Croa-ti-a and Bos-ni-a

What do you do when you need to escape London, are craving (decent) seafood and need something to look forward too on your second birthday away from home?

Go to Croatia!! (duh!)

So I got the suitcase out, grabbed the lonely planet and Phil (Irish travelling companion) and hit the road.

After managing to actually sleep at the airport (damn the cheap 6am flights!) and on the flight, I was (semi) fresh faced and ready to go when we arrived on Croatian soil. The first thing I noticed was the delicious smell of the sea, Glorious nostril food...

Unfortunately the weather was less than pleasurable (it seems London may have had better weather the week I was away, Go Figure!), but it made a cheek portside coffee all the more enjoyable. Apart from the beaches and being a central bus and boat connection hub for Croatia, Split is not that exciting. The main attraction is Diocletians Palace, one of the oldest Roman Ruins in Eastern Europe and a great snippet into the ancient Croatian times. I was amazed by the amount of homeless people and stray cats. I think because of all the fisherman boats the cats were better fed...

Phil and I took a few photos together, I felt a bit weird about him, awkward almost.. But by the end of the trip we had bonded! (Original Phil jumped ship and left me in Santorini..)

After I had finished with Split hopped on a bus down to Dubrovnik, fortunately for Phil and I the bus took the coastal route down which was incredibly beautiful. Sunset over the islands and a bird’s eye view as the seaside towns were covered in the blanket that is night time. 2 passport checks (the coast is partly Bosnian territory) later we arrived in Dubrovnik. It was hard to miss with the impressive bridge and the majestic cruise lines parked in the harbour.

I stayed at Dubrovnik Backpackers Club, a family run hostel with an amazing view of the bridge and harbour. The owner and his brother came to pick me up and I don’t know what I was expecting but they turned up in suits, in a posh Mercedes with ‘Angele Mills’ on a sign... Too cute!! After a few shots of the ‘welcome drink’, a homemade cherry brandy, I met a large group of Canadians who introduced me to the world of Burek. A pastry filled either with meat or cheese (CHEESE!!!!) that is a Croatian/Bosnian specialty. The unofficial rule is that when ordering Burek one must shriek the end just for funsies. BurrrEEEKKK! Got us a few funny looks thats for sure!

The next day the weather had gone from overcast to wet, windy and miserable. We decided to hit the old town regardless and got absolutely soaked in the process. The old city walls are quite impressive, but due to the rain and the fact that everyone was trying to rip us off I lost interest very quickly. My original plan for Croatia had been to spend 2 days between Split and Dubrovnik and then island hop back to split was foiled by the weather. So I decided instead to take a trip to Mostar in Bosnia, it was one of the best travelling decisions I’ve ever made!

Although the weather had been horrendous (torrential rain, hurricane and force winds) the bus ride was beautiful. Our passports were checked 5 times over the 4 hour trip!! We stayed at hostel Majdas, the first hostel to open in Mostar. The owner, Majda, gave us a great run down of the history of the town and the 1991-4 Yugoslav wars. Such an incredible and heart wrenching town. There are countess reminders of post-war destruction. From the primary school with bullet holes running up the side, to the ruined town bank and the plethora of homeless people, I found that walking around the city I really got a feel for the people and what went, and is still going, on. The famous bridge of Mostar was a beautiful and haunting reminder of the wars (and pretty darn slippppery in the rain!). After 4 hours of walking around I had gotten horribly lost, completely soaked and had had two allergic reactions, and yet it was definitely my favourite city of the trip. On interesting thing to note was the use of three different currencies. Pretty much all shops and restaurants accepted Croatian Kuna, Konvertible Marks and Euro(or pound) at a ratio of 8:2:1!! At one point I had four currencies in my wallet, made it hard to keep track of what I was spending!!

That night I went out to dinner with some people from my hostel for some Bosnian specialties. I have Shark steak which was absolutely delicious! I also had a side order of Bosnian cheese (go figure) called Travjniki, it was basically like feta but very creamy.... MMMmmmm Cheese!! All this for only £7!!

The next day the sun was back in force so as we headed back to Dubrovnik we had some chances to take some last minute photos of Mostar in the sunshine!

Back in Dubrovnik I decided to give the old city another chance seeing as the rain had stopped. We stopped off at an ice-cream shop and I got three (huge) scoops and a waffle cone for only 17 kuna (2 quid), pretty much the cheapest food available in Croatia apart from BurrRREEECCK!!

I got myself lost faffing around the city walls and managed to come across a traditional Croatian wedding party heading to the church. The men were dancing and singing around the bridal party and all the local were throwing rice and flowers from their balconies. Magical!

