Pru's BIG OE

London: what a sweet ride

2011-01-10T01:31:00.003Z

I am writing this to you from my new home - it's sassy, it's sunny, and yes, it's Sydney. Loyal readers, travellers and random blog visitors - I am pleased and yet a little sad to tell you that after five and a half years sampling the best of what one of the world's greatest cities has to offer, I have said goodbye to London and returned to Oz. The decision was not taken lightly, let me tell you, and many tears were shed. But, it was time to embark on a new adventure in my life - not one that perhaps involves as much fun, travel and eye-widening exhilarations as my overseas move but one that will involve, well, growing up a bit (not too much, mind). Getting married, saving for a house, confronting my HECS debt, wondering how to make up for five years lacking in superannuation contributions - yes it's all very boring but it's real life, and I have been avoiding it for long enough. And at least I have the memories, friends and life-changing moments from the past years to get me through it all. As my friends look on horrified as I tell them I came back with no savings, that I have (gasp) more that FOUR super accounts from teenage jobs, and that I have no idea what blue chip stocks are, I smile to myself and take comfort in all the memories that I have written about here on this blog (and all the other ones I didn't tell you). And, wait for the cliche, I wouldn't change it for the world. Professionally, I feel comfortable that my UK experience has put me in good stead, taught me countless skills and given me international perspective in my industry - an invaluable asset that all working travellers can take with them throughout their entire careers.

And London, well what I can say. I truly fell in love and I think I will always miss it like you do a long-lost friend. As a small tribute to my second home across the ocean, I will be posting some of my London, UK and Europe favourites over the next few weeks and months so other people can learn to love this amazing place as much as I did and learn to embrace London as a local does.

As I posted in one of my very first blogs on here 'Life is short and the world is wide' - so if you haven't already packed your suitcase, then there's no better time than now. Happy travels x

Highway 1: from San Francisco to LA

2010-05-24T17:10:00.004+01:00

Yes, it's been a while. I'm still in London. Long story! Still loving it and travelling the world over - most recently we explored the delights of South Africa: Cape Town, Plettenberg Bay, and went on safari. Amazing. One of the most common things people ask me since I have lived and travelled over here is for recommendations (accomodation, restaurants, bars etc) for their own holidays - so I think I will try to be useful for more people and post some of my carefully compiled travel guides here! Below is a brief guide to some recommended stops along the gorgeous Highway 1 - from San Francisco to LA. I did this trip with my boyfriend (now fiance!) in 2007, and it was absolutely beautiful. Here is my quick guide to recommended stops after you have left San Fran (that's a whole separate travel guide!):

Santa Cruz
Probably the first place you’ll come to that you feel like stopping as it’s about an hour and a half out of San Fran – it’s got an ok beach, with a full-on American style amusement park on the sand and a jetty with shops and stuff. We stopped here for a drink on the beach but I didn’t think it was that amazing.

Monterey
OK to drive through but kind of reminds me of Central Coast in Australia so I don’t think you are missing out on much if you just skip this – apparently the aquarium is quite good though if you're into that kind of thing. Also good for watersports from what I have heard.

Big Sur
Beautiful but it's almost too close to San Fran to stop for the night (if you're only taking 2 nights to do the whole drive). One place we really wanted to stay but couldn't because there is a minimum of 2 nights usually are these luxury eco-friendly yurts called Treebones Resort. You should check them out - they look sensational. I was so gutted we couldn't stay there - one day! (we could see them on the hill when we drove past as they sit temptingly on the precipice of the cliff).

Pebble Beach/Carmel
These places are beautiful to drive through and stopover (world-famous golf courses at Pebble Beach and seal watching). Carmel is a cute, affluent town (we spent our first night here in a beautiful little BnB that I can't remember the name of). Kind of old-lady shops from what I remember but some cute little cafes/bars serving amazing seafood/tex mex and a nice main street.

Hearst Castle (about half way between LA and San Fran) is a really fun stop - it sounds hideously cheesy but it's basically this giant castle/mansion that was built by the publishing magnate William Hurst and is heavily influenced by European architecture (in a 'ranch' setting) with a crazy collection of art, antiques, animals, sculptures etc from Hearsts travels. He used to host massive parties attended by old Hollywood elite like Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe etc etc. The views are amazing and it's worth seeing and doing the tour. Check it out.

Elephant seals
Just before you get to Hearst Castle you should stop just south of Point Piedras Blancas as there is a huge colony of elephant seals and they're fun to watch for a while! :)

San Luis Obispo
Definitely one of the better stops. If you can, try and stopover here on a Thursday night as they have a big farmer's market where they close the main street and have a big party with food stalls, live music etc. The food is amazing - more BBQ'd ribs than I have ever seen with all the trimmings - Stu will wet himself. There are also good shops and some really nice restaurants/bars/wine-tasting places. Check it out.

Santa Barbara
About an hour and a half before you get to LA. We stayed here overnight but if you’ve only got 2 nights, I think Carmel and San Luis Obispo are better options (although quieter so it depends what you’re after and your timing). Again we just stayed in a motel place that we drove up to and asked about availability but I would recommend booking somewhere if you stayed here as it took us a few places to find somewhere and that was in September. It’s very beachy, very much like an upmarket beach town in Australia with lots of shopping, bars, restaurants etc.

And then came October

2009-10-29T13:27:00.003Z

So I said I might get better at updating this but it's now the end of October and my post-rate is definitely not getting any higher! Have said some sad farewells to friends in the past couple of months (one of the downsides of staying here so long is that there are a lot of people that come and go!) but there's been some good news too - after parting with my passport (and £500) for four months, I've finally got a new visa and the Home Office is kindly letting me stay for another two years. I've become an even greater expert on all things UK-visa related - I could probably start charging for my services really as I know I'd be a lot more useful than some of the joke visa agencies out there who don't have time for quality customer service (ahem, Global Visas). The best news, however, is that I'm heading home for a month's holiday in a matter of weeks! The clocks have just gone back here and it's getting dark at 5pm, so I'm looking forward to some long warm nights in sunny Sydney. And copious amounts of prawns and Sauvignon Blanc of course (nb: tasted some quality drops at the London Wine Show in Islington last Friday - paid for with an evil hangover). Must figure out how to survive for four weeks without Salt & Vinegar Snackajacks, however - could be problematic.

Since I've been passportless until now, the most exciting 'travel' pics I have to show are from Leeds - no sighs of disappointment, please. It's actually not too bad (for a night) - I recommend getting out of town though and visiting the lovely little spa town of Harrogate (also famous as a hideout of Agatha Christie). We had beautiful weather - as you'll see from this brilliant English wintry sky in this pic (above right) taken in the the Grade II listed Harrogate gardens.

Yes I'm still alive...

2009-08-16T17:27:00.005+01:00

Hmmm, almost a year later I'm posting a little bit of an update for you all. I do miss writing on my little blog - I don't know where all that time went really!

So, drumroll... yes I am still in London. Just can't seem to shake this city - not that I want to just yet! Since September last year (last time I wrote, oops!) I went home to Australia for Christmas and New Years which was good fun, and then came back to continue my publishing job in London, where I have been for almost two years now.

I haven't been able to travel much this year unfortunately since I had to put a sweet £500 aside for a new visa application - but managed to spend an unbelievable two weeks in the US: discovering my mecca, New York, and other fab places Chicago and, randomly, Orlando. Also went to Lisbon (very highly recommended for a short trip) plus have been exploring some of the UK's own wonders - Manchester (yes, really) and Cornwall and my own backyard in London. After four years over here, and travel to literally dozens of countries, I have lost a little of (or satiated?) my wanderlust and this year I have been content to relax over the summer in my home, London. Today is a typical sunny summer day - one of the types of days that makes living through the winter here all the worth while. Everyone is out on the Commons sipping pints - I will be joining them very shortly! Just recovering from whipping Paul at tennis this morning.

Some of the things I have been up in the past couple of weeks:

Ice cream sundaes at the Parlour restaurant, Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly: best, poshest ice cream in London
Sister Act the musical (MUCH better than it sounds, seriously)
Watching fire eaters and listening to live music at Camden Lock Market
Enjoying lush food and wine at The Avalon in Clapham South, for Sim's visit
Sushi in Putney and best wine bar on the river - oh how I will miss the Star & Garter
Discovering my loyalties at Arsenal Vs Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium

And that's about it for now. Stay tuned as I might just get better at doing this again...

London tube turmoils

2008-09-21T20:49:00.003+01:00

Even after living here for three years, I still tend to have little to no idea where most London tube stations are geographically located (that's probably due more to my complete lack of any sense direction rather than anything else). Never trust the TFL tube map though - the stations may look miles apart on the map, but they're probably a 5 minute walk or short bus ride (much better than traipsing up and down escalators and cramming into another unnecessary train). Check out the suprisingly useful Geographically Correct London Tube Map.

Vale Sally

2008-09-02T13:54:00.003+01:00

To All of You Who Ever -
threw a ball for me,
dropped a sausage at a bbq,
left your beer around for me to clean up,
didn't push me off your bed,
gave me your toast crusts
let me slobber on you,
rubbed my ears,
scratched my back
and generally just liked having me around
THANKYOU IT WAS A GREAT LIFE
I said Goodbye, peacefully to Brian and Nola at home, at 4.10pm. on Tuesday August 20th 2008
I've gone to chase balls in heaven!

Sally
1990-2008

Three years today

2008-08-25T21:39:00.002+01:00

So, it's been three years! (and quite a long time since I posted on here as well!). It's the August long weekend - one of the biggest summer weekends in the UK. Most people are off on summer holidays, some are here enjoying the loads of festivals and events that are on. I haven't gone anywhere - but it's my three year anniversary of the date I moved to the UK today. And what a huge three years it's been. I still can't believe it's that long since i trotted wide-eyed out of Heathrow, thinking I would only be here for three months (hmm, got that a little wrong didn't i!). I still feel like a tourist really - living over here is so exciting and exhilarating, there is always something new around the corner, that you never ever really get bored. And if you do, there's nothing stopping you from planning the next big adventure.

Three years comes at a price though. And these past two weeks has been especially hard to be away from friends and family. But I'm going to see them all for almost four weeks at Christmas, and living in another country for this long means you develop new support networks and loving friends who can make the more difficult things in life more bearable. But still looking forward to some prawns and crisp, cold Chardonnay with my mum, dad, brothers, sister and family at christmas, and some bubbles with friends on the harbour in January. Having the best of both worlds can get tough! :) Happy anniversay to me xxx

Ich bin ein Berliner...

2008-04-21T22:52:00.002+01:00

When JFK uttered this now famous phrase in his speech in Berlin in 1963, he was offering his support for post-war Berlin and for a democratic West Germany (not stating, as the myth has perpetuated in English-speaking countries for years, "I am a jelly doughnut" - only Germans outside Berlin call the pastries Berliners anyway). When I visited for the second time in my life this past weekend, it is evident how much the Germans admired and appreciated Kennedy (several monuments are dedicated to him around town) and how successful they have been in rebuilding Berlin into the great city that it is today. The East and the West of town (still in parts separated by remnants of the wall or a cobbled line that commerorates the line where it fell) are unique from eachother and fabulous in their own ways - the West is overflowing with stunning architecture, ancient museums, contemporary art installations, memorials and historical monuments while the East is packed with shabby-chic cafes, vintage boutiques, tiny galleries, waffle houses, eclectic bars and restaurants and 'Imbiss' where you can get the delicious currywurst and pommes. For such a global city, parts of the city are quiet, leafy and beautiful and tell nothing of the horrors and tragedies that the streets have faced just in the last 100 years. It is a fascinating city not only because of its past but the cool adventures it offers for visitors today. I could get used to being a Berliner :) (some pics to come)

Spitting camels and other Egyptian tales...

2008-04-02T13:30:00.002+01:00

As I write this I am looking out onto the Thames as it stretches into the cold, grey distance outside my office. London is showing small hints of the coming summer here and there but on days like today I just have to imagine I am back on the Nile, sunbaking on a gorgeous blue-skied, sunny day as we cruise along on our felucca. Egypt was unforgettable and amazing - and although we did an insanely quick tour and probably should have lingered a bit longer to appreciate it all, it really was perfect. I have some stunning photos (nothing to do with my photographic skills and everything to do with the scenery) which I will post some of - here is a taster though. This one was taken as dusk settled on the Nile just outside Aswan. We stayed overnight on a felucca, stopping on the banks to have a campfire and a freshly prepared feast of foul (bean stew), tagine and fresh fish, before sleeping under the stars. This was one of the most relaxing parts of the holiday - the major sightseeing delights were obviously the phenomenal pyramids of Giza, the stunning treasures of the Egyptian museum and the mystery of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. These huge touristy events were mixed with more 'local' experiences like a camel ride on the west bank of Aswan through colourful nubian villages and to the top of a mountain in the desert, and a sunset bicycle ride through the sugarcane fields on the west bank of Luxor (after which we went back to our guide's house for tea on his roof).

Next stop Egypt

2008-02-27T21:37:00.002Z

OK, no remonstrating about how lame I have been posting lately. Sorry all those people out there who are so enthralled in my life and dying for some news! (ok, I'm kidding!). Not-so-new job is still going fabulously. I got my second paycheque yesterday, with correct tax adjustments, and couldn't believe how much more cash I am pocketing as compared to my first job in London! Refreshing to know the difference a year can make! Must resist the urge to go shopping - although have developed a nasty habit for online shopping lately. Not the best idea to go browsing at home after you have had a couple of glasses of wine - last time I did that I spend a hundred quid in about 30 secs without leaving the comfort of my couch. Anyway, I digress.

Easter is coming up and I'm taking advantage of the two free holiday days (note: new job gives me 25 days PLUS a day off for my birthday - Bonus!) to take myself off to Egypt. It is something I have always wanted to do and I can't wait. Only problem is, we are squashing A LOT into 8 days. Ah well - that's what youth is for. Here's my itinerary...

Arrving in El Gouna (on the Red Sea)
Fly to Cairo - Full-day private driver and guide for Pyramid/Sphinx and Khan al
Khalili visits. Sleeper Train to Aswan
Morning transfer to West Bank for Camel excursion.
Felucca on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor
Couple days in Luxor - Afternoon
guided excursion to Valley of the Kings and guided bike excursion through
West Bank villages.
Then back to El Gouna for more sunshine before heading back to London

So exciting! Was a tad more expensive than normal cause of the time of year we are going, but still going to be quite reasonable on the pound.

2008-01-17T14:56:00.000Z

Oh dear, it's been a month since my last post. I have really been getting slack lately haven't i? In my defence, December and Jan are busy times of year and I spent about a week and half over Christmas in the Cotswolds - lazing by a fire and gorging myself on Christmas goodies. New Year's Eve was a chilly gin-filled fun affair at a house party in Hampstead with a midnight stroll up to watch the fireworks on Primrose Hill (not that I remember too much about those!). After all the horrified comments from people from home after looking at my NYE photos and commenting on how freezing it looked, I realised that I have definitely acclimatised to the British weather. Yep it's pretty cold I guess, but I don't notice it so much anymore! So there is hope for all you beach-loving Aussies wanting to take a working holiday - I am proof that you can survive!

Last week was my birthday and also the week that i started a new job, working for a fab publishing house with beautiful offices on the Thames. Although the weather has been a little bit grey, it's gorgeous looking out your window and seeing St Paul's cathedral, the Millennium bridge, and all the boats going by. The pubs are going to be amazing in the summer - I can't wait! (have already been scoping out a few!).

So 2008, the beginning of my THIRD year in London (god has it been that long??), is going pretty well so far. Could it be my last? We will see..

Quirky traveller tales..

2007-12-17T16:20:00.000Z

One thing that strikes most Aussies that venture to Europe is that, yes, you might be millions of miles away from home on the other side of the world, but you can never, truly escape. You are probably more likely to bump into your best friend from primary school/old piano teacher/next door neighbour on the streets of London then you are in Sydney. Logical it's not, but it happens. Now, Europe is obviously a much bigger place again, but coincidences surely do happen.

