train

Trumped in New York (Part 2)

Sunday 10th – Monday 11th November 2019

The previous day we’d scoped out a chain of patisseries with delectable looking carbs, so brekkie was a quick stop for a quinoa scone and massive coffee. And that scone was worth writing home about!! But we weren’t in the financial district to just eat pastry, or even hunt for the wolves of Wall Street, we were there to visit the 911 Memorial and pay our respects. I don’t know about you but I remember seeing it all unfold on TV in the early hours of that day, watching in shock horror, a memory so clear it feels like it was yesterday. Walking onto the site of the twin towers, seeing their footprint now outlined in the names of those fallen with water flowing from the fountains seemingly into nowhere, the whole site leaves you speechless, and for most, including myself, in tears. My eyes are welling up just writing about it. I didn’t know anyone directly affected by the tragedy but live in a world that will forever be impacted by what unfolded that day. Seeing the names of all the people that lost their lives, those unknowingly going about their day and those that ran into the fire to help others makes something seen from afar a reality. Last time I visited NY, the site was still a rubble in the process of being rebuilt. This time it stood for all that was lost. Being there really puts your own life into perspective and for myself, grew into feelings of anger, that anyone would conspire to and carry out such a catastrophic event, mad that they thought this would achieve anything. But amongst all of the anger, hope for mankind, the names of people who jumped into action to help and put their own lives on the line gives hope that the human spirit is more kind and loving than evil. You can hope. That’s my take on it anyway.

The memorial site is equally beautiful as it is heartbreaking, the new One World Tower stands tall and proud and somehow it feels like there’s a cone of silence over the whole area, one that even the never ending honking of horns can’t seem to penetrate. Having taken in the site, we headed for a happy place, Tiffany’s!! Entering through a weird back entrance, we opted not to have a second breakfast at Tiffany’s, it was just two ladies ooing and ahhhing at some pretty pieces, but mostly oooing at the price tags!! To be honest, yes there are some stunning diamonds at Tiffany’s but there are also some real gaudy pieces too, worth enough to feed a small country. I could never justify spending that amount of money on jewelry, something no one actually needs. Too many starving and homeless people in the world to make it ok to walk around with a $50,000 ring on your finger. Once again, just my take on it!! Unlike most other Tiffany stores, the store in the heart of New York is about more than jewelry, there’s luggage, crockery, home wares and all kinds of knickknacks, all in Tiffany blue and with the Tiffany price tag!! Even a key ring sets you back 50 bucks, US bucks that is. I had gone there to see if I could pick up a birthday present for my sisters 40th but unfortunately my budget does not include Tiffany. And probs will never ever include this gorgeous Harley either, definitely my favourite thing in the entire store!!

Prior to our visit to the Big Apple, Katie and I had wanted to book in at the Blue Box Cafe at Tiffany’s for afternoon tea however it was booked out, months and months in advance. Which was kind of a blessing cos once there it didn’t look all that and the whopping $70 cost for afternoon tea could have been better spent on 10 quinoa scones that’d feed me for a week, ok, 2 days. Exiting Tiffany’s with our life savings still intact, we walked out into 5th Avenue to this…

What the hell is that you ask??? This is what a presidential visit to New York looks like, and Tiffany’s main entrance happens to be right next door to Trump Towers. The pictures don’t really show the scale of the blockade, look closely and you can see tip trucks lining the street, making sure nothing makes it through, didn’t think I should push my luck and get pics of all the cops in the area. The thing that perplexed me the most was the people, in that there were none, well not none, but not the crowds I expected to line the street to catch a glimpse of the President. People didn’t really to seem to give a shit, for a patriotic nation, this surprised me. But given the current president, maybe I shouldn’t have been. Can’t say I was inclined to wait and see him, lunch was more important!! Getting away from the blockages we found a place that promised pizza and pasta and wine. And by gosh, came good on that promise, the truffle cauliflower gnocchi was out of this world, as was the size of my growing stomach, but whatevs, it’s not everyday you’re in New York, well I guess it is if you live here… but on that, with both of us having a keen interest in real estate, we often perused the listings outside real estate agencies as we wandered the streets. It became very obvious that the only way you could ever afford to live in Manhattan would be if you’re filthy rich. Not even well off would make the cut. And there is no way in hell a struggling writer, a la Carrie Bradshaw from Sex & the City could have ever afforded the apartment she lived in, maybe if she shared it with 10 other people, and lived off a diet of dust and water. Unlike London where you can live in a decent suburb on an average income, there is no way that would cut it in Manhattan. And unlike after the first time I visited, I had no desire to live in the Big Apple, I really have turned into one of those people that prefer little apples still growing on the farm. And apparently this frame of mind was evident with every second person offering us a carriage ride or tour as we got closer and closer to Central Park, even Katie’s statement of “No, we live here!” wasn’t enough to convince the locals, we had tourist written all over our foreheads!

