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Flag Waving at Last Night of the Proms
Good clean wholesome fun at the last night of the proms - wave your flag, sing out of tune and bob up and down. Love of London
Well, that’s it for London. We’ve packed the last two years of our lives into assorted boxes for freighting back to NZ and into our own bulging backpacks. It’s Africa or broke (or more accurately, Africa
then broke)!
Our time in England has been wonderful. It’s clichéd to say, but I just don’t know where our last two years have gone. We’ve had a lot of good times and have been lucky enough to share them with some great friends. We have perhaps been guilty of neglecting London and England a little in favour of more exotic destinations during our time here. In our defence though, the whole short break to Europe thing is just heaven for New Zealanders - so many countries so easily reached. Real kid in candy store stuff. I think Ryan Air and the other budget airlines that were spawned by its success have contributed just as much to the whole “shrinking globe” phenomena as the internet.
Anyway, we weren’t completely oblivious to the charms of England and did manage a fair few little jaunts into the countryside. We also made the most of those rare weekends that both K and
Camping at Bude
That combi may look like the business but it took 12 hours to get from London to Bude and 15 to get back...but you've got to love it... I were in London and not working.
So, in no particular order, here is Andrew and Katherine’s bluelist (not sure if that terminology is going to catch on…) for London and England with photographical evidence…
* Tucking in to a hot salted beef bagel from the bakeries at the top of Brick Lane -the stingingly hot real English mustard they use is a real tear-jerker.
* Holidaying down the Cornwall peninsular with Jon, Lucy, Keefai and Kirsty - some of the beaches even had sand and surf and we were also introduced to the wonder that is the disposable barbeque.
* Flag waving at the last night of the Proms in Hyde Park - chuckling at the spectacle to start with but then being swept up in it all and roaring away with the rest of the mob to Rule Britannia.
* Great jazz and food at Club 606 in Chelsea, culminating in a guaranteed smooth night.
* Looking up while on the bus or when walking around London and being constantly amazed at the architectural wealth and detail everywhere.
* Walking in the Lake District - stunningly beautiful scenery. New Zealanders should give thanks that Peter Jackson
Bath
Lovely little place didn’t scout this location for LOTR.
* Truly multi-cultural London, hearing conversations in 10 different languages in 5 minutes on the streets, diversity of shops, restaurants, events and attitudes - can’t deny that there aren’t conflicts and issues but it largely seems to work to everyone’s benefit.
* Being adopted by Jon and Lucy and the rest of the Gray family (real English friends - such a rarity for antipodeans!) and attending a host of stag/hen dos and weddings in parts of England we would otherwise have never thought about visiting.
* Lunch in summer on Primrose Hill - a lethal combination of the endless evening and the three-for-the-price-of-two on all wines and champagne at the nearby Threshers.
* Sunday morning papers - getting all seven kilos of the broadsheet, inserts, CDs and magazines home is a workout in itself (It is a little known fact that it is impossible for the average person to read the entirety of an English Sunday paper before the next week’s edition is released - maybe.)
* Village life in the Yorkshire Dales with the Horsley’s - the pub next door backed onto their rear garden, perhaps the original beer garden?
* Living the
Village Green in West Burton
Jas was a dab-hand at quiots - after he got three "ringers" we had the village captain over scouting him out for the local team. student lifestyle in Bath with Richard (thank god Janet arrived before our second stay, leading to an immeasurable improvement in Richard’s standard of living and avoiding any repeat of the whole sharing of plate/fork exercise).
Next update - from South Africa!
Much love,
Andrew and Katherine
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Jess and Paul
non-member comment
Bon Voyage
We will miss not having you here, but thanks so much for all your hospitality. Take care with those lions!