I went for a walk around the outside of the walls and managed to find a sweet little jetty that comes out to the east of the old city walls, providing a perfect location to sip a coffee and watch the sunset! (I did get soaked though, high tide coming in and all!!)

On my last day the weather was amazing (5 wet days and countless allergic reactions later...) so I decided to take the 9hr Dubrovnik to Spit ship, going through all the islands. It turned out perfect, for the first 7 hrs there were only 20 people on the whole ship and the sun was shining.. Two guys from the Hostel joined me for the ride which was fun J

Over sunset we listened to a mix of the Cat Empire and Fat Freddies Drop (not even at my request, believe me or not!) as we passed through Hvar. It was quite literally one of the most blissful evenings I have experienced...

Once we arrived in Split we discovered (after 6 flights of stairs) that our hostel had been closed so we were sent to a sister hostel across town. The boys somehow managed to get us horrifically lost, twice, so by the time we got to the hostel we were ravenous (and I was remembering why I don’t let others direct me when travelling...). We went to a restaurant on the sea front and asked for their specialty. I had Croatian squid ink with risotto with cuttlefish and the boys had (insert name here, I’ve forgotten it!!) which is a steak served in delicious gravy sauce with handmade Gnocchi. Teamed with a pint of local (insert name here, again) beer and finished off with chocolate crepes it came to a total of 62 Kuna (£9ish)!! Amazing and deeeeelicious!

I must say the last 24hrs of the trip really helped bring Croatia back into my good books because up until that point I had been pretty unimpressed by allll the tourists (not travellers, tourists), the people trying to squeeze every last kuna out of you and horrible weather. But I left with new travelling companions, a desire to see more of Bosnia (south Eastern Europe in general), gotten in a day of Island hopping and having eaten a few delectable meals.

Hvala Croatia

'OH my god its so hot' in London = 'Fark me its cold' back home

So as you may have heard the weather gods have decided to flick the switch and crank up the heating in London. Clearly their thermostat has broken because the weather is yo-yo-ing like a pregnant women's cravings. London truly embodies the saying 'four seasons in one day'.

It all started with the start of spring bringing 12 degree weather (Celsius). This alone was exciting! Not to mention so 'warm' that I donned my thongs and shorts for the first time in over 6 months...

London has been abuzz with talk that we will have a BBQ summer. And spring came so suddenly that one day Hyde park was doom and gloom, and the next it was a magical wonderland of blooms and green grass.

The beautiful weather does bring with it some issues. 

Firstly there is the visual aspect. My eyes are straining from the glare. You see, every time it is sunny Londoners strip off and run to the park to tan their gloriously white bodies. Its fun to watch but dangerous for your eyes...

Secondly there is the Hay Fever. It hasn't really hit me yet but my colleagues and alot of our customers are having to take anti-histamines and use eye drops daily! Annoying!!

Thirdly you've got the  lack of hot weather appropriate clothing. Luckily for me my second mum just came over and brought with her a bag of my summer clothes (thanks Lesley, and my mum). And I can't really complain because it gives me a good excuse to go SHOPPING!!

and Fourthly (or quarterly..) cheese does NOT LIKE HEAT!! Oh my good god, my life has become all about transferring cheese from one fridge to another, putting up umbrellas in the shop to stop the sun hitting the displays and constant phone calls to our poor refrigeration company because our air con shits itself every 10 minutes.. 

But these are all small, insignificant little sheep droppings. Things that are just part of the whole package. A package that ultimately ends with me having a nice tan for the first time in almost a year! And that is the kind of package I love :)

Its also amazing the difference in moral with Londoners.. A few weekends of sunshine and the whole city is on a UV high, then it rains for one or two days and the moral drops back down to whiney.

One thing I have found really unnerving is that I have totally acclimatised to the weather. The height of the heat for the first few weeks was around 23 degrees. And all us Aussies were LOVING it, yet still struggling in the 'heat'. This cracks me up seeing as 23 is bordering on freezing back home cold enough to wear a jumper, almost time for a scarf!

To be perfectly honest I am truly ashamed. It is a true sign of someone who has been away for too long when 20 degrees in considered 'balmy' (thats right, I said it - Balmy).

So remember, remember that no matter where you are in the world, someone - somewhere is dreaming of having the weather you have... 

But if that place in the world is London, always carry an umbrella.

Life on the Detox train ChOo CHOoooo

Pining for cupcakes at the market

Smoked Duck-Comte-Iced latte-Brioche-Cheese in general-cupcakes-strawberry milkshakes-coffee in general.. Oh and did I mention cheese??

