A few of us were all in the same boat, in the sense that we had no where to go for a family christmas. So an Orphans Christmas it was. Hosted by my friend Kath, me and Trish went around on Christmas Eve, and left Boxing Day - there was no public transport on Christmas Day. Christmas Day was fairly traditional in the sense that it was Santa in the morning, preparing and eating an awesome roast for Lunch and then recovering and relaxing on the couch watching Christmas Family movies. New Years Eve, I had to work, but managed to [View Full Entry]

---

---

Its that time of the year when Christmas Parties are plentiful. Ours began with the giving of Secret Santa before moving onto our venue. It was an old Members Club called Tradewins. Its no longer Members only, it included the option of playing a little Roulette and Black Jack. We were given chips to play with when we entered, there was a prize for the winning female and male. The prize for winning female was an Etch n Sketch (Magnadoodle) which I won. The Etch n Sketch proved popular for the rest of the night. After our wee flutters in the [View Full Entry]

---

---

My Friend Trish and I decided it was time to head to some Christmas Markets. Krakow came up with the goods. We landed in the dark, were warned to take care on the steps as they were icy. This became our mantra for the next 4 days. The city was covered in snow which froze overnight and proved to be fairly trecherous in the mornings. Found a 24 hour Supermarket next door to the hotel, they actually have Karp in tanks inside the supermarket, and catch them fresh upon request....a little odd and also smelly. Sunday everything was pretty much closed [View Full Entry]

---

---

My flatmate Yasna was on gardening leave, and I had loads of leave owing, which needed to be taken before the end of the year. So we thought a trip to Prague was in order. We rocked up at the airport, Information for the best way to our hotel. Really quite helpful and very informative. Found the hotel, checked in and took off to town for a look around. Being that it was dark we had no real idea where abouts in the centre we were. Found a really neat pub for dinner, it was quite a characteristic pub, with pictures [View Full Entry]

---

---

So yes its been a while, but i can safely say that there will be a couple more to come in the not too distant future. I found out i had loads of Leave left before the end of the year, and its about time i went somewhere. So after coaxing my friend Tim into it we took off to Belgium for a looksie around Brugge. Took the Eurostar, and the beauty of taking a train across the ditch is less security to go through to board the train, but also when travelling to Belgium, our Eurostar ticket also included a [View Full Entry]

---

---

So another Bank Holiday comes around and this time thought i should check out the Notting Hill Carnival. This is meant to be the biggest street carnival in Europe. It does have a parade of sorts, really its just a load of people walking or doing their thing behind trucks which carry steel bands, or DJs, or music in general. Anyone could join the parade if they felt like it. It is a huge Carribean Carnival that has been going since 1964. There is loads of different little areas all around the back streets of Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Portobello. [View Full Entry]

---

---

So i made it to a Music Festival in Minehead, Somerset. It was held at the Butlins Family Resort.....that was a weird yet interesting experience in itself. Think a camping ground only no tents just cabins, but also include games arcade, cinema, ropes course, hydro slides, restrauants, bars, and a carnival all in the same compound....it aparently began in the 30's after the war, when factory workers and their families couldnt afford to go away on holiday and so went to these parks by the seaside instead....think hi de hi. This music festival didnt headline the usual mainstream artists or [View Full Entry]

---

---

So from Vienna, Sarita took off back to Budapest, Rebecca was heading off somewhere else in Europe, so Amanda, Rich and I took off back to Bratislava for a looksie around before we were to fly out 2 days later. We train over from Vienna, which took about 2 and half hours, fairly comfortable seats, especially how we were in a cabin to ourselves. Passport control was a little weird with 'soldier' looking officials walking around, and being not overly friendly and blunt but it was all ok. Got to Bratislava, it looked a little like a third world country, [View Full Entry]

---

---

So i have finally gotten around to a bit of travelling. Amanda, as a teacher, had two weeks off and was off to do a tour and then a few days in Vienna, and asked if i wanted to meet up with her seen as it was the weekend. Jumped at the chance and as a result got to see two cities in 4 days. Managed to get cheap as flights, £85 return to Bratislava (which is the capital of Slovakia) and caught the bus for a 90min journey to Vienna. We got dropped off on some deserted street at [View Full Entry]

---

---

Easter came around and a trip to Bath was organised with some girls from work. We stayed at another work mates place, right on the Circus, which happens to be a major tourist attraction and right next to the city centre, so walking everywhere was the order of the day. Caught the 7pm train right after work from London to Bath, got there was met by Rich, went back to the pub to meet more people. Friday came with a few drinks in the sun down by the river, Saturday was a very lazy day beginning with Brunch in town, [View Full Entry]

---

---