to show off my flat and neighborhood! Everyone who's come to visit has loved it and is jealous!

Oh exciting news, for me at least, it rained for the first time today during the day!! I almost got to use my umbrella. Ended up stopping before I left Keppel St, but I did get to see dark clouds and lots of rain drops. Also I've had a confirmation about Saturday's plans. I will be picked up at the pub at 1pm and we're going to the London Dungeon and the Eye - two places I've yet to go to, so that's cool! Will have to remember my camera that day for sure!!!!

posted by Sara @ 9:49 pm