These are just a few of the yummy treats I had on my 'cravings' list. Created after the fabulous Mr Yorkeston, who is coming to stay in a week, offered to help me work through the list to make up for the month gone by. That's what friends are for right?! He could also be trying to sabotage me by ruining all my good work.. hehe

Cravings aside - the detox (schmeetox) went really well! Near the end I was actually beginning to feel like I'll actually miss it... I have loads more energy, my skin is clearer, I don't yawn every 30 minutes and even my hair feels healthier.. (Maybe due to a new conditioner - but I'll praise the detox for now!)

It was definitely an interesting couple of weeks. I pretty much avoided the general public and eating out. Didn't even step into a pub :) But to be honest, I have really enjoyed discovering new foods, types of cooking and recipes. Particularly Quinoa- a rice type grain that expands to five times its original size and is super tasty.

Don't get me wrong there were temptations.. Work was the hardest - surrounded by all the delicious goodness (smoked duck!!) was tough at times. But its just meant I had to be very organised, taking carrots and all sorts of healthy snacks as well. Certain colleagues weren't very supportive at first, placing brioche all over the shop just to tempt me (bastards!) but caught on once they realised I was serious about it. One even did a detox of his own ( but will still have a few glasses of wine and a massive slice of Beaufort... go figure!)

The neighbouring coffee shops were very nice, bringing me a cup of peppermint tea and a lettuce leaf every day at midday! I realised that they do banana soy smoothies 9 days before finishing!

Part of the detox is doing cold showers and having mineral baths and massages. Pretty nice to have an excuse to get a massage, and take a time out in the bath! Cold showers took me a few days to get used too, allergic reactions didn't help! Also been doing exercise everyday which has been great fun. Getting to know the local area - its actually really beautiful. We have a great park about ten minutes away, which you can get to by running down the canal or through the other park.

I have also discovered this very beautiful but eery cemetery just behind my place. Its a bit harry potter/thriller and very well maintained. There are some tombstones that are over two hundred years old. Its very cool! Only problem is that I am terrified of Zombies (I joke you not) and get a little spooked when running early in the mornings. I even take my phone just in case, although I'm not sure that 'The Bill' would respond to a zombie attack..

The scary zombies on my morning runs

I've also been going for walks and discovering Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Estate. Its been great fun and they are all reasonably close to work, Brilliant! Plus the weather has been superb - three words I never thought you would here me say (or in this case type) - Beautiful Sunny London!

My commitment was tested a few times throughout the detox. Firstly with the (untimely) arrival of Brendan and Ben, also known as Brenno and Lango. Two unsightly characters I met Prague last year. They were army boys, on mission in Afghanistan, enjoying their only days off, gallivanting through Europe. I met them through Nick and we all spent the week pissing up, drinking 4 litre cocktails and watching State of Origin! So it goes without saying that I really wanted to have a good night out with them but couldn't BOOOO! They stayed at mine or a few days which was nice. But I felt bad I couldn't meet them out for a drink!

   Andy and I at the markets

Then I had a Sunday off and caught up with my lovely lady friend Andy, someone I also met in Prague (love that place). She was on a mission to introduce me to the local markets, and that we did. I bought some awesome funky earrings and a particularly cool shirt (Andy and I actually got the same shirt and have to co-operate to make sure we don't wear the same shirt by accident!). All in all it was a great day, it was very hard not to eat all the incredible yummy foods the market has to offer, I found some stuff in the end, but had to scoot past the cupcake stalls very very quickly!! PAIN

Kaytlyne & I at the folk fair

On the last week of the detox I had Kaytlyne and two of her friends to stay for the weekend. It was really great to see the girls again! It had been 6 months since I had seen Kaytlyne :(

I took the Sunday off work and we went to the Tate modern where there was a children's folk fair on. It was so nice to hang out in the sun, have a picnic and catch up with friends. Fern and Anthony were there for little Alfie and we watched him have a little sing along and have a really fun time. That kid is going to grow up to be a big cheese fan I promise you that! 

 Speaking of cheese.. I went (with the view of participating) to the Gloucester cheese Rolling carnival! It was during the detox but luckily there was actually not any cheese to be eaten there... It was possibly one of the funniest days of my life! I brought my afore mentioned friend Andy, her housemate Anthony and his bestie, Andrew. As soon as I arrived at the train station I knew we were in for a great day! The whole event is held atop Coopers Hill in Gloucester.  A man in a full body white jumpsuit stands at the top of the hill and throws a wheel of Gloucester cheese down the hill. 15 or so contestants then chase down after it. Most of them lose step about 5 steps down and no-one reaches the bottom unscathed! I was actually planning on entering but the walk up the hill killed me, and then watching the first race definitely cemented my decision not to enter!! It was hilarious fun, watching borat, a naked guy (with a g-string on), spiderman and a guy with a horse mask crash tackle and smack their way down the hill! Maybe next year I'll have the nerve to enter. And six weeks accrued annual leave to I can take time to heal my broken limbs!