My feel is that without Central Park, New York wouldn’t be quite the amaze balls place it is. To have all the sky scrapers surround a green park of its magnitude really does blow your mind. But living in New York amongst all the crazy hectic people and road traffic, without this safe haven of green you may literally want to blow your mind, so kudos to whoever thought this was a good idea. They probs at the time didn’t realise what each square meter of green would be worth one day, the real estate of the whole park is worth a cool $35 billion says google but you can’t put a price tag on mental health and the environment… Enough ranting, even I’m getting sick of it. Instead here’s some cool pics and video of the Central Park skating rink, lookin all Christmas and joyful…

With time up our sleeves to lose ourselves in the park, we wandered. A pit stop at the gift shop, past street performers and their oversized bubbles, browsing market stalls, checking out the baseball fields and wandering in the general direction of the Bethesda Fountain. Don’t know what that is? Bet you’ve seen it a million times in movies and on TV shows…

Unfortunately being winter, there wasn’t water in the fountain which meant you could swing your legs over the side, or hunt for dimes as this gentleman did.

He seemed to be picking up quite a few so more fool us for just watching. Of course, the boyfriends of Instagram were out in full force, couldn’t help but giggle at a couple, after posing for 10 minutes, the chick checked out the pictures, then made her BF go again, apparently she didn’t like her pose in the first 100. Sorry love, but that’s how you look! If you don’t look any better after the first three then you’re stuck with that face, my rule anyway! Wandering around the park, the hype of New York just makes sense, there’s no other city like it, and I feel like I can say that having been to a few.

Feeling nearly pooped, we were stoked to find the infamous Serendipity dessert place was just a stones throw away. Famous for not only the rom com, but also for its over the top desserts, who says you can’t have dessert for dinner?? Unfortunately there was a 45 minute wait for a table but we were in luck, across the road there was a nail parlor, you really are living the life when you can get a pedicure while waiting for your dinner reservation!! Yes it was in a cheaper style nail salon where the ladies didn’t speak a word of English and we managed to get sucked into thinking the neck massages were part of our package, not the extra $10 we got charged at the end, but anyway. An hourish later with pretty toes now hidden in grubby shoes, we headed across to Serendipity ready for our sugar intake. Now I’m not a massive cake fan, but cheesecake, that’s another story!! Love me some cheesecake any day, any time. Almost love cheesecake as much as I love castles. So obviously I ordered the New York cheesecake and Katie ordered apple pie, what better for a cold night in New York. Unfortunately for us, the apple pie was served cold and by the fact there were remnants left on the plate, wasn’t very tasty. Same same but different, my cheesecake was underwhelming but there was nothing left, sacrilege not to finish cheesecake!! Well at least we can say we’ve been there, home of the worlds most expensive milkshake ($100) and most expensive foot long haute dog ($69), I don’t recall seeing either on the menu!

While finishing and not finishing off dessert for dinner, we pondered what to do with our night and found the movie Harriet playing in 10 minutes about 15 minutes away. After a hustle to get there, we settled back to watch a movie I’d heard nothing about but so massively loved. See it. An inspiring story of a courageous young African American women who when life gave her lemons, smuggled out hundreds of slaves to freedom across the border in Pennsylvania. Absolutely brilliant and a true story. Also helped that the cinema was all recliners, not so much that the dude next to Katie fell asleep and snored rather loudly.

Opting for the Metro back to Williamsburg we unfortunately hoped off too early in Green Park. After bagels and donuts for second dinner we walked the 2.5km to Williamsburg, was actually quite a scenic walk looking at houses that normal people could actually afford.

Waking to our last day in New York, we did what normal people do, run across the Williamsburg Bridge!! Well mine was more of a walk/shuffle with lots of photo stops, running on the correct side this time, knowing better than to try play chicken with crazy New York cyclists.