So as you can probably guess, there is a story coming on. Recently I went to Spain with a friend of mine - a blissful tour starting on the Costa Brava and doing a loop through Andalucia and finishing in Majorca. As you can imagine, it was a sun-filled tapas and sangria fiesta and a lot of the indulgences occurred in the beautiful town of Seville where we spent a few days. When we arrived in Seville, we had already been travelling together alone for about a week and were hungry for some company, any company! We were out sampling some of the fine bars and tapas the region had to offer one night, when I spotted a couple of obviously-not-Spanish people I thought were staying in the same hostel as us. OK, so I had probably had a little too much sangria by this stage, but we all got chatting and had a fun night out (which ended up with me leaving a lot of my possessions behind at the bar, but that's another story).

Anyways, I didn't give a second thought to the guys we had been out with that night and we continued on our merry tour of Spain and I returned to London. Last week, I got home from work and got the shock of my life when one of them was standing in my kitchen! Turns out he is the 'friend' of my flatmates who came to London to stay with us for a week! Was quite embarrassing, but funny since it is such a massive co-incidence. It just goes to show, you are never safe...

Christmas lights already?

2007-11-15T15:32:00.000Z

I'm one of those people who denies Christmas is coming up until about the 10th December when I realise I have about five seconds to buy a million expensive presents for everyone. It's kind of hard to ignore though when such a fuss is made in London over something so seemingly small as switching on a few Christmas lights. Last week, Oxford Street was crammed for the traditional switching-on ceremony, with the switch-flicking being done by such 'high-calibre' celebrities as Leona Lewis (winner of the UK X-Factor) and Westlife. Admittedly, the lights are beautiful, even if every year they are centred around a tacky Disney movie theme (this year it is something called Enchanted I think, at least that's better than Ice Age 2, like it was last year). The lead-up to Christmas is definitely a beautiful time to be in London. Yes, it's dark and yes, it's freezing but there's nothing quite like walking down a frosty Oxford St in your coat and mittens with a million sparkling lights shining down on you. Try to ignore the frantic Christmas shoppers and it really is lovely.

Nerd abroad

2007-11-14T15:08:00.000Z

I just love London. Last night I dragged Paul along to a book event in Waterstones (read: gigantic multiple storey book shop) so we could meet Patricia Cornwell. Yes, it's somewhat embarrassing that I love these book events, but I have been a fan of her Kay Scarpetta novels for a good ten years. She has just released her 16th Scarpette book so a book tour (and apparently her only book signing in the world for this novel) was held. It was actually a really good night - although we did have to go for drinks afterwards since, unlike the last book event I went to, there was no wine provided at this one. (I know, disgrace, what do they think I paid my 3 quid for?!) Patricia Cornwell was great to see though - she is really down to earth although, somewhat strangely, talks about her characters like they are real people. To the extent of answering questions in the form of 'I'll ask Kay and let you know'. But it was all done with a sense of humour so I don't think she's a real crackpot. I guess the other excuse is that she has been immersed in these characters for a good 20 years, so can be forgiven for beocoming quite attached to them. She also had these two massive security guards, complete with earpieces. Must be the downfall of being a forensic thriller author - I can imagine she attracts a few psychos. Anyways, book events are definitely my tip for cheap, enjoyable nights out in London (if you're into this kind of thing). You only pay £3 and you get that deducted off the price of the book being promoted if you buy it on the night to get signed by the author. Not bad (especially when you get the free wine). Tonight Russell Brand is promoting his new book at Waterstones. but I can't be bothered queuing. I think he might just be a little more popular than PC.

Spanish highlights

2007-11-05T14:58:00.000Z

One of the best, and most unexpected, delights of our fab trip was a visit to the Arab/Hamman baths in Cordoba. We were walking through the dusty cobblestoned streets when Kimberely spotted this mosaic oasis and suggested we go for a spa and a massage. Not being one to complain about these sorts of things, I raced back to our hostel to grab our cozzies and then returned to a blissful few hours in the most peaceful and relaxing place I have ever been. After a brief flashing incident on my behalf (seems these things always happen to me) we first spent 10 minutes in the warm pool you see in this photo. Then we moved on to steaming hot baths in a darkened room lit by candles (very nice but a little weird if you happened to be sharing the same bath as a hairy spaniard - we tried to avoid him). After the hot water opened the pores you then were supposed to go into the next stage of baths filled with freezing cold water. But since this was pretty unbearable, I mostly skipped these and went back to the warm baths (probably negating all the good things that were supposed to be happening to my skin!). if that wasn't blissful enough, we then had massages. All for a smart 28 euro! Bargain if you're spending pounds, and not too hefty in Aussie dollars either..

Check it out - Hammam Spain

Back from Spain

2007-11-02T13:00:00.000Z

I've been really slack with posting lately - been too busy with work, life and holidays which is not a bad way to be I suppose! The last two weeks were beautifully spent sunning myself in Spain, a holiday I have been wanting to take for a long time and which was even better since it was spent with a friend from home that I had not seen in ages. I revisited Barcelona (could still go back there a million more times), then flew to Seville, train to Cordoba, bus to Granada and then flying back to Majorca and back to good old Gatwick. Although I will always hold Barcelona in a very special place in my heart (this city just has so much to offer!), I have to say that Andalucia is stunning and definitely worth a visit. The Islamic influence in the religious buildings, history, architecture and even in the shops is so beautiful and interesting, and of course the sun shines hotter in the south!

Some highlights:

The largest cathedral in Europe in Seville - this place is gigantic and is home to the tomb of Christopher Colombus and a tower you can climb up for a view over the whole city.
The BEST TAPAS IN SPAIN (yes I'm going to go out on a limb and say it). This place we found by recommendation in Cordoba was everything you want from a tapas restaurant - authentic, fresh, extremely reasonable and completely delicious. It's called Meson San Basilio. Definitely the best tapas I have ever had. The tomate con sal (tomatoes with salt) is possibly the most simple, yet most delicious dish ever.
L'Alhambra in Granada - a majestic Islamic-inspired palace which sits on the hill overlooking the city. Filled with stunning architecture, dramatic gardens, peaceful courtyards and outstanding views over the city.
Our Spanish villa in Granada, Vista Alhambra - rooftop views over the city and directly next to the Alhambra. Completely reasonable for a self-contained apartment and lovely people. Many an afternoon was spent basking on the roof in the beautiful sun.
Crazy nights out in Barcelona - if I had any idea the places I was, I would recommend them! Oh, and Arab baths in Cordoba (these deserve their own post - it will come soon)

The sumptuous lifestyle in Mallorca - could anyone say no to million-dollar yachts, a stunning poolside (and beachside) villa and the best Japanese restuarant to be found in Spain?
There are more, many more, but for now will just put some piccies:

The beautiful Alcazar (palace and gardens) in Seville:
On the Costa Brava:
Once I get my Flickr account sorted out, there will be more... Meanwhile back in London, the clocks have changed and we're settling down for a cosy winter.

World Cup? What World Cup?

2007-10-16T21:39:00.000+01:00

We came, we saw and we....ummmm, tried really hard and failed to obtain the revenge we so richly deserved after victory was so cruelly snatched from us in October 2003, by a fetchingly handsome blonde man in some little white shorts. And that's all I will say on the matter. Fair play to England - they have done well and if they can manage to crawl back from the 36-0 earlier defeat to SA (or whatever it was) then they deserve to retain the cup. I just don't want to hear any gloating about it, at all. Having an English boyfriend, you can imagine this is quite problematic.

So, I won't have to put up with any of it this weekend though as I'm off to Spain! Considering there are still plenty of rays of sunshine to be caught at this time of year in the beautiful South of Spain, I am heading over for 10 days. Starting off in Barcelona and the Costa Brava, Kim and I are heading down to Seville, Cordoba, Granada and then back up to Mallorca to visit a friend. The days in London are wavering between cold and bearable, so it will be nice to get some sun. Seville, Cordoba and Granada in particular look beautiful and I'm very excited. The great thing about being a working holiday maker, is that I don't feel an ounce of guilt that I just got back from a two week jaunt in the US and am already taken myself off on another adventure. Love it.

Another year, another 10k

2007-10-02T23:08:00.000+01:00

Well, no matter what you say about Londoners, at least we know they will turn out and make an effort for a good cause. Thousands of runners and supporters turned up on Sunday for our 10k run for cancer research. It was a lovely day and I am proud to say that Paul and I raised just under £200 - ok so it's not that much but every little bit helps right? I was very thrilled because i ran the 10k in just under 61 minutes, beating my time from last year (and this one was run on grass, not concrete!) I feel a huge sense of achievement and am quite proud of myself, thanks very much! It was such a nice feeling though - all those people out to support you and cheer you over the finishing line (even though I was looking hideously red and exhausted by that stage). I'm sure they raised thousands, and since pretty all of us know someone close to us who has been affected by cancer, then it really is the least we can do.

Sin City

2007-09-29T17:53:00.000+01:00

Vegas - what can you say? It's nothing short of completely mental - the weirdest place I have ever been. But so, so cool. We were only there for two nights and that was probably long enough (considering I'm the world's worst gambler). Although my Nan taught me from an early age the best tips for pokie playing, I'm afraid I was a little out of my depth when it came to the hardcore gamblers that you see by the thousands in Vegas. I was more excited to wander around soaking up the atmosphere and seeing the bizarre sights of a rollercoaster in a casino, a complete replica of Parisian monuments, an indoor replica of Venetian canals and in fact the entire Italian city (see pic), snowlions alongside palm trees, tobacco chewing gallon-hat wearing texans playing roulette, the famous water show outside the Bellagio, and all the fabulous crazy sights that make Vegas the wondrous fantasy it is.

The City of Angels

2007-09-22T16:59:00.000+01:00

OK, so I have been really bad at writing anything lately about my trip. I think because it was such a good time and we did so many things that choosing to write about any aspect of it is a little overwhelming!

Everyone is interested in LA I guess, so that's what I'll talk about. It's not as great or as glamourous as you would think. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, and there are so many cool things to see and do, but it's a bit of a pain to visit as a tourist, everything is massively spread out, and if you don't know where you're going, you're screwed. And Hollywood Boulevard is pretty tacky. I wasn't expecting the streets to be lined with gold or anything, but I was a little disappointed at how cruddy bits of the city were. But then there are the glamourous bits too - Rodeo Drive (great to wander around and pretend you can afford stuff), Orange Country (not technically LA but close enough), Santa Monica (verging on tacky but quite nice still) and lots of beautiful little boutiques (once you know where to go). I think LA is the kind of city you would appreciate much more if you actually lived there - it's quite difficult for a tourist to fall in love with in a few short days.
Although when I was sipping a Mai Tai cocktail in the lavishly decorated Ashton Kutcher-owned Geisha House, I definitely felt my affection growing. We didn't make it to Disneyland unfortunately, instead choosing to head to Orange County for some gorgeous beaches and cruising with the top down. It was actually at the next beach around from Laguna Beach (of MTV fame) that I took a proper plunge in the ocean for the first time in the holiday (everywhere else was too cold and I just froclicked by the water's edge like an idiot) and it was wonderful to feel that exhilaration you get from swimming in the waves. That feeling is definitely nowhere to be had in London!

Back to reality

2007-09-16T13:22:00.000+01:00

Getting back from a holiday and going straight back to work is exhausting - I think I need another holiday already! At least I have some cool photos to look back on. I will put some here and upload the rest on Flickr when I get the chance. Unfortunately my pics from San Francisco aren't the best because my camera, which has served me loyally for four years or so, decided to pack it in on the second day of our holiday when we were on our way to Alcatraz. It's just died. Typical! Luckily we had a camcorder with us (yes, blatant tourists) which took some still, but they weren't great quality. So I used that as an excuse to go shopping and buy a new camera - after which my pics dramatically improved. These are some of my favourites from San Francisco - there's more to come, don't worry!...

Having coffee in the square on a Sunday, watching the art exhibition and passersby..
The sign that greets you when you enter Alcatraz...
The famous streets of San Francisco...

When I have uploaded some more, i'll put a link up.

In other news - since I got back, I have been frantically trying to go to the gym (when I say frantically, I mean twice this week) because Paul and I are doing a 10K run for charity in a couple of weeks and I don't want to collapse half way through. Paul is still trying to get out of it (I think two weeks of eating in the US has taken it's toll) but I am definitely still dragging him along. We are running 10K for cancer research UK on Sunday 30 September. Any support in the form of donations are muchly welcomed - as I want to feel like the blisters and pain are really worth it! If you are able to sponsor us, we have an online donation page here. Thanks for any support! And I will of course let you all know how it goes.

America, America.....

2007-09-07T23:11:00.001+01:00

This will just be a quick one as I'm scabbing free internet in a library in Austin, Texas. Yes, I've been quiet the past two weeks cause I've been having too much fun in the US! We have been having the best time and I'm not exactly looking forward to getting back to 'real life' in London. Just quickly, some highlights (and there have been too many to mention here) have been:
- touring the spooky enclaves of Alcatraz in San Francisco
- clam chowder, fish tacos, fresh oysters in California...and wine tasting!
- singing 'take me out to the ballgame' and eating garlic fries watching the San Francisco Giants play ball (ok, so the garlic fries were NOT a good idea but at least they were memorable!)
- the breathtaking coastline between San Fran and LA: secluded beaches, sea lions, mesmerising fog, thick forests
- sunbathing in Malibu and imagining I'm in Baywatch
- touring Laguna Beach and the amazing beaches of Orange County and imagining I'm in a MTV reality series/The O.C
- cocktails in Ashton Kutcher's Japanese-inspired LA nightspot, Geisha
- penny slots in the Bellagio in Vegas! (I was too scared of the tables but Paul had a go)
- swimming in the natural watering hole in Austin and gorging on Tex-Mex food!
- shopping, everywhere

So much fun crammed into two little weeks. We still have a couple more days to explore Austin - the 'live music capital of the world'. I have to say, i have enjoyed the US a lot more than I thought I would. The friendliness and hospitality of the Americans is supreme (even more reason for me to continually berate, much to the annoyance of all my lovely friends, the appalling levels of service you get in the UK). And the heat! God bless the heat. I have bought lots of beautiful summer clothes that I'm sure the UK is already going to be too cold for, but I have been deprived of this kind of sun/heat too long and must take advantage :) I'm hoping I can still squeeze some more skirt-wearing into what's left of the UK summer - can't let this 'tan' (sunburn) go to waste.

Will put up some photos etc when I get back to London - on Monday. See y'all!

Four days to go...

2007-08-21T21:09:00.001+01:00

Only four days to go till I hit the sunny sands of California! We're flying out of Gatwick early on Saturday morning and I can't wait. Who would have thought going on holiday could be so stressful though? I'm beside myself making sure everything is organised - hotels in four different cities, rental cars, insurance, tickets for various events, etc etc. Lets not even get started on packing. I might need another holiday to get over this one! It's the longest one I would have had in ages though. Since moving to the UK I have been the queen of mini breaks - managing to see countless cities and countries on weekenders and four dayers. My longest holidays have been only a week or 10 days, so I'm relishing two whole weeks of relaxation. I just hope Paul and I don't kill eachother - living together and holidaying for two weeks together are two different things! :)

We're flying out of Gatwick, so will avoid the protests going on at Heathrow against the construction of a new runway and the consequent affects on climate change. While so many people are bagging out the protestors and dismissing them as 'dirty, troublesome hippies' I for one are thankful that there are people out there making a stand when so many of us are too lazy to bother. As a traveller in complete appreciation of the wonders of seeing other places and countries, I still feel guilty about the impact all my air travel in the past year has had on the environment. And I think more measures should be put in place to reduce these impacts - and of course it is major operators like BA, other airlines and major airports need to think more about. Sure, I am feeding the market just as much as other people, but we use these services because they are available to us. If Heathrow needs to build another airport to relieve congestion - fine. If it's going to result in even more opportunities for air travel and more airlines, then no, it's not. Maybe we'll all just have to learn to take the train more instead.

Homesick...

2007-08-14T21:35:00.000+01:00

Well - that's it. I'm all alone. My family has completely abandoned me. Not only did my sister choof off home from Germany in February but now my brother went and got his work permit rejected and flew back to Australia for good yesterday. How inconsiderate of them all. I guess it's perhaps my fault for choosing to live over the other side of the world...

