In Brugges

I had been in the country literally three weeks and already had itchy feet so luckily for me my lovely friends and I had planned a weekend in Belgium for my birthday.

I was excited to be heading to Brugges which I had heard from lots of people what's gorrrrgeous. While I had actually been to Brugges for a total of one hour on my Topdeck tour I hardly thought that counted and was keen to explore a bit more.

I was also excited as it would be my first trip on the Euro star! so straight after work on the Friday I met all my girls with my little wheelie bag at Kings Cross. We armed ourselves with some wine snacks and cake (from the girls high tea)and set off on our journey. We spent most of the time just chatting away but I was a little disappointed that since it was so dark we weren't able to tell when we were underwater until I got a message saying  "welcome to France" from my phone company when we were on the other side.

Once we arrived in Brussels we still had to get the hour train to Brugges and unfortunately for us we had just missed one. After an hours wait and hours train journey we finally arrived in Brugges and the "popping" over to Belgium ideal was slightly shattered. Luckily for me though I have friends high places and we had managed to get a cheap deal to stay at the Crown Plaza which was a great four star treat. So even though it was well past one o'clock before we went to bed they were extremely comfy ones.

The next morning after a brief sleep in we left on a mission to find some Belgian waffles for breakfast. After being informed that waffles for breakfast wasn't really the done thing we managed to find a cute little restaurant to grab something to eat. Since we were in the land of chocolate and were yet to have any most of us went about getting some and ordered a hot chocolate with " real" Belgian chocolate. When they cane out we were excited to see they were cups of warm frothed milk served with a stick with a chunk of chocolate on the bottom. The idea was to dip it into the warm milk and swirl it while it melts so its the perfect chocolate consistency.

Once we had our chocolate hit it was onto seeing the city and we couldn't resist getting a horse drawn carriage around the city. It was about £10 each for a half an hour tour where we sat under blankets while we clip clopped around all the cobblestone streets. It was one of my most unique tours in Europe and was really fun way of seeing the city. Plus it was freezing outside so being huddled under a blanket was even better.

After the tour it was time for to try a typical Belgian Beer so we headed down the skinniest street in Brugge to their oldest pub and wandered up the rickety circular staircase to the top where we found a table and ordered a beer. A couple of the girls tried the famous fruit beers while Ainsley and I tried a local beer. After about half of it was I already feeling it and wondered why until I found out it was 13%! The best part about the pub was that they gave you some cheese and meats to go with your beer.

Since we had ticked off a Belgian Beer we had to tick off another couple of things so our afternoon was spent eating Belgian fries covered in mayonnaise and wandering around to try and find the best place to grab some waffles. On our food mission we got to see quite a bit of the city so it worked out well!

Once we had ticked that to do off our list we headed back out into the city to wander around and check out some other scenery. We wandered into a lolly shop and spent 45 minutes watching two of the staff make boiled lollies. It wasn't the most riviting thing but kind of addictive! A couple of the other girls checked out one of the churches before it was time to head back to our lovely room and enjoy our picnic of goodies bought at the markets plus a fair share of wine. Once we were all ready to go we headed out to try and find a nice bar or pub to hang out in.

On the way into the square we met some other people who were heading out and they recommended a bar so we followed them to a little square right around the corner and found it full of pubs. They were all one next to another which provided a good venue for some birthday drinks and dancing. The first place we went to was pretty quiet which suited us fine but it soon got busy so we moved on to the next place to compare. It was fun and we danced the night away until the wee hours. Luckily for us we had a nice comfy bed to go back to so even though we got back in the early hours we were pretty well rested the next day.

Sunday we spent the day recovering from a hangover and finalizing our touring of the city. It was pretty cold so much of the time was spent ducking in and out of shops and cafe's before heading back to Brussels on to get the Eurostar.

It was a perfect weekend away with my favourite girls and a great way to celebrate my birthday. I was so lucky I had the chance to jump across the ocean and explore a new country and do something I love to do on my birthday. I'm not sure what I'll be doing next year but hopefully its exploring somewhere new!

We are one but we are many

There are two days of the year when I get particularly homesick and that is Australia Day and ANZAC day. To combat this I thought I would do what many many Aussies in london do on Australia day and that is head to an Aussie themed pub - the walkabout.

Walkabouts are usually renowned for being pretty dirty bogan bars but on a night like Australia Day that is exactly what you need. While I expected there to be a lot of people there I was still surprised at the fire hazard that the heaving mass of people in the walkabout were. However that didn't deter me from loading my arms with snakebites and forcing my way onto the dance floor to listen to all my face Aussie songs.

