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Published: October 7th 2012
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The flight over to London was the longest that I had ever spent in transit. The annoying thing about Australia is that it is close to nowhere and far away from everywhere. After 1.5 hours sleep on a 24 hour flight I had turned into Super Sook 2000. When I was going through customs the official was looking over my entry card and started asking the standard questions “Are you travelling alone?” “Yes” his response? “Oh oh this isn’t good”. I laughed, thinking that he was joking about how I shouldn’t be alone. In reality it was because he had gotten to the part of my entry card where I am meant to fill in the address that I will be staying at in which I had written the words ‘unknown’. For some stupid reason, the thought of getting my sisters address off her before I arrived had never entered into my mind and there I was, at customs on 1.5 hours sleep suddenly facing the prospect of not being allowed in the country. Let’s just say lucky for global roaming! At least I learnt my lesson in a country where they speak the same language as me. It would have
been even more of a traumatic experience if it had happened to me over in South America!
Seeing my sister after almost two years was really good. It is so strange how you can not have seen someone for so long, but then when you do see them it is like no time has passed at all. Soon after dropping my stuff off at her house we went out to see the sites. In my state of barley functioning from lack of sleep we managed to get from her place to the Booran Markets. This involved going past many London sites including Bank, St Paul’s Cathedral and over the River Thames. For some unknown reason however, the first time that I felt the need to pull out my camera was at the market when I saw I giant mountain of brownies (In my defence; best brownies I have ever eaten!).
Later that afternoon we were in a park and while my sister was off getting something she told me to go and be at one with the squirrels. So there I was sitting on the grass being a typical tourist and taking photos of the squirrels running around
with their nuts when one of them started eyeing me off. It came scurrying up to me and then jumped onto my leg, running up it to me knee before jumping off again. Unfortunately my camera was a bit slow to react so all I have is a photo of the thing springing off my leg. It was pretty cute though so I have decided that they are my second favourite animal after the Meerkat.
My first night out in London involved dancing to Ace of Base at a gay bar in Soho (much to the bouncer’s disgust who didn’t really want to let us in because everyone else in the place was male) and a massive Irish bar called O’Neil’s. On our departure my sister and I tried to sweet talk the rickshaw drivers into giving us a lift home (and letting my sister drive). Although one offered to take us to Oxford Street for my sisters’ number, we settled on 3 quid; however it turned out to be such a long way that we felt bad so we gave him more.
After a week over in Europe (see my other posts for details) my sister and
I decided to amp up the tourist activities and booked at tour of Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. We got off to a bit of a rocky start with our tour guide John when my sister arrived with a coffee in hand and he yelled at her about how it wasn’t coming on his bus. However after that he actually proved to be quite amusing and my knowledge on all things British has greatly improved. I am still however baffled as to what the makers of Stonehenge were on when they decided to bring rocks from so far away to this one random paddock. It is funny though when you think about it, that at the same time that the British were building Stonehenge, the Egyptians were building the Pyramids. I can’t help but feel as though one country was achieving more in life.
The one major thing that London does have over Australia (I mean aside from the beautiful buildings, extensive history and the home of the royals) is how much cheaper good food is. Over my stay with my sister we went to Jamies Italian, Wahacca and Meatliquor among others. In Australia it would cost so much
to go to any of them; however over in London there was not one time when the bill was over 30 quid a head which included multiple courses and a cocktail! You can also buy alcohol absolutely everywhere at these things that would be similar to a 7/11 called an Off Licence or “offie”. In London buying alcohol and drinking in a park, or going to a trendy laneway and sitting in the gutter is not a Bogan thing to do, but instead completely acceptable and borderline cool.
Although my time in London was fairly brief, and it was crazy to spend over 50 hours in transit for only a 12 day holiday, it was so good to see my sister. I love her lots and I am so glad that we got to spend time together before I go away for my year in South America.
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