Leeds time!

Woah, lots to catch up on... so quickly:

I arrived in Leeds after a fun week with Harriet and her lovely housemates in Maidenhead. It was nice to have a relax in Maidenhead, and be introduced to Scrumpy Jack cider. Harriet got her tourist on with me to see Windsor Castle. Which was of course the home of Henry VIII so I had a look round for Henry Cavill, but could not find him anywhere. It was really an interesting place. There were weapons everywhere that probably had actually killed people... creepy.... plus the drawings gallery that houses Leonardo da Vinci drawings. It was amazing. Mary's dollhouse was less a dollhouse, more the size of my house. It was a gorgeous day too so just wandering around in the SUN (yes it does indeed shine over here)



I attempted to go out Saturday night but after 1 wine I felt horrific so headed to bed instead. When the other girls poured back in the morning after we just spent the whole day in the garden in the sun. We even had a bbq, on the world's smallest bbq.



I headed into London and out to Leeds on Tuesday (navigating the stairs of Paddington and Victoria Station with my suitcase - no escalators argh!) and was finally reunited with my darling Pasco! We explored the Leeds City Museum (it's so cool! all interactive and involving.) Pasco introduced me to penny press machines. we then headed out to a movie - The Ghost which was really good. And to finish off the day we had dinner with... Luddo!! The bar lady almost didn't let us stay for dinner because Luddo only had her Aus drivers licence instead of her passport... we just wanted a burger!

I spent a few days with Pasco and then a few days with Luddo (included in this was my birthday which stretched to 33 hours. Go Aus/British times.) Luddo and Di did my bank account no good by taking me shopping in down town Leeds.

I went to York and became a National Trust member and climbed along the city walls.

I was horrified at the royal armouries.

I made it to Manchester and met up with mum.

We went to the John Rylands Library - very big gothic thing.

Then we went to Ireland. But more on that later!

London

I met up with Harri at Wellington Arch on Sunday and we did the tourist thing around Westminster (free tour=win) it was bloody freezing but really interesting, even if I wanted to get up and give some more historical information than our guide provided, Harri suggested I create my own tour - the history isn't happy tour. Personally I want to create a Monopoly tour and go around to every square on the board. Westminster Abbey is a tad ostentatious isn't it? My favourite was of course the Houses of Parliament, which I will be going back to tomorrow or Thursday to have a proper snoop. There is an election on while I am here :D politics makes Stephie happy.

Then Harri took me to Primark in Oxford St.
Dear. Lord.
Insanity doesn't seem to cover it. It was so big and so busy and so CHEAP! I used Ellen's 10 pounds for 2 pairs of sneakers, sunnies, a top and a bag. For 10 pound! With my own money I got a nice coat that should last me my travels for 17 pound. I found very similiar ones in Notting Hill yesterday for 30 so I was happy with my purchase.

Of course there is anothe Monash girl in London at the moment - although we both didn't know we were in London, so I met up with Julia and two of her friends and we went to Notting Hill and Portobello Rd. Sadly no Julia Roberts or Hugh Grant. Yummy English breakfast at S&M though. They can't make coffee to save themselves but the English do breakfast well!

I switched hostels from St Pancras to London Central yesterday, what a good choice! Much better vibe here, just a bit more relaxed - the staff aren't all wearing uniforms and there are plenty of young people to amuse me. There are some lovely girls in my room this time, including a girl from Perth who got her cider on with me after just meeting me. Top lass. I went on a pub crawl around Camden which ended with a massive hangover and a need to go back to that wonderful place. We started out at Black Heart, a pub with masses of Jesus decorations - quite like where Sar had her 21st... there is always something odd about having a statue of Jesus watching you whilst you get ferschnickered. We met up with everyone there, more Aussies (I found them haha!), a swiss, an american, a couple of Portugese and a Mexian-American who uses his mexian passport in France because they don't like Americans haha! Then we went along into Proud Camden, an art gallery/bar that is in old stables by the river. Here I was introduced to Swedish pear cider. mmmmhmmm They were having an open mic night which was really cool. I felt ridiculously uncool next to the ridiculously cool locals with their talent... then it was off to a little bar tucked away in an upstairs corner called Lock 17 (guess where it is located??) for shots and more live music. Then it was back across to the Cuban for mojitos and yet more shots and then we finished at Barfly, with Gaymers on tap. I was sceptical given how shit it is at home, but apparently they send us the crap stuff because it was quite acceptable! A few of the boys and I headed to one last bar after and then it was bed time and headache central in the morning.


I am heading to the Tate tomorrow and hopefully will find Slug and Lettuce and see where the girls worked during their gap year. Then I might wander around to St Pauls and look at the Roman architecture. I haven't bothered with any of the touristy stuff because it's so damn expensive! Then I head west to maidenhead and Harriet on Thursday. Legoland here I come...

I booked my bus ticket to Leeds, 3.50 pounds thanks very much! I can't wait to see Pasco, Luddo and Di.

Well that's it for me for now. Cheerio pip pip and all that jazz.

It begins

After 24 hours of planes and airports, a really difficult time getting through customs ("why are you here" "holiday" "booked your flights out?" "yep" *stamp* "go on" followed by a door that read 'nothing to declare' which I went through expecting oh... an x-ray machine at least, perhaps a beagle or two... and came out basically at the train station), the amazing marvel that is a rail connection to a major city, a hotel that doesn't know it's charging people's credit cards and a train station with apparently no escalators or lifts (20kg suitcase up 3 flights of stairs... noooo!) I arrived at my base of ops for the next few days.

I am currently sitting in the lounge at YHA St Pancras, across the road is the British Library and Kings Cross station.

Starting with the British Library... wow. So that's what a real library looks like. Seriously, the State Library is pretty good but this one just blows it out of the water. It is well designed - no stalking people to get a chair/table, beautiful, and holds some of the most amazing books and documents. Today I had a look at Magna Carter, the original manuscript of Beuwolf, Jane Austen's writing desk, some of the oldest printed texts in the world, first edition Shakspeare books (printed in 1609) and the original scribbled lyrics of the Beatles. Hard Day's Night is written on the back of a birthday card John gave to his son Julian. Oh yes. I was excited. And in the middle of it all, going up 6 levels is the King's Library, which us plebs can't get into but it sure looks impressive (many leather bound books... it may have smelt of rich mahogony)

I then took a stroll over to the British Museum. The British Empire sure did come in handy for collecting bucket loads of historically significant bits and pieces. It was massive. Exhausting to walk around, but really interesting. They've got good old Lindow Man on display so that was fun. I think I'll have to take Mum when she gets here to go see the (unfortunately, not free) Italian drawing exhibition. I probably shouldn't have gone on a Saturday afternoon though. Very much full of children, who were NOT respecting the artefacts!! But homewares nerd Steph still managed to get ever so excited going through the 18th/19th century rooms which housed a lot of original Wedgwood pieces...

Well I'll leave it there for now. I found a nothing over 2 pound bookstore so bought myself a few for when I can't be bothered being a tourist, which is now.

Oh, one thing though, I do love that gross-grainy-out-a-drip-perculator 'coffee' is called americano over here.