Katie got in a decent 5km run, me not so much, I probs didn’t deserve the grilled cheese sandwich I had for brekkie at this too cool for school place called The West in Williamsburg. Katie’s defs deserved her French toast!!

Anyhoo, unfortunately being our last day in NY we had to check out of our Air BNB, which these days means leave the key on the bench on the way out, then head to Penn Station for our 2pm train. Having previously experienced some pretty significant life events in New York, I was keen to return to one particular place not generally on the tourist road map, the Irish pub where Brett proposed. So the story goes that we arrived in New York a few days before my 30th birthday. Unbeknown to me, before we left he had asked my Dad for my hand in marriage, my Mum didn’t find out until we were on the plane and away, we all know she can’t keep a secret (sorry Mum!). For my 30th, Brett planned a whole day of amazing, a limousine to take us on a tour of New York then drop us off at the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park then a final spin of the Big Apple before finishing at a bar for birthday cocktails. A perfect 30th birthday that would be made even more special with his proposal at lunch. But once in New York, he couldn’t wait, two nights before my 30th, we were at an Irish pub, having a few wee drinks, dancing to INXS ’Never Tear Us Apart’ (ironic!) on the jukebox when he felt the need to propose. With our apartment just around the corner, he ran back to get the ring then proposed on a bar stool in the pub. I know the Boathouse proposal sounds more romantic but if you know me at all, you know I’d prefer the spontaneous, private proposal as it happened to unfold. So back in New York with Katie, I was determined to find the Irish pub. I knew the general vicinity it was in, not the name, but vaguely how it looked inside and strangely the weird double door entry. Having thought I’d found the one on the map, as we approached, the butterflies in my stomach told me this was it. We entered and there it was, the jukebox, the green back lit bar and wall of booze, just as I remembered. This place was it. I thought I’d lose my shit being back there and while my eyes welled up with tears when we entered, for the rest of the time I sat there with a dorky grin on my face, grateful that someone had loved me enough, and I them, to want to spend the rest of our lives together. The Molly Wee pub in New York, my own little happy place! P.S. Never Tear Us Apart was our wedding song, and now the rallying anthem of my football team Port Adelaide, pulls at the heart strings every game…

Unfortunately with a train to catch, we couldn’t sit there all day while I replayed that night in my head so off we were to Penn Station, a station in a building that looked way too pretty to be a station…

With enough time to gather snacks and sushi for the 4 hour train ride home, we were then herded onto the train. And I mean herded. You know how on Western movies you see all the cattle in a pen being pushed through one exit gate while they all shove and push? Yep… a room full of people being herded down one escalator to the train platform, where two trains waited. Lucky for us we got on the right one, not so much for the dude opposite who had to get off at the next stop and go back. After a busy but brilliant few days in New York, the train ride back to Baltimore was time to unwind, think back on the weekend adventures and think fondly of what the city of New York means to me. For Katie it may have been the calm before the storm returning home to three kids but she looked happy, I’d miss those little ones if they were mine too, in fact, I did miss them and they aren’t even mine!!! Back in Baltimore, Katie had the tough job of driving us an hour and a half back to California. No idea how she did it, I was wrecked and could hardly muster a sentence the whole ride let alone concentrate on the road, the other side of the road. But she’s Wonder Woman so got us home safely and to a yummo pulled beef dinner cooked by Jules. Being pretty late we crashed quickly, New York really does take it out of you but then also puts it back in with a weekend of great memories of the current life and of one past.

January 11, 2020 0

Haggis and Harry

Friday 13th September 2019

Lucky for me, being spoilt with a hotel room also meant being spoilt with a hotel brekkie. Bacon, yum, eggs, yum, sheep’s brains, yum… you wouldn’t think sheep’s leftovers smooshed with some grains and fried would be so delicious, but yummo, love me some haggis!

