We have reached London, the land of all things well dressed and proper : ) I am sitting in a cafe in Earls Court overlooking a beautiful, leafy green lined street as the sun is going down, after buying a hot chocolate (much needed in this weather, feels like winter but we are told it is quite warm) and getting free internet access, loving this!!
After a sudden sickness on the plane (possibly a stomach bug) and jet lag, I am feeling back to my "up n go" self. We arrived in London on Friday, feeling like a sack of soil, hopped on the tube and plonked ourselves on the couch. My friends have graciously let us take over their couch for the next wee while; our bodies are hugely grateful. (Thanks Stephie, you're a godsend)
After being up for 24 hours, we managed to put through two loads of (very smelly) washing, and
a cup of tea. The couches felt like the Kings royal quarters, and the sweat-free, clean, and bug free environment was as if we were in heaven. Needless to say we still woke up early the next morning. We ventured out on the tube with our wise and knowledgeable kiwi tour guides, and discovered that everyone was beautifully fashionable and we were truly backpackers : ) Unfortunately my body did not allow me to fulfill my desire for consumerist pleasure, and I retired home after lunch. I ended up 
conked out by 7pm, but woke this morning feeling rather refreshed and ready to become the queen of the Underground. (We have a week pass, so we are catching the train at every possible opportunity to make use of the unlimited nature of the pass; it really is quite convenient, and I have only been squashed up underneath someones armpit once!!) We set off for the Portobello Markets. It was amazing to stroll around with the beautifully quaint streets with people meandering around in a Sunday 
mood. The madness of Bangkok seems a world away.
We came across Kensington Gardens, the former home of Princess Diana, (after passing mansions that we couldn't figure out whether they were homes our hotels) and I must say, it is one of the hugest, most beautifulest, well-cared for gardens that I have ever been to. Among the details were squirrels, mega-sized tulips, beach chairs on the
grass which you can rent, and off course people going for walks in high heels. Any crowded, anxiety ridden feelings that may have arose in Bangkok drifted away with the swans that gently glided (is that a word?) around the shimmering lake. After realising that the park was indeed far too big for us to see it all, we try to find a train station, but I cannot stress how enticing the stores are. Now I don't usually like shopping, but we cannot help but go in. The worst thing is that we have to choose between 
eating.....or shoes. Unfortunately, being the sensible girls that we are, we decide that seeing the world and surviving was our top priority. Four hours later, we have finally ended up here. Tonight, we go home to cook dinner. One of our first tasks at every town is to find a supermarket;on our strict budget this is definitely the cheapest way to go. In Thailand, we lived off the 7 Eleven, they sold all the essentials, providing us with those mega huge Heineken bottles for round NZ$2.50. This allows us to buy the local food/drink for lunch/dinner. Here, it will allow us to go to the pub : )
All in all, I am particularly liking London, and I hope to find a couple of (hopefully free)gigs, see an art gallery (on the free day), get a roast at the pub (during the free hour)and maybe meet the Queen (on her good day) : )
After a sudden sickness on the plane (possibly a stomach bug) and jet lag, I am feeling back to my "up n go" self. We arrived in London on Friday, feeling like a sack of soil, hopped on the tube and plonked ourselves on the couch. My friends have graciously let us take over their couch for the next wee while; our bodies are hugely grateful. (Thanks Stephie, you're a godsend)After being up for 24 hours, we managed to put through two loads of (very smelly) washing, and
a cup of tea. The couches felt like the Kings royal quarters, and the sweat-free, clean, and bug free environment was as if we were in heaven. Needless to say we still woke up early the next morning. We ventured out on the tube with our wise and knowledgeable kiwi tour guides, and discovered that everyone was beautifully fashionable and we were truly backpackers : ) Unfortunately my body did not allow me to fulfill my desire for consumerist pleasure, and I retired home after lunch. I ended up 
conked out by 7pm, but woke this morning feeling rather refreshed and ready to become the queen of the Underground. (We have a week pass, so we are catching the train at every possible opportunity to make use of the unlimited nature of the pass; it really is quite convenient, and I have only been squashed up underneath someones armpit once!!) We set off for the Portobello Markets. It was amazing to stroll around with the beautifully quaint streets with people meandering around in a Sunday 
mood. The madness of Bangkok seems a world away.We came across Kensington Gardens, the former home of Princess Diana, (after passing mansions that we couldn't figure out whether they were homes our hotels) and I must say, it is one of the hugest, most beautifulest, well-cared for gardens that I have ever been to. Among the details were squirrels, mega-sized tulips, beach chairs on the
grass which you can rent, and off course people going for walks in high heels. Any crowded, anxiety ridden feelings that may have arose in Bangkok drifted away with the swans that gently glided (is that a word?) around the shimmering lake. After realising that the park was indeed far too big for us to see it all, we try to find a train station, but I cannot stress how enticing the stores are. Now I don't usually like shopping, but we cannot help but go in. The worst thing is that we have to choose between 
eating.....or shoes. Unfortunately, being the sensible girls that we are, we decide that seeing the world and surviving was our top priority. Four hours later, we have finally ended up here. Tonight, we go home to cook dinner. One of our first tasks at every town is to find a supermarket;on our strict budget this is definitely the cheapest way to go. In Thailand, we lived off the 7 Eleven, they sold all the essentials, providing us with those mega huge Heineken bottles for round NZ$2.50. This allows us to buy the local food/drink for lunch/dinner. Here, it will allow us to go to the pub : )All in all, I am particularly liking London, and I hope to find a couple of (hopefully free)gigs, see an art gallery (on the free day), get a roast at the pub (during the free hour)and maybe meet the Queen (on her good day) : )
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