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Published: October 21st 2011
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We packed our bags with concern that morning. We had added a fair bit of camping gear to our load, and it was a worry for people used to carrying their stuff on their backs. We would be staying with Simon and Tracey (friends of ours from Australia) for a few days in London, so it was easier to drive our stuff back there, drop the car off at Heathrow, then catch a train back.
I was only a little sad dropping off the Kia – we really hadn't had a chance to get to know each other. It hadn't been a bad little car, but definitely not one I would choose for myself. Happily, the rental car bloke at the airport didn't pick up the scratches I had added to the wheels - probably because of how stoned he was.
It being a Saturday it was time to relax for the workers of the world, so we hung out with Simon and chatted for a bit, then headed into town for a look around. Tracey was off at a make up class, she and her sister Jane met up with us a bit later at the pub. Couldn't
tell you what pub it was, save that it was in Covent Garden and seemed to be full of Australians. I was to find out that really didn't differentiate it from most pubs in London. On cue, we met up with some other Aussies, also on holidays, and it quickly degenerated into a fully fledged beer appreciation evening. Beginning at Covent Garden, the transplanted locals took us tourists around the place. There was dinner at a Belgian place (I think), more pubs, and even a club or two. Us wearing shorts and thongs, mind you. London was turning out to be better than expected.
The morning dawned far too early and far too bright for the soreheaded ones. Tracey wasn't about to let hangovers spoil plans so we were fed an excellent English breakfast and headed off. Or more like the seasoned London based Australians headed off, wide eyed newbies in tow.
First stop was Camden and the markets. Well, more like the 5th stop – it seemed the much heralded Tube was undergoing radical surgery and was not working as advertised. Luckily, there was an app which helped navigation. Also, Tracy was like some sort of
ninja with all the tube times, lines, stoppages seemingly memorised like magic. Simon tried hard to pretend he knew them all too, but no one was buying it.
Camden was packed with tourists, just like us, out to see a bit of London. Still, it wasn't bad at all. Plenty of excellent cheap t-shirts, great food, pubs and a whole lot of random crap.
At that point we joined up with the other Australians and promptly headed to the pub – the Lock Tavern to be precise – for a good old Sunday session. Good food, great beer and good company. Admittedly, surrounded by Australians and friends it felt at times like we'd gone on holidays to Melbourne or some other place we didn't know that well and gone to the pub for lunch.
Then, Tracey again leading the way, we caught another eight or so different trains and eventually ended up at Brick Lane. Where we didn't have curry. Instead, Jane fluttered her eyelashes, or something, and some bouncers let us into some sort of urban music festival at Shoreditch. Or maybe it was free anyway and she was talking it up. Dunno – the beer
was flowing and the bands were good and I started to lose track of exactly where we were.
We capped off the day with some more than decent Vietnamese, I think on Brick Lane, and managed to successfully navigate the treacherous Underground. I was told that this was not the usual state of affairs, but I remained unconvinced.
Monday morning and our hosts had to work – oh how I don't miss that. Time for us to see the things on the lists. The Tube did indeed seem to be in better working order in the morning. It seemed the London train fixerers do their fixing on a weekend to avoid dramas through the week. Obvious, no? Well, to everyone else maybe – Brisbanites are unused to forward planning like that; you see QR looks after the trains where we're from.
We made it to Leicester Square and promptly got yelled at by a large Cockney in front of Nelson's Column. He appeared to be a director of some sort – indeed, us and a whole lot of other tourists were gawking at some sort of film set in front of the column. Some soapy, I think.
“Oi! You lot look at the column! That's what you're here for! Or get out of me shot!”
Watch for us on Eastenders.
We then did the standard tourist loop through the city, dodging in and out of the hordes.
We did the tourist loop, Tate Modern, the Courts, Number 10, and what I think might have the Palace. We then tried to get off the track a bit, so went down a few random side streets and alleys. We found a good coffee shop, had some coffee at it. It was good. Wandering past a pub in the financial district a bunch of trippers offered us some acid – they had put it in their beer and “we have to go man!”
I pointed out that it was lunchtime on a Monday morning. Giggles in reply. We politely declined amid protests - “but who else are we going to give it to? You're the only real looking people around here with all these suits!” I do hope they found their way home.
After a great feed at a pub near Waterloo station we found our way to Fleet St, and wound up at
the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Here there were plenty of tourists heading there to bump their heads and deal with the surly bartender (who was Australian, I might add). We duly drank our beer where Dickens was meant to have been, then made our way home.
We made a decent attempt of cooking up a Mexican feed for our excellent hosts, then packed our bags full of camping gear, ready for the Continent. Doing the baggage allowance shuffle, as it were – 23 kilos allowed check in, 10 kilos on board. 23.16 kilos for mine – lucky we were to pick up the delivery van in Barcelona.
London had been, for both of us, not quite what we thought. We had decided that we should at least see a bit of it, seeing as how so many Australians do the big year off there, but we weren't expecting much, to be honest.
We were pleasantly surprised. It was excellent. We really could see how someone could live there. It had been exciting, interesting and easy to get around. The beer alone would be a reason to rate it. And the prices had been better than we had
been led to believe. People that think London is expensive have simply been away from Australia for too long.
We'd go back to London one day, but now it was time to visit the Continent.
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Pete
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Yeah, I was into crumpler before it went mainstream... ...I am so feeling Brisbane Outdoor Gear these days. Tell your friends (but not too many - I don't know anymore more bag brands) Heh.