Like many others my friends and I were dressed for the occasion in green and gold buy there was one thing missing - stick on tattoos. I had the for sight to buy some while I was at home in OZ so I was ready and armed. All we needed was some water to put them on but since it was such a mission to get to the bathroom we just improvised and used our drinks. It made our faces sticky and our drinks taste remarkably like plastic buy it was all worth it to fly our flag proudly.

The walkabout was getting messier and messier and the line to get in was longer and longer so we decided to head out and up the road to Belushis to meet my flatties. Thankfully it wasn't busy but still had a lot of atmosphere right down to cheap snakebites and £1 Vegemite shots. What's a Vegemite shot? I'm not 100% but I'd probably say a shot of vodka with some Vegemite diluted inside. And it is as every bit as gross as it sounds.

From there the night got distinctly messy but heaps of fun. They were playing great music and I was with great mates so was a pretty perfect way to celebrate our nations day - even if it was about 3 degrees outside!

Getting Ritzy

As any of you know (or may have guessed) I am a big fan of high tea and recently I got to do the ultimate - high tea at The Ritz.

I was actually really lucky to be going to celebrate two of my good friends Shea and Candras birthdays. In October last year we had all put in and bought them vouchers to a "celebration champagne high tea". However as there is such a long waiting list (six months for weekends, two months for weeknights) we didn't get to go until January.

Before going to the Ritz we decided to check out another London institution and go see Fortnum and Mason right next door on Piccadilly.

The famous department store is home to four floors of elegant and luxury products as well as several bars and restaurants - also frequented for high tea.

We decided to go to the wine bar downstairs where you can either buy a glass from the bar selection or buy a bottle from the shop floor and drink that instead - just for a few pounds corkage.

After a quick glass of sparkling rose and a girly catch up we wandered down to The Ritz. We had got all glitzy in dresses and heels but even so when we walked in the doors you could see what amateurs we were.

The place was just so glamourous - chandeliers opulent decorations and tuxedoed wait staff. Think of the swankiest place you have been and dip it in fairy dust and you will probably come close.

After a few giggles and photos we were seated at our table where we selected our tea and waited for our tea trays to come. When they arrived they were laden with little sandwiches with the classics - cucumber! They also had two extra tiers to be filled with scones and sweets. We soon got stuck into the tea, champagne and sandwiches. Once we were finished they bought out warm scones with jam and cream which were delicious!






By this stage we were getting pretty full and but we soldiered on and tried the final tier filled with mini cakes and pastries.

By this stage we were too full to fit in the cakes offered off the trolley and even the girls special celebration cake (lucky we could take it away).

By the end of the night we had feasted and drank about two potfuls of tea each while sitting in a gorgeous setting- which everyone could agree is a perfect birthday celebration and much more exciting then a typical Wednesday night!

Chinese New Year

I always love getting visitors from back home but I especially love getting to show them around when something cool is happening in London. A friend of mine from home Callum and a few of his friends were over doing a big European tour while I was at home doing my Aussie summer. A few days after I got back they arrived back in London conveniently on the first day of Chinese New Year celebrations.

We decided to check out the shenanigans by having dinner at a Dim Sim restaurant which was recommended by a friend. Since the parade was actually on the weekend and I wasn't going to be here for it I was a bit gutted we were missing out. I was happy to see that the party was starting with people handing out whistles and masks as we wandered the streets.



Luckily for us we had booked a table and managed to get into a large round table with a lazy susan in the middle. We soon got down to ordering dumplings and our meals while chatting over tiger beer. The food was delicious and as we sat and ate we saw the line start to head out the door and around the corner.

After we were stuffed full of food it was time to check out Soho and we wandered through chinatown to a bar offering half price cocktails. A couple of mojito's later and it was time to say goodbye. Once again the bad thing about visitors is when you have to leave them to their travels/flight/next adventure. Still I know its not the last time I see Cal in London - hopefully I've convinced him to come back.

To Market To Market

It was time to get stuck back into my Top 100 and one I had been wanting to try out for ages was the Colombia Road Market. Open on Sundays only this tiny market is famous for its fresh flowers.

Shea and I got up bright and early on a Sunday and made our way to East London past the Tower Hamlets and soon found Colombia Road by all the people walking in the opposite direction with gorgeous bunches of fresh flowers.