Being apart from your family sux. And it's not like my family is a huge lovely-dovey/can't live without eachother entity - but it still sux being over a 20hour flight and a couple of time zones away from the people who've known you since you were a snot-covered, nappy-clad little brat and love you anyway. It's times like these when I have to focus hard on the cool things I am doing over here - my flourishing (?) freelance career, my impending trip to the US, etc. Getting homesick is definitely a big part of living overseas, for me anyway, although you will find plenty of people who it doesn't bother at all. Something tells me no-one would knock back a cuddle from mum/dad/the family pet every now and again though.

Land of Smiles

2007-08-10T12:12:00.000+01:00

Since this is a travel blog, I didn't think it was too off-topic to spruik this cool little documentary my little sis has made. Check it out - Land of Smiles is a snapshot into life in Thailand and the refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border where she visited and worked for a few weeks.

Weekend in Bristol

2007-08-09T11:59:00.000+01:00

The trip to Bristol was a massive success - and I'd highly recommend it for a day trip or weekend out of London. If you don't mind quite a smallish city, or students, I think it would also be quite nice to live there. Eight of us went there for a couple of nights last weekend - some by car and some got the National Express bus for about 15 quid return (if we booked earlier, the prices were at about 5 quid return - bargain!). We stayed near Clifton which is one of the nicest areas in Bristol, with endless cafes, boutiques and rows of stunning Georgian houses. There is also the world's first suspension bridge (see pic), which spans the river Avon and a massive green gorge - a landscape that reminded me of Australia. My photos from Saturday aren't that great as the sky was a bit grey - but we did do a little boat cruise around the canals of the city which was a great way to explore (and was only 4 quid - another bargain!). Friday and Saturday nights were spent frequenting the wide variety of bars/restaurants/pubs in the city (some definitely better than others) and Sunday was spent walking up to the gorge, and down it for those who could be bothered (not me). After stopping for a late morning Pimms at the beautiful Avon Gorge Hotel we then spent a really nice afternoon at the Bristol Zoo and Gardens (complete with a Calippo - something I always used to get when visiting Taronga Zoo as a little'un).

All in all, Bristol was better than I expected. It has some fascinating architectural sights and an interesting history - in the time it was basically the centre of the British slave trade and since this year celebrates 200 years since the abolition of slavery, there are a few interesting exhibitions and a lot of awareness being raised about the event and this part of Bristol's past. Bristol is also the home of the 'art terrorist' Banksy - and his great artworks/designs/graffiti (whatever you want to call it) can be viewed in various spots all over the city, most notably his design (see pic) which is on the wall of a sexual health clinic. It was a really interesting, fun weekend - so Bristol definitely gets my recommendation as an English destination.

Sunny summer times

2007-08-03T11:35:00.000+01:00

It's been a brilliantly sunny week (finally!) and obviously I've been too busy out and about to update my blog more regularly... This weekend, in our quest to help Ben see as many UK cities as possible in his last couple of weeks, we are off to Bristol. I picked this destination completely randomly, so I'm hoping it will be ok! I've heard some nice things thankfully and to be honest, all we need is a couple of nice restaurants, some bars and some sunshine and we'll be happy (although Shell is campaigning for a visit to Bristol Zoo). It's the children's magazine editor inside her.

Since he is departing UK shores in a couple of weeks, Ben has taken himself off to Edinburgh and Newcastle this week. He was a big fan of Edinburgh (I hope he did the ghost tour I never got to do) but I think he hasn't been that impressed with Newcastle! Ah well, there's only so much excitement you can get from a mini replica Sydney Harbour Bridge I suppose. I quite liked Newcastle but I think it's the kind of place that is better to go with a group rather than on your own (at least you could then compete with the hideous amount of stags and hens). London-wise he's still go to on the Eye, and we all went to see Avenue Q a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if I mentioned it, but it was brilliant! It is hilarious and well-worth seeing, but perhaps not with your grandmother. It's possibly the only musical I will ever see that involved a puppet sex scene.

There's also a new Dali exhibition on at the Tate I want to go see. So much to do, so little time....

The day I met JK Rowling

2007-07-21T18:01:00.000+01:00

One of the great things about living in a top-class global city like London is that there are always glitzy events and premieres happening on your doorstep! OK, so you may not always be able to get IN but chances are when you move here, you will spot a half-decent celebrity in a matter of months (and no, we're not talking Hayley from Home and Away standard - PROPER celebrities). Anyways, last week I had the joy of attending the UK launch of the new Harry Potter book at the Natural History Museum and met one of the hugest author celebrities of my time - JK Rowling. The four of us won four of only 1700 tickets and had the privilege (?) of queuing at intervals from midnight to get our free copy of the book and met JK herself. They even did the museum up to look like Hogwarts (see left). By 2am I was a little sozzled after some G and Ts in Soho, so I was severely struggling by the time we made it to the hallowed room where JK herself sat - at about 4am. But it was worth the wait. She was almost ethereal - and really is stunning up in person. It is captivating that she has produced fantastical stories that have travelled through the hearts and minds of children and adults the world over - and there I was completely toasted when she signed my (now very much coveted) book. oh well - this just wouldn't happen back in Sydney. Reasons why I love London #467

When oh when will I go home...

2007-07-05T15:07:00.000+01:00

Had some good news this week - got my passport returned to me with a big fat Residence Permit in it, thanks very much. Although the process is now quite smoother for people, it took me almost a year to organise my HSMP! Have to admit, this was not only down to the daft worker who miscalculated my earnings (causing my first application to be rejected) but the fact that I left it five months before applying for my Leave to Remain. But now I have it in my hot little hand - permission to stay until 2009. I know I probably won't be here till then, but it is so nice to have the option should I choose (especially since that without my visa, I would be shipped off home in a matter of weeks). I do feel like I have betrayed Australia a little -having 'UK resident' stamped in my passport. It does make me think about how much i miss home. I thought this was nice - towards the end. It's how I'm sure I will feel about Sydney when I go back.

In the meantime though - there is lots of fun in London to be had. Tomorrow night we are going to see a comedy musical Avenue Q which has been receiving rave reviews and has been recommended to me by countless people. It is supposed to be hilarious so am looking forward to it. Have also spent this week planning a farewell weekend for my brother in Bristol. Yes, I'm being abandoned by my big brother who is leaving the UK after two years to return home to Australian shores. So, Bristol here we come...

Snow (well, almost) in July

2007-07-05T14:23:00.000+01:00

Now, don't want to put anyone off who is perhaps sitting around in an Australian winter looking forward to a UK summer - but it virtually snowed here this week. Apparently there was some surge in heat which contrasted with the quite cold temps we have been having, which resulted in a whole lot of snow-like hail being dumped over London (only in England, honestly!). This night I was on my way to try out a fab new bar in Clapham with one of my partners in crime, got off the bus and my completely unsuitable snow footwear was submerged in a pile of ice. See photos...

Most smart people are jetting off to Portugal, Croatia, Spain etc in the hope that when they return the weather will have improved slightly - while I am just sitting here looking forward to my two weeks in California (less than 8 weeks to go - keep plummeting US dollar, thank you!). I am trying to plan a weekend of camping in Cornwall for August (the beachy corner of England) and am currently looking into caravans and tent bookings. Takes me back to my childhood years running amok in Narrabeen caravan park - oh the memories!

A rainy day at Wimbledon

2007-07-02T14:57:00.000+01:00

You must understand that getting up at any time before 10am on a Saturday morning is a big thing for me - I just love to sleep and there is no better time to do this than Saturday morning. So getting up at 7am to go to Wimbledon was a big commitment - but i was excited. I was excited...so chose to ignore the ominous clouds and smatterings of rain - perhaps this was not such a great idea. But we went to join the famous queue (even getting a sticker saying 'i queued at Wimbledon 2007' for our efforts) and we stood in the rain for two hours building with anticipation before finally entering the hallowed, manicured grounds of Wimbledon. I was thrilled to be there (albeit dressed in a fetching poncho I had procured for free with a purchase of the Daily Mail) so I didn't mind so much that it was grey, rainy and packed. Understandably, I was extremely disappointed when after 8 hours there, both drenched, we decided to call it a day having only seen 40 minutes of tennis. This sounds disastrous - and I have to say I wasn't the happiest camper - but believe it or not, I had a great day. There is something wonderful about finally actually visiting a place that you have heard about and watched on TV since you were a small child. And it does have a festival atmosphere - despite the rain, everyone was happily standing by the courts, devouring strawberries and cream or even standing by the champagne and Pimms tent in the rain. And there were plenty of Aussies around, draped in the flag or in green shorts and yellow clown wigs, there to join the Wayne train. So yes, it was a successful day. And, what makes it the best UK event I have attended so far? It rained, so we get our money back! Now you don't get that at Glastonbury! Best 18 pounds I've ever (not) spent!

Tiger Tim and Wimbledon

2007-06-26T14:19:00.000+01:00

Yes it's tough being a freelancer. I've currently got my feet up in the office watching Wimbledon streamed live onto my computer. Tim Henman is playing Carlos Moya and might actually win (he's known for being a bit of a choker). Everyone is quite excited as he is the only British hopeful - as Scot Andy Murray bowed out over the weekend with an injury. I love the 'popping' sound of tennis balls resonating around a silent stadium packed with thousands of people.
I'm praying for the sun to come out in force cause I'm planning to brave the queue for Wimbledon on Saturday. I think visiting the hallowed tennis ground, drinking Pimms and eating the iconic strawberries and cream is something every Aussie should do while here - especially since being Australian has meant that we're usually glued to the tournament every year since birth. Apparently you have to queue for a couple of hours - so it better not rain. We can't have soggy strawberries!

Paris for a day

2007-06-21T12:08:00.000+01:00

It's got to be one of the best things about living in London. Paris is literally a short train ride away and you can, like Paul has done today, just head over for lunch and be back in London for dinner. The lucky bugger was supposed to be going for work but the guy he was supposed to be going to the conference with cancelled, so instead of letting the Eurostar ticket go to waste, Paul thought the sensible thing to do would be, of course, to go anyway. So while I'm whiling away the day staring at a computer screen, he is wandering down the Champs Elysses and drinking cafe au lait. As alluring as the Pret a Manger on Tottenham Court Road is, I think I know where I would rather be!

Weather forecast spells doom for Glastonbury

2007-06-18T21:17:00.000+01:00

Good old UK - put on a festival and you're guaranteed a forecast of rain, rain, couple of thunderstorms and more rain. The famous Glastonbury festival is this weekend and according to BBC weather, it's not looking good. Due to my hatred of all things camping, I won't be attending this year, but Shell and Ray are heading off complete with new tent, gumboots, copious amounts of alcohol and a set of Travel Johns (I won't even go into what Travel Johns are - I'll let you do your own research. Lets just say Shell is also looking forward to the ShePee tent!) The line-up looks good (The Killers, The Who, Arctic Monkets, Kaiser Chiefs) and I'm sure it's going to be a fab weekend - if a muddy one.

The O2 Wireless Festival was this last weekend (and escaped the rain) - apparently it was another great fest. Upcoming is Hyde Park Calling, Reading Festival, Fruitstock (the Innocent Village Fete), Get Loaded in the Park etc etc etc... the UK is the place to be if you love to get amongst thousands of other dirty revellers! For some reason, I'm not attending a single one. Yes, a little bit dull I know - I've been trying to save money and just haven't got around to getting tickets to anything (and getting tickets to events like Glastonbury requires the same amount of effort as taking over a small country). If only I wasn't so lazy...

Why I should have stayed working at Elephant & Castle

2007-06-14T13:58:00.001+01:00

Working in a dodgy area with no shops or shiny things is sometimes a good thing. Now that I work about 5 mins from Oxford St, here is what I went out at lunch time to get:

1 birthday card.

This is what I actually came back with:

2 postcards
1 copy of To Kill a Mockingbird (which although I have read, apparently I need)
1 cappuccino frappe (I was thirsty)
1 pair of shiny new red shoes
1 birthday card

hmmmmmm...if only I had any kind of willpower, I could be a rich woman.

Berg pics and Planning US Adventure Part 1

2007-06-12T15:26:00.000+01:00

I was very proud of myself and thought I had taken some great videos with my digital camera at the Berg, but I must have had a little too much beer because when I have actually looked at them on screen, they are too dark to see anything! So, in lieu of my video, I've uploaded a couple of photos instead. You can't really see much, but you get a bit of the idea ie beautiful, leafy Germany and thousands of beer-drinking revellers!

I don't know if I have mentioned it here before but my next BIG trip is to the US for two weeks in August/September. I am very excited. Although going to the US never interested me that much before, after travelling quite a lot in Europe last year (and a short jaunt to North Africa) I'm looking for travel opps further afield! So far, our itinerary is: flying into San Francisco, driving down to LA (taking three nights and leaving ample time to explore Californian wineries), driving from LA to Vegas (not that keen on Vegas but I guess you have to go once in your life - am steering Paul WELL AWAY from any little chapels) and then, on request from Paul, going to Austin, Texas for two nights. Everyone seems miffed by this last choice - Paul just wants to go because he has been once before and loved it - although I suspect he is having tobacco-chewing cowboy fantasies again. I have read into Austin a bit and it looks like quite a nice place so hopefully it will be ok! Will update when more plans are made!

A touch of Portugal in...Kennington?

2007-06-11T12:52:00.000+01:00

Back at work now on Monday but had a lovely weekend - well, had a lovely Sunday since I had to work a whole day on Saturday (oh the things contractors are expected to do for NO extra pay above normal day rate....). Anyways, I'm still carrying a bug thanks to no sleep and lots of beer last weekend so was not feeling too peachy but we still managed to make it along to a bizarre but quite fun portugese festival in Kennington yesterday. Think hundreds of portugese families, topless men and scantily-clad girls in Ronaldo tops, the latest portugese pop stars belting their tunes out to the crowd, and plates piled high with chargrilled (black) chicken, sardines and chorizo. The beer and portugese wine was flowing (as well as some suspicious looking pineapple-flavoured soft drink thing) and it was a lovely afternoon in the sun. Thanks to some badly-applied fake tan (during the past year in England I have gone even whiter than i ever thought possible, even for me) I was grateful for the chance to bask in the rays and even up the stark line down my arm! The humidity has stuck around but it's gone a bit cloudy today - at least we have daylight till about 10pm now.

Started a new contract today so have gladly left the hideous roundabout of Elephant and Castle and am now loving working back at Tottenham Court Rd, a mere 15 mins from Miss Selfridge, Top Shop etc. Not great for my bank balance but a girl's gotta live..

In recovery...

2007-06-05T18:34:00.000+01:00

Note: going back to work after a long weekend at a German beer festival is very, very difficult. Also note: flying back into London at 7am and then going to work is also not much fun.

But, yes, it was worth it. We had a mad weekend at the Berg in Erlangen and the fact that I can barely flutter my eyelids to awake mode right now is irrelevant. It is impossible to describe the feeling of standing on a bench looking down over a sea of thousands of Germans, all jumping, dancing, singing (some of them half-naked depending on the time) and all clutching to a giant stein of beer from the cellar of their choice (of which there are over a dozen to choose from). But it's not all about the beer - it's an entire carnival with sideshows, rides and of course the devilish German carb-pumped cuisine which I have come to love. I defy anyone who says they wouldn't enjoy munching into a giant pretzel smothered with Emmental cheese - or my fave currywurst mit pommes frites. It's enough to send the scales running from my bathroom but tasty, oh so tasty! I actually have a video to show of my travels this time (yes, i finally remembered to use this function on my camera - as the music, lights and drunken yelling of the Berg can not possibly be conveyed through stills....). I will upload soon!

Another long weekend

2007-05-28T22:03:00.001+01:00

I can't believe how many long weekends they have in this country. Not that I'm complaining - it's brilliant - and now I have only three days of work before we head off to Germany for the Bergkirchweih (three days of beer, beer and more beer...and then some giant pretzels). Only disadvantage of this is that because I am now a freelancer, I only actually get paid for the work that I do (and no paid holidays) so only working for three days means I only get paid for three days. But that's what budgeting is for I suppose. Thankfully the beer in Germany is cheap.

