What a difference a few months makes...

January 2009

May 2009

Sometimes over here it can feel like winter is never going to end. But it does and the leaves grow on the trees once again and the sky is light til 9.30pm and people's faces shift from sour to smiley...

When in Rome

The ideal starting line up? We'll never know!

Captain and my favourite sportsperson, Giggs

Well no I wasn't in Rome, but Manchester United were, to attempt to defend their Champions League title. I was all set for a big night of epic football, for Ryan Giggs to go into the history books again however it just never happened. Barcelona played too well, and my team just never got going. And another football season is over, just as we got cable tv! At least I know it will get me through next winter, and in summer there are too many other things to be out doing...

Hills build character

For the second May bank holiday weekend - long weekend - Chris, Julz and Ants convinced me that camping in the Lake District and climbing Britain's highest peak, Scafell Pike, would be a great idea.

Given that I can count the number of times I have camped on one hand, and the fact that we would not only be climbing the 1000m peak, but incorporating a scenic walk that would take an estimated 7 hours, I was a little nervous. I am not really known for embracing these sorts of challenges!

Saturday night it rained down on our little bbq, and we made the best of it enjoying some wine and bbq expertly cooked by Ants. The four of us huddled under the golf umbrella as the pub up the road was shut for some weird reason. Can't say it was my best night in a tent, somehouw my sleeping bag warmth was awry, and the chattering of my teeth woke Chris up. Sunday, it was time to pack up our bacon and egg sandwiches, water and snacks, ready for the trek....

Post-hike, I am reading about the walk we did, and it turns out that rather than the four hour scramble to Scafell Pike, we took 'the more taxing, but scenically far superior', option. Did we what...

After making Scafell Pike, which was actually the easier part, it became obvious that 7 hours was going to become a few more. Climbing Scafell Pike was just one part of our journey, as we then took on the ridges and valley of Glaramara. At the bottom of each rocky peak my team assured me 'just one more'....so we'd hike over rocks to the top, and it would become clear there was another ascent to climb. I think everyone felt sorry for me when they saw my face as I'd scramble up the rocks and glare at the next hill in front of me...and then maybe glare at each of them a little bit! All of our estimations went out the window in the end, and we just kept on walking!

It was stunning scenery though, past waterfalls, tarns (lakes), over and down rocky ridges, through the bogs, past lots of sheep and new little lambs. By our last descent, my feet were swollen and sore, some serious sunburn was starting to emerge on my walking buddies, and Julz was apologising for misleading me and offering to organise a luxury holiday for our next weekend away - even she had had enough! But now, I do feel really happy with everything we saw and the satisfaction of having completed 10 hours of trekking without preparing. Without my fellow campers/hikers I never would have even bothered trying something like this to see if I enjoyed it, and I really really did.

PS - Hills build character is something Dad always says : )

Back in the swing of things

It took a week for the sun to come out in London, but sounds like I need to be grateful we aren't getting the torrential rain hitting Brisbane right now. Our first weekend back was good fun. Bulli and I went to our dining room away from home, the Cumberland Arms, for a catch up with Ants, Julz and Dylan. Was great to see everyone - delicious sea bream with chorizo and scallops by the way. Love the gastropub.

Saturday was lunch at Borough Markets with Jenny and Josie. Was great being in a restaurant amongst the buzz of Borough markets, then it was over to Leytonstone to Ben and Ara's. Ben and Ara cooked up a storm and we enjoyed having a laugh at Eurovision. Personally I liked Germany's entry! They hardly got any votes!

We ended up staying at Ben and Ara's cos I think I was still jetlagged, and Sunday we headed back to South West London - via the Olympic site actually due to transport issues. Sunday afternoon it was back to my favourite dining room again, this time with Yvette. So although I was maybe still feeling a little sad to have left Oz, I felt lucky to have such nice friends to spend time with over here. Also have a some nice trips to look forward to as we have been busy scouting cheap deals - Paris and Cinque Terre, Italy are all booked in. I love researching trips.

Another long haul flight, another year in London

Hard to believe that a week ago Bulli and I landed back in London town following a very busy trip home for Kellie and Wade's wedding celebrations.

My friend Liz says that going home is good for the soul, and she is so right. Two weeks and two days were filled with dinners, lunches, afternoon drinks, hens parties and bush walks. I really would have liked another week but that is always the way... Kellie and Wade's beautiful wedding was at Ebb at Maroochydore, and we had a fun three days up there in the lovely penthouse, with lots of laughter and good times.

So now here I am back in London, and after being here five and a half years, it's probably time to make sure I capture a few things to help jog my memory when I am back in the southern hemisphere, wistful of the things from over here that I love, and the things I love to hate!