BOTB and we’re just cruising along and there on an island is an epic castle… kinda like Dunluce in Ireland, home of the Greyjoy’s. Once again would love to climb all over it but a picture out a bus window was as good as it gets…

Back in our seats and we’re headed to Glencoe. Dan the sometimes Man reckons it’s one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. We’ll see. On our wee trip to Glencoe Dan the story Man told us the tale of the Massacre of Glencoe. All started with the King trying to get the unruly Scottish clans in line, to do so they all had to pledge their allegiance in person. The chief of the MacDonald clan was a day late to do so. Apparently the excuse of a horse breaking its leg is akin to the excuse of a dog ate my homework. Anyway, the British and the enemy Campbell clan snuck into the MacDonald’s village and killed them all in their sleep. Ok, there’s much more to it, but in short, that’s the story of the Massacre of Glencoe. There’s a lesson kids, don’t be late, and apparently if you’re a King you can kill whomever you want, and Kings are meant to be servants of God…Right. So after such a delightful tale, Dan again the Man played a Scottish folk song about the massacre that was so beautiful it bought a tear to my eye… maybe I do like Scottish music and this country is perfect…

The trip to Glencoe was some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen in my life. As Glen means valley, the scenery was valleys and mountains on the left and a loch on the right… always a loch, I don’t think there was more than 5 minutes of travel in which there wasn’t a loch in view. I really just wanted to hike in the mountains and swim in the lochs, but unfortunately I was in-prisoned on the bus. Maybe Dan the prison Man won’t notice if I don’t get back on the bus…. and anyways, Glencoe is the home of Skyfall where James Bond lives so I could always go hang there… Upon arriving at Glencoe, rather than join the others in the visitor center, I decided to hike up the hill to the viewpoint, joined by Robert, the dude from the bus who sat opposite me, also traveling solo, really friendly and up for a chat. The view of Glencoe was magnificent, magical, all those WOW words. The sun shone in streams down the mountains and valleys, I could hardly believe just how stunning it was. Pictures don’t do it justice, not even close. This is the Scotland I love. Build me a little house on a hill overlooking Glencoe and I’d be happy for life. Throw in my very own Jamie Fraser and I’d never have reason to leave!!

After admiring the beauty of Glencoe, it was BOTB and before long, another stop at the Tears of Glencoe, a gorgeous waterfall that given the story about the massacre, really did make you think maybe the mountains were crying, or maybe that song just still had me overly emo…

Another short leg down the road and we hopped off the bus at The Three Sisters, a stunning mountain range that’s home of the Highlander, the infamous place where MacCleod does battle and dies… must go back and watch that movie. I was in absolute awe of how pretty the mountains were, I think I must have said WOW a million times that day…

After being wowsers at the mountains and waterfalls it was onto Fort William. For those peeps that watch Outlander and already got my Jamie Fraser reference, you’d know that Fort William plays a starring role in the first season. I was keen as mustard to see the fort and walk around the ruins like Claire did in the 1950’s… Dan not the Man completely burst my bubble when he informed us that it was NOT the same fort from Outlander and in fact, all that remained was a couple of walls. Talk about a party pooper. Rocking up in Fort William and immediately legging it over to the fort, Dan the serious Man was not joking, literally a couple of brick walls with a few canons so the walls could pretend they were a fort… Disappointing but it did make me wonder if I actually belonged in the time of forts and castles… Maybe our stop on the last day at Craigh Na Doon would send me back…

My disappointment from the fort was replaced with major excitement when the group reconvened at the train station and it was all aboard the Jacobite train… wait, isn’t that a song?? Not really sure why it’s called the Jacobite train, if I wasn’t 40,000 feet in the air while writing this I’d Google but even Google cant reach here, well at least not on Ryanair… I digress… my excitement for the train was because it went over the bridge from Harry Potter!! You know the one in the second movie with the flying car and Ron and Harry are trying to catch up with the Hogwarts train?? Yeah nah??? Check out the pics and vid below and you’ll know what I mean. Actually called a Viaduct for reals, would Google the actual name but can’t, seems I don’t function without Google…

In between getting carpel tunnel from snapping a million pics, on the train I was lucky enough to sit next to Robert and chat with a fun American couple Christi and Todd. Now it was on this trip that I learnt Robert was one of the coolest dudes I’d ever met, too bad about the 20 year age gap! Mr Craig (Robert not Daniel) had seen live in concert Queen, The Rolling Stones and The Who, all for under £10, AND had a ticket to Live Aid. If you know your music history or have seen the Bohemian Rhapsody movie, you’ll know that Live Aid was one of the most epic concerts of all time. Unfortunately Robert broke his leg a few days earlier so didn’t go and regrets it to this day. Don’t blame him, I would too!! He also saw INXS live, dude is a bit of a legend. The train ride itself was bloody brilliant as Ron would say, steam train through the beautiful Scottish countryside, great company and a bar cart serving gin. When Robert was the only other to order a beverage I knew we’d be BFFs for this trip!!! Disembarking at the train station, it’s was pics galore with the beautiful piece of machinery, and with some encouragement from Robert, I used my Aussie charm on the conductor so I could to climb inside the train engine area, no idea what it’s called…

Another gentle nudge from Robert and I was into the tower where they control the train tracks and having a go at pulling all the levers. Yeah, this guy knows how to have fun!!

