£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...

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.

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!

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....

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! :)

Crikey! Thanks for the memories, Steve

When I walked into my office this morning, one of the other Aussie girls cried out "Pru! Have you heard the news?!" And so I came to learn that the much loved Aussie icon, Steve Irwin, is dead. Killed by a stingray while filming a deep sea documentary no less.. what a way to go. As much as everyone used to pay this guy out, I think everyone had a genuine soft stop for his embarrassing, but oh so entertaining, ways. And he certainly has done a lot more for conservation and wildlife then many of us will ever do. I'm sure Steve will live on, even in the UK where repeats of Crocodile Hunter make good hangover TV on Sundays, and I'm sure all those who majorly overreacted when he dangled his baby in front of that croc are feeling a little guilty. May he long be wrestling with the big crocs in the sky...

I've found a couple of sites which people moving to the UK might be interested in:

Bound for England is the blog of a teacher from the US who moved to the UK in August this year after successfully applying for a work permit through a recruitment agency. Very helpful for info about making the big move.

Nicole in London: tales of a Los Angeles expat: the entertaining escapades of an American who moved to London for work, got married and became a fully-fledged expat.

Camden Kiwi: snippets from the life of a Kiwi living in Camden, London.

And one for the romantics (since apparently online dating is not as freaky/abnormal anymore!)

Antipodate - meeting Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas in the UK: the online/speed dating site for antipodeans in the UK (hhmmm, yes, move to another country and choose to just hang out with people from your own country? not that i can really talk....!!)

The long weekend and Notting Hill like you've never seen it before..

What a fab long weekend - it's Wednesday and I'm still recovering! Monday was the wild and fabulous Notting Hill Carnival - I never thought I'd be dancing in the streets in the middle of the day with a muscly black man, pushing a trolley full of alcohol, pouring rum straight down my throat, straight after sipping a luscious coconut - straight from the coconut! This is me (in the photo) hanging out with my coconut and a couple of London bobbies. The festival is an annual celebration of the Caribbean culture and they reckon there was about one million people who hit the streets - either in the Mardi Gras-style parade, or just walking around enjoying the music, foods and general craziness (check out this old dude we meet grooving along in the street). The festive spirit was amazing - people were outside their houses selling things, dressed up in crazy outfits and also, quite conveniently for us, charging people £1 to use their bathrooms. We got a little worried when Shell and I traipsed up the stairs of a random house to use this guys bathroom, and the entrepreneur tried to sell us some pink handcuffs, but it was all good after that and we made a friend (though the highlight of the day was definitely my coconut!)

The rest of the weekend was also brilliant - anyone coming to London MUST try Ping Pong. It's a Dim Sum restuarant in Soho and is the place to go for yummy little parcels of heaven and exotic cocktails (lychee mojito anyone?) We went on Friday night and I'm a new fan.

On Sunday I ventured to Greenwich markets (I'm describing my long weekend in a pretty unordered fashion here). I will devote a whole post to this gem another day, as a day out in Greenwich deserves anyone's full attention! The antique and jewellery markets are fab and the day is not complete without sipping a strawberry beer in the sun-dappled garden of The Gipsy Moth until dusk sets in and the resident magician has performed. More on that later...

'Changeable' they call it – the temperamental British weather. Beautiful one day, rainy the next. I'm even wearing boots today (boots! in summer!) however I can still hear an ice-cream truck tinking away outside. The weather here is schizophrenic - doesn't know whether it's coming or going! It can get quite frustrating – especially when, like us, you bought a BBQ on the weekend and are waiting for another perfect summer's day to try it out! We almost cried though when we realised we were missing a part (what the hell is a gas regulator anyway?) and Ray went to the hardware shop only to be told that it would be difficult to get one because the 'BBQ season is over'. BBQ season? oh dear.... Anyways, we will not be deterred, and once we have our important-sounding gas regulator, the BBQ will happen. The sun will come back! I arrived in September last year and I have fond memories of being unemployed and spending days lying in parks in singlet tops drinking iced coffee from Starbucks in gorgeous sunshine so I know it will be back!

How funny is this pic of us in France (top right)? Sim sent all her photos around today which made me homesick for our lovely boat cruising around French rivers and canals. This was when we stopped off at a beautiful riverside town called Gray - the weather had been stunning so we took ourselves off to the supermarket to stock up on cheese varieties and cheap French wine and we got stuck smack bang in the middle of a thunderstorm that came out of nowhere! You can tell I don't look very impressed. It was so strange because this photo of me and Shell was taken about 20 minutes later . As you can see – beautiful French sunshine (and two soggy girls). Changeable...!

