Hey,
Monaco is unreal, went up and checked out the Rainiers (sp?) place last night and got to hear about the Grimaldi curse luckily enough for me it didn't follow me onto the roulette table. Got some pretty cool night pics of Monaco as well. I didn't end up going to the casino of Monte Carlo as it cost 10 euro to get in and I wanted to have a bit of a punt so i went the casino around the corner where there were 2 dollar tables for roulette. It cost 40 to get into the game so me and another guy on tour went halves and split the winnings and that. So we each put 20 in and we both walked away with another 22.50 euro so we doubled our money. I was pretty pleased with having made a withdrawl from the bank of Monte Carlo and we both decided to keep a 1 euro chip each as a souvenir.
Yesterday was another travel day, here we come Florence. We stopped off at Pisa and took the obligatory shots of us pushing the tower over although i got a pearler photo of me kicking it over. I was lucky enough not to have a baby thrown at me by a gypsy so altogether it was a good day. Went to the pub again last night but I think the previous weeks efforts are getting to me and am developing a bit of a cough. I've started on the codral and hopefully it doesn't last too long but half the bus seems to have developed this cough. Due to this I've been feeling a bit tired and haven't been bold enough to try out the only Italian i knew before i got here which is "Ciao Bella". I spent the morning wandering round the streets after our guided tour and managed to get a few decent photos, i wanted to head back a bit earlier as i haven't been feeling the best so decided against the 3 hour queue to see David, i did see the replica David though. Wandered through the local market for a couple of hours and then a group of us headed back for a bit of quiet time.
I'm having a tuscan meal tonight which should be interesting before they cart us of to another f ing pub. I think i'm just bitter about the pub because I'm feeling a bit run down and know i should lay off. Looking forward to getting to Corfu and Mykonos just to slow the pace a little as we're there for a few days at time. I've definately become a pro at this whole touring life thing and have yet to run out of clean clothes or get left behind, came close at Pisa though.
Tomorrow we are off to Rome and the Vatican City I'm taking a punt that our tour bus will get us there in time to get in but there are few who are getting the train to make sure. I would but it'd be an extra 50 euro cost and I'm already a little over budget particularly after all the lladro I bought for mum in Barcelona(its in the post!).
Still haven't heard where i'm going for camp and its starting to stress me a little but nothing another drink in a free pour society won't fix
Ciao Bella
Friday, April 29, 2005
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Nice is Nice
Hey all I am having a variety of technical issues:
My international roam hasn't worked so if you texted and got no reply its coz i have no phone. If you are wondering where my photos are they are on my camera at look destined to stay that way.
Anway so i am in Nice (pronounced like niece) and thought I would do a quick recap, Barcelona was nice we only really had a day there but it was enough to soak up a bit of the atmosphere. It took 10 hours worth of driving plus a couple of stops so when we got there everyone had a bit of cabin fever and decided for a couple of quiets, and i do mean quiets, the next day we went to a few of the stadiums and where the Barcelona Olympics were. We got to walk around Gaudi's Cathedral de Familia (sp?) which was awesome, i know he coined the phrase "gaudy" but because its so huge you don't see that its really ahh "busy" shall we say., and ambled down La Ramblas.
That night we had our Flamenco evening which was pretty fun, we got to watch about an hour performance and then guess what some idiot gets to up on stage again. I think i have a sign painted on my forehead or something. I was going to out with a few of the girls to check the nightlife in Barcelona but dinner was a buffet so myself and the other half of the bus ended up eating ourselves into a stupor and that was the end of the night.
We arrived back in France last night so we celebrated with a few drinks at the bar, unfortunately i think i had a few too many and am feeling the effects right now have wandered round Nice for most of the morning and lost everyone i went to town with, i really like it it reminds me a little of Wellington except more french women! There's no rest for the wicked though so we're off to Monaco tonight so I will atttempt to win some money and fund the rest of my holiday and then Venice tomorrow.
I'm getting a little bored of taking photos so there'll be places where i have none but am getting copies of others photos but you guys really need to check it out for yourself.
PS: I have noone to write my address on my hand in case i get too drunk to get myself home but luckily tucked away in my passport holder are the addresses of every place i am staying at.
My international roam hasn't worked so if you texted and got no reply its coz i have no phone. If you are wondering where my photos are they are on my camera at look destined to stay that way.