Have started playing netball again and we have our second game tomorrow night. Unfortunately at the end of last week I wrecked my ankle so don't know if I will actually be able to play anymore. We will see. I haven't been to the gym in about two weeks so better do some kind of exercise!

Nae bother, just go to Edinburgh

2007-05-22T13:21:00.000+01:00

Well the sun has come out in London again, but my new favourite place is Edinburgh. We had such a nice weekend there - it is beautiful, the people are unbelievably helpful and friendly (compared to London anyway), and there are plenty of places to visit, alleys to explore and great bars, restaurants and cafe's (obviously one of the most important attributes!). See my updated photostream-thingy down the right hand side for some pics of the castle and various other sites in the Georgian new town (which is really not so new) and the Old Town - the side of town where the castle and the Royal Mile is. We didn't really do much except walk, eat and drink, but it's exactly the sort of city where you can happily do nothing but. And if you get lost, there are plenty of people to help you out or point you in the right direction, along with a friendly "Nae bother!" (in London if you asked a bus driver for help he would just pretend he didn't hear you). Due to a mix-up with our booking, we were effectively upgraded to stay at the Canon Court Apartments which gave us a one bedroom apartment with huge bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room for a reduced rate (we deserved this due to the near heart-attack I suffered when I was told on Thursday afternoon that our booking at another nearby guest house hadn't been confirmed for the right dates - their fault - and that we didn't have a room at all. A few deep breaths and some frantic phone calls later it was thankfully solved).

On Sunday we took a short bus ride to Leith which is by the water and had a huge pot of mussels and a glass of wine at a beautiful restaurant by a lock. Absolute bliss - I must have put on about a hundred kilos though. Oh well! More on Edinburgh later - am going outside to enjoy the London sun!

There's a mouse in the house..

2007-05-16T16:23:00.000+01:00

We have a small hairy problem in our house. Apparently this is par for the course while living in London (and incidentally, next to a Chinese restaurant) and I guess I should be happy that this is the first time we have had this problem. Sim was terrorised my a small furry friend all last year - to the extent that she would come home and find the little mouse sitting on her pillow and munching on her clothes. And now we have a little rodent of our own - how nice. Shell's screams yesterday alerted us to the fact! Now apparently we must get mouse traps etc which I really want absolutely nothing to do with (I don't think I could handle if it I was the one to discover the corpse!). Perhaps we need a cat...

I am currently on a contract working for a government department which has actually been quite good and suprisingly well-paid. However I am suffering as it's now 4.30pm (yes I am working, shhhh) and normally about this time I would be contentedly sipping some tea. Yet this place (shock/horror/gasp!) does not supply tea and/or coffee and I am suffering severe withdrawals. You even have to bring in your own milk - I severely object.

Up in the UK Newie

2007-05-14T15:37:00.000+01:00

We went up to Newcastle on the weekend - probably a good idea since the rain has come back with a vengeance (we knew this April summer madness couldn't last). Newcastle is waayyy up north and is actually not too bad a place. It sits on the River Tyne and has some nice coastal spots and even a mini Sydney Harbour Bridge (apparently it was built around the same time by the same architect as kind of a prototype - but I could be misinformed..) It is also (somewhat unfortunately) the stag and hen night capital of the UK so wherever you go, you can spot groups of sexed-up men or sad looking ladies in pink sashes and tiaras. The nightlife is pretty good though - we sampled it when I ventured up there in my first few months in the UK. This time it was a BBQ at Nicola's house for her birthday which was just as good, and involved around the same measures of alcohol. We stayed in Jesmond, which is a pretty, convenient area for anyone looking to visit Newcastle - there are a ton of reasonably priced hotels (but if you don't want to share it with a bunch of stags and students, maybe head elsewhere).

We also visited some nice coastline - like the beach at Tynemouth which if you close your eyes and squint, could pass for a beach down the south coast of New South Wales somewhere. Nearby is also the famous Hadrian's Wall which I didn't get the chance to see (ok, so it's only a wall but it's around 2000 years old and was built by a Roman emperor which I think is pretty cool). I really want to get around and see more of the UK this year - as there are some quality places to go which are so cheap as compared to London. I'm heading to Edinburgh this weekend which I'm very excited about. Got to make the death-haul to Gatwick but oh well - at least it is not Stansted! (I'm reserving that for my trip to Germany in a few weeks..).

Pru and Kylie...

2007-05-10T14:45:00.000+01:00

After all my huge ideas about how I was going to maximise my long weekend by going to some gorgeous, exotic destination - I ended up doing nothing but relaxing (and eating) for three long days. Which, I have to say, was actually quite enjoyable. I have made the resolution that I want to visit more museums in London, since there are so many good ones (all of them free) and since I first arrived here and went to a million in my first few months, I haven't really been to another. So the long weekend (and some quite dreary weather) was the perfect opportunity. I took a suprisingly compliant Paul along to the Victoria and Albert Museum (known as V & A for the cool locals) and saw the Kylie exhibition. I thought it might be a bit naff, but it was actually really entertaining. Paul got annoyed with me though as I kept incessantly repeating how I couldn't believe how tiny Kylie Minogue actually is (all her costumes are displayed on pint-sized Kylie mannequins). Now I'm the kind of size which people would class as slim and I am also a midget, and there is no way I could have fitted in some of those sequinned creations! The rest of the V & A is also fascinating (it's like a design/textiles/fashion museum) but we just didn't have enough time to see everything and so will have to go back. We also spent a good hour or so relaxing by the gorgeous lemon tree grove and fountain in the centre courtyard of the museum having a coffee in the sun, which took up quite a bit of time of our 'museuming'. The whole day was free, so you can't complain really!

Come on, i know you want to - here you can Dress up your own Kylie cut-out doll (I really hope this is aimed at children, otherwise it is just plain bizarre)

London on the cheap

2007-05-03T13:04:00.000+01:00

There's no shame to wanting to save a few pounds here or there while still wanting to enjoy the finer things in life. When you live in London and every £10 you spend could have gone on a flight to Paris/Berlin/Budapest you have to save the dosh where you can. A couple of weeks ago I had possible the cheapest evening I have ever had out in London while actually attending an interesting event (ie not just going to a bar and scabbing free drinks of everyone else). This may sound incredibly dorky, but I actually went to a book reading at my local Waterstones (a high street bookstore chain) and was pleasantly surprised. It was packed for starters, and the author was considerably famous - Marina Lewycka - who wrote the funny and sweet A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and has a new novel out called Two Caravans. She read excerpts from her latest novel, spoke about it and answered questions, and was thoroughly interesting. Before you think I've completely lost it, the other redeeming quality of the night was that there were free snacks and wine! I had dragged Shell along (she only came for the wine I suspect :) and tickets were only £3, which was subtracted from the cost of the book if you bought a signed copy. Not bad for a weeknight out I reckon.

While on the subject of wine and saving money, is it wrong that I have taken to buying wine online? This may sound like I am sinking into alcoholic depths, however it is incredibly economical if you get the frequent cheap deals from the major supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury's. And when you exist in a wine-drinking household such as hours, it is normal to expect that you are probably going to go through six bottles a month anyway..(right?), so why not just save the money by buying in bulk? Plus it saves you lugging the bottles back from the supermarket - a nice man delivers it to you! This is my money-saving tip for winos living in London anyway.

Plans, plans and more plans

2007-04-30T14:06:00.000+01:00

With the Summer getting closer and the weather getting warmer, it has come time to start planning my summer holidays, my favourite part of living in London! With a lot to top from last year's travels (Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Germany - three times, France - three times, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Morocco) I've got to start planning! The whole month back in Australia obviously took the toll on my finances but I've been (kind of) good and can start planning more ways of spending my money! Next weekend we are off to Newcastle again for a friend's birthday and the weekend after that I am FINALLY going to Edinburgh for a weekend. I'm quite excited about this as I have been wanting to go to Scotland for ages. Flights were pretty cheap (£80 each return)and at convenient times, and I've found what looks like and hopefully is.. a cute B&B in the centre of the Old Town of Edinburgh. Accommodation also quite cheap: £68 per night for double room with ensuite in a "mid-range" centrally located B&B. Excepting Australia, this will be my first trip out of England since skiing Switzerland in January so I'm itching to go somewhere new.

Other trips so far planned is the annual trip back to Erlangen, Germany for the Bergkirchweih - sure to be a huge three days AND, the most exciting, two weeks in the US in August! Not sure if the US is quite ready for me, but nevertheless we are heading to San Francisco, LA, Vegas and Austin, Texas for two weeks and I can't wait. The Californian wineries are not going to know what has hit them! And Shell is clueing me up on the celebrity mansions I have to stake out in LA. Hopefully I make it back in one piece - I'll probably get arrested trying to tail Jennifer Aniston. More updates about our itinerary to come as they are actually planned (all we have done so far is book flights!)

Happy ANZAC Day

2007-04-25T16:38:00.000+01:00

Today it's ANZAC day, and if ever there's a day I'm going to be homesick, it's today. And then I see images like this one - which get me all choked up and wishing I was standing in front of the Town Hall with the rest of my family waiting for my Nan to march past (and laugh with surprise when she sees us all waving frantically even though she knew we were there all along). My mum will without fail be holding back the tears and afterwards we would all go to a packed pub (usually packed with a bunch of young sailors, ahem) and have a beer or play some 2-up. So I guess that not only is it an extremely important day for all Australians and New Zealanders, but for my family too. I wonder what happened this year - as I have read that it was pouring. So I hope my Nan was ok! She probably just brought out her trademark brolly and red shoes :)

i didn't make it to Gallipoli this year. I intend to go there one day - but maybe not actually on ANZAC Day itself.A lot of travellers did make it over there today though. I hope they don't get all the news stories back home about how they desecrated the place - some idiots unfortunately just use it as an excuse to go somewhere, be loud and obnoxious and get drunk.

The Aussie pubs in London will be packed tonight. Our compensation for not getting the day off.

Sunshine and shopping

2007-04-19T14:09:00.000+01:00

The weather is gorgeous! BBQ round two will definitely be occurring this weekend - combined with a boules tournament in the park I think! I am temping this week which has been great. I got a short contract working on some different magazines so it has been a nice change of scenery for me. Only bad thing is I am working near Oxford Circus in dangerously close proximity to Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse and many other shopping havens (ie deathtraps for paupers like me.) I haven't reduced myself to heading to the gargantuan new Primark on Oxford Street yet - the riot scenes when it opened (I'm not kidding) were enough to put me off for at least a few weeks! It is the size of a shopping centre on it's own for god's sake. For the Aussies - Primark is kind of like Target but cheaper, and with better clothes. Even though they have a lot of crap - really cheap crap - you can find some bargains if you are willing to search - jostling and grabbing may or may not be required at some branches (and one must always deny that the items they are wearing are actually from Primark - even though you are guaranteed to get comments on how cute you look on a budget!) Although, a lot of times I have found myself in this conversation with girls from work
Girl: "wow, cute top!"
Me: "um, thanks"
Girl: (hesitation) "um, is it from Primark?"
Me: (after deciding whether I know this person well enough to admit i am wearing clothes from Primark, and whether they actually own the identical top in another colour): "yeh! it was a bargain!!"
Girl: "I know! i have the same top in blue. I love Primark!"

And the friendship is born...

The BBQ is finally baptised

2007-04-15T17:25:00.000+01:00

Yes we may have bought it back in August last year, but our BBQ is getting it's virgin run tonight (see it modelled beautifully here by Shell). The weather this weekend has been amazing and it would be criminal not to take advantage with some old-fashioned outdoor cuisine. I think everyone has had the same idea - Shell and Ray went to Homebase to pick up the missing part for our BBQ so we could get it working and apparently the BBQ section was crawling with happy punters! Temps hit a gorgeous 26 today which has just been bliss. This morning I was sunning in the overgrown, weed-ridden jungle that was once our manicured back garden - but with the sunshine Paul became filled with energy and did some mowing and weeding to return it to it's pre-winter state. I was cleaning up our side patio and was fishing plastic cups and cigarette butts from our house party last year out of the bushes (a clear indication that we haven't really been out there very much at all lately!). But our new outdoor furniture should be arriving next week and we are looking forward to lots of parties, BBQs and lazy Sundays in the sun. I love summer in England!

Did someone say 24 degrees?

2007-04-13T14:56:00.000+01:00

Bring out the sunscreen, slap on the shorts and roll out the ice cream vans - predicted weather for tomorrow in London is a gorgeous 24 degrees! Scoff not, all you Aussies who think that just sounds like a warm winter day in Sydney, over here 24 degrees may as well be a sweltering day at the beach! I aim not to be a moaning Aussie who complains about the UK weather (and to be honest, you really do get used to it) but the thermometer going above 20 really is something to be celebrated at every opportunity. And 24 in April really is quite impressive - rest assured, I have a table by the Thames drinking Pimms tomorrow with my name written all over it. Summer's on it's way! (First I have to recover from my rather large night out at a charming little pub in Holland park last night - The Prince of Wales http://www.professorharbottle.co.uk/pub/londonwest/princeow3.html ) Ben is off to Brighton this weekend I think - it is going to be pumping with pasty English sunbaking on the beach!

Last weekend was of course Easter and it was also gorgeous weather then. We all went to the Cotwalds to get a nice home-cooked Easter meal by Ma and Pa Seddon and ended up doing quite a lot of reclining and relaxing in the sun and eating quite a lot of chocolate and cheese - perfect really! As it was Shannon's first time in this beautiful part of the English countryside we took her on a tour to some of the must-see hyphenated villages in the Cotswalds such as Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water (didn't make it to Stratford-upon-Avon this time as I have been there three times already and am really getting over it!). Of course had to stop by the organic dairy Daylesford and ogle at all the nice food we can't afford (well, we did buy some cheese - i've always got pounds for Daylesford cheese!). All in all, a very successful Easter weekend.

This is me - my 'visual DNA' (apparently)

2007-04-04T12:24:00.000+01:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Rise in costs of UK visas - what do you think?

2007-04-02T16:11:00.000+01:00

I'm doing a mini survey for the WORKgateways newsletter I write for, about the recent hike in costs of UK visas. If you are not aware, the prices of all UK visas has been dramatically increased, as of today. Working holiday visas and Ancestry visas which used to cost £85, now cost £200. The price of Entry Clearance for work permits and the HSMP has also risen from £85 to £200. Settlement visas which used to be £240, now cost a whopping £500.

UKvisas justification for the rise in costs is that they are 'aiming to improve the UK's competitiveness as a destination for travel, trade, migration and investment through programmes which prevent immigration abuse, deliver value for money and earn public confidence'. Read the full article here. One of the groups hit hardest will be working travellers from countries where currencies are getting weaker and weaker against the pound. UK Working visas for Australians and Kiwis now cost a huge $520 AUD/ $620 NZD (in comparison, British people wanting to work for 12 months in Australia pay $185).

As many travellers as there are out there who are fuming at the increase in costs, I'm sure there are also those who think it's a good thing (a few less Aussie's in Earls Court would probably be not such a bad thing!). If you have a comment, please feel free to post it in response below. Again, thanks to recent posts by certain Anonymous individuals, I am now moderating comments - but I will certainly publish yours if you have something valid to say!

Do they hate us?

2007-03-27T20:47:00.000+01:00

Some interesting points - some of them extremely valid. New Yanks and Jafas - Why no-one likes Aussies anymore. My first foray to a Walkabout on the weekend for the first time since the AFL grand final last year, was thoroughly embarrassing. The point must be made however, that for every bogan, idiotic, ignorant and completely juvenile Aussie I meet in London (of which there were quite a few there on Saturday), I meet an educated, interesting and worldly Aussie to match. So perhaps Australia is like any country - you get the morons, and then you get the ones worth worrying about.

PS This is not an open invitation for 'Anonymous' individuals to write insulting comments about Australians on my blog. Thanks.

