Traveling Around

Let me start off by saying there have been many attacks in the England since I wrote last, none of which have affected me directly. There had definitely been a shift in mood with the staff on the days after each incident, which has made us all more cautious and alert when out and about.

Since the last time I posted, I had a Spa Day with a girl friend of mine. It was a quick trip just out of London through small, English country roads lined with stonewalls and surrounded by green.  The massage was just what I needed, to tune out and unwind and spend a day out of the city with a friend.

Two days later was completely different, it was the Hanwell Hootie. It’s a local event where 14 bars open up and have free live bands play every half hour or hour, about 80-something bands in total. We met at a friend’s place around noon for a BBQ, then started at one bar at 3pm and drank and listened to music and moved bars, and drank and listened to music and moved bars, and again, and one more time. We found a great band – Night Flowers. The day, after we went to a much needed and LOVED Sunday Carvery. There were 5 roasts to choose from and then you get all the trimmings, potato cooked three different ways, crackling, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, peas and carrots and a cauliflower cheese dish, and all of the jams. Oh yeah!

That week I drove to Wales with a friend for a night to hike Mt. Snowdon.  Wales is a different kind of green. As if it’s healthier and more alive, like how I felt on top of Snowdon. The mountains surrounded a still, clear lake that you just knew would be near-freezing. The air was so crisp and clear that it burnt your nose on inhaling. The climb was a healthy and fun challenge and I’d gladly go again. We used out hands sometimes to help ourselves up and we took our time as well having as many breaks as we wanted or needed. It was a different sort of quiet at the top, with nothing for sound to bounce off of. The seagulls were suspended in the air above us.

That weekend I went to the Rugby 7s with friends, and it was dress up. The theme was Ancient Antics and instead of going in skimpy togas like most of the girls that day, Sam and I went as 80-year-old ladies. We were so convincing in our outfits that the security guard that frisked everyone on the way in lost all professionalism, burst out laughing saying she thought we were elderly citizens. We had rollers, walking sticks, really old, daggy dresses and coloured our hair grey. The games were great as well. Really want to go to an actual rugby match.

A few days later I went camping up in the Lake District with some friends and climbed Scafell Pike. It was a bit of a drive, but nothing an Aussie can’t handle. We know all about long drives. Or as we better know it – just a drive. We went in two cars so we had enough room for all the gear and the others took a wrong turn and took a really tough, steep pass, the worst in England I heard. We took a lovely drive through a valley of sheep and sheep and sheep. The climb – man it’s tough but it’s the best part, the most rewarding. Reaching the peak and looking down and what you’ve done, it’s just too easy to draw similarities between a literal mountain and life itself. Big rocks, steep gradients, fresh water flowing down to fill up your bottle and a scary river to cross. I loved camping, getting back into nature and what’s important in life. Shelter, food, adventure and good friends, laughing til you cry and a good nights’ sleep. Yes our shelter included a nearby toilet block and yes our food was from three nearby pubs. I want to climb Ben Nevis this year as well – doing the three highest peaks in Britain in a year.

I spent a day in the city 2 weeks ago. I don’t go in that often and I wanted to feel like I actually live in London so I went to the Borough Market. I treated myself to cheeses, salamis, chilli oil and red wine. Had Amy over on the Sunday night and we ate most of it, with fresh, crunchy bread as well. I then walked to Angel to a record store and bought vinyl. I miss the sound. Berni and I grew up listening to music on turntables and I do miss it so I’ve started my own collection with Simon and Garfunkle, Neil Diamond and Creedence Clearwater. I’ll listen to them on my friend’s player here and then buy myself a really good one when I get back to Aus in the future.

A friend from home who I haven’t seen in, wow almost 2 years maybe, came through London and we spent two days together. We met up from lunch in Richmond, walked through the park and saw the deer, came back to mine and polished off the rest of the cheese, wine and chutney and salami. It was like no time had passed, it was so easy falling back into easy conversation and I realised just how much we have in common! I’m definitely going to make more of an effort to keep in contact with Emily. She stayed over and I took her to Stonehenge because she’d never seen it before. We met up that night with another of our friends who is living in London.

About a month or so ago, I set on the couch with my laptop and just opened up Sky Scanner, I noticed cheap flights… to COPENHAGEN!!! I messaged Amy and Sam straight away and within 20 minutes I’d booked our flights. It was this week, our flight was Monday evening and we got in late, with the time difference we lost an hour. We had such a busy few days but have seen and experienced so much of that beautiful little city. The night we arrived we walked down the street west of the river for dinner. There wasn’t much open at 11pm on a Monday night but we found some pizza and chips. Tuesday was our first day and we filled it. We made our way to the Town Hall, which is the 5^th Town Hall Copenhagen’s had because they all kept burning down, and joined a random free walking tour. They’re such a good idea, covered all the key attractions and provided handy tips and fun historical facts we otherwise wouldn’t have known. We saw the oldest street in town and some of the oldest buildings and then the Nyhavn. We accidentally left the tour here when our 15-minute drink break went on for over 20 and the group left without us. But that was the highlight of the trip for me. We sat at one of the restaurants and had the most delicious fish soup, open sandwiches and red wine, next to the old boats and bikes and flowers and port. We then strolled to the Little Mermaid, passing the Amalienborg Palace where the royals live. I couldn’t believe how open it was with such little – visual- security. I really liked the Little Mermaid statue. I wasn’t disappointed at all. She’s small and friendly and a little lonely on the rock out of the way there. She was a gift to the people of Copenhagen from Carl Jacobsen from Carlsberg in honour of H.C. Andersons’ story. We then trained it to Freetown Christiania where this is a different set of laws, freedom of expression and weed. We sat on the grass in the sun in the park and drank beer, their own brew, and listened to the locals playing guitar, violin and box. It’s these simple pleasures I enjoy the most. From here we headed back to the city centre for dinner and drinks and spilled our guts out to each other.  The next day we checked out, dumped our bags, checked out a tower and a castle, ate Danish danishes and then hit up the Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park. Big day, great day, we ran from ride to ride and ate fairy floss and chips and left absolutely exhilarated and exhausted. Fell asleep on the plane and ride home and loved every second.

Stay tuned for more exiting escapades of me.