I do admire the weather forecasters in England, if they predict rain, the are usually right and not only do they accurately predict that it will rain but if they tell you its going to start at 11am, four times out of five (my experience so far) they get the time correct as well. I didn't want to wander too far away from home today because of the forecast, so I again hit the tube and jumped on the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf (a five minute trip from here). My first impression of it was that it’s an ultramodern, thoroughly [View Full Entry]

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A sunny day inspired me to take off early from the flat and head into town for a day of 'tourist-like' sightseeing. I took off towards London Bridge, stopping for a capucinno and then into London's financial district which led me on to St. Paul's Cathedral. St. Paul's was an inspiration to Britain and in particular Londoners during the Second World War, when much of the surrounding area was destroyed during the Blitz, there are many pictures of the great cathedral standing steadfast surrounded by smoke and flames. Its domination of the local skyline makes it an easy landmark to find [View Full Entry]

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I awoke this morning (Monday) to see a beautiful sunny day yet within half an hour of that comforting window scene, the clouds were back and the rain started tumbling down. I had intended to do a fair amount of walking and camera snapping today but the weather has prevented any extensive wandering. I did though decide to go to the Imperial War Museum, which is about a 15-minute walk from the flat here in Borough. The Imperial War Museum was founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War and the contributions made to it by the peoples [View Full Entry]

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Well the first week of my European Adventure is over and for one reason or another the seven days in London just flew by so quickly. With the exception of yesterday (Friday 19th August) the weather has been fantastic, you could even describe it as Sydney-like. My friends Mick and Sally arrived from the North of England on Tuesday and we spent the days wandering around the town and allocating plenty of time to drink coffee and read the excellent newspapers of London. I’ve taken a liking for the Guardian and the Telegraph however there is always The Times, Independent and [View Full Entry]

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Having spent the last couple of days scooting around London I've really begun to realise how important 'The tube' is to London, its commuters and its tourists. So as you can imagine, the devastating bombings on the 7th July, that could have torn the heart out of this city and its occupants, didn’t. I don't think it’s because of the citizen's resilience (yet there is no doubting they are a resilient bunch) or the city’s history in dealing with violent attacks - through the Second World War and the IRA bombings during the 1970s and 1980s. I think it comes down [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday 16th August. Today I made my very first trip to Highbury Stadium, the home of the mighty Arsenal Football Club (The Gunners) and an important part of Jack family history. David Bone Nightingale Jack (my grandfather for those who don’t know) was one of the great footballers of his generation in the 1920s and 1930s with Bolton Wanderers and Arsenal. When he moved to Arsenal from Bolton, the club paid a world record fee for him. I have seen him described as “… a vital and elegant man who scored his goals with sharp-edged charm and even good manners.” (I&rsq [View Full Entry]

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Having a mobile phone set to global roaming is a great way of enabling others at home to contact you. Just make sure you tell people that you are away so that they don't ring you at 3am asking if you want to go and get some lunch! [View Full Entry]

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So where is Borough and what type of a place is it? Early on Borough became known for its inns and bawdy behaviour and as a hideout for felons. Today it is very much a part of London, and its unsavoury reputation has gone. The neighbourhood is now a Conservation Area to preserve its special character. There is a great potpourri of architecture, from the beautiful Hop Exchange and The George Inn, built in 1676, to the numerous modern office blocks and warehouse conversions Running south from the southern end of London Bridge, Borough High Street winds its way down from [View Full Entry]

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G'day folks, after a very pleasant flight courtesy of Gulf Air I have arrived in the wonderful city of London. Home of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (and a few other things). The weather for my first two days has been quite pleasant. Saturday morning was warm and sunny, a little cloudy in the afternoon, followed by evening rain, but I have no right to complain as I am very happy to be in city where the vibrant present meets the historical past. OK, enough of the postcard stuff. As many of you may be aware, I love my [View Full Entry]

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