The A team - Angie Anthony Andrew and Andy

Regardless I managed to commit to the detox and feel much better for it now! I have stuck to alot of the same foods and have decided to pretty much delete dairy from my diet (except for the odd cheese and coffee obviously). The first thing I had coming off the detox was banana on wholemeal bread! But then I got to work and had some SMOKED duck... MMMmmmm

All in all it was good fun, very interesting and well worth doing. Any one interested in doing it, the Book is 'Detox yourself' by Jane Skrivner!

   Coffee post detox

Over and Out

Detox Schmeetox

Its that time again...

Its been a while and my only (and pretty good excuse) is that I have been all consumed by this detox I am on.

Detox? I hear you asking, Detox? WHY why WHy would someone do that willingly?

Well, I must admit, it has been challenging (especially in my line of work), I have had my moments where I could literally kill for a slice of Comte or smoked duck.. But I have hung in there and am feeling fantastic :)

But let me take you back, back to the beginning, back to basics, how it all began.

Fi had been told, by one of our friends, about a great detox we should try. To be honest, when Fi suggested it to me I wasn't too keen at first, mainly because the whole diet concept can be a bit crazy and thought of doing a detox where I work just seems crazy! But it is actually more than a diet or a detox, its all about eating and thinking healthier. Doing things to help your body like dry-skin brushing, regular massages, exercise and exfoliating. 

So I went and got the book and was actually really intrigued by it. Bring it on I say!

In the week leading up to D-day (get it D for detox.. haha) I kept thinking about all the foods I was about to give up for a month. Cheese for starters! The alcohol was not going to be a problem because I have barely drunk in over a month anyway. Chocolate is obviously something us girls were a bit upset about losing.. Coffee is the one thing I was stressing out not getting, so I started to cut back in the weeks leading up, to make the headaches a bit easier!!

We had all decided to start together on the Monday after Amandas birthday, so that we could have one last blow out (As you do when your about to Detox, ruin your body even more!). It turns out we have all started at different times any way!

In the days leading up to the detox all I could think about was Yum Cha (or Dim Sum as it is called in London) so my Rocamadour loving Canadian friend Cath and I went for a tasty treat. We found a really great place in China Town, that I will definitely be frequenting once this detox is over!!  After wards we faffed around and I went to meet up with some friends from home and had my last COFFEE for 30 days :(  Had to go to Flet Whyte, in Soho, coz its the best in London! Withdrawals Withdrawals Withdrawals!!

D-Day had arrived and I was up and ready to go! I over did it a little with the cold shower, a bit too keen and gave myself an allergic reaction! I realised we can have porridge for breakfast which is a relief.. Something a bit substantial for breaky certainly helps to keep me going!

I had the day off which was good, got to concentrate on following the program and getting my house food ready. Which included putting all sugar, flour, biscuits, coffee, and pretty much everything that is processed into bags and hiding them in my cupboard!

Day two was not so easy, considering I had to work. To be honest its was FARKING hard. Everyone kept trying to tempt me and no-one thought I would stick to it! It was actually really annoying because everyone kept trying to talk me out of it which was the last thing I needed. I was out to prove them all wrong!

One thing about the detox is that its supposed to 'give you back two hours a day'. But its actually really time consuming! Between the exercise, relaxing, massage, breathing and cooking and preparing all the food... Its pretty much taking up an extra 2 hours a day! Oh well it will all be worth it in the end right!

The first week was a bit tricky at times, especially at work, but not nearly as hard as I imagined it! I have started a cravings list that will be worked through with my dear friend Yorko when he comes for a week in June. It is helping me stay sane! 

Week two started off really bad because my back was really sore and I had horrible neck pains and could barely move! Made me feel really whoosy and obviously couldn't do exercise which sucked! I also got a bit fluey and managed to convince myself that I had the SWINE FLU! Ahah, luckily I have a housemate who is a nurse and she convinced me that I will be just fine! 

After a few days rest I was good to go again! All the rituals have become like second nature now, and the cooking is becoming easier and more inventive. I have started going for walks/jogs in Hyde Park before work which has been really nice. Gets me in a good mind set for work too which is well needed :)

We've actually been very quiet at work which is making the detox a little more challenging. Because there isn't much to do except eat! Although I am proud, my boss has been inspired and is riding to work every day and eating healthier :) Finally convinced them all!