Anway so i am in Nice (pronounced like niece) and thought I would do a quick recap, Barcelona was nice we only really had a day there but it was enough to soak up a bit of the atmosphere. It took 10 hours worth of driving plus a couple of stops so when we got there everyone had a bit of cabin fever and decided for a couple of quiets, and i do mean quiets, the next day we went to a few of the stadiums and where the Barcelona Olympics were. We got to walk around Gaudi's Cathedral de Familia (sp?) which was awesome, i know he coined the phrase "gaudy" but because its so huge you don't see that its really ahh "busy" shall we say., and ambled down La Ramblas.
That night we had our Flamenco evening which was pretty fun, we got to watch about an hour performance and then guess what some idiot gets to up on stage again. I think i have a sign painted on my forehead or something. I was going to out with a few of the girls to check the nightlife in Barcelona but dinner was a buffet so myself and the other half of the bus ended up eating ourselves into a stupor and that was the end of the night.
We arrived back in France last night so we celebrated with a few drinks at the bar, unfortunately i think i had a few too many and am feeling the effects right now have wandered round Nice for most of the morning and lost everyone i went to town with, i really like it it reminds me a little of Wellington except more french women! There's no rest for the wicked though so we're off to Monaco tonight so I will atttempt to win some money and fund the rest of my holiday and then Venice tomorrow.
I'm getting a little bored of taking photos so there'll be places where i have none but am getting copies of others photos but you guys really need to check it out for yourself.
PS: I have noone to write my address on my hand in case i get too drunk to get myself home but luckily tucked away in my passport holder are the addresses of every place i am staying at.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
7:20:8 Bonjour & Hola
Well its been a while, I left for Paris about 6 days ago and have been like a madman since. My tourmates are a pretty fun bunch and after about 3 days everyone was getting on like a house on fire. My birthday was celebrated in good fashion and no i didn´t get tied to the Eiffel Tower or do a nudie run. As the first day on tour was my birthday i have been made tour ginea pig i had to try escargot infront of anyone and funnily enough it wasn´t too badjust quite garlicy. I spent the first day in Paris and went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and waited for an accident to happen but no dice. After I wandered down the Champ Délesse (I´m using a crazy spanish key board and its well different apologies for typos) I made my first french fashion purchase as i broke my cheap studded belt from China and had to replace it, not sure how but i think i´ve lost weight. After we wandered round the gardens in front of the Louve and had gelato and chatted by this old school carosel like the one in Amelie. That night we went to the Nouvelle Eve Show I had the time of my life, and in fact I would somehow have been more keen to run nude through the streets of Paris as the girls in the group voted me onstage for a little audience participation requiring me toshake that thing. Day 2 in Paris was a Marathon as I we went through the Louve and saw La Joconda (?) aka my mate Mona and then the Musee DÖrcee where i got to see Starry Night and a heapof others and Notre Dame, we got to hearthe bells at Notre Dame where I couldn´t but help say to those with me The bells the bells...... as we were all feeling the after effects. Went tothe top of the Eiffel tower which was amazing, i could have spent a month in Paris just checking it all out but one ofmy biggest regrets has got to be not getting round to ordering un croque monsier as they always looked so good in my french text books
Cheers has got to go out to Mr Manese and mr Hern as things came flooding back to me. We went to the Palace of Versaille and that place is so big we almost missed the bus after rushing through the palace and walking to the entrance of the garden. It did provide an opportunity to use my long lostfrench as i got to say to the ticket attendant " meme chose, deux, non quarte." Later at the Arc i got to bust it out again as these 2 kids (17)wanted to go to the top but didn´t have a guardian so i saunteredup to the counter handed my ID through and said "et deux enfants sil vous plait" to which the attendent pissed herself as she looked through the glass and saw a very tall German and French girl standing next to me.
We spent the last 2 nights in this chateau in the Beaujolais wine region with nothing else to do but work on becoming eligible for a kidney transplant. I got on the red wine for a taste and once again found something pleasantly surprising. That night we had a first tour party which was a beach party theme. You´re probably wondering what the numbers in the title mean so i´ll spill, its a ratio and reads boys: girls: couples. So there are 39 people partying hard in a bar in the cellar of the chateau. So far I have earned the titles of Dancing Queen ( I later lost it that night) and also group alkie, i somehow managed to drink 6 beers over an hour and a half and followed that up with (what have been told) 7 or 8 torpedoed Smirnoff ices in approximately half an hour earning me the dubious record of being the first person on tour to get cut off fromt he bar, i earned a headache and fatigue for my efforts surprisingly vomit wasn´t required. I hit a good second innings the following nightn after my suspension was lifted with 2 beers and 5 torpedoes. For the record I was averaging 2-3 seconds a bottle with the aid of a straw.