Getting the best seat in the house

2007-03-23T17:43:00.000Z

This is a topic close to the hearts and minds of travellers everywhere - especially for me with my apparent genetic tendency to blood-clot! I had no idea things had got so advanced - and so competitive. It's no longer good enough to turn up at the airport early and ask for a window seat! Check it out - How to get the best seat on the plane

NSW Election Day this Saturday - Iemma Vs Debnam

2007-03-22T10:13:00.000Z

Either you're newly arrived in the UK and fresh from the NSW debates about de-salination VS recycled water, Debnam's budgie smugglers, Iemma's embarrassing "More to do...but heading in the right direction" campaign slogan and grumbles over the NSW transport and road systems, or you've been neglecting your Australian citizenship duties while you're living it up in London!

If you haven't voted already, today is your last chance to make your voice heard from an afar - it's the NSW election and even though you're in London, you can still cast your vote.

How do I vote?
Get down to Australia House today before 3.30pm to cast your postal vote! Find out more here

Help! I have no idea what's going on in Australian state politics!
Iemma and Rudd have just made their 'plea' to NSW to warn of the dangers of a backlash of protest votes (understandably the NSW public has been quite irate of late! - opening of the M2 tunnel anyone?). But opinion polls have consistently placed Labour ahead of Debnam's Liberals - prompting commentators to lament about the choice of picking 'the best worst one'.

To read more about the election, visit the Sydney Morning Herald NSW Election microsite or the NSW Election official site.

You can't beat the Borough

2007-03-19T12:00:00.001Z

Tomatoes at Borough Market, London,
originally uploaded by WordRidden.

In the past year and a half, I've steadily been completing a comprehensive tour of all the great markets in London. Until Saturday, I hadn't yet ventured to Borough Market, and I'm very glad I finally did! Borough Market, minutes from London Bridge, is London's oldest food market and it is amazing - it's the most delectable smorgasbord of tastes, smells and sights and will have you breaking every diet rule in the book as you wander amongst all the stalls taste-testing all the wares. I actually didn't need to buy any lunch for myself as I was so full from sampling cheese, chutneys, tapenades, sausages, falafel, cured meats, muesli, chocolate brownies etc etc (it really is the perfect destination for skint working travellers in this respect!) Just watch out you don't spend as much money as we did on purchasing a gourmet selection of the things we sampled (hhmm, I'm thinking this is the whole point of taste-testing, no? Crafty buggers).

You can get every imaginable type of cheese (yes, I had a field day), all kinds of fresh produce from France, Switzerland, Germany and more, plus fine wines and pate's, and weird stuff like haggis, fresh hare and pigs feet - mmmmm. There's also some great deals to be had at the fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, if you're over buying sick-looking veggies from Tesco and Sainsbury's. We got about 60 of the reddest, ripest, most delicious vine tomatoes for a pound - bargain! Will definitely be going back.

Beating the British Bulge - staying fit in London

2007-03-09T16:24:00.000Z

I've lived here for over a year and a half so I can't really use the Heathrow Injection - the old adage that everyone piles on a few pounds once you walk through the gates of Heathrow - as an excuse anymore. These days my biggest problem is the pile of Tim Tams/Caramello Koalas/Cherry Ripes etc that I brought back with me from Australia 'to share' with my London housemates (let's just say there has not been much sharing).

Anyway, it's about that time of the year when it starts to get warmer and you start thinking about all those summer clothes you've got to squeeze back into in a few months. It's a little bit harder for working travellers in London who have been coping with the unfamiliar winter chill with cheap pub meals, pints and nights out in the capital. The good news is though is that there are plenty of (affordable) ways to beat the bulge in London.

Social sports
Now it's getting warmer, the outdoor social sports comps are starting again. I've signed up for netball again (£45 for 10 games in a social league) and my mates have organised a touch football team. There are heaps of comps and leagues across London and the UK where you can meet friends and get fit. I wrote about some of these leagues in the WORKgateways newsletter last year - check it out here

Gyms
Many travellers are astounded by the cost of gym memberships in London - for a decent gym in inner London you are looking at membership fees of between £60-£80 per month. You should instead look to smaller community fitness/rec centres which allow you to pay per visit or have lower fees (of course the equipment and decor of these places is not going to be as nice as the plush inner city gyms though). You could always just head to your local lido (the Brit name for an outdoor swimming pool) for a calorie-burning splash.

Gym deals
Having said how expensive gyms in London, you can definitely pick up some great discounts and deals so keep an eye out. PruHealth is currently running a promotion that if you sign up for health insurance with them (at a cost of £18-£25 per month), you can get six months free gym membership at Cannons health clubs. They also offer a discounted rate for Virgin Active gyms across London. Another loophole to saving cash, is that if you join up to PruHealth via the online cashback co-operative Quidco you get £115 cashback on top of your free/discounted gym membership (I did this myself in February so can guarantee it works).

Spectator sports
If exercise is not for you (and who are we kidding, there are a lot of us out there!), perhaps spectating is more your style. One of the most fun sporting events in London coming up is the Oxford and Cambridge Boat race, held on the Thames in Putney. It's on 7 April. Everyone over here is also getting excited about the Rugby World Cup, to be held later this year in France, and the Cricket World Cup which has kicked off in the West Indies. Go team!

Back in the UK...and Brighton

2007-03-07T16:23:00.000Z

It's good to be back. Freezing...but good to be back. My jet lag is only just starting to wear off (I have been bouncing off the walls at 6am most mornings), and was combated by perhaps not the most effective method: denial. Adamant that I was fine I went about the weekend, planning dinners out etc. This has resulted in me being more than just a little space-cadet-esque for the past few days. We did go to Brighton though (my 'welcome back to the UK' treat) and although the winds were hurricane-inducing and the rain was torrential, it was still a very nice couple of days. I finally made it inside Brighton's Royal Pavilion this time too - a feast of opulent design and architecture. It really takes your breath away (last time we spent so much time in the fascinating museum nearby we never made it to the pavilion). Also discovered more of Brighton's delights in the form of the vegetarian and organic cafe's and restaurants (a great one we tried was Food for Friends) and of course browsed the local boutiques, art studios, and unique shops. Oh I love that place.

Farewell to Oz

2007-03-01T13:15:00.000Z

Well it had to come to an end eventually, and I'm now on my way back to London after a fantastic month back home. My last day was spent having oysters and sav blanc at Watsons Bay, then cocktails at the Orbit bar at the top of Australia square, then more Sydney Rock Oysters and dinner with my family at Nick's in Cockle Bay. Drinks at Opera Bar with all my mates the other night was also a perfect send off. A perfect end to a great few weeks. And although I'm looking forward to the lights of London, I'm also immeasurably sad to be leaving again.

And so I came to the tearful goodbye with Mum and Dad at the airport this morning. I had to make a quick exit so as not to become one of those bawling idiots everyone stares at. I then continued to blub for most of the ten hour journey to Korea though - the ponytailed American beside me thought I was a little strange I'm sure (although I'm not sure he noticed between the 12 Budweisers he drank). My fragile emotional state was not helped by the book I was reading - the latest offering from my favourite trashy indulgence Marian Keyes (chosen specifically for my flight for it's light entertainment value and large print). It turned out to be one of the more serious and emotional of her books (though still hilarious) and despite the fact that it was embarrasingly emblazoned with a huge shiny 'Women's Weekly Great Read' sticker (a poor man's Oprah's Book Club if we're honest) - it was actually quite good. But also a bit depressing and touching, hence the idiotic blubbing me. Although I do admit that I do sometimes tend to cry at the drop of a hat (bingo: see the final two instalments in the tagging incident "things you need to know/didn't know about Pru" coming soon.)

ANYWAYS - one of the most important things I wanted to write here is some advice to fellow travellers going from Sydney to London or vice versa. FLY KOREAN AIR AND DO A STOPOVER IN SEOUL. This may be logical to all but me, but I have never done a stopover before, always choosing to get it over with and fly straight through. Oh my lord have I been missing out. Because it was the only flight I could get, I agreed reluctantly to staying a night here in Seoul in between. Not only do i get a proper night's sleep in a proper bed, but they have put me up in the five star Hyatt (which is divine), given me free dinner and breakfast (dinner was again, divine) and i'm now reclining in my hotel room (divine) in a fluffy robe with a glass of wine from room service, just cause i can! Triple divine! Sure beats battling against ponytailed Budweiser man (or the incredibly irritating Russian woman I got last time) in a tiny sweaty seat for some armrest space so you can try and get 30 seconds of nap after a feral meal (I couldn't even see the tiny movie screen - ripped off!). This is my new favourite way to travel. Another merlot please....and on to London.

I've been tagged

2007-02-27T06:13:00.001Z

It only took me a month to realise, but I've been tagged. I didn't realise, and in fact didn't even know what this 'tagging' phenomenon was, until I was browsing over the Kiwi's blog and saw - hey that's me! And since I am constantly filling up these pages with drivel anyway, I thought I would abide by this virtual chain letter and bore/excite/annoy you all with 'the FIVE things you don't know about me'. Drumroll please....

1. I'm not a real blonde. (haha - REALLY surprised you all with that one didn't I!). I actually have no idea what my real hair colour is although I imagine it would be a sludgy light browny colour (lovely!) after all the peroxiding, stripping and highlighting that has been done to it since I discovered the wonders of NAPRO Live Colour in Year 8. It was only a matter of time until I then discovered the wanton pleasures of the hairdressing salon when a dye job by a high school buddy went wrong and i had to somehow fix my fluouro orange locks. Thousands of dollars and many, many years later, my hair is my greatest indulgence. Vain, moi??!!

2. I pervesely enjoy watching shark attack documentaries. OK, not exceedingly normal to enjoy watching people getting their limbs ripped off however something about these huge animals (the bigger the better obviously) simultaneously fascinates and terrifies me. Survival stories are the best, complete with bad reanactments and hilarious commentary: 'Bob had no idea when he dived beneath the waves that fateful morning, that something menacing was lurking in the waters that would change his life forever....' Cue Jaws soundtrack, flurry of movement where you can't actually see anything and then see water coloured red with food dye....brilliant!

3. I was a child thespian. Well, kind of. My aunt is in production and happened to have Life Education as a client (you know, of Happy Healthy Harold ilk?). I therefore starred, pink fluoro t-shirt and 80s headband and all, in a Life Education video when i was about seven, which then proceeded to be shown in every primary school in the state. After I'd made my screen debut, i also had a cameo on Heartbreak High - casually sipping a milkshake in the local hangout (forget what it was called - Shark Bar?). How cool can you get!

hmmmm, that's all i can think of for now. I think i'm supposed to tag other people now but that would involve more thinking which i am not inclined to do at the moment! PLUS, it's my second last day in Australia!!! Why on earth am i sitting at a computer - yes it's a bit sad isn't it. I'm killing time before heading off to Opera Bar in a couple of hours for some drinks under the watchful arch of the Harbour Bridge. I'll try and write some last Aussie words tomorrow.

From Africa to Australia

2007-02-23T01:55:00.000Z

No I didn't just nip off to Africa while you weren't looking....but my friends Shannon and Simone just got back from a trip to the east coast of Kenya where they worked on a volunteer project for 10 days. Simone was doing it as her last trip before heading home for good to Australia, while Shannon is now back in cozy London re-embarking on her working holiday. They both said it was an amazing experience which I'm sure has thoroughly changed their viewpoints on the important things in life. Anyway, before Sim left London, Paul and I gave her some gifts to take to the kids in the school - just stickers, colouring books, crayons, pencils and stuff like that. Sim brought me back this photo of their new friend Ziggy enjoying his brand new colouring book! :)

And this is just a gorgeous pic of some of the kids they met.

I can't remember the name of the organisation which they worked with, but it's a wonderful thing to do. And so much closer to the UK than from Australia or NZ, so when working travellers head over to the UK perhaps it is something everyone should think about doing.

How to cram an Aussie summer into four weeks

2007-02-19T02:03:00.000Z

Cricket, footy, tennis, beaching, white water rafting - who knew I was so sporty? I resolved when I got here to do as many Aussie-flavoured activities as possible while I could and I've ended up spending half the time watching/playing sport! (when I'm not out at a bar or in a restaurant that is).

The weather has been lovely - definitely a nice change from the snow London has been getting. I feel a bit guilty as everyone else is praying for rain because of the drought, and I'm whinging if it doesn't go above 25 degrees. I watched England beat the Aussies at the SCG last weekend after a Saturday of impromptu tennis, watched the Swans play a practice game on Friday night against Collingwood (beer and the footy - not many things more Aussie than that) and next weekend we're going white water rafting.

But there has been plenty of time for non-sporting activites. It was great to be back at Opera Bar last week sipping champagne under the Opera House overlooked by the Sydney Harbour Bridge (you definitely know you're back in Australia when everyone is calling sparkling wine 'champagne' again). Sunday night was also one of my favourite Aussie traditions - Tropfest. What could be better than sitting in the Domain (big park in the centre of Sydney city), on a rug with friends with nibbles and a glass of champagne? (ahem, sparkling wine).

I've been trying to upload photos but the internet connection is not befriending me and won't let me do it - so you'll all just have to wait!

Four months later.... the news is good!

2007-02-15T23:03:00.000Z

Four months of agonising waiting and many weeks of preparation before that have finally come to an end. I got a call this week from my housemates in London who told me the postman I have been waiting for for weeks finally came, with a letter telling me I have qualified for a Highly Skilled Migrant Visa. This means that I have six months to switch into my new immigration category from my current working holiday visa. Which means that my time in the UK has been extended past my August deadline for up to another two years!

It still doesn't seem real since I have been waiting for so long to find out what's going to happen to me this year! I didn't think when I went to see a visa representative a year ago that it would take this long, with this many ups and downs!First I was getting sponsored, then I was made redundant, then I had to quickly (ha!) apply for HSMP, then the criteria changed, then it got rejected, then I appealed...and now I've got it! I still have to apply for my Entry Clearance and pay them a shedload more cash (another £350 or something thanks very much) but it looks like I'm finally on the home stretch. The good news for many out there is that I did my application myself - so you don't always have to pay hundreds for a representative (this really depends on your situation though!). And believe me, it was hard work and lots of research!

Being back home has definitely made me think a lot about what it would be like to move back here and it feels strange now to have so many new options presented to me. I don't know how long I want to stay in the UK, but it is definitely very nice (and a huge relief) to know that I no longer have the deadline of the 31st August looming over me - and no more work restrictions!

I would love to share my knowledge and experience of applying for this visa with anyone who needs help and advice - and I can do this either through this blog or through the forum I moderate for WORKgateways. Even though the criteria has changed since I applied, I still know a lot about it and might be able to help you. So if you have a question, drop in and hopefully I can offer some assistance, or at least tell you where else you can go. Visit the WORKgateways forum.

Lastly, thanks to all the people who have offered their love, support, assistance and advice over the past six months during my visa sagas. To all the people who read over my application, wrote letters for me, posted encouraging comments on my blog or just listened to my whining - I couldn't have done it without you all! Oh, and thanks to UK immigration :)

Speaking of...

2007-02-07T23:25:00.000Z

OK, so I was a little bored today (it's too hot to move and/or go outside!) and I was browsing YouTube (ok, very nerdy but oh well) and I found this really random video of this old American dude doing surprisingly good impressions of the various English accents. I'm fascinated by the fact that in England/UK you just drive a couple of hours and suddenly everyone sounds different (and I said the other day that this is one of the things I would miss about the UK). This often presents problems for Aussies/Kiwis etc cause some accents are impossible to understand - the first time I met my boyfriend's grandmother, I had absolutely no idea what she was saying to me. Paul entertains me for hours on end with his impersonations, but I reckon this guy might even be a little better - although sadly my favourite Scottish and Irish accents are not represented. (Warning: there's a bit of language so be warned and please don't be offended)

More to come on Pru's Aussie Adventures later

Home versus Home

2007-02-05T04:53:00.000Z

"London? Why would you want to live there? It's so bloody cold!". The conversation I had with a lifeguard on Maroubra Beach on Saturday went on like this for about 20 minutes (he must have decided I looked like a friendly person who was up for a chat). I've been getting that a lot in the past week since I've been back. Fair enough though - since we're in the prime of the Australian summer, beaches are packed, BBQs are in full swing, sun-soaked revellers sit at outdoor tables in cafes and restaurants, tropical fruits are ripe and luscious....why wouldn't you want to stay here forever? Lots of people just can't understand why there are thousands of Australians, Kiwis, Saffas etc trekking over to 'cold, grey, rainy, miserable England' (my lifeguard certainly couldn't). But the fact is, there are. There ARE thousands of working travellers making the break from the sun, surf and sand to head to the UK. So, what's so good about it and why are we all heading over there?