I'm into week three now and I have my rhythm well down pat. There is a great cemetery behind our place that I go running at everyday, and I have taken to turning up the music really loud in my room and dancing around like a crazy person for half an hour. You know, the one at the club who is in the middle flapping her arms around like a banshee making you want to cringe? Yep, that's my room dance style baby! 

I think my bladder is finally adjusted to the amount of water I have been drinking which is nice! Don't need to pee every bloody fifteen minutes anymore!

So that's pretty much it for now! I'm feeling great, loads more energy, I wake up early and feel alert and ready to go without the need for an alarm, or a snooze button. My skin is alot clearer and I'm sleeping very heavily (rather than waking up all the time) and even feel a bit more positive!

I'll keep you all posted.. I'm sure there will be a chocolate or coffee craving soon that might need to be vented!!

Lest We Forget

*The crowd of early risers*

I joined hundreds of others this Saturday in braving the wee hours of the morning for the Anzac Day Ceremony. It was held in Hyde Park Corner at the Australian War Memorial, so from my place that meant catching two night buses. Unfortunately I slept through my alarms and woke up late!! Had to haul arse to the bus and hope the roads were quiet... Turns out I made it in record time!! 

It was really great to see so many Aussies and Kiwis together to pay tribute to the Anzac's. I honestly didn't expect there to be so many people. I think one of the amazing things about being overseas is the comradery that you feel when you are around people from home. For all the crap we give each other, at the end of the day, everyone puts the pettiness aside to help each other out. And I think that is why I and so many others had turned out to honour the Anzac spirit.

You see, for me, I don't have any ancestors from Australia, my family comes from France and New Zealand. So Anzac day was not something we really acknowledged in our household. However we had a great family friend who took it upon himself to teach me about it and take me every year to the Dawn Service in town.  Even after he passed away I made sure I went every year (bar one year in Brisbane) and did my best to spread to Anzac story.

In the true spirit of the Anzac's I went on a baking spree and cooked up a storm of Anzac biscuits. 4 batches with 4 recipes because I wasn't sure which ones were the best!!! To be honest with you, I was very surprised by the coconut element in the ingredients list. I couldn't remember the coconut being a predominant flavour in the old Anzac biscuit but it turns out its very important!! MMMMmmm Tasty. 

As you can imagine with 4 batches of biscuits I had a lot to go around, so I took it upon myself to spread the ANZAC spirit amongst my customers. All Aussies got some to take home and everyone else had one to try and a run down on how the biscuit came to be. 

All in all it was a great morning, made me miss home, made me proud of my friends who have or are serving currently in peace missions around the world, and more than anything reminded how proud I am to be an Australian. 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

*Sunrise on Anzac Day*

A typical day in London town

On Sunday night Amanda, Fi, Billy (my new neighbour) and I went out to Shepherds Bush to watch Bat For Lashes. A band fronted by Natasha Khan and whichever musicians she invites to go on tour with her (at least that's how I think it works..). I had brought a Brioche along from work because I know how much Fi and Amanda love them some Brioche... But unfortunately on the way in the crazy security lady made me throw it out!! I was so upset and my belly was pretty devastated too!

                                         *Bat for Lashes - WOOT WOOT!!*

The support act was an American group called 'School of Seven Bells' and they were really awesome! You tube them and have a look for yourself!!  Bat For Lashes is a bit of a Bjork/Eurythmics tribute, really great electronic sound filled out with a cute but powerful voice. She was really great on stage, really into it and good fun to watch! The O2 academy is a  great venue, old school play house so no seat is a bad seat and the sound reverberates really well. It was also my first concert in a while, really really nice to get out a spazz out to some music. Thanks Randy!!

                                         *Andy and I looking Hot!!Hahaha*

So it turned out the Bat for Lashes concert was just the beginning of what was going to be a very 'cultural' 24 hours for yours truly. The incredible thing about living in this city is that there are so many things to do. Museums with hoards of children, museums with hoards of artists, quirky cafes, gastro pubs, schmanzy restaurants, luscious parks, celebrity haunts, markets, walks along the rivers, live music, shopping shopping shopping, live comedy, musicals and much much more. Monday being my day off it was time to catch up with a few people. First up was Nick, my cracker friend that lives with Fi and is also from the land down under. He works on 'West Ends number one musical' - WICKED so is a bit of a theatre aficionado, so we decided to check out the Theatre and Performance exhibition at the V&A museum. It was my first time to the museum and I must say it took me completely by surprise. Its really well set up, informative, visually stimulating but fun at the same time. We also had a bit of time to check out the jewellery and fashion sectors.. Such a girls day out!

One hour, two glasses of champagne, a plate of cheese and two tube changes later we were in Camden town on a mission to A) Find Cath B) Buy wellies (gumboots) C) Buy sunnies. 