The August long weekend is upon us (only one day to go!) so stay tuned for exciting news about the Notting Hill Carnival and Get Loaded in the Park....

The 12 month date looms nearer...

So I'm on a two year working holiday visa, which means that I am only allowed to work for 12 months - only for income to 'supplement' my working holiday. This is such an unfair and unrealistic restriction, considering that so many of the workingholidaymakers who come to the UK these days, from Australia, New Zealand, Canada etc are young, experienced professionals who should be entitled to continue the jobs they have gained for longer than a pitiful 12 months - especially considering that they have been selected for the job beating UK applicants since they were obviously better candidates.

Anyways, I've had my gripe - I'm in a mood because I realised this week, that while I can still apply for the HSMP visa, the application processing times are so extended that there is no way I can apply for it and be eligible before my contract at my current job is up. Which means I will have to leave that position, be unemployed (again!) and find somewhere new. Not the most exciting prospect since I have saved up absolutely NO dosh to help me get me through such an event - oops! While processing times for work permits are between 5 and 15 days, HSMP application can take UP TO THREE MONTHS! SO anyone thinking of applying should really get everything organised with plenty of time. The problem is however, that you need to have earnt the required amount of money at the time the application is received (kind of hard when you have only been in the country for 12 months which means you have to apply at the 9 month mark - making it even harder to hit the required earning mark!).

Things may not be so bad though - as my work is looking into possibly sponsoring me to stay and work for them - so fingers crossed. Although many working travellers are working over their 12 month limit and getting away with it, I am too chicken and (perhaps stupidly) am trying to do things by the book! So much for being well-behaved!

It's all about the snacks....

This is Sim and I getting more than a little overexcited with the Tiny Teddies Bec's Mum brought over for us from Australia (so much so that we had to have a photo). One of Sim's friends also arrived this week bearing cherry ripes (a non-optional luggage addition for anyone who comes to visit us in London). For all the South Africans, Kiwis and Aussies in London - favourite treats from home are available at shops such as The Australia Shop in Covent Garden (fancy Minties or Pavlova Magic anyone?) but they can be quite expensive so it's always nice to get supplies straight from home. Due to the huge amount of Aussies in London, you can actually buy staples such as Vegemite and Tim Tams at your local Tesco (supermarket) but they will be a tad dearer than from good old Franklins back home.

For Saffas, biltong is everywhere and I have noticed a special South African food shop on Putney High Street selling specialties (there is also an African restaurant in Putney: Chakalaka). There are a few around, such as the No 1 South African Shop in Dorset or the Savanna Shops of which there are few in London which stock South African wines, food, snacks etc (although South African wine is getting to be very popular in the UK and you can buy it everywhere).

For Kiwis, the Kiwifruits NZ shop in Haymarket sells lollies and snacks as well as NZ gifts, calenders, music and clothes. You can even subscribe to New Zealand magazines and buy stuff online. So there is no excuse to be missing things from home!

***NEW*** International money transfers

Since starting my job in London I've had to learn a lot of things about online publishing which I had no idea about before (as you can tell from my extremely professional/enthralling/beautiful blog (?)). Since I've been diligently learning HTML codes I'm putting it to good use for my loyal viewers and fellow working travellers, and have given you a pretty, new, and useful tool down the right hand side of this page! If anyone is moving to the UK (or Canada, South Africa, New Zealand) and needs to do an international money transfer, you should definitely give Tranzfers a try (see my swanky new Tranzfers tile on the right hand side of this page which gives you the $AU - £GBP conversion rate and will take you to their site to register). I have used these guys and they are the cheapest option I have found (since both my Aussie and UK bank charge EXORBITANT prices for lifting a finger to transfer money internationally). They are also really simple and convenient to use, and now I can easily do a transfer within minutes when i am skiving off work and need to pay off my Aussie credit card. I'm sure there are a few other companies who provide this service, but I haven't found anyone who can beat £7 a transfer. Straight to the pool room!

Festival fever...

Just got sent these pics from one of my mates, who just went running with the bulls in Pamplona. It looks completely nuts. It's one of the many stops on the antipodean boozer trips around Europe - you go to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day, go cheese rolling in England (a bizarre festival where people throw themselves down a hill after a big cheese wheel), then run with the bulls in Pamplona (similar pain-inducing/deathly but memorable venture), then go off to La Tomatina in Italy (lots of people covered in a hell of a lot of tomatoes), then Oktoberfest in Germany then back to London for an English christmas by the fire and then new year's skiiing in some suave alpine destination. Many travellers have followed this hallowed route- drinking plenty of beer/wine/sangria along the way of course and waving Aussie/Kiwi/Saffa flags (and they are probably on a Contiki bus too). At the end of the day they will all end up in one of the many Walkabouts in the UK. What a life :)

There's a funny feeling coming over me...