Well, anyone who has been reading this blog over the past year and a half, hopefully have got some idea of why I'm still living there! I was a little worried that coming home would make me start to resent England from keeping me away from all this Australianess, but it has only made me even fonder of both my homes. Of course I love Sydney and it's indescribably wonderful to be back with my family, friends, eating watermelon, hearing the cicadas, feeling the sand between your toes, getting sunburnt, hearing Aussie accents on the radio, shopping at Coles, eating chips and gravy; I'm also missing my other home in London and all the great things there that people who haven't lived there wouldn't understand (and plenty of reasons they would understand if they knew about them!).

While I'm back home I'm waiting to hear about a UK visa I have applied for and although coming home for good this year is a very real possibility and something I definitely could get used to; I would definitely be sad to leave my London home so soon (never thought I would say two years would be so soon!). I can't wait this summer for trips to Europe and the US, sunny afternoons in pubs by the Thames drinking Pimms, country Cotswold weekends, picnics in the park while dodging the Queen's deer, high street shopping in Chelsea (or Brighton!), musicals in Covent Garden, surfing in Cornwall (hopefully i'll get down there this summer!), McVitties chocolate flapjacks, £3 French wine, comaraderie between travellers away from home and the hugely varied Pommy accent. All these things I would miss!

Nothing compares to home, but who said you can't have more than one?

First things first..

2007-01-30T02:36:00.000Z

The first thing I did upon arriving back home in sunny Oz this morning (after visiting my Nan and kissing my dog)

(was closely followed by a peach, some grapes and I'm eyeing off a mango..) More comprehensive post to come when i'm not jetlagged as hell.

Halfway to Australia

2007-01-29T07:51:00.000Z

I did mention that I'm going home for a month didn't I? With all the excitement of the past month I may have neglected to mention it (only a small thing really isn't it!). So yeh, I decided to take the plunge and do the infamous 'first visit' home, although mine has taken a little bit longer than others - it's been over one and a half years since I last graced Sydney shores. So stay tuned for updates over the next month. I'm actually sitting in Seoul airport at the moment, halfway there, feeling quite nervous (and extrememly hungry - god i hate airplane food, and they never EVER give you enough to eat!). Plus one of my friends just emailed to say she went swimming at Bondi the other day and the water was freezing - these are not things I need to be hearing! Bring on the sunshine!

Backtrack to my Birthday

2007-01-25T22:06:00.000Z

So you all know how much I love my restaurants - and bitching about the service, the food, the way they pour the wine (or not), the way they include the tip on the bill over here, the way service is so much better at home etc etc ... (ok so perhaps I can be a nightmare when we eat out, but that's what four years in the hospitality industry will do to you). ANYWAY, after much drubbing from my friends who are sick of hearing me go on, and after living over here for a year and a half and getting used to 'way things are done in the UK', every now and again I come across a fab new restaurant, and in London there are definitely plenty to choose from (unfortunately there are also plenty of bad ones).

Anyway, I found a gem. Well, Ben found it. And we went there last Thursday night for my birthday dinner. It's a great French restaurant in Soho called Pierre Victoire. The food is amazing, the service (and the French waiters) stunning and there is even a piano player upstairs to add a touch of charm (even though I was already very impressed!). And handily situated near some trendy cocktail bars and pubs. Another fab night out in London!

A life of contrasts

2007-01-24T20:55:00.000Z

I'm not kidding - these are pictures of our backyard and our street this morning. We woke up and everything was covered in snow! Everyone complains that London is so cold, ugly and grey in January and, well ok mostly it is, but this morning it all just looked gorgeous and we could all imagine we were in Switzerland for a little bit longer. Nice change from the wind storms the UK had last week. We missed the worst of it and I onloy noticed something was amiss when I went out to explore the snow this morning (wearing a fetching outfit of trackie daks and slippers) to find that our side fence has completely blown away. Oops. Have reported it to our completely hopeless property manager people but judging from their past efforts I'd say we're going to be fenceless for a few good months yet.

Our BBQ we bought at the beginning of winter which has now seen snow before actually getting any sun - it's probably a laughing stock amongst it's BBQ friends:

Our snow-covered street!

In contrast, Simone and Shannon are off in Africa on theie 10 day safari at the moment - probably sweltering in their skins. And I will be too as of next week when I'm off home to Australia on Sunday for one month! Sunny skies here I come.

The life of a Swiss Ski Bunny

2007-01-22T13:39:00.000Z

Wow - what an awesome week. I didn't expect our week of skiing and staying in a private chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, to be anything less than fantastic and I certainly was not disappointed. Not only was the skiing outstanding and the mountains huge(I will never be able to go to Thredbo in Oz again without laughing)but our chalet was beautiful (complete with host and cook, sauna and table-tennis), the apres ski (after-ski in pubs) was wild and we only had one broken bone (Ian the unfortunate stacked it on his snowboard on the first run of the first day, fracturing his right arm - poor thing!). Nevertheless, much fun was still had and all in all, it was completely unforgettable.

It all sounds a bit indulgent, staying in one of the most expensive resorts in Europe and getting breakfast, afternoon tea, three course dinners and canapes served by your chalet host every night, but all in all, I only paid a few hundred (Aussie dollars) more than I paid for a week in Thredbo (Aussie ski resort) a few years ago. Of course there is always the extra money you don't plan on spending on drinks (even though we had wine provided with dinner every night) and we had to stock up on cheese and Swiss Saucisse before we left! (Paul and I got one called Chevre du Valais - goats of the valley - oh..my....god...delish). There were the best bars and restaurants on the slopes and eating chips smothered in mayo every day was almost on par for me with the feeling of screaming on skis down the hill pumped up with that breathtaking mix of exhilaration and fear (aka the thought: "if i accidentally skied off that cliff right now, i would probably be dead - i'm absolutely terrified but this is kinda fun!")

Anyways - this is Paul and me on the slopes (I decided not to go for a head to toe black spray on Chanel ski suit aka Posh Spice) and you will find some more pics down the right hand side.

Three hour delay at Gatwick

2007-01-13T15:08:00.000Z

Something always has to go wrong doesn't it? We all got here with plenty of time to spare for our flight to Switzerland - only to have minor heart palpitations when they wouldn't let one of our group, Ian, check in since the idiots we booked our chalet with had not provided us with a reference number and they didn't believe he was part of our group. Cue everyone running through the airport trying to sort out the mess, and making it to the gate just in time. Then cue announcement: 'Sorry, due to a 'generator fault' [whatever that is] your flight has been delayed three hours'.... Now we have all been sitting in the bar and I have managed to rack up quite a bill duty free shopping. When you have three hours to kill, it somehow becomes entirely justifiable to buy a) a great pair of reduced Roxy jeans, b) a funky top from Mango and c) a gorgeous clutch from my new favourite shoe shop. It is irrelevant that I am going skiing and will have absolutely no use for any of these items when I get there. I have justified it further to myself because I am going home for a month in February, seeing people I haven't seen for a year and a half, so of course have to look fabulous. Anyways, it's probably time for another drink and i'm running out of time on this hideously expensive computer. On to Geneva (eventually, hopefully!!)

More about Brighton, and someone's birthday!

2007-01-11T10:17:00.000Z

OK, so it took me a few days but here are a couple of pics and tidbits about Brighton. There is so much to see and do there, I really would recommend it as a day trip or nice weekend out of London. The Brighton Royal Pavilion was fantastic. I was expecting some kind of beachside monument aka the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney but what it was instead is a giant colourful castle (built with what appears to be a mix of Moroccan/Middle Eastern and Indian architecture - with turqoise blue and pinkish tiles, spires and domed rooves - the whole bit. Although we didn't get to see the inside, apparently it is decorated with lavish Chinese-style interior. The best bit is that it was built by King George IV in the 1700s to give him a place to piss up and party with his mistresses :) The photo doesn't do it justice as it was a pretty cloudy day but here:

Sticking with the Moorish theme, on our Saturday night we headed towards a Moroccan-style club just near the water - the PoNaNa souk club. Although some of the other revellers left a little to be desired (heading towards 2am, the three of us spent about 20 minutes laughing at this sweaty guy who was enthusiastically dancing to himself in front of a wall to ceiling mirror...hmmmm). There are heaps of other clubs to be tried in Brighton though - and heaps of gay clubs and bars as well - which fits in with the city's reputation for being a DJ gay haven! We also tried a fabulous Thai restaurant on the Saturday night called The King and I. The staff dress in traditional costume, are incredibly friendly and the food is reasonable and delish - what more could you ask for?

Oh and how could I forget to mention the Pier! If you reminisce of childhood days past when you visited the Easter Show (or fairground), were dazzled by all the bright flashing lights, screamed on the Mouse, tucked into fairy floss and popcorn, and tried to win one of those ugly huge prizes by chucking balls in a clown's mouth at a sideshow, then you will love the Pier. Although it was so windy we almost got blown off, it's lovely to walk along and look out over the pebbled beach and get in touch with the English seaside, sucking on some of the famous Brighton rock candy(you know that stuff they make at the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour?) and trying to pick which ride won't make you sick. Ahhhh. Here is Sim and I by the pier - you can tell it is a little chilly!

So there you have it - if you're venturing down to Brighton anytime soon, you have no excuse for not knowing where to go! Now, did someone mention something about a birthday?! Woohoo it's my birthday today people! Although I am working today, it has so far been a lovely morning kicked off with presents and a cup of tea in bed (the perfect way to start any birthday!). Tonight there is about 12 of us going to a French restaurant in Soho which Ben has recommended, so I'm sure I'll be giving a verdict on that one later. Happy Birthday to me!

Have I mentioned I'm going skiing in Switzerland for a week on Saturday?! :)

A Wicked Weekend and Brighton

2007-01-08T11:52:00.000Z

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...

Backtrack: Our UK family Christmas

2007-01-04T17:01:00.000Z

This is what happens when you get a bunch of orphan Aussies and a token Pom, and chuck them in the same small room at Christmas (check out our beautiful tree!)

Dig in everyone!

Sim lets the Xmas spirit get to her head:

Champagne and salmon - the order of the day

Celebrity heads kicks off

I'm off to see Wicked the musical tomorrow night, and then to Brighton for Saturday night for a weekend with the blonde trio. Can't wait!

And then it was 2007...

2007-01-02T21:40:00.000Z

Wow - another year has flown by just like that (*imagine I just clicked my fingers*). After the crazy London New Year we had last year (ah, we still have fond memories of Elvis costumes and the death punch), this year we decided to take a softer, more laid back approach, and we headed to a remote country old-style farmhouse in the Brittany region of France (along with a lot of wine, cheese and good company of course) to ring in 2007. And although there wasn't the excitement of fireworks or crowds, we had an unforgettable time surrounded by nothing but whistling trees in the gorgeous Brittany countryside, our pet goats and sinister farm cat, a LOT of booze, but most importantly, good friends and people who we have grown to call our family over here. There were all the makings of a winter country ho;iday - boule competitions, dinners by the fire, poker showdowns, trips to the (windy) seaside - and although it's all starting to sound a bit like we are all in our 80s, it was such a cool and different way to spend New Years.

Meanwhile, an awesome party was held back in London I'm told (see pic above and a fantastic slideshow to be found here - i'm almost very jealous). I have also found this brilliant site where you can watch panorama/360 degrees photos and footage of the NYE countdowns in major cities across the world - check it out here. Of course I headed straight to the Sydney NYE celebrations and am now feeling more than a little homesick - although these days any image of people sitting anywhere remotely near an Australian sun in a hat and T-Shirt is making me pine. I've decided to go home for a month in February though - so not long until I will be soaking up the UV Rays myself again!

I always get a little bit sad at the beginning on a New Year - not because it's a sad event, but just because I get nostalgic about the year that has just been, and all the '2006' things that will never be again. It has been such an amazing year for me - my first full calender year of living in London! - and although it sounds cliched, so many things in 2006 really were dreams coming true for me. I've made a great dent in my life-long travel plans and shared unforgettable times along the way. shared my new life with friends and family who came to visit, moved into a fab new house, had a massive blow to the professional ego and bounced back, entered into the 'visa gauntlet' (2007 will spell my fate!), made new friends and met stunning people from all over the world and have loved mostly every minute of it.

So to all the people i love back home, to all the people I love here (and to all the people I'm yet to meet in the world) here's to bigger and better things in 2007! I don't have any hard and fast NY resolutions - I prefer to scrunch my eyes together, blindly stumble forward and hope everything works out for the best :) It seems to have worked out pretty well so far so here we go!

Merry Christmas everyone!

2006-12-25T22:20:00.000Z

Turkey, eggnog, Scattegories, mulled wine, Celebrity Heads, presents, 3am phone call from Sydney, bad carols and paper hats... what more could you ask for?

Merry Christmas everyone!! Hope you had a wonderful day like we did. All the best for Boxing day and New Years. Might drop a line in the next few days if I can but I'm off to France so au revoir!

Maximum: 2 degrees Celsius

2006-12-21T16:48:00.000Z

Now I don't want to scare those of you who are planning your UK jaunt off - but lordy it's freezing today! If everywhere didn't look so beautiful and Christmassy, I would be complaining much more! (this explains why everyone hates January so much). There's frost about and everyone's rugged up - except people like me who have been in denial about the cold and have yet to buy gloves (it honestly hasn't been this cold yet!). It's definitely been much warmer this year than it was last year in December. Although, I think I am just climatising. This time last year I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a skirt and tights in winter (are you crazy? I would have said), and yet this year I've found myself thinking that, in the name or fashion, a dress/skirt worn with tights and heels is perfectly acceptable. Oh, how we do adapt.

Tonight I'm off to my ex-work unofficial Christmas party in Covent Garden. Yes, being made redundant doesn't mean you are not still invited to all the 'unofficial' company do's! I might try and fit in a bit of Xmas shopping before hand, but Covent Garden in all it's Chrismassy glory (complete with giant bejewelled tree) is sure to be hectic. Might just grab an eggnog or mulled wine and join the party!

ooohh, Paul just got home with our Christmas turkey. It's a £40 monster! how on earth are we going to fit that in our freezer?!

Dreaming of a white Christmas

2006-12-20T17:03:00.000Z

Only five days 'till Christmas and I'm learning how to cook a turkey, make mulled wine and cook for nine people with the least hassle (and least cost!). Oh the woes of a working traveller :) How on earth does my Mum do this all the time? I haven't finished my Christmas shopping yet either - I've been scared away from all the shops in London - there's a lot to be said for online shopping, especially if you live here.

The other fun thing that happened this week was that after our fabulous dinner at Fish! in Borough Market on Saturday night, four of us (including me) seem to have come down with food poisononing. Don't get me wrong - this restaurant is fantastic and the food (even the suspect oysters which I think were the culprit) was delicious. But it can be no coincidence that the four of us (out of 12 people) were the only ones who ate the oysters and have now been very ill. I haven't eaten anything for two days - oh well, I'm just looking at it as my pre-Christmas purge (I've probably lost a couple of kilos!).

The weather has gone all icy this week too - so maybe we'll get a white Christmas! (hhmm, we can only hope :)

An orphan Christmas...

2006-12-13T17:20:00.001Z

Sometimes I think that I did the whole 'moving to London' thing in a bit of a daze. I moved here a year-and-a-half ago and while it wasn't exactly a spur of the moment decision, it was something that I just woke up one day and thought 'yeh, I'll do that'. The fact that I moved straight out of home across the other side of the world, barely knowing anyone, with not a lot of money and have made a completely new life in another country kinda lost its significance after a while and I don't even really think about it anymore.