I think its official. I am the world most notorious sunnies offender. I recently calculated that if i were to count on my fingers the number of sunnies I have lost/broken over the years I would need another 2.3 hands!! Whoopsy doosy

The weather here in London has just been incredible these last few weeks. Sunny, up to 21 degrees, and not too much wind. Apparently its the warmest April London has seen for years, which is exciting for me!! However we had a few days of yucky wetness last weeks and I got sick of my pants getting soaked so I decided I need to buy some funky town gumboots!! Turns out Camden Markets was the perfect venue to provide me with all my gumboot needs. So we met up with Cath (my awesome Canadian-photo taking-rocomadour loving friend) and set off..

We had a great afternoon faffing around looking in all the kooky shops, imagining what sort of tattoo we would get and people watching. All the different markets are so great, antique, vintage, punk, rock, alternative, record shops.. Pretty much anything you could want!!

                                                                   

                                              (photo courtesy of Catherine Tyrrell)

We walked through the mini food market where people are trying to shove food down your throats (Cath was happy to indulge them!). Nick and I got a felafel each.. We probably should have shared!! soooo full :( 

So after our little traipse through Camden town we decided the one thing we hadn't done so far was see a show. So courtesy of my dear boy Nick-o-lass we went of to enjoy a night of frivolity at 'La Cage aux folles'. The West End musical version of 'Bird Cage' the film with Robin Williams. 

Beforehand we went to have a little drinkey poo on a boat on the Thames that offers views of the Big Ben and the London Eye. Its really nice hey, a good place to take people that are new to London too!

'La Cage aux folles' is an incredible story about a gay/transvestite club on the coast of France. If you've not seen it I recommend it, and if you have seen it, imagine how awesome the musical version would be!! Trannys, dancing, load music, hilarious french accents, skanky outfits, a crazy Spanish man maid and an over the top drama queen. 

So all in all it was a great day, very cultural, very cruisy, with good friends and great weather. Perfect

oooooh the pain

OOOOOOOOOOOOohhh my lordy!
Its midnight and I can't sleep for fear of not waking up because of the pain. It had been like this for about 4 days now...
Why why why do I have to be so stubborn and not believe in pain killers for back pain!
Why why why is Nea not here to help me and swear at me and make me feel bad for letting it get so bad..
Why why why is it not possible to get a back replacement operation in this day and age?
and last but certainly not least
Why WHy WHY oh WHY did I work for 14hrs today, today of all freaking days!
There, that's my vent.. I'll be calling my Granny soon for tips on how to hobble correctly and maybe even discuss the possibility of my borrowing one of her glorious canes. .. . ..
Sleep well (someone has to.. haha)

On the road again...I can't wait to get on the road again...

Phil and I on the Road again..

I'm not a religious person. I don't say grace before dinner, I don't go to church on Sundays and I don't enjoy it when a complete stranger comes to my door and tells me to put my life in His hands.


I do, however, believe in the Easter Bunny. I believe that once a year He will bring me loads of chocolate in various wonderful shapes and sizes. I also believe that He will bring joy to billions of children across the world with His exciting egg hunts. I have heard that He creates duplicate 'skins' because, like Santa, he can't be everywhere at once, and he needs the help of mummies and daddies all over the world to give the kids a little surprise. When I was younger I took great joy in waking up on Easter Sunday and frolicking around the backyard (or through the village) with my wicker basket collecting eggs. That was, of course, until I turned 15 and realised I was getting too old for such silliness.

The closest I got to seeing the easter bunny...

Now days the Easter Bunny brings me a different kind of joy. Don't get me wrong, I still love chocolate and will take part in an egg hunt with the best of them. But as a 22 (and a half) year old working class girl I have a different kind of love for the Easter long weekend. The love of a potential 4 day weekend. And while working in the hospitality industry generally means you are expected to work at least the Saturday and the Monday, this year I managed to get Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off (Easter Bunny bless you Todd) and thought I'd have me a little mini vacation.

So days off organised I had two things left to do.. 1)Choose a destination and 2)pack.
Choosing a destination wasn't going to be easy as I haven't done much travelling in England yet which leaves me with lots of options. But after lots of umm-ing an ah-ing I eventually decided on 'Aquae Sulis, a splendid city raised by the Romans, adorned with all the elegancies of architecture, supplied with all the means of luxury' (Reverend Richard Warner). Or as we all know it, Bath.
Packing also proved a little tricky. Because of the ever changing weather its a nightmare choosing what to wear to work let alone a three day trip... This is, after all, England. The country known for having four seasons in one day!! This and the fact that the weather forecast changed everyday didn't help me make the important decisions (dress versus jeans - singlet versus jumper-thongs versus boots). But I figured as long as I had Phil (the ultimate Irish travel companion), camera, Ipod, cash, an umbrella, sunnies and at least one change of underwear, I'd be fine. Armed with all of the above (and heaps more, thanks to my over packing), I was on my way.