In the town of Mylaig, which is pronounced like My Leg, which for some reason I found hilarious, we found another member for our crew. Apparently Robert spotted Peta on the train chatting with some older ladies but thought maybe she was keen on some younger company, she was also cute as a button which may have had something to do with it!! Over some fries and a gin at the local, us three got chatting and I realized that this trip would not be the quiet trip I’d thought, I had just met two of the friendliest, loveliest people ever… who also liked a gin or two and could have a good laugh. Peta is a high school teacher from Brissie, only 10ish years older than me and Robert is Scottish, 20ish years older than me in age but at least 5 years younger at heart.

From My Leg it was BOTB and we headed for the ferry over to the Isle of Skye. Dan the music Man was trying to be funny, it was Friday the 13th and we were going on a boat so he cranked the Titanic theme song, pretty sure I was the only one laughing because by the looks of the waves and the grumpy clouds over head, it was not going to be a fun ride!!! Onto the ferry and for some reason I thought the top deck was the place to be. The ferry did some mighty rolls, spraying us with delicious ocean water and blowing the hairs off our heads, well trying anyway. Mighty fun, only downer was that I couldn’t find my phone so not only did I not get any pics of the ferry madness, I spent the whole ride with my fingers crossed it was on the bus, otherwise how would I survive… joking, not joking…

BOTB and my phone was patiently waiting for me on the seat, enjoying the rest from my never ending reel of photos and videos. Off the ferry and I was at the place that was the reason for the trip to Scotland, to see the stunning Isle of Skye… unfortunately during trip from the mainland, an epic storm had rolled in and Dan the wet Man informed us a hurricane was on its way. Couldn’t tell if he was joking… At the 5th BNB stop I was lucky enough to be herded off into the same place as Peta. I was given a big gorgeous room with a double bed, big screen on the wall and en-suite… Winning! Knock on the door and ooops they’d given me the wrong room, my room was actually a broom closet for the next two nights, doh, luck had run out!! Anyhoo, regrouping for dinner, Peta and I wandered down the road to the only place that was open for some delicious Scottish food and possibly the worst waitress I’ve ever experienced in my life!! Grunts when asked questions, eye rolls when ordering and apparently getting the bill is just asking too much. Robert joined us for a few drinks, much to the waitress’s dismay, and before we knew it, we were the last ones left. Ok so maybe the waitress now had a reason to be grumpy! Little did we know that finding a taxi for Robert back to his BNB in the middle of nowhere would be as hard as it was for the waitress to get the bill… Calls to three taxi companies later and there was a dude on his way, I think I may have woken him up. He was nice enough to drop Peta and I off on the way, well Robert was, the grunts from the driver suggested otherwise. Getting back to our BNB and looking forward to a warm bed we were delighted to find we’d been locked out. Awesome sauce. The delightful (I’m lying) inn keeper said the door would be open until 1am, it was a little after 11am. Do time and manners work differently here?? After some rather loud knocking that could only just be heard over the hurricane like winds, we were in. Yes the inn keeper was in her nightie and we felt like AH’s for waking her but there’s no way in hell sleeping outside was even an option. Dan the Man was not joking about the hurricane being on its way….

September 30, 2019 0

Bath Spa Pool

So I have a confession… I woke up about 7am, saw Kyles awake doing stuff on her phone and instead of being a good friend and getting up to start the day, I rolled over and went back to sleep. Sleep has a way of trumping EVERYTHING. Must stop saying trump, hate thinking of that orange faced misogynist…

So after deciding to love my friend more than sleep, we were up and at it, doing all the things someone my age needs to look even half decent in the morning then out of our Airbnb with half hour to spare. After our chocolate indulgence the night before, brekkie was far from our minds so we headed for the other thing Bath is famous for, that massive curved building thing, should google the actual name… A little stroll and there it is. Bloody brilliant. Can imagine it’d cost a mint to live there and dealing with pesky tourists like us would be a pain but still, when I win the lotto, have solved world hunger and bought Canava Hall in Brixton, I’ll be buying one of these. Pictures just don’t even show how magnificent these buildings are. And words can’t describe. Cue “tourist” and all the pics and selfies… loser.