Today we drove the longest leg our trip from the Beaujolais wine region to Barcelona. We stopped off on the way at Pont Du Gard to check out a an Aquaduct which pèople had no idea whatis was and weren´t particularly impressed till i told them that it was made in 70 BC. Even then i don´t know that it made much impact. I ´ve pretty much just arrived in Barcelona and will getto check it out properly tomorrow can´twait to go see Gaudi´s Catherdral am also kicking myself because i probably should have useda shoelace for a belt tilli got to the cheap leather in Espanol. I think wé´re just going to chill at the camp site tonight and have a few drinks although i´ve got this funny pain in my kidneys.......
Cheers has got to go out to Mr Manese and mr Hern as things came flooding back to me. We went to the Palace of Versaille and that place is so big we almost missed the bus after rushing through the palace and walking to the entrance of the garden. It did provide an opportunity to use my long lostfrench as i got to say to the ticket attendant " meme chose, deux, non quarte." Later at the Arc i got to bust it out again as these 2 kids (17)wanted to go to the top but didn´t have a guardian so i saunteredup to the counter handed my ID through and said "et deux enfants sil vous plait" to which the attendent pissed herself as she looked through the glass and saw a very tall German and French girl standing next to me.
We spent the last 2 nights in this chateau in the Beaujolais wine region with nothing else to do but work on becoming eligible for a kidney transplant. I got on the red wine for a taste and once again found something pleasantly surprising. That night we had a first tour party which was a beach party theme. You´re probably wondering what the numbers in the title mean so i´ll spill, its a ratio and reads boys: girls: couples. So there are 39 people partying hard in a bar in the cellar of the chateau. So far I have earned the titles of Dancing Queen ( I later lost it that night) and also group alkie, i somehow managed to drink 6 beers over an hour and a half and followed that up with (what have been told) 7 or 8 torpedoed Smirnoff ices in approximately half an hour earning me the dubious record of being the first person on tour to get cut off fromt he bar, i earned a headache and fatigue for my efforts surprisingly vomit wasn´t required. I hit a good second innings the following nightn after my suspension was lifted with 2 beers and 5 torpedoes. For the record I was averaging 2-3 seconds a bottle with the aid of a straw.
Today we drove the longest leg our trip from the Beaujolais wine region to Barcelona. We stopped off on the way at Pont Du Gard to check out a an Aquaduct which pèople had no idea whatis was and weren´t particularly impressed till i told them that it was made in 70 BC. Even then i don´t know that it made much impact. I ´ve pretty much just arrived in Barcelona and will getto check it out properly tomorrow can´twait to go see Gaudi´s Catherdral am also kicking myself because i probably should have useda shoelace for a belt tilli got to the cheap leather in Espanol. I think wé´re just going to chill at the camp site tonight and have a few drinks although i´ve got this funny pain in my kidneys.......
Monday, April 18, 2005
Matterisk & Obelisk go to Stonehenge
After having had some broken sleep by ADD roomate I got up and got ready to head out to Stonehenge and Bath for the day. Through no fault of my own I managed to book this trip the day of the London Marathon and felt a little disappointed that I missed out on such a huge event but as i came over this rise and saw Bath for the first time I was so glad that I decided to go have a look somewhere out of London.
Stonehenge was pretty cool, I enjoyed but some of the people on my tour were disappointed and were saying that is was overated. Sure you couldn't get to close to it but seeing it in real life is so much better seeing it in a book, besides i'm not sure what they were expecting that it was such a huge disappointment. We didn't get to go check out the barrows which was a bit disappointing but other than that had a good time.
The tour to Stonehenge and Bath was with a group called Evan Evans and it seemed to cater to Asians and old people which was kinda amusing when the tour guide comes up to me and is all like "Nihongo blahdy blah blah" to which i reply "sorry what was that mate, I'm from Nu Zuland eh!" to which followed many many apologies.
I know my tour hasn't started but I'm sure Bath will be one of my favourite stops. It has this old school Dunedin or Christchurch kinda feel, all these old buildings that all looked the same and all heaps of the streets were like cobbled and that. I wish I had gone the day before as Bath was playing somebody in the Powergen cup. (Where are my Super 12 updates?).