In a moment of insanity, I've done something which I'm sure I'm going to regret. Due to continuous encouragement (read: duress) from my big brother (who I'm sure just wants someone to share the torture with) I have signed up to...wait for it...run in a bloody big marathon. Oh my lord, I feel a little ill just thinking about. It is a 10km run across London - the North Vs South Nike 10K Run - and I only have two short months to prepare for it.

Those people who know me well are probably feeling a little bit concerned right now - they know that I would usually rather stick a pen in my eye then do exercise (especially of the repetitive long-distance, asthma-inducing type). Now, in my early teen days (when I was a thin fit 12-year-old obviously with nothing better to do) I was known to be a partial to a bit of long distance running - even going so far as to represent my school and district at carnivals and such (complete with an especially-designed sock which I could fit my asthma inhaler into - it zipped up and everything!) and once I even succumbed myself to the arduous Sydney City to Surf – but those days are long gone and my lungs are now more accustomed to the oxygen one breathes in from a ruby-red fermented bottle of wine or from smoke-filled bars. You would think that living with a personal trainer and his equally fit girlfriend would rub off on me, but unfortunately I am as lazy as ever and suffering majorly from the Heathrow Injection.

But all that's going to change. Regardless of how many times I have made the resolution to get fit before, this time I'm going to have to do it in order to keep up with the boys (when you sign up for the race, they ask you what your predicted time will be - I looked down but there was no option over 120 minutes - are these people crazy??!!). So stay tuned to these pages for updates on my escalating and impeccable fitness regime. This should be interesting :)

It's quite scary really, how much of a running culture there is in London. Especially living by the river, you notice how many people go jogging FOR FUN. In the mornings in the middle of winter I would leave for work at about 7.45 am (in the pitch black mind you) and practically get bowled over by people out enjoying the crisp London winter mornings. A magazine my brother works on (the sole reason to blame for his new-found marathon tendencies) is called Runner's World (he is actually in the process of re-designing this website) and is apparently hugely popular. It really makes me wonder what I have been missing out on...! Running world here I come.

Training Regime Day One: am off to the pub tonight so can't possibly do anything! It's Friday too - who wants to go running on Friday?

Another brilliant London weekend...

The weekend started with a bang - the Cat Empire gig in Shepherd's Bush was AMAZING, and all the jumping, dancing and sweating to the hip-hop meets reggae/meets Jazz/meets funky Melburnians made me again homesick for late-night concerts at the Enmore and the Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney. It's funny how since being in London, most of the live acts I've caught have been Aussies - I just picked up some tickets to a tiny Bernard Fanning gig (of my old-flame Powderfinger fame) next month and I can't wait. At my last Powderfinger gig at the Sydney Ent Cent, Darren Middleton jumped off the stage and came and talked to me so maybe Bernard will also be feeling chatty?

The summer is holding up like a trooper and today was another beautiful day. Although I was a little hungover after Ben's massive housewarming last night, we ventured out and Paul and I came across a cute little trendy London spot - the Pottery Cafe. I'm predicting this great little shop - where you go and select a piece of pottery, paint it, and then leave it with them to fire and glaze for you - is the next big thing. We spent a relaxing three hours pottering (ha!) around in the cafe, letting our creative juices flow and painted a couple of mugs as a present for Paul's sister's wedding (don't worry, we'll get her something else too!). We've now left our works of art to be glazed and fired and can pick them up on Sunday (you can also do plates, cups, bowls, pots etc). It's like a grown-up version of the Plaster Fun House - brilliant! An excellent cure for my hangover.

The others had a somewhat more energetic day at the Fruitstock festival in Regent's Park - yet another example why London is a funky, interesting place to live. There's always something free going on - this one was live music, food and drinks stalls, markets, all the ingredients for a fab time. Throw in the sunshine and you've got a perfect London summer day out :)

I thought I should put up a nice photo to make up for my hideous drool-pic below! This is us on Saturday night - out for Bec's birthday. We went to a great pub called The Anchor on the Thames near London Bridge, sat outside and watched the sun go down, then up to the verandah until closing time - really nice! Bec's mum, bless her, had also made us all little 'party bags' filled with heaps of stuff she had brought from home – Caramello Koalas, Tiny Teddys, Violet Crumbles, Aussie tattoos. Needless to say we were all overwhelmingly happy – and I actually remember a twinge of homesickness when I bit into my first tiny teddy! It's always the little things hey! :)

In other news – apparently the godsend e-mail address that new arrivals to London have been using to e-mail for a National Insurance number appointment (to avoid waiting for hideous amounts of time on the phone) is NO LONGER IN OPERATION. My friend got this e-mail:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting the London National Insurance Number Call Centre.