After having annoyed the residents long enough and Kyles having followed me on a wild goose chase up a hill, we found the Botanic Gardens. Of course, cute, quaint and beautiful. Much like everything in Bath. Except the groupies.

After a coffee revival, we called/booked/apped an Uber. We don’t call anyone anymore, so what is it really?? Anyhoo, we headed for the nearest entry point for the Bath Skyline walk, what is meant to be an epic loop of castles and beautiful lookouts over the city of Bath. If we could give an Uber 7 stars, this dude would have gotten them! Talked about how 30 or so years ago all the buildings in Bath used to be black, covered in soot from the coal smoke coming out of the beautiful chimneys I love so much. Some bright spark mandated that all heating be changed to gas and all the buildings cleaned and restored back to their pristine white sandstone beauty. Smart person, not sure Bath would be the tourist attraction it is with black sooty buildings. Now it’s one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. Jumping out of our super duper Uber, his seven star rating dropped to a one. The walk up to the Skyline loop was a muddy staircase from hell. Did the dude not see the shoes we were wearing?? Inappropriate footwear at its finest.

After sliding and yelping our way to the top, with all our belongings strapped to our backs nonetheless, the views were something to behold. Just wish my lame arse iPhone could take a decent picture. The view over Bath and the hills, stunning. Will go back to that memory when I need a happy moment.

Looking at the Skyline path ahead, we conceded defeat knowing our girlie boots were in no way up for the task. Heading in the general direction of the town, it was one of the most beautiful strolls down a hill you could ask for… look, a beautiful house and stream… Look again, another cute house and laneway. And chimneys!! Bath is gorgeous. Sorry for paying out your name. And sorry to Kylie for the trillion “tourist” stops.

Making our way to a bridge with no name, or one I can’t remember, it was again just another moment of wow. You wonder if people that live here ever get sick of all this beauty??

Finally listening to our (mine) moaning tummies we headed for a lunch spot. On the walk, had my boots not been muddy as hell and I looked like an orphan annie, we would have casually popped into the house opens on the way. And I may have mortgaged everything I own to buy one. Too bad I don’t own anywhere near enough…

After nearly a month traveling and drinking and eating all the things, I decided today was the day I’d get back on keto and try eat healthy. Damn my unreasonable thinking. While digging into a healthy omelette, Kyles had the most delicious Hungarian beef stew with dumplings. Didn’t even wanna take a food pic I was so consumed by food envy!! So having booked a 4.30pm train back to London, we tried to plan our visit to the Thermae Pool & Spa perfectly so we could just shower after then jump on the train home. Well, the lineup wasn’t the problem, more so the digital vouchers we’d booked and paid for had to be printed by and picked up at the Bath Tourist Info centre, which was closed on Sundays, I can imagine a Sunday would be the quietest day for tourists?!? And doesn’t all that kinda defeat the purpose of a digital ticket?!?!? After a somewhat standoffish debate, it was pay again or go home! You don’t come all the way to Bath to not jump in a thermal bath. So in we went, changed into our robes and flip flops (know better than calling them thongs!), and finally into the thermal pools. Have to say, after so many weeks of travel and what felt like a trillion steps, the warm water and spa jets were heaven sent. Throw in an epic view over Bath and the place is relaxation personified. Too bad we had to share with a hundred other people… weren’t allowed to take pics so once again Google has come through with the goods, just add those hundred people to each pic… can’t imagine the squishiness of this place in peak season…

With our two hour relaxation window coming to an end, it was time to leave the beautiful Thermae pool and head back to reality. Somehow arriving at the train station early, usually it’s minutes to spare, we had time for a sneaky gin and to find a snacky dinner for our train ride. Waiting on the platform for the train, my lame arse sense of humour kicked in at the name of the train station… Bath Spa? Someone really lacked imagination when it came to naming things at this place!!

Once on the train, my lame arse salad was no competition for Kylie’s almond croissant and the leftover chocolate. Nearly caved but in my sleepy relaxation I couldn’t even be bothered eating chocolate. That has NEVER happened to me in my entire life… need a thermal pool at home… A train, two tubes and a bus later, we’re back in Brixton and another reality set in. It was my last night with my bestie and the last night galavanting around the UK. Uhhh, I don’t wanna, they can’t make me leave can they??