The river Avon

It would be fair to say that my excitement levels for travelling again could be matched only by those of a four year old having finally mastered the art of riding a bike. They dropped suddenly when I arrived in Bath and it was raining. 'Don't worry', I reminded myself, 'this is England, it will be sunny in 10 minutes'. And indeed it was!

The Bath Abbey

Let it be said that Bath is an exceptionally beautiful city. The architecture alone is incredible, the sculptures intriguing and the perfect way the city showcases each era to have existed there is amazing. From Medieval alleys, Georgian buildings and Victorian gardens to the Roman Baths, there is truly a taste of each era withing the city walls.

The first thing I did was jump on a free walking tour, provided by the 'Honorary guides on behalf of the Mayor'. Our guide was a wealth of knowledge with a great sense of humour - Brilliant! He took us around the city telling us all about the history, explaining the relevance of the architecture from one part of town to the other, and providing some interesting and quirky facts along the way. Like the fact that Mr Nicolas Cage from films such us Con Air and Nightrider owns house number 10, Royal Circus. A tidy 3 million pound...

I spent the afternoon faffing around the city and came across a cute little theatre, aptly named 'the Little Theatre'. They were advertising a comedy show for that night. 'A local troupe in a show about relatives, the unrelated and a ukulele karaoke competition. Sounded good and I was definitely up for a laugh so I bought a ticket. 8pm came around and I went into the theatre and somehow ended up watching 'The boat that rocked'!. I guess I must have walked into the wrong theatre?!! Luckily enough I loved the film (I highly recommend it to any one who grew up in the 70's or like me, wished they did) and did not regret it for a second.

On another note, the hostel I stayed at was underwhelming to say the least. The beds were as squeaky as the voice of a 14 year old boy and the last people to enter the room didn't lock the door. This resulted in two drunk local idiots coming into our room and pushing all of our beds in an attempt to get a free bed! Eventually they got kicked out, it definitely made for an interesting nights sleep...
The following morning the showers were playing up which resulted in many people reverting to the age old travelling trick "shower in a can". I over heard an Aussie bloke explaining the phrase to a group of unimpressed Asian tourists.

A true example of the quality of my hostel. A dildo vending machine..

Smelliness aside it was a beautiful day. Sunny and warm!! It was so warm I even took the opportunity to wear a dress and thongs out to stonehenge! The bus trip out to the stones was great fun. I have definitely grown to appreciate the British countryside. Who thought that fields of canola flowers could be so enchanting. I just wish I had seen a crop circle... The trip just wouldn't have been the same without the kiwi behind me saying 'sweet as bro' and 'unreal', every time the driver told an anecdote. Or the four Japanese boys that started screaming when they saw a lady beetle on the seat in front of them!!

Stonehenge in all its glory

Stonehenge itself was pretty cool. The Audio guides are really interesting, without being boring and monotonous. Although it would be amazing to know why they are really there.. My theory is that Asterix and Obelix came over on a boat from Calais, sunk some pirates on the way and created the circle as a cage to lock the bard in.. Could be right?Phil testing out my Asterix and Obelix theory. Obelix eat your heart out!

The weather was still spring perfection when we got back into Bath so I took the opportunity to go for a walk in the sun followed by a lie down in the park. On my stroll I came across one of the funniest street performers I have ever seen. Might be something to do with growing up with Florence and her french cleaning maid act!. I have such love for street performers that I would spend all day watching them if I had the chance!

Street performer putting out the fire with him bum.. Made me giggle :)

Afterwards I went up to the magnificent 'Royal Crescent' for a lie down. One apartment in the row of 30 goes for around 3 million pounds (that is equivalent to a f*&% load in Aus$).

The crescent was buzzing with people of all ages playing Frisbee, sun bathing, running and random couples making out. I conveniently found a place behind a group of particularly cute guys, tops off, playing rugby, and next to a group practising fire twirling and jumping on weird but awesome suspension stilts.

Awesome suspension boots

It really made me miss home and my fire poi's. I also fell asleep and woke up to find I was in the centre of a Frisbee game. Proof that sun actually reached my skin!!

After my sun session I went on the 'Bizzare Bath' comedy walk. 90 minutes of hilarity, with everything from the chance to win 300 pound to the suicide attempt of a white bunny called Stu. It was truly a perfectly executed lunatic stroll through tthe streets of Bath. It was like taking part in a brilliant session of street theatre. A lovely pair of traffic cones! Happy place...