As from Thursday 06th of July 2006 the London NINO call centre will no longer accept any further email NINO application forms. This is due to the London NINO booking service being centralised in a National NINO Call Centre in Grimsby.

Customers can only contact the Grimsby NINO Call Centre by telephone on 0845 6000 643 or textphone 0845 6000 644.

Regards
London NINO Call Centre

This is really disappointing, as that e-mail address was a little gem (as I have said here a milion times before - I sat hold for AGES). i guess now people will just have to make the time. Try and call this number as soon as you get a job in the UK, because otherwise you will be placed on emergency rate (for those without NI numbers) which can be up to 50% of your wage. A good thing to do is as soon as you get hired (even if you haven't started) ask for a letter of employment or confirmation from the person who hired you, so you can get the ball rolling.

Tonight am venturing to a corner of London I haven't really been to much before - Greenwich (well, been there once, and was very impressed, but haven't been back since!). It's where Sim's new abode is (near Cutty Sark) and she is cooking us a gourment meal tonight. Our housewarming will be soon too - got to find a day everyone can come - people are too busy with their summer plans, trips abroad, concerts, gigs etc - what a life!

Stansted Saturdays, Barbie Sundays and 'The Defender of the Universe'!!

Having a great weekend always comes back to bite you when you have to go back to work on Monday morning. Going to work this morning was horrible, but only cause I had a fab weekend! Friday night started out with a bang - we went to the Fest (a German bar) for our inaugural netball awards ceremony, which would have been a bit of a fizzer except that Paul hilariously bagged the player-vote for 'Defender of the Universe' and came home with a trophy! I've known this man for about three years and I have honestly never seen him so elated. Just look at that smile! Our last game is tomorrow - but the Putney Pirates will live on when we start our next comp next week (we just can't get enough of netty!).

Saturday was spent driving to and from Stansted which – although it was lovely as my friends from Germany, Katrin and Karl, were coming to visit – turned out to be the ultimate traffic nightmare. Everyone beware if you are booking flights to and from Stansted that it is NOT that close to London and since there are roadworks up until October, driving there is an absolute nightmare. It's annoying for us because although there is a perfectly good train going to Stansted from Liverpool St Station - that is the opposite side of London from where we live and often you are getting stupidly early flights! Anyways, that's enough of my rant - after we made it home (four hours later - no kidding!) we had a lovely arvo in Chelsea then went out in Southbank for Bec's birthday - more piccies to come later! Sunday was a lovely English sunny afternoon barbie in the park – I hope this summer never ends!

Also, to give you all a bit of a laugh - here is an incredibly unattractive pic of me sleep-drooling my way from Freiburg (Germany) to Basel (Switzerland) last week. This is what happens when my dad gets his hands on a digital camera (and when I have had a little too much radler the night before).

The new pad (what you've all been waiting for..)

So I won't lie - flat/house hunting in London can be a bit of a nightmare - but probably only if you're the fussiest person in the world like myself! But after the weeks of stress, and a week of crashing on friends couches (thanks Kate and Ben!) we are finally getting settled in to our new house - me, Paul, Shell and Ray. And it is gorgeous, and we love it! After a trip to Ikea we will have it suited and booted (the homewares shops in posh Putney are a little beyond our budget).

La nueva casa (the blurry living room):


Our bedroom - the view from outside:


The funky kitchen - complete with beautiful appliances:


isn't it lovely (you can't really see much I know!)

In other news, found this interesting/quirky (and award-winning!) blog on travelling on the London Underground. Something to while the hours away.... Going Underground

The heatwave continues, but Germany and Switzerland were calling

hi all...sorry for the lack in communication over the past couple of days. I´m still reeling in shock from the LONDON HEATWAVE! Yes the rising thermometer struck again and this week I was even sent home early TWICE from work as temperatures were too hot for the Poms to handle (how great if that rule was implemented in Australia!)Ice cream trucks, warnings to carry water and bikins in the park were once again abounding...and there was talk that one day was one of the hottest ever recorded in Britain (crayz talk! but yes, it was quite hot). It was only once or twice I found myself opening my mouth to complain (probably as the sweat was pooling on my chair in my unairconditioned office ..nice!) but then I remembered my Aussie roots, and what the winter felt like, and I promptly shut up.