We wandered along the markets stopping every now and then to check out the flowers. They all looked so beautiful and fresh and the smell was amazing. I could have gone crazy with all the tulips, daisys, gerberas and roses on offer but had to settle for one little bunch of Tulips. One thing about England is that fresh flowers are always so cheap - it must be the weather but over here its sooooo much cheaper then Oz. Even so the markets are the cheapest. You can get three bunches for £10 which a bargain!




After checking out the market stalls we wandered around the corner and got a coffee and snack from the Lily Vanili bakery. This place is also only open on Sundays but I think that is what makes it so special. The line was curving around on itself and out the door but for good reason. The food was fresh and the coffee was one of the only decent lattes I've ever had in London. If you ever get a chance I recommend going there.

On our way back through the markets and we popped into all the little boutique stores that line the market. I could have gone crazy in all the stores with their bits and bobs but I don't really need new wall paper, retro lollies or expensive artwork. Maybe one day when I have that ideal London flat.

We had made a lunch with with some friends so we wandered along to Old Street where we tried to find a good place for lunch. We stumbled across a place called The Book Club. It is now my new favorite place. Gorgeous space with fairly lights, exposed brick and mish mash of chairs with amazing food and a huuuuge drinks menu. They also offer ping pong tournaments and life drawling classes on weeknights and turns into a decent bar during the weekends. I think it pretty much does anything except become a book club? I'm not sure.

It was a great Sunday exploring lots of different things. As a south west Londoner the trip out east is often a long and painful one but one days like the one I had its worth it!

First Weekend Back

After such an amazing time in Oz it was a bit hard coming back to the cold grey drizzle of london and the 9-5 of work. Luckily for me I had some good friends to keep me company and some unseasonably sunny days.

I spent Saturday night with my friends eating at my favourite cheap Vietnamese restaurant with BYO wine. Our dinner then turned into a few drinks at a local bar and those few drinks ended up being a few jagerbombs and a long boogie on the dance floor. Was good to be out with my friends after being away for 3 weeks and fun discovering a new bar.




The next day however wasn't too fun as I was suffering a bit of a hangover. However since the weather was so good I was undeterred and Lauren and I set about our plans to go out to Greenwich. I had been to Greenwich with my family on previous trips to the UK and I remember loving it. This time was no different! We decided to travel there in style and caught the Thames Clipper down the river to checking out all the sights along the way. Once we docked we wandered up to the Greenwich market where we poked around looking at the food and otht displays. We wandered through some little lane and got caught up in a lolly shoo before deciding to make the trip up to The Royal Observatory.





The Royal Observatory is home to the Greenwich Mean Line that divides the globe. It is also home to a museum full of history about world time, astonromy and clocks. It was really interesting walking around and seeing how each was developed and how the observatory was used. The best part was getting to stand on the mean line and be on the edge of the world. After the observatory we wandered down to the Maritime Museum which is full of information about the high seas. Well it had a lot to do with sailing, beaches and the ocean anyway. By this stage we were a little Museum-ed out and decided to flag looking at old ships and grab some grub.





We wandered past lots of little pubs and cafes that all looked inviting but when we stumbled across the fish and chip shop that had been on that site since the 1770's we couldn't go past. We even found a Chippy that served potato scollops and as we ordered them were immediately identified by the owner as Aussies.

After devouring our delicious fish and chips we decided to get the DLR back home. Being a bit of a transport nerd I was excited for my first trip on the light railway (which is pretty similar to a monorail I guess). We wound our way back from Greenwich through the towers of the city before getting the good old tube home.

I was exhausted after all my catching up, partying and touristing but it was worth it to have such a good weekend back. It made me miss home a bit less and remind me of the amazing place I live.

Home Sweet Home

For the first time in 18 months I got to fly home and visit my friends and family and spend some quality time in my home town of Brissie. While I’ve been having the time of my life over in London and exploring Europe I have always missed lots of things about home and I was lucky enough to fit a few of these favourite things in the three weeks I was at home. This holiday was also a special one due to my boyfriend James who I hadn’t seen in 6 months also coming to visit.

It was for this reason that the beginning of my holiday started in tears – of happiness of course. When you have been away from family for so long there is nothing like seeing a familiar face when you walk out of the arrivals gate. There were lots of tears and hugs, which is a lot different from when I usually trudge out of a airport arrivals and then onto the tube. An hour wait later (longest hour of my life) and James walked through the arrivals and the whole thing happened again. After introductions to the family we were on our way home. Then once we were home it was tears again as I got to play with my families dog and give him a cuddle. It was quite surreal to be standing in the house I grew up in and look around at all the similar surroundings but also all the things that had changed.

