Monday, January 08, 2007

A Wicked Weekend and Brighton

I kicked off my first 2007 weekend with some touristy activities which both turned out to be fantastic - and absolute must-dos for anyone visiting the UK. They both probably deserve their own entry, but since it is Monday and the words aren't flowing too well, I'll squash them both into one.

First, on Friday night we went to see Wicked, the musical. Alex and Rhiannon were visiting so there was a group of about 9 of us who had picked up £15 cheap and cheerful tickets from Last Minute. I'm always a bit suspicious of 'new' musicals and I thought this one would be a bit lame - but it really was brilliant! It's the story of the two witches from the Wizard of Oz, and how they came to be who they are in the old book/film. It really was entertaining - good music, great singers, clever story..I am a bit of a sucker for musicals so it might not be for everyone, but of the whole group of us (of girls and guys), everyone loved it. So there you are, my hot musical tip for 2007.

Next stop for the weekend was Brighton - my new favourite English destination. Sim, Shannon and I headed down for just one night so Sim could see the pebbled shores before she heads back to Australia next month. Brighton has everything - trendy bars, clubs, great restaurants, of course the famous beach and pier, and the shopping...oh..my..god...the shopping! Not the best place to go when I'm a little hard up for cash, cause the sales are on and the shops there are just stunning. There is an area called the Brighton Lanes which has winding cobblestone alleys of boutique, antique, design, jewellery shops and unique brands - a nice change from the high street monotony you mostly get in London. And mixed in between are gorgeous cafes where you can stop for an organic lunch if you wish! We tried The Mint Leaf Cafe for lunch - a charming Moroccan/Mediterannean cafe where I had possibly the world's most delicious Carrot and Coriander soup.

More about Brighton (including more sights, pics, clubs and fun on the pier) tomorrow...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heya Pru.

I love reading your blog! I am an Australian girl from Melbourne, considering the shift to London. I spent alot of time there in '06 and just loved every moment of it. It is the most incredible city.

Just wondering if you found the tranistion difficult, and if you will ever come home?

PS: Morroco looks awesome

www.practically-perfect.net

Pru said...

Hi Rosanna, thanks for ur msg! Glad you like my blog - it's nice when people encourage you to keep going with it! Yep, I love London too, and no I didn't find the transition particularly difficult. I spent the first six weeks being so excited about being in a new place, and then I landed a job so that kept me busy and helped me settle in. It has helped me massively that my brother lives here though and that many of my friends have visited or moved over here. But I have also made new friends here too, which also makes life a bit nicer. The experience is really what you make of it, so it's up to you really! Yes, I will definitely come home sometime. I think the winters may be a little too cold for me to last a lifetime of, and I do miss Australia. But when will I come home? I have absolutely no idea! I've still got a lot to see and do, so we shall see :) Good luck with your own trip.