I would definately like to go back to Bath at some point.
Quick things: burnt my photos to CD today and now this computer doesn't have an explorer program or won't read the drive. ALSO all my photos look the same with my head in one corner and a monument in the background and I have set the resolution too low in most of my pics damit.
Stonehenge was pretty cool, I enjoyed but some of the people on my tour were disappointed and were saying that is was overated. Sure you couldn't get to close to it but seeing it in real life is so much better seeing it in a book, besides i'm not sure what they were expecting that it was such a huge disappointment. We didn't get to go check out the barrows which was a bit disappointing but other than that had a good time.
The tour to Stonehenge and Bath was with a group called Evan Evans and it seemed to cater to Asians and old people which was kinda amusing when the tour guide comes up to me and is all like "Nihongo blahdy blah blah" to which i reply "sorry what was that mate, I'm from Nu Zuland eh!" to which followed many many apologies.
I know my tour hasn't started but I'm sure Bath will be one of my favourite stops. It has this old school Dunedin or Christchurch kinda feel, all these old buildings that all looked the same and all heaps of the streets were like cobbled and that. I wish I had gone the day before as Bath was playing somebody in the Powergen cup. (Where are my Super 12 updates?).
I would definately like to go back to Bath at some point.
Quick things: burnt my photos to CD today and now this computer doesn't have an explorer program or won't read the drive. ALSO all my photos look the same with my head in one corner and a monument in the background and I have set the resolution too low in most of my pics damit.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Super Tourist
Well I think i have now covered the rest of the monopoly board.
The British Museum isn't far from the hotel so I went there and checked out the mummies and that, you could spend a week there. It was not at all what I expected a british museum to be like, it was utter chaos there were kids running round everywhere crying, screaming and playing mind you the place was filled with frogs and they're kinda emotional so maybe thats it?
I wandered round trying to get back to the hotel after leaving from a different exit and ended up at Charing Cross doing a crazy S bend like route to get there, got completely disoriented but it was so much fun. Finally found a tube station and headed to Leciester Square and checking it out, there are so many cool shows on that I would love to see. There's a list of shows that I can go see so I think i'll go to Fame but the Jerry Springer musical was tempting unfortunately the season has ended. After that went to Coventry Garden - fell in love with that place, Anna's taking me back after the tour so that i can do a little shopping and have a beer at the Punch and Judy.
Last night went to Soho with Anna and her workmates it was a real crack up. Hangin with the queens in Soho lol, funny conversations particularly Anna's about how she isn't a fag hag because she has too many gay friends to be one, what was creepy was the sleazy looking dude reading gay porn at a table by himself (obviously). We had a real international party going on couple of kiwis, an aussie, a german, an Irish girl and an argentinian.
Had a mean teriyaki don for pretty cheap as well but now that I've left Anna's i'm going through the pounds pretty quickly.
Today I visited St Paul's Cathedral, prior to going I had no idea what to expect and just thought that it'd be another church, how wrong was I! That place is awe inspiring, my jaw dropped as we were coming up Fleet Street and I saw it for the first time. After that I went to the London Dungeon having no idea what it was but saw that there was a big queue and i had a fast track ticket thought why not... think Te Papa with live (failed) actors but it was definately a crack up!
After that I walked over London Bridge, rumour has it that its not actually London Bridge and in fact that bridge burnt down or something. Once i'd crossed the bridge i got to The Tower of London. That was awesome makes you realise how young New Zealand considering when these things were built. Wandered round there for probably the rest of the day.
When i got back to the hotel I met one of my tourmates Natalie, who was pretty jaded having just got off the plane, had a quick meal at the pub, where the bartender was a Palmy boy who didn't hesitate to tell me 3 times in 5 minutes that he played with Jerry Collins and then proceeded to introduce me to every kiwi in the bar. I pretty much coma after that till this guy checks into my room at midnight and rustles through his pack for the better part of the night.
The British Museum isn't far from the hotel so I went there and checked out the mummies and that, you could spend a week there. It was not at all what I expected a british museum to be like, it was utter chaos there were kids running round everywhere crying, screaming and playing mind you the place was filled with frogs and they're kinda emotional so maybe thats it?
I wandered round trying to get back to the hotel after leaving from a different exit and ended up at Charing Cross doing a crazy S bend like route to get there, got completely disoriented but it was so much fun. Finally found a tube station and headed to Leciester Square and checking it out, there are so many cool shows on that I would love to see. There's a list of shows that I can go see so I think i'll go to Fame but the Jerry Springer musical was tempting unfortunately the season has ended. After that went to Coventry Garden - fell in love with that place, Anna's taking me back after the tour so that i can do a little shopping and have a beer at the Punch and Judy.
