The London Life
Trip Start
Jan 20, 2004
1
85
88
Trip End
Feb 01, 2005
London,
United Kingdom
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Bree
Bree is one of my oldest friends. We went to kinder together, played basketball and netball together and went to high school together. She's been in London for almost 2 years and she loves it and I can see her staying for a long time.
Anyway, she came through with the goods when I rang her from the Tel Aviv airport, upset from my security check,a nd told her that I would be in London that evening and would she be able to meet me at the airport and would it be okay to stay with her
Bree and Camille at Brick Lane
. She had only just moved into a new place, but she said that would be fine for me to doss on the couch and she said she'd be at Heathrow to greet me.I was so happy to see her at the airport and she even brought along her new English boyfriend, Graeme, who she had met back home in Mildura while on holiday and who had been working there. He started off with excellent points scoring when he pushed my trolley, carried my heavy backpack and then made me breakfast in bed the next day!
It was so strange to see Bree in London and it truly felt as though we were back in Mildura having a catch up dinner on Langtree Avenue, but in actual fact we were on the opposite side of the world and we were wearing coats.
Bree and the Earlsfield Road crew proved to be excellent and generous people who didn't blink an eye when I stayed for a week on the couch and took over a corner of the loungeroom for my belongings. Bree showed me her old digs in Putney and lots of great places to eat. The gastronomic delights!
Saturday was Marcin's birthday (Bree's housemate) and so we went to Brick Lane for curry (I think I need to ease myself back into spicy food after that) and then to Canteloupe (which we were all calling the Rockmelon) for a few drinks
Feeling Naughty
. It was a great night and I could feel the mojo that was oozing from me. I was convinced that I should indulge in some red cordial shots, and after a year without red cordial, I was up for it. I was bragging how I'd done 6 shots before, but managed to throw some ice on that idea and agree to 3. Three 50ml shots of red cordial after a year without wasn't such a good idea as it had seemed, but the sugar did the trick and I couldn't stop laughing. We then went to a place called Bedroom and after waiting in the line for awhile, we were inside and I had found my friend Nick who was there with his girlfriend and friends. After closing time, Marcin wanted something to eat and so Bree, Marcin and I went to Tinseltown, a 24 hour cafe and had a burger, which was showing signs of beating me, but I squeezed the last bite in. Then it was back to Earlsfield to nurse the rings of fire. Marcin took plenty of shots and Bree and I star in about 50% of them, so check out www.marcink.co.uk/photos/29th
Nick
I met Nick when he signed up for the Student Ambassador program I was running at RMIT University. He was doing his PhD and we hit it off, had a bit of a kiss and some coffees before he moved to Wollongong and then almost 3 years ago, to Europe
Red Tongue
. I had lunch with Nick and discovered that he is a real career oriented man, though still with the same boyish sense of fun and games. Perhaps the career thing kind of freaked me a little as that is so not where I'm at, but then again, he has 5 years on me.
We arranged to meet up again for dinner so that I could meet Liane, his girlfriend. I met him and his workmate Travis at the station and we went to Notting Hill to the Churchill Arms for some drinks and Thai curry. As well as meeting Liane, another of his friends, Brendan, was there. I had a great night with lots of funny stories and laughs. I found a Firebolt 2000 in the corner, so I had to give it a ride, although I doubt I would make the Quidditch team. Travis then demonstrated the "Belgian Dip" which involved putting your mouth and nose into the Guinness froth. This had hilarious results!
The night passed so quickly in great company and it was sad to see it end, but I said I'd see what was happening and maybe meet up with them again on the weekend. So on Saturday night we ended up meeting up at Bedroom and I introduced Bree to Nick, Liane and Travis.
At the end of the night I was having a dance with Travis, or rather he was dancing with me, flinging me all over the dancefloor and when the music stopped I was amazed at what a good dancer he was. He put Danny my deb partner to shame. This all added up to make me want to go home to Australia even less as I was having a great time with great people and I just want to live the London life too.
Luke
Luke used to hang his laundry all over his room at college, and nothing has changed. I rocked up at his pad in Paddington to be greeted by a house full of washing. Luke was also there with a big grin and hug and with dinner ready to rock.
We caught up on each others adventures, with Israel being the focus as Luke wanted to go when he was in Egypt and Jordan and we compared our Middle East experiences (although I think my airport check wins hands down!)
We then had the canasta challenge. Luke and Dru introduced me to canasta and I scored a debut win, which then led to an 8 hour card game. So it was only fitting that I bring my canasta cards (which have travelled so far with me, only to be played on the Amazon and in London) and see who had the one up. That person was me! I absolutely caned Luke, so I left the cards with him so that on my return or his (whichever is first) he can have his day of glory.
Kristy
I met Kristy at college in first year uni. I surprised her by showing up unannounced at the Dog and Fox in Wimbledon where she lives and works. It was great to see her again and we arranged to go on a cruise on the Thames to the Tower of London and that I would stay with her for a few days before flying back to Australia.
Our day at the Tower of London was great, but I was too busy chatting to Kristy to fully appreciate it all. We started off listening to the Beefeater give his bit of information, but the group was far too big so we wandered off on our own and saw the Crown Jewels, the tower and a museum. We quickly skipped through the museum as we weren't in the mood to pay attention, only stopping to admire some impressive codpieces on the knights in shining armour.
We also wanted to get a picture atop the big bronze lions at the bottom of Nelson's statue in Trafalgar Square, but the monument had been sectioned off for something or rather.
Bree and Graeme took me around to Kristy's and helped with my truckload of stuff and then we all had a drink in the pub. Kristy told me that one of the Brazilians, Ronnie, who also lives and works at the pub had been dying to meet me for the past week and had been declaring his anticipated love for me. That night, while I was showing Kristy some of my pictures on the TV, Ronnie came in and proceeded to use the South American approach. We had a conversation where he spoke Portuguese and I spoke Spanish and we could understand each other which was great!! He was using the wear down approach and was telling me that he wanted to kiss me, touching me and at one point he told me that he would die for me, to which I burst out laughing and turned into a running joke with everyone the next day. He left for bed a disappointed man. I have had enough South Americans and I guessed that he would be a bad kisser too. Funnily enough, the next evening Ronnie came home with some chick and we heard them shagging in the next room. So much for his heart that I broke! I think a South American heart is easily mended.
Despite all good plans to do something, Kristy and I just ended up going to the movies and hanging out at the pub, although we did organise a little farewell dinner in Fulham to which Bree and Graeme came to and a couple of Kristy's friends. Kristy got absolutely smashed on a bottle and half of red and the next morning when we were on the train to the airport we had to get off so that Kristy could have a spew at the end of the platform. I felt so bad at dragging her to the airport, but she was adamant that she was going to get there. I gave her a thick plastic bag which she proceeded to spew into while we were on the train and this woman sitting next to me said "I get train sick too, you should try drinking some fizzy water". I did feel extremely sorry for Kristy, although in the photo I took of us at the airport you would never guess that she was hideously hungover!
Other Bits
Aside from catching up with all my friends and hanging out with them, getting a little taste of the London life, I managed to do a daytrip to Oxford, shop along Oxford Street, go to Piccadilly Square and see an exhibition on the Titanic. All good really! But I have saved plenty of tourist stuff for my next visit, which hopefully isn't too far into the future!
Things I Learned
* I want to live in London and I want to be there NOW!
* Friends are the most amazing people and good friends are priceless
* The weather in London, whilst gray, isn't as bad as I thought it would be
