It's really hard to motivate yourself to do your Christmas shopping when it doesn't feel like December. It's 50 degrees here and I haven't seen snow since last April... it's very easy to catch yourself thinking "Oh, it's not even November yet. I have loads of time."

I don't have loads of time. I have 19 days left here in London, and while it'll be really nice to go home and see my family, friends, and pets again, there's still so much here that I haven't done. There's so much that I have done, of course, and I think I've actually managed to squeeze quite a lot of experiences in between the academic necessities (none of which I've neglected, don't worry). Part of the problem is that London feels like home now, and when was the last time you went and did something touristy in your hometown? It's all too easy to neglect what's in front of you for what else is out there.

That being said, I have a list of all the things I want to do in the next 19 days. I have to finish researching and writing my last paper, which is due on Wednesday, and I have to take the easiest exam I've ever done for my humanities class on Thursday. Our class is attending a traditional pantomime on Wednesday evening, and we're having an end-of-semester celebration/karaoke night at our friendly local pub on Thursday. I also have to do my Christmas shopping. But other than that, my time up until I leave for the airport on December 23 is my own.

My list is as follows:

Tate Britain
National Gallery/National Portrait Gallery
Tower of London
Museum of London/St. Paul's/City
Victoria and Albert Museum
Madame Tussaud's (although I hear it's bloody expensive, and so will probably be the first thing struck from the list)
Tate Modern/Vinopolis
Guildford (Laura's hometown)
Day trip to Bath, Stonehenge, and Windsor Castle (this is all in one day... god bless a small island)
Hampton Court (may be combined with Guildford trip)
Greenwich
Kew Gardens
Inns of Court/Sir John Soane's Museum
London Eye (I plan to do this as the last thing I do in London)

Do you think I'll manage it all? Me neither. But it should be fun to try.