One of the things I was most looking forward to about going home was of course the warmer weather but more importantly Mum’s cooking and I was treated to a BBQ out on the patio and it was.so.good. The next day we headed to one of my favourite pubs ready for a Sunday session. I was so happy to catch up with all my friends who I hadn’t seen, introduce them to James and have lots of drinks and great time out in Brissie, It was so reassuring to be able to spend so much time apart but when I saw my friends it was like I had never left and it just reiterated how lucky I am to have such good friends – both in London and in Oz.




After all the catching up was done it was onto the sightseeing. This was James’s first time to Australia so the next few days were spent doing the touristy things in Brissie. I must say though it was fabulous to be a tourist in your own city. We spent time over at Southbank, riding the City Cats up and down the river, going out to Redcliffe for an ice cream near the beach. Once of my favourite nights was going to watch the 20/20 cricket. We were lucky enough to get tickets to a game where Shane Warne was playing and while we sat there eating pies, drinking beer and watching Warney play I was pretty proud to say that I’d exposed James to a pretty decent Aussie experience.




We also had a couple of trips to the beach and while the beaches in Europe are nice many of them just don't’ quite cut it to Aussie standards. We went up to Kings Beach (one of my all time favourite beaches) and had a good swim, sun bake and chill out at a friends apartment. I could have spent my whole holidays up there but then it would have been a very lazy holiday.

As much as I loved having a white Christmas last year there is nothing like having a Christmas at home with the family. We were lucky to get a sunny but not too hot Christmas day which meant lots of drinking on the patio while nibbling on Christmas ham. I was spoilt rotten by pressies (I should really go home more often) and had so much fun giving out my pressies which were all made in England. We were joined by my Aunty and Uncle whom I had a great time catching up with too.







While Brissie is a great town I did want to show James another place in Oz so we decided to fly up to Townsville to see my Grandparents and also splash out on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We were quite lucky in the end because the weather wasn’t too great but the trip still went ahead and we got to go and have a couple of hours snorkeling and trying to spot a Sea Turtle (James’s wish) and a Nemo (my wish). Unfortunately we didn’t get to see either but we did get to see lots of other gorgeous fish and cool things. After the trip I was really happy to catch up with a friend who was living up there and I hadn’t seen in aaaaaages.






The trip was short and sweet and it was back down to Brissie for New Years Eve. On the morning of New Years Eve James and a couple of his friends climbed the Storey Bridge which was a perfect way for him to see Brissie and learn a bit about the history. Our New Years Afternoon was spent decorating my sisters (who had so kindly offered to host a new years party) house as we had decided to have a Naughty Nautical Party. The house was soon transformed into an under water cave (under the house), the ocean/beach (the back yard) and a pirates den. Our costumes were even better with James and I going as sailors and Ali going as a mermaid. There were lots of variations on the theme as our guests arrives, lots of sailors, pirates mermaids and even a fisherman. It was a great night and was fun to be lighting sparklers and counting down the New Year with old friends.







As soon as New Years was over it felt like the rest of my time in Oz flew by and it was a whirlwind of last minute dinners and catch ups with friends but we still managed to do more touristy things. By far my favourite day was when we drove down to Byron Bay and spent time at the beach on the most perfect day of the whole trip. The clear blue skies and sunshine in a beach town made me almost want to cancel my flight home. We wandered the city centre, had a yummy lunch on a balcony followed by sun baking and swim. We even managed to fit in a trip to the lighthouse.







We also managed a trip up to Alma Park Zoo which was a gift from Ali for Christmas where we got to check some Aussie animals and much to my delight hold a Koala. I’ve never held one before and she was soooooooo cute. Her name was Maple and I could have stolen her and had her as mine forever. I mean Koalas aren’t that bad to look after they sleep 22 hours a day!






Before I knew it my time was up and three weeks had flown by in a blur of fun. Was extremely hard to pack up my bags again and say goodbye to all those special people in my life. It was even harder to say goodbye to James who was heading back to Japan. When I left last time it was open ended and very much up in the air as I didn’t know if I would even like living in London let alone wanting to stay. But I do love it! So now I feel like I have two homes and I’m torn between which one I want to be in. Since being back in London I’ve been the most homesick I’ve ever been. I know why I’m in London – its so I have access to a variety of cultures on my doorstep, because my career is better here, because I can pop to Europe on a whim for £30. Because right now this is where I need to be and where I am happiest BUT what I did learn about my trip was that I think I will still always call Australia home.