But then you have those moments - moments when you do something that's so completely weird/exciting/different that it hits you. I've had many of those, but one of the weirdest was yesterday when I took myself off to buy our Christmas tree. It doesn't sound like much, buying a Christmas tree for your house. But, every year back home for as long as I can remember my Dad has gone off (most often to the fruit shop up the road) and brought back a huge beautiful pine tree which we stuck in the same room, in the same orange bucket with bricks (trying to cover them up with wrapping paper) and decorated with the same Christmas decorations which had been collecting dust all year in a tatty green suitcase in the garage. Some years Mum would buy some new decorations from Grace Bros but you could still find some hideous creations one of the four of us kids made in kindergarten lying at the bottom (and of course we would vehemently protest if Mum tried to throw them out). The year we got lights AS WELL as tinsel for our tree was a highlight of my childhood Xmases. And I will always recognise the smell of the pine which permeates every room of the house.

So this year I did have any of that. But I got the beginning of my 2nd Christmas in London with the new experience of buying my own Christmas tree - it smells different to Aussie Xmas trees, it looks different and is nowhere near as big as our family tree. And instead of sweating in the heat while we used to try and help Dad carry it up the stairs, I froze my ass off while I tried to drag it inside while a gale was blowing outside in the dark (it was 4pm). BUT, I brought it back to out little flat family with some new lights and new decorations from WHS Smith, and the four of us decorated it together and then turned off the lights to admire our handiwork and our gorgeous little tree (already with presents under it courtesy of a care package from Mum) which makes it really feel like Christmas. Maybe our Orphan Christmas won't be so sad after all :)

Christmas is coming...

2006-12-11T19:52:00.000Z

Well it's officially winter and Christmas is coming! The days are getting dark by 4.30pm but it's ok because the frosty streets are looking beautiful with Christmas decorations and twinkling lights. Despite the tacky cartoon theme, the famous Christmas lights in Regent St are gorgeous and Hamley's (famous toy store in Regent Street) especially has become a tourist attraction in itself (there are about a thousand little lights draped over the facade of the building). Every five seconds you trip over a tourist stopping to take a photo, not the best idea when the inner city streets are absolutely packed with Christmas shoppers. I have always said that us antipodeans have no idea what a crowd actually is until we come here - and it is especially true if you are brave enough to venture down Oxford Street at 6pm at this time of year. I have found myself horribly thinking mean thoughts about a) old slow people b) tourist wielding cameras c) small children d) mothers with prams; until I take a deep breath and remind myself 'it's Christmas!!!'. Good will and all that :)

Us orphans are all getting underway with our Christmas plans. I'm off to buy a tree tomorrow and now we just have to figure out how to cook a turkey for our Christmas feast at home in Putney. Some of the others have got the right idea and are heading off to warmer shores in Tunisia, while others are going to Lapland - the home of Santa (yes it does exist) You have to be creative when you know Mum won't be organising a huge family do!

Just don't mention the Ashes

2006-12-05T14:20:00.000Z

A couple of weeks after I arrived in the UK last year, Australia lost the Ashes to England. I was consequently forced to endure jibes from my English boyfriend, the lavish victory parade and screaming anti-Aussie headlines on all the trashy tabloids - not the best welcome to a place I was to call my home for the next couple of years. However, I have been lying in wait to get my own back and I feel revenge is near. This weekend my darling boyfriend went from arrogant and swaggering to a quivering and almost tearful heap this morning, upon hearing the news that the score stands at 2-0 and the little chalice is edging closer to it's rightful Australian home :) Unlike Paul I'm not going to get too cocky though - and am simply going to wait and see how history plays out this year. C'mon Aussie.

Spaetzle, Maultaschen and Radler (and shisha?)

2006-12-01T08:47:00.000Z

Not content with my holiday to Morocco, last weekend Shannon and I headed off to the continent for four days in Germany, in the lovely university town of Tuebingen (where my little sister lives and studies). Now, Germany is always best known for it's beer and pretzels, ja?, but my three favourite things when I go to Germany undoubtedly deserve some kind of recognition: spaeztle, maultaschen and radler. Spaetzle and maultaschen (which literally translates to 'mouthbags'!) are delicious Schwabian German delicacies. Spaeztle are thick doughy noodles kind of like a cross between dumplings and noodles; and maultaschen are kind of like ravioli - little spiced parcels of meat wrapped in pastry. Both are delish. Radler is of course the superior German version of the dreaded 'shandy' but somehow when you drink it in Germany (and everyone does) you do not feel any of the grandma-wussy connotations you would if you shamelessly ordered a shandy at an Australian bar.
The other thing people don't expect about Germany is that the high turkish population means there are heaps of turkish bars where you can smoke the shisha with flavoured tobacco. So along with the things Ilove about Germany - indulging in castle tours (see above, a castle we visited called Hohenzollern), fabulous beer, catching up with friends, practizing my German with the friendly locals - there was a fair amount of spaetzle, maultaschen and shisha! The perfect weekend.
(For anyone interested in jetting over from London, Germanwings fly cheaply into Stuttgart from Stansted - along with the usual suspects Ryanair and Easyjet)

Shannon, Pru and the shisha pipe:

Under the starry skies of Morocco

2006-11-22T17:02:00.000Z

I have just got back from one of the most amazing. crazy and wonderful cities in the world - our five days in Morocco were absolutely stunning. At first it was a bit of a culture shock as it was so different to anywhere I've ever been before but after you get over the initial bewilderment, you appreciate that the belly dancers, snake charmers, souks, hagglers, beggars, story tellers, water sellers, hennaed women, monkey trainers and local boys pestering you for money are a completely fascinating and unforgettable part of a wonderful city. I don't have much time to write about it all tonight - and the whole experience is just too much to write about in one post but I have included some piccies here (and down the right hand side of this page) for you to have a look at. I did get my camel ride (see below), courtesy of our camel man Mustafa in the beautiful coastal down of Essaouria (see the beach pic above of some local boys playing soccer on the sand - the Orlando Bloom film Kingdom of Heaven was filmed here). The other beautiful thing about Marrakech was watching the starry skies from the rooftop garden of our Riad, eating tagine and drinking Moroccan wine - you don't get to do that in London a lot!

2006-11-14T10:57:00.000Z

Morocco here we come

It's my last day of work before I head to Morocco tomorrow for five days and am so excited I can barely contain myself! Even better is that I checked the weather and it's going to be about 23 tomorrow (then gets a bit lower) but the beach town we are planning to go to on Friday, Essaouira, is going to be 28 - can't wait for those crisp blue skies and to feel the sun on my skin again. Not that it has been that bad here, mind you. I think I'm acclimatising to English weather which is a little bit scary.

I haven't really written much about our plans here. We are staying in a Riad (which is like a traditional Moroccan house) which will hopefully be nice and we really just plan to spend a lazy four days meandering around the souks (haggling for tat!), drinking mint tea, eating tagines and wandering the alleyways of the Medina. If I convince Paul to get on one, I'm dying to go for a camel ride on the beach in Essaouira or a trip out into the desert, but I suppose I'll have to wait and see exactly what Morocco has in store for us. I doubt I will be writing on here again until I get back, so I guess you'll all have to wait and see as well! Masalaama!

2006-11-13T11:40:00.000Z

Jet hits London (not a plane, the band, you idiot!)

Yes, OK, I did it again - I saw another Aussie band live. It's just seems like it's better to see them over here where you don't have to compete with as many people for tickets, and of course the atmosphere of homesick Aussies is always roof-lifting! Considering I saw the Scissor Sisters last week, I think it's ok to indulge my love of Aussie bands yet again for this week. Anyway, the Jet gig at the Brixton Carling Academy (ie my new favourite venue) was fantastic and was improved by the fact that for the first time in my life, I actually had a (fairly) unobstructed view of the stage, thanks to the wonderfully sloped floors down the front at the Academy. (Since I am only a midget worthy 5 foot 4, I normally spend most gigs with a nice view of the neck hairs of someone in front of me, straining to catch a glimpse of something and end up transfixed to the lighting show or the base players left foot, or something equally unimportant, since it is the only thing I can actually see). Anyway, the show was great - a very true review here . I had to see something this week, since Shell and Ray went off this weekend to see The Killers in Barcelona...so jealous!

When I checked the SMH this morning, found out some sad news that Belinda Emmett died on the weekend from cancer (she is a very well-known and loved Australian actress I grew up watching on Home and Away and is now married to Rove McManus). She was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was just 24, which is I guess a very poignant reminder that it can happen to young people and that you should get checked out if you notice anything amiss. Such a sad thing. In happier news, Kylie is on a comeback tour of Oz at the moment from her own battle with breast cancer (a concert I had tickets to before I left home). Two very strong Australian women...

2006-11-10T13:56:00.000Z

Being a freelancer is expensive...

When I stopped working in an office, my first thought was 'think of all the money I'll save on transport!'. At first you think, yes, there's an extra £22.40 in my pocket every week (the cost of a Zone 1 and 2 weekly travelcard) - woohoo! Not to mention all the money I will save on eating out lunches! How sadly I was mistaken...

First case in point: due to immense boredom of constantly being at home, I frequently patron cafe's to use their wireless internet. Average price of a tea: £1.40/coffee: £1.90 (unless you go to Starbucks in which case they rob you blind); average amount of tea/coffees consumed over 3-4 hour period: four; grand total per week £15.

Second case in point: when you are in the cafe's, you feel guilty for using their free internet all day so you feel bad and buy some food as well - grand total £10 per week. (unless you are in Starbucks where they again rob you blind by making you pay for the privilege of using their internet connection, even though they are making MILLIONS off charging you exorbitant prices for coffee and their internet connection probably costs them two cents a year).

Third case in point: I live just off the high street, just around the corner from lovely, beautiful shops, filled with lovely, beautiful things... and suddenly you have a lot more time to go shopping! During my self-imposed lunch break yesterday i managed to spend £50 on books - Books, I tell you! Where I used to work was in a really gross part of Aldgate and the nearest decent shop was at least a 20 minute walk away - now I have all these retail temptations right under my nose. Average grand total per week: £50

Fourth case in point: Since I no longer have to travel across London every day, it seems silly to buy a weekly travel card (which gives you unlimited travel on tubes and buses for one week). Obviously I still have a life in the nighttimes though but the difference is now I can't just stroll through the gates and swipe my Oyster card (with my unlimited travel card on it) - I have to (gasp!) buy tickets with the rest of the non-Oyster plebs. Consequently, although I do not use tubes enough to warrant buying a weekly £22 ticket, I end up racking up about £20 in trips I have had to buy tickets for (trips which are much more expensive if you actually buy tickets - the tricksters...)

Anyways, I realise I am going on quite a bit, but I would just like to reiterate to all those people who think I am now rich due to all the money i am saving that in fact, it is COSTING me money to work from home and the freelancers life is not always an idyllic one... :)

On other news - SHOCK changes to the HSMP programme gave me heart palpitations this week but it turns out my application is safe and will be assessed under old criteria. I just do not want to read the new criteria in case I would have a better chance of applying under that. Alas, I have already kissed my £350 goodbye, so there is no chance of that.

Countdown to Marrakech: 5 days...

2006-11-06T17:22:00.000Z

Remember, remember, the 5th November...

I forgot to mention that yesterday was Guy Fawkles Night! I had vague knowledge of this otherwise known 'Fireworks Night' before I came to the UK but didn't quite understand the extent to which people run around lighting crackers, having public bonfires and burning effigies.. (i learnt all this last year). I was the jumpiest person ever last night as there were fireworks going off everywhere out on the street - it's so dangerous! It did bring back fond childhood memories though of running around our cul-de-sac waving sparklers, letting off bangers and lighting those parachute men fireworks (when they were legal in Oz of course!). Short history lesson for all internationals - Guy Fawkes night is the anniversary of the night an Englishman - Guido Fawkes - in popular legend, tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament with barrels of gunpowder. He was caught, imprisoned, tortured on the rack, and finally executed (what a logical thing to celebrate! :) Anyways, it bizarrely provides much joviality for young and old today!

Time for homesickness - it's Melbourne Cup day tomorrow! Check out the good old aussie cup sweep - if only i still worked in an office! I like the sound of Maybe Better - crap, the betting shop is probably going to close soon! gotta dash!

2006-11-05T17:45:00.000Z

Am already looking forward to tomorrow's next episode of Tripping Over - the new Aussie show (dubbed as the nest Secret Life of Us) which I fell in love with last week, sitting on my couch in my London sharehouse getting homesick and nostalgic for my first few wide-eyed months as a working traveller. Set in Bangkok, London and Sydney, this new series celebrates leaving all your baggage and life behind, following dreams and reinventing yourself on the other side of the planet. It's enough to make your eyes well up... Read a Guardian review here.

It follows the individual adventures of some Brits and Aussies who make the move overseas, for whatever their personal reasons are (and there are some goodies!). It's surely going to increase the substantial amount of Aussies trekking over to London each day (someone told me the other day that an average of 60 Aussies bumpkins arrive at Heathrow every day to make this great giant city their new home.....a perfect market for Tripping Over then). I'm just upset because this fabulous new show has just completely stolen my idea for a book - that's my intellectual capital on screen dammit! how did they know?! ah well - i'm too lazy to write a novel anyway, and I'm sure this show is going to be much, much better....

2006-11-01T10:01:00.000Z

A devilish night for dancing

I'm a day late but Happy Halloween! It's such a novelty for us how everyone over here really gets into Halloween - there are pumpkins everywhere and shops are filled with fancy dress outfits and trick or treat goodies. The kids love it (so do the big kids - this is me in my devil outfit) and I do think we are a little bit deprived back in Oz. Any excuse to dress up, i say.

The highlight of this year's Halloween was that we went to a fantastic Scissor Sisters 'fancy dress extravaganza' at the Brixton Carling Academy. Fancy dress was compulsory (hence our devil outfits) and there were some fantastic costumes. Lots of devils and witches of course (yes, we were a little unoriginal, but we are only beginners after all) but some people had put in tons of effort - there was Uma from Kill Bill, a few bandaged mummies, brides, man-eating pumpkins and a guy who came as the 'Scream' painting (with a huge piece of cardboard with room for his head cut out). I was very impressed and was a little disappointed with out paltry attempt! But for my first dress-up Halloween I can't complain. The gig was fantastic - these guys really know how to put on a show (King Kong even made an appearance at the end). Apart from the demented security staff at the Academy who tried to make people sit down during the gig (at a concert for god's sake!!!??), it was a fabulous hallowed eve.

2006-10-24T12:21:00.000+01:00

Curse the damn exchange rate! The poor little Aussie dollar

If the international foreign exchange market was a playground, the Great British pounds would be the big bully cool kids, the Euros would be the slightly less-cool kids that hang around with the pounds for street cred, and the Aussie dollars would be the wimpy little kids getting picked on in the corner (probably holding on to the Kiwi dollars for support). I am a little bitter since I did an international money transfer today (through my most favourite discovery ever Tranzfers) and I was feeling all rich with my $4,000 AUD... until I turned it into GBP 1,592.80. How depressing. But, it could be worse I suppose. I'll never forget when, en route to London from Sydney for this trip, I stopped over in Bahrain for three hours. My dad had given me $10AUD so I could get something to eat when I stopped over (bless him :) but upon my arrival in Bahrain I found that 10 aussie dollars could not even get me a cup of coffee! How very embarrassing.. :) It's a good thing this trip (or lifetime interlude) has given me experiences money can't buy...else I'd be demanding a big refund! (I do have to admit, it's entirely doable to live here comfortably when you're actually earning pounds - or if you have saved up more dollars than I had when I first arrived!!).

In other news - have found a couple of geeky sites people moving over here might find useful. So you don't have to eternally ask "what time is it over there" when your parents/friends call, here is a very handy Time Zone converter (I need this all the time) and on a completely unrelated topic, I found this good blog which tells you how much your take-home pay in the UK will be after tax - Net Salary Calculator

2006-10-21T15:21:00.000+01:00

Another day, another internet cafe (and how to find the perfect media job)

Another Saturday and another internet cafe - i've never appreciated having an internet connection at home as much as i do now. It is scary how much my life relies on having access on demand to the web - I previously have derided people who haven't cottoned on yet to the joys of internet banking, online payments, e-mail etc. Well, they're probably laughing at me now as they stand in their bank queues. At least their life isn't thrown into turmoil when their neighbour decides to cut off their Net connection.