Last night went to Soho with Anna and her workmates it was a real crack up. Hangin with the queens in Soho lol, funny conversations particularly Anna's about how she isn't a fag hag because she has too many gay friends to be one, what was creepy was the sleazy looking dude reading gay porn at a table by himself (obviously). We had a real international party going on couple of kiwis, an aussie, a german, an Irish girl and an argentinian.
Had a mean teriyaki don for pretty cheap as well but now that I've left Anna's i'm going through the pounds pretty quickly.
Today I visited St Paul's Cathedral, prior to going I had no idea what to expect and just thought that it'd be another church, how wrong was I! That place is awe inspiring, my jaw dropped as we were coming up Fleet Street and I saw it for the first time. After that I went to the London Dungeon having no idea what it was but saw that there was a big queue and i had a fast track ticket thought why not... think Te Papa with live (failed) actors but it was definately a crack up!
After that I walked over London Bridge, rumour has it that its not actually London Bridge and in fact that bridge burnt down or something. Once i'd crossed the bridge i got to The Tower of London. That was awesome makes you realise how young New Zealand considering when these things were built. Wandered round there for probably the rest of the day.
When i got back to the hotel I met one of my tourmates Natalie, who was pretty jaded having just got off the plane, had a quick meal at the pub, where the bartender was a Palmy boy who didn't hesitate to tell me 3 times in 5 minutes that he played with Jerry Collins and then proceeded to introduce me to every kiwi in the bar. I pretty much coma after that till this guy checks into my room at midnight and rustles through his pack for the better part of the night.
Friday, April 15, 2005
London Marathon, Monopoly and a Great Big Melting Pot
Well i ended up meeting up with Anna just after 5 after I was identified loitering outside the Marriott by security. Big thanks go out to Anna for copping a whole bunch of shit at work for taking my pack and then buying me a beer at the bar there while i waited for her.
So i arrived in London at 8.30 in the morning which is where my London Marathon starts, at this point i'd had about 5 hours sleep in the 24+ hours i spent getting there. Once i arrived in Oxford St i figure i walked close to 10-15kms in the six hours i was waiting, although i did have a bit of a kip in Grovesnor Park outside the American Embassy.... this was only the first leg of the journey as once i meet up with Anna and got back to Brixton "mon" think little Jamaica "mon", thankfully had a shower and went and meet some of Anna's flatmates which i consider to be the second leg as mucsling my way round the tube stations at peak hour took a herculean effort especially running to jump on the back of a bus with a full pack on.
The last leg of my journey begins and ends at the pub where i proceeded to get well boozed with Anna and 3 german girls (Anna's flatmates) which led to some very interesting conversations. If they are stereotypical germans than the stereotype is true. Well open about talking bout sex and so reserved about everything else not sure who has got it backwards us or them but it was a real crackup either way.
I'm working at getting the pics out but struggling to get them off the camera at the moment. We went back up the hill to have some more drinks but I almost passed out on the couch as my gravity was seeming to have a far larger pull on me than anyone else in the room.
In the last two days I feel like i've walked the majority of a Monopoly board as i've been down what seems close to most of the properties in the last side of the board before you pickup £200 and go and a skattering of the others as well. Still waiting to receive my £200 pound and land on free parking but thankfully i haven't been told to go to jail. I went to Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, Big Ben, House of Commons and Picadilly Circus yesterday all thanks to my lovely german tour guide Barabara (Anna's friend). I don't really know what i was expecting but being led round London by a german definitely wasn't one of them! I think with that package I'll have a better look in depth at it a second time round.
Went to Chinatown for dinner once we meet up with Anna which in itself was hilarious they so cater for the hairy white man here. No bowls, they serve it on plates and if you want chopsticks you have to ask for them. We had to walk past the Odeon to get there and the Premiere for "The Interpreter" was on but we decided to eat first and then come back but it was all over by the time we got back.
Did the mad dash with Anna this morning to transfer to the hotel I'm staying at, kinda waiting to check in and dump my bags and that and pick up my tickets for the rest of the sites but i think i'll head off to the British Museum at some point and possibly back to Picadilly Circus at some point.