I knew the weather was going to turn sour on the last day so I saved all the indoor attractions for last. First up was the Paxton and Whitfield cheese shop (anything cheese related is a tourist attraction in my books). It's not very good in comparison to their London store and the staff were not very helpful which is a shame. Then again, I am bound to be a bit critical! A traditional cheese press

Next up was the Roman Baths. I got in early hoping to miss the crowds but was unsuccessful - people everywhere!!! The whole experience at the Baths is great. Again the Audio guides are great, albeit a bit boring, but very informative all the same. There is, however, the option of listening to Bill Brysons view on the Baths which is very interesting , and a bit of fun. I'm reading one of his books at the moment so that made it even more interesting.

Taking a sip of the Bath water.. not delicious!

The basic story of the baths is this : Built in 65-75 AD the hot springs flow 1,70,000 litres per day at temperatures of 46-95 degrees Celsius. Back in the day they believed the water had healing powers and people would come from far and wide to bathe in the thermal water. It also meant the city became a rich city, a place one had to be seen. But as the world turns and we moved through the ages the Baths were re built, built over, destroyed and built again. The museum hosts and displays heaps of interesting artifacts and stories. I particularly liked the concept of an "augurer". A man who sacrifices animals to the goddess Minerva and then splits the organs to predict the future. I think I'll take a horoscope thanks!!

So after the baths it was off to the abbey. I was on a mission to find the long lost relative of a friend of mine, 45 minutes and a crook neck later I found him. Apparently he is one of only 300 people that are buried beneath the abbey...

After the abbey I went to find the world famous Bath cheese shop, 'The Fine Cheese Co.' I was fortunate enough to meet the owner, a vibrant passionate woman with a knowledge and love for cheese that could be rivaled by very few. We had a great chat (we even know some people in common back in Australia!) and I sampled some of the local cheeses Bath has to offer. It was TASTY!

So with the cheese shop done I was pretty much finished with Bath. I had time for a bit of a shop (hehe), another nap in the Queens park, and a quick mosie through the Assembly Rooms (18th Century ball rooms.. not overly exciting to be honest..) before jumping on the bus back to London town. Back to Reality...

After the leisurely 3hr trip I was already missing the country side and saddened to be back in the hustle and bustle that is the tube. But that is life, and we have to work to earn money to play and have holidays bla bla bla! I have to travelling itch back and the only cure is to plan more trips.. Look out England!!

Sunset over somerset

A casual stroll through Notting Hill: Where for art thou Hugh??

Just one of the fantastic boutiques in Notting Hill (covered in a million yellow bows..)

Man owns a book shop. A book shop that doesn't get alot of business. Man lives with a lanky Welsh guy who has no boundaries. Woman needs a book. Woman likes man who sells her the book. Man and woman start a kind of fling. Problem being that Woman is ridiculously famous. Mans dopey friend makes matters worse. Woman and man have issues. Woman and man split up. Man realises he must get woman back. Woman realises she must get man back. Man and Woman get it together. And they live happily ever after..

Spring time in London

Story sound familiar? Thats it, you got it, the film Notting Hill. To those of you who are yet to experience this feel good movie, go out right now and get it...Ah such a great movie, made back in the days when people still remembered Julia Roberts for her 'Pretty Woman' slutty come Lady days, and before Hugh Grant made it a habit to get caught shagging 'pretty women' in the back of cars.. Gotta love him all the same!


Reads - 'Coke Dealers and Whores use side door' Couldn't put it better myself

So, film in mind and Hugh Grant picture in hand, I went on a search for the man himself through the streets of Notting Hill. It was yet another beautiful spring day in London.. Perfect for a stroll.

Just some of the Retro shops I couldn't tear myself away from

The aptly name Alice shop.. Full of trendy and bizzare nic nacs



The antique shops are full of all my favourite things.. Quirky knic knacs, funky random pieces of furniture and crazy old biddys fossicking through it like treasure, searching for the perfect bargain to compliment the FABULOUS dresser or carved chair they bought last week.. mmm

Best way to serve food ever!>

Pastel coloured houses! Ah the pretty hill

One things I noticed was that Notting Hill has its own accent. Definately a different twang to the normal London british drawl.. more backdoor meets football field..


A bit of bold colours thrown in with the pastel on the Antiques section of Portobello road

A shop with every license plate and sign known to man.. Frikkin Fabulous!

So after a few near sightings and alot of near misses (with all the old biddies on their bikes roaring down the street) my mission was a FAIL. No Hugh

But La Cave is opening a shop there so maybe, just maybe, I will get more chances to spot him in the future... One can only dream right!

Over and out xx