Sunday 20th January 2019.

February 2, 2019 0

Bath crawl

Waking up to Kyles already having put in a couple of hours working from home, it was nice to wander downstairs, make a coffee and know there was nothing urgent to do. Except eat my crappy cheescake and the Tesco chocolate cake for breakfast. For a £2 choccie cake, that was damn good! Today’s plan was to get away for a weekend in Bath. Next to Finland and York, it was the other place on my I Wanna Go To list. Having booked a cute Airbnb some time back when we first conceived the idea, we just needed to get there. Easy as. Download an App, put in times, book, pay, digital tickets. If only everything in life was this easy!! With some time on my hands I did what was supposed to be a quick check of work emails, to date there hadn’t been anything overly urgent or worthy of my attention when I don’t have to. Jeebus. Some shit had hit the fan at work and I spent the next few hours plugging away to try get things in order.

Once I’d calmed down and switched off Australia, it was time to prepare for my last weekend of holidays. Ugh. Yuck. Why do holidays have to end?? But are they actually holidays if you never go back to work? Maybe then it’s just life??

Anyhoo, while I’m flapping around Kyles is ever the professional working her butt off taking work calls, Skype meetings and just getting shit done. Once packed with my weekend kit, I felt the sugar crash and was desperate for anything green. Legging it to Sainsburys around the corner I bought a big bunch of broccoli to add to our dodgy pre-made supermarket salads. Probs the first healthy meal I’ve had since Kylie’s awesome Christmas roast. Not rolling in cash but rolling in other ways!

With a 4.30pm train trip, it was relax time – completely speaking for myself. The dedicated Kyles worked the whole two hour ride while I got my votes in for the Triple J Hottest 100. I really do lack any pics today so my top 10 list will have to do!! #1 Ocean Alley.

Walking out of the train station in Bath and it’s everything I expected, and then some! The 15 minute trek to our Airbnb took us past all the beautiful white sandstone buildings, cobbled streets and the quaint English pubs on every second corner. Once again I was the dork walking along muttering wow! Having gone the cheap room route for our Airbnb, I half expected a broom size closet in a dodgy back alley. Walking into our room at Romany Guest House, one of the gorgeous terrace buildings it was a mixture of relief and wow. Big old style Victorian room, our own beds, lounge chairs, telly and kettle. I think Kyles is getting sick of my sleep talking so happy for her she has her own bed for a change!!

Having already spied the cute pubs on the way through, it was an easy choice to pub crawl our way through Bath. It is after all only 50 meters between each pub and a convenient half circle of pubs surrounding our accommodation.

Our crawl took us from the fancy Green Park Brasserie to the The Bath Brew House where we both had the quintessential English dinner, ham, egg and chips, washed down with a beer. Kind of made having the broccoli for lunch redundant!

Next stop at Trinity Inn saw us pick up some groupies, two young English chaps, not yet of legal drinking age in the US, wanting to tag along on our crawl. One called Joe and the other some J name, they were kinda funny, young Joe had googly eyes for Kylie all night and wanted to take her on a date to the zoo. Oh bless, dates to zoos just don’t happen anymore. After hitting up The Cork, The Canon and The Gin Palace with our groupies, it was time to exit stage left. I think Kyles broke young Joe’s heart!

Friday 18th January 2019.

January 23, 2019 0

Sun and snow

For me, the beach is my happy place. I feel myself exhale and relax. Lucky for me, I get to live right by the beach in Adelaide. But having been land locked since Christmas, well last year if I can be so lame and claim that, I felt a longing for the ocean. So today I headed to Brighton, also the namesake of the beach next to where I live so was on my list of places I had to visit.

I feel like getting around London is super easy, thanks to my awesome City Mapper app but also because the tube and trains are always on time and easy to move between… says a foreigner only doing it for two weeks, I’m sure locals have something else to say! So a tube and a train and I’m in Brighton, about an hour and a half travel all up.

And then there it is, the ocean. The locals must have thought I was a looney because before I could help myself, I said out loud, “Hello ocean!”. I actually have a bad habit of saying hello to inanimate objects, usually things I love, hello home, hello bacon…

So after 10 minutes of staring at my beloved ocean, I meandered down the esplanade to my breakfast stop. A long train ride so I knew exactly where I was going and the chorizo and egg goodness that awaited me, the breakfast martini was a welcome surprise!! Hello breakfast…

Having purposely not planned to do much of anything except chill at the beach, I wandered up the esplanade and everywhere I looked, I fell more and more in love with Brighton. So English with the terrace houses and chimneys along the foreshore rather than the modern monstrosities they build in adelaide. And the little shops and bars tucked away under the esplanade. And when the sun peeked through, perfection.