The other exciting thing from this week is that I am now in Germany again! I came to meet up with my parents, my sister and our friends who live in Germany, for the weekend so it has been a bit of a reunion. It has been one of the best weekends I´ve probably ever had in Germany, cause the weather is gorgeous and it is the first time I have really experiences the scorching German sun. I am in Freiburg and since I have only ever been here in the Winter before, it has been great taking all the walks through the forest, visitng the Titisee and swimming in the lake, drinking radler in beer gardens...ahh. This country should be like this all year round! Last night was the opening of the annual Kirchzarten beer festival, which although small, was heaps of fun and today we made the short train trip to Basel, Switzerland for a day in the gorgeous city by the Rhein river.

I had also only ever been to Basel in the winter before, so it was great to see all the people swimming in the river and out sunbaking. You could buy this waterproof, inflatable bag for 15 euro and put all your stuff in it, then hop in the river and float down it a couple of kilometres, with your bag keeping you afloat! There were dozens of people doing it ..we might go back tomorrow. It beats digging a hole on the beach for your valuables and cunningly placing a towel over it like I did back home, then hoping the whole time that noone would nick off with your wallet while you´re swimming. Anyways Basel is a beautiful town, with so much culture and history. Definitely also better in the summer!

I´m flying back to London tomorrow night (another late night arrival at a regional London airport miles out of town!) and I get to go home to my beautiful new house! which I just realised I haven´t written anything about here yet. After much drama we have a new home and it is gorgeous (two bedrooms, garden, SPA bath and WINE CELLAR all five mins off the high street). I was a little worried thouzgh as Paul messaged me yesterday and said they had cordoned off the street as apparently someone had found an unexploded World War 2 BOMB in our front yard!?? (what the??!!!). While I was sitting here imagining our wonderful new house blown to smithereens, Paul messaged to say that a police and bomb squad visit later, it was deduced that the object in question was in fact an old weight for blinds. Oh dear....how hilarious though! All the exciting stuff happens when i´m not there....photos of the new pad to come soon.

What could be wrong with a beach bar in a parking lot?

I've finally discovered the awesome beach bar in Brick Lane - a sand and beach-chair oasis perfectly situated in a parking lot in the middle of London. After weeks of hearing about it (surely there couldn't really be sand and palm trees?) we made the short walk down Brick Lane after work and stumbled across this funky little summer drinking spot. I got myself a Pims with mint and cucumber, grabbed a beach chair, reclined in the sun on the sand, and I could have been on Freshwater Beach...well, kind of! It was a nice change from a jam-packed smokey, dark bar and perfect for a gorgeous summer evening. When I slipped my thongs off (aka Flip Flops! urgh - what a horrible phrase) and I stepped on to the sand and it dribbled through my toes, I even felt a wave of homesickness. It's always the littlest things you miss! Anyways, i'm sure you've realised that the photo here is the same bar - not sure what the car-wreck inspired decorating is all about, but it's still wonderful :)

This next photo is not related to anything in particular but I just thought it was so beautiful. It's a photo one of mate's sent from his recent trip to Ireland. Absolutely breathtaking. And it wasn't just this one - all the photos he sent were amazing. I haven't been dying to go to Ireland, but it's definitely on my list. Hopefully I will get there one day! Heaps of Aussies always end up there when their working visas run out - perhaps it is my destiny :)

"Britain's greatest mediaeval experience"

ok, it might have been a little cheesy but the folks are in town and on our country weekend we visited Warwick Castle in the Cotswolds - and I loved it! It is a huge historic castle (obviously) which was inhabited by the Earls of Warwick for centuries, and has seen more than a few royals passing it's gates. It is a breathtaking castle, with gorgeous grounds and quirky displays (such as a dungeon which still has the writings on the walls of people who were imprisoned there for years in the 16oos).

The best part is that the attraction is now owned by the Tussauds Group and the castle and it's displays are decorated by fabulous (if a little eerie) wax figures. The only problem is that there are also real people dressed up in the costumes of the time wandering around and at more than one occasion I would be peering at a 'statue' in a display only to have a slight heart attack when they smiled and winked at me. If you're down this way, I would definitely pay it a visit
(it's cheaper than Madame Tussauds, a great dose of good old tourist cheese!)