ANYWAY, the reason I am writing today is that someone posted me a message and asked me to put online some of the agencies/resources I used when I originally came to London in search of the 'perfect media/publishing job'. I actually first got my job through the Guardian media supplement, which has hundreds of media/editorial/publishing jobs every Monday. The corresponding site is here. If you are after subbing/editorial work on lifestyle magazines and newspapers, a good (small) agency who placed a friend of mine is Folio Recruitment. Another good couple of websites are the Media/Creative section of Reed, if you want to work for a giant magazine publishing house EMAP then go to Find a Media Job or if you want to work in new media try NMA. For other industries (and all the info you need when you are moving to the UK, WORKgateways is a recruitment/info site which can definitely help you).

For everyone back home (and in other parts of the world) I would also like to make the point that the UK is unseasonably warm and pleasant for October and everyone is enjoying the elongated summer. Probably not the best indication for the world in terms of global warming, but at least I can still wear my thongs (ie flip flops, not the other sort) outside. Have a nice weekend all!

2006-10-19T15:17:00.000+01:00

One stressful week later

What a week - I think this is the longest time I've gone in the UK without posting some drivel or another! The reasons are good though. The first being, that my Highly Skilled Migrant Visa application is now GONE, in the post, out of my hands, towards some little old immigration worker in Sheffield somewhere. I will wait to see if I am successful before I start spouting advice about how you should, or shouldn't make this application (as I did it myself to avoid the £800 agency fees - a smart move? we will see). But suffice to say, if you do this application yourself, and it doesn't take you hours of hard work sweating over meticulous detail and stressing about getting every little piece of evidence you can, then you haven't worked hard enough! Mine had header pages, an appendix, blood samples, everything! (ok, maybe not blood samples, but it wouldn't surprise me if they'd asked). This past week I've been between banks, past employers, a notary lawyer, the library, the post office etc more times than i care to remember. All I can say is, lucky I am unemployed and don't have to find time out of an office job to get all this done! (relax Pru, breathe in). Anyways, it is now gone, and my fate now lies with the gods....cross everything for me!

The second reason why my posts have been sporadic of late, is that, being big bad poor working travellers in Putney,. we have for three happy months been, well, shall we say 'borrowing', our neighbours unsecured wireless internet connection. And you wouldn't believe the inconsideration, but they've gone and slapped a password on the damn thing! (the boys are adamant that no-one has been surfing porn, but we can't think of any other explanation as to how we were busted). Anyways, any person who has lived in England for any amount of time will know that getting any kind of service man to connect you to anything can take a stupid amount of time, so I have taken to frequenting the 'wireless internet' scene in Putney. This means prostituting myself around all the various cafe's which offer wireless internet and seeing just how long I can make one pot of tea last so as not to appear i am sponging off their services (even though it is completely clear that I am doing so - the other day I sat on one cappuccino for five hours).

I always used to fantastise about living like this when i had an office job.. ie sip cappuccinos in cafe's all day...but let me tell you it is not all it is cracked up to be. For one thing, I've never noticed just how many young mums and therefore, screaming children, there are in Putney. Millions! And they all seem to sit right beside me. Always. One little toddler spent a good five minutes poking my bum yesterday. And you have to smile and say 'oh isn't he cute' and give that knowing smile to the mum who looks kinda embarrassed even though you really just want them to leave you the hell alone. Actually, when I looked at the mother of the bum-poker, she looked shocked and in a high-pitch squeak said "it wasn't me"! well, duh! Am i sounding really awful? Blame it on the stress of a visa application!

2006-10-09T10:37:00.000+01:00

Miracles can happen...
62 minutes...i made it

I can't believe it - I'm still in shock. I somehow managed, through no training whatsoever and a steady diet of red wine and curries, to run 10km yesterday in 62 minutes, 19 seconds. Not the best time when you consider how fast other people can do it in, but considering that I was certain my attempt at this run would end in...
a) me being carted off in an ambulance - either sucking lifelessly on my Ventolin or completely passed out
b) me figuring out the best mode of escape off the running route so as to avoid the embarrassment of coming dead last, three hours behind everyone else....
I'm pretty damn proud of myself and, i'm even a little hesitant to admit this, I actually had a bit of fun (shhhh, don't tell anyone).

ok, so maybe out of 22,ooo people I came in the bottom half (16, 992nd to be exact!) but I'm sure at least 10,000 of those people are those crazy runners I see doing laps of the Thames at 6am every morning.. You can watch my glorious finish here but instead of typing in my name, you have to type in 'Paul Seddon' cause Paul and I got our electronic tags mixed up (my ingenious plan to get a better time - he ran it in 52 mins, 59 secs). I'm the one you will see looking very rough and putting her hands on her hips in disbelief she didn't cark it along the way (in a green T-short - unfortunately due to lack of spaces we had to disloyally defect and run for the North team).

For everyone back home who know these people - our honour board runs as follows:

Me (last of our group but not complaining): 62 mins 19 seconds
Shell (a big time for those little legs and killer calves!): 61 mins, 39 seconds
Ben (unfortunately losing a £50 bet with Paul - much to all our dismay): 55 mins, 19 seconds - special mention for coming in the top 50% of runners
Paul (with no training, even though we'll never hear the end of it and Ben will never live it down): 52 mins, 59 seconds
and the well-deserved winner was
Ray (personal trainer extraordinaire) with a hugely impressive 42 minutes. Way to make the rest of us feel sludgy!

Here are Shell and Paul getting tough before the big race - go Team!

2006-10-05T10:54:00.000+01:00

The Pirates go down in a blaze of glory - well kind of...

I guess we were asking for it, calling ourselves possibly the lamest name ever (the Putney Pirates!!) but our glorious netball season ended very unceremoniously on Tuesday night in the rain, two players down, in a crushing defeat. We didn't do so badly this season really - made it into the top 4 even - but when it came to the crunch every game, we always seemed to choke. You know those Mighty Ducks-style teams from American movies that always seem to triumph against all odds, perform outstandingly when the pressure is on and ultimately the hard work, sweat and tears pay off with triumph? Not us. I've never been part of one of those teams! It was a great season though - I loved it - although I think a lot of the times everyone was silently sending me death wishes that I had dragged them all out on another Tuesday night! Deep down they all thank me for it, I'm sure :) The social aspect is great and the fact it makes you get out and do something when you might ordinarily just sit at home watching MTV is the best. It's definitely the only exercise I've done all year! The fact you can join as a team or individually is also a plus, which means for anyone just arrived in London, it's a really good way to get to know people (lovely people like us!). Highly recommended.
Now I'm on to improving my golf swing!

Countdown to Run London: 3 days - oh no.

2006-10-01T22:09:00.000+01:00

Swannies - how we love you, our dear old Swannies....the AFL grand final hits London, again

What on earth would the motorists who happened to swing by any Walkabout or antipodoean watering hole at 5am on Saturday morning have thought? Everywhere was packed with sleepy-eyed Aussies drinking VB and eating meat pies in celebration of the good old Aussie footy (AFL) grand final. How else could you ever get an Aussie backpacker out of bed that early? The Sydney Swans put in a sterling effort and made us very proud, but since they are so generous, they decided to give West Coast a go, and let them win (by one damn point!). It was a consolation that we beat them last year - everyone deserves a fair go after all, hey? It's all about sharing and caring :) Brisbane Broncos took out the NRL grand final this morning - but no way was I getting up again to watch that one.

Some of you may have remembered I'm supposed to be running 10km next Sunday- i have done a total of zero training. "Run London"? More like "keel over and die while trying to Run London"' I'm in big trouble.

2006-09-27T13:21:00.000+01:00

£0.99 to Marrakech and a new hobby

So when you're at home all day, everyday, you tend to do things that you probably wouldn't have ever thought, or had the time, to do otherwise. So much like one chops off all their hair or has a major makeover when they break up with their boyfriend/girlfriend, I got made redundant and now I'm going to Morocco!! Mind you, the fact that we got flights for 99 pence to Marrakech (with taxes it's about 15 quid - thank you RyanAir) made the impulse a whole lot easier but I'm very excited about crossing off another of the cities I have to visit before I die (it's a long list). I carefully checked average temps in November when we are going, and am delighted to report that while it will probably be rainy and grey in London, I'm heading off to blue skies and mid 20s in north Africa! To make you all jealous, I found this fab site Photos by Martin which has beautiful photos this guy took on a three week holiday in Morocco (there's also photos from Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia and more). I love the ones taken in the night in the Medina which is the shopping district (see above).

Watch out Tiger - I've also got a new hobby. I decided if I am to be a true lady of leisure, there was one thing I had to learn. Golf. Yep, I'm taking lessons (my dad will be so proud!) Cath and I trundled off to the driving range on Monday night for our first of eight golfing hours. It was great fun doing something new and the instructor (happens to be a hot Aussie - what more could two aspiring ladies of leisure hope for?) says I'm a natural! OK maybe he was getting a bit ahead of himself as my flashes of brilliance were, well, just very brief flashes, but I'm definitely prepared to get into this and get better! One of the beauties of London is that there are also lessons in something or other you can take, and not too expensive either. Now all I need is a funny hat and some tartan pants...

2006-09-24T15:58:00.000+01:00

A bonzer little gem

Another must-do for Aussies in London (and other interested parties of course) is to go and see The Vegemite Tales, which we saw on Friday night. It's a play about a share house of Aussies (and one token European, Gio the bi-sexual Italian) living in London and it is hilarious and very, very accurate. Although somewhat cringeable in parts (due to the typical portrayal of Aussie boganisms like the hapless crude surfer dude who wears socks with thongs, drinks Fosters and is generally embarrassing) it was surprisingly insightful and actually made me cry in parts! It's best summed up by the author of the play, Melanie Tait, who wrote the play when she was just 20 and living in a London sharehouse. Here's what she says:

'It's a pretty frightening thing to pack up your home, say "See you in two years" to your family, hop on a plane and find yourself at Heathrow Airport. I was lucky enough during my four and a half years in London to find the most fantastic makeshift family of friends to travel, write, put on plays, fight, love and grow up with.

The Vegemite Tales is about the family we make for ourselves when contact with our real family is limited to emails, phone calls and home-made videos. This second family let you be whoever you want to be, because they don't know any different and they are there for it all: the good times, the bad times - and like the old song goes they'll "be on your side forever more".

The play is also a salute to London - the most magnificent, exciting, diverse and alive city that i've ever had the luck to live in. In London, every opportunity is before you and while you're stil there, whatever it is you want to do, go for it 100% while enjoying it!'

So here's to London and my fab housemates! I didn't need to see a play to know I'm very lucky to have both, but it's definitely a great night out and will remind you what you love not only about London, but about your dear sweet home, Australia.

2006-09-20T09:05:00.000+01:00

Giving Australians in London a bad name

Everyone likes Aussies right? Well, on the whole, you would say most people in the UK look favourably upon us, their antipodean cousins. Australians in London are known for being likeable, sociable, hardworking and, of course, always willing to head to the pub for Friday night drinks after work. So I was quite put out when I read a column in one of the new London metro newspapers bagging Australians out, written by (gasp) an Aussie himself!

'Most Aussies who come to London appear to have a chronic fear of being separated from other Aussies for more than a few minutes per day. This means that they live together, generating mountains of empty Fosters cans, go out on the piss together to hideous Australian bars such as the ubiquitous Walkabouts and moan endlessly about the weather/cost of living/everthing else. So much for the whingeing Poms. If it's so bad, why stay?

more drivel etc etc.... I have to admit, I was kind of thinking he had a TINY bit of a point, as snobbish and elitist as it was... until he said this...

,....'As a result, I find myself being coy about where I grew up. Luckily, I did not bring with me the broad Aussie accent that makes even bright people sound stupid. This means at least I am not automatically assumed to be Australian. It might be sacreligious to say it, but it's people like Steve Irwin who give Australians a bad name. Most of us do not want to wrestle a croc, have a barbie or go for a surf.'

Chris Johnston - shame, shame, shame! You are talking about people like me and my friends - and sure, I've been to Walkabout, maybe drank a Fosters or too, and I probably have the 'broad Aussie accent' you so abhor, but that does not give you the right to stand on your soap box and make out like you're better than us. I have (had!) a well-paying job, I travel widely (not just to Paris and Barcelona as you mock - ever been to Bulgaria, Chris?), have utilised many of the fine theatres, museums and restaurants London has to offer, and god forbid, I even have an English boyfriend. If you're so quick to deny you are Australian and therefore be lumped in the same horrid category as my wonderful group of adventurous, wordly, sophisticated and wholly likeable Australian friends; we don't want you anyway. And what kind of Australian doesn't like to have a barbeque or go for a swim in the surf - that's the sacreligious bit right there. Are you sure you are in fact Australian at all? I hope I never have the misfortune of bumping into you in London!

PS Don't even get me started on the Steve Irwin comment... shame, shame, shame on you!

2006-09-15T09:47:00.000+01:00

Over exercise, wine will always triumph

For all those who regularly read these fascinating pages, you may have noticed that I mentioned a while back that I will be running in a half marathon sometime in the future. You may have also noticed that it was the first and last time anything of the exercise/marathon nature has been mentioned. I realised this week (since i now have a lot of extra time on my hands!) that the marathon is in a matter of weeks (ie about three) and I have done a total of ZERO training. I think I may have got out of bed early a couple of times a few months back to half-heartedly run around the block, but that's as far as I have got. I am in BIG trouble.

Perhaps one of the reasons I am so lazy, is that I enjoy sitting around eating and drinking too much! Hence last weekend, we ventured to the wine-lovers Mecca - Vinopolis, an epicurian oasis in London by the Thames (I definitely would have mentioned this gem earlier if it wasn't for the events that transpired earlier this week). The name conjures up images of giant pillars of champage, copius olive branches and gargantuan mountains of wine, and as you can see from the photos below - I was not disappointed! It was a fitting birthday celebration for my best friend, and queen wino, Michelle, and is a great group day out. For £20, we went on a wine tour (which included various tastings, premium wines, as well as beer, whisky, absinth tastings and a Bombay Sapphire cocktail), had a wine tasting session with a cute Italian sommelier and even got a (somewhat cheesy) T-Shirt and corkscrew at the end! With special sections of the tour dedicated to wines from all over the world (from Thailand to Israel, South Africa to Oz) as well as unique delights such as chocolate beer and ice wine from Canada, there's something for everyone and this place should definitely be added to the list of 'must-sees' in London.
The glowing tower of wine
The girls could die happy after their Tattinger champagne

My brother Mike (who was in London for a week) enjoying a cocktail with me
Everyone with their gin! Happy Birthday Shell!

This weekend, Paul's sister is getting married so we are off for a country weekend i9n the Cotwolds. The reception is in a castle - I'm so going to be a shameless Aussie gawping tourist! Even though I am now without a London job, I still scraped together the cash to get a spray tan and my hair done. A girl has to have priorities....

2006-09-13T10:40:00.000+01:00

Unessential? Unwanted? Me??!! :)
This is where the 'Trials' part of my UK working holiday comes into it...

I can't complain really - I've had a very good run of my working holiday in London so far - no major hiccups and a brilliant year actually. And then, this week, I got made redundant. Brilliant! Now I am in London, without a job, no savings, holidays booked (but not paid for), and rent to pay, and, because I was on a contract, no redundancy pay! Now I am realising just how good I had it before (good job, great pay) - and even though I was pretty much worked to the bone this summer, everything looks so much rosier when you're on the other side doesn't it!! :)

Anyways, for all my dear friends out there, and for all the regular subscribers to my blog, know that I will pull through, the little trooper that I am. I've been at home by myself for two days so far (too scared to go out and spend money from my dwindling supplies) and have been getting reacquainted with daytime TV, eating cereal at 10am, wearing trackies until 2pm, ducking out out for chocolate at 3...it's just like my uni days - oh dear, something must be done soon!

Getting made redundant though, (such a nice way of saying 'you're sacked!') is not the worst thing in the world and at least I am in London having a blast with all my friends, with so many opportunities and adventures just around the corner. Your working holiday is definitely what you make of it, and I'm not planning on letting this little 'mishap' cause more trouble than it's worth. I may feel different after a couple of weeks of daytime Jerry Springer, but that's how I'm getting through at the moment.

Any comments of support and kindness will be muchly appreciated - see this little icon below this post? (Comments - 0??) Fill it up people! I need some love! :)