At the gorgeous Brighton Palace Pier I found Zoltar!! Might not mean much to some but I LOVED the movie Big with Tom Hanks growing up and Zoltar has a starring role making dreams come true. While I didn’t technically make a wish, he did tell me my fortune, scarily accurate about the past and hopefully true about the future. Starting to think the big wish is coming true too, that’s probs got more to do with butter beer and pies though…

The one major thing that AUS Brighton has on my new love Brighton… sand!! The pebbles, rocks or whatever they are, surely would not be comfy to sunbake on and how the hell would you even make a sandcastle?? I also once again for the millionth time in my life wore inappropriate footwear….

With time up my sleeve, I had another chance to mess around with my SLR camera and pretend to be a photographer. Would be nice to stop pretending and actually learn when I get back! Here are my faves:

Also had time to sit back at a gorgeous bar called Lucky Beach and enjoy a gin and the sunshine, while getting lost in my own head.

An impending theatre date with Kyles meant I needed to be back in the city pretty soon so I decided to wander through The Lanes, an old shopping area on the way to the train station. As soon as I stumbled onto the first lane, I knew I should have sucked up my gin quicker and spent more time here! Cute little lanes (hence the name!) that looked straight out of Diagon Alley with eclectic shops and market stalls. Could have spent hours, managed to buy a couple of rings and a birthday present then leg it back to the train in time, and by leg it, I mean I ran, in boots and all…

So after the sun came the snow, Jon Snow that is!! The Christmas present from Kyles, tickets to see True West starring Kit Harrington. After a delish dinner at The Port House, a random pick but awesome share plates, it was time to hit the West End. Being the dork that I am, I was ridiculously overexcited and when Mr Harrington just wandered onto the stage while everyone was still taking seats, I nearly lost my shit. Weird way for a play to start, dude sitting at a desk on stage reading, that’s when I realised I knew nothing about the play… other than Jon Snow’s starring role. But before me was not Jon Snow, not that I expected him to be kitted (like that!) up like a crow but he was the exact opposite. Porn star mustache, his glorious hair cut and slicked back, and in shorts and loafers with a 70s style shirt, ahhhh… the play started and all thoughts of my favourite member of the Nights Watch were gone, out came a southern American accent and a struggling play write was before my eyes. Round of applause to Mr Harrington for completely breaking the brooding pretty boy stereotype and doing something completely opposite to GoT. Complete respect. Great theatre, enthralled from start to finish.

Being hump day for Kyles and having had a busy few days myself, neither of us were up for a big night so a quick pop by Somerset House to check out the ice skating, still sore from skiing, we literally looked then left. Sometimes you gotta know when to call it!

Wednesday 9th January 2019.

January 15, 2019 0

Lush aye?

A jet lagged Holly and hungover Kylie catching a 9am train to Newcastle, what could go wrong?

How about splitting the seam of my pants along the butt while in the middle of King’s Cross Station, standing for the 3 hour train ride or realising you’re going to end up on a fetish YouTube channel when the sign on the mirror in the train toilet says “go on, give us a smile”… and I didn’t even find platform nine and three quarters…

Wasn’t all bad, coffee and truffle eggs in a cup saved the day and my sanity.

Good things come from the Aussie Newcastle, like my favourite band, so pretty high expectations and looking back the day after, it didn’t disappoint.

Having being renamed Sheila and Matilda by our man Pattie, it was my chrissie present of Roger’s Profanisaurus that set the scene for the night to come.

Two Aussie lass’s out drinking with the lads of Newcastle. The before shot…

Quickly realised gin wasn’t the reason I couldn’t understand the lads, they have a Geordie language of their own and it’s the most entertaining damn thing I’ve ever heard, and not understood…

Aye pet, that’s bollocks, gan to toon ta get mortal… cue staring blankly…

Needless to say the pub crawl through Tynemouth was epic with little photo evidence so well and truly, what happens in Tynemouth, stays in Tynemouth… especially since asking one of the lads to take a picture of you and your bestie ends up with a camera roll of this….