Anyway time for more madcap adventures
So i arrived in London at 8.30 in the morning which is where my London Marathon starts, at this point i'd had about 5 hours sleep in the 24+ hours i spent getting there. Once i arrived in Oxford St i figure i walked close to 10-15kms in the six hours i was waiting, although i did have a bit of a kip in Grovesnor Park outside the American Embassy.... this was only the first leg of the journey as once i meet up with Anna and got back to Brixton "mon" think little Jamaica "mon", thankfully had a shower and went and meet some of Anna's flatmates which i consider to be the second leg as mucsling my way round the tube stations at peak hour took a herculean effort especially running to jump on the back of a bus with a full pack on.
The last leg of my journey begins and ends at the pub where i proceeded to get well boozed with Anna and 3 german girls (Anna's flatmates) which led to some very interesting conversations. If they are stereotypical germans than the stereotype is true. Well open about talking bout sex and so reserved about everything else not sure who has got it backwards us or them but it was a real crackup either way.
I'm working at getting the pics out but struggling to get them off the camera at the moment. We went back up the hill to have some more drinks but I almost passed out on the couch as my gravity was seeming to have a far larger pull on me than anyone else in the room.
In the last two days I feel like i've walked the majority of a Monopoly board as i've been down what seems close to most of the properties in the last side of the board before you pickup £200 and go and a skattering of the others as well. Still waiting to receive my £200 pound and land on free parking but thankfully i haven't been told to go to jail. I went to Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, Big Ben, House of Commons and Picadilly Circus yesterday all thanks to my lovely german tour guide Barabara (Anna's friend). I don't really know what i was expecting but being led round London by a german definitely wasn't one of them! I think with that package I'll have a better look in depth at it a second time round.
Went to Chinatown for dinner once we meet up with Anna which in itself was hilarious they so cater for the hairy white man here. No bowls, they serve it on plates and if you want chopsticks you have to ask for them. We had to walk past the Odeon to get there and the Premiere for "The Interpreter" was on but we decided to eat first and then come back but it was all over by the time we got back.
Did the mad dash with Anna this morning to transfer to the hotel I'm staying at, kinda waiting to check in and dump my bags and that and pick up my tickets for the rest of the sites but i think i'll head off to the British Museum at some point and possibly back to Picadilly Circus at some point.
Anyway time for more madcap adventures
Monday, April 11, 2005
Finally
Well I made it safe and sound to Heathrow and sauntered through customs far easier than i imagined it possible. Highlights for the flight over would include the lady that decided to change her baby's nappie at her seat, lucky me got to sit right in front of her! Followed by guy that scrambled all over me to get out to go to the bathroom rather than wait and let me get out first.
So I've been in London since 8.30am this morning and haven't had a shower for a good 24 hours am feeling extremely scummy and tired but too excited to go to sleep. I went and saw Anna ( Sarah's friend) to drop off my pack so i could wander around till 4.30pm when she finished work. She gave me her house key so that i could go and crash but figure i may as well wait a couple more hours so that i actually get to her house rather than go round in circles on the tube. Felt like a right knob walking into the Marriott with my backpack and hoody on, everyone was blatantly staring at me coz we all knew i wasn't really supposed to be there
Had my first warm beer at 12pm figuring i should try the english way of life but have to say warm beer is disgusting and god knows how they drink so much of it. But when in Rome.....
Been wandering up and down Oxford St and in a vaguely circular direction there of. It seems like a high price shopping area though, heaps of flagship type stores like FCUK, Espirit and stuff like that. Its really weird they got these Nike shops and that in these really old school english buildings like out of Mary Poppins or something. I've mainly just been wandering around eavesdropping just so i can hear the accent and checking out the cool buildings.
Not sure what i'll do tomorrow, probably chill out and see what Anna recommends just gotta be careful though as i've paid for this sight seeing package and i'm not 100% sure what's included in it so i don't really want to pay for anything twice.
Laters
So I've been in London since 8.30am this morning and haven't had a shower for a good 24 hours am feeling extremely scummy and tired but too excited to go to sleep. I went and saw Anna ( Sarah's friend) to drop off my pack so i could wander around till 4.30pm when she finished work. She gave me her house key so that i could go and crash but figure i may as well wait a couple more hours so that i actually get to her house rather than go round in circles on the tube. Felt like a right knob walking into the Marriott with my backpack and hoody on, everyone was blatantly staring at me coz we all knew i wasn't really supposed to be there
Had my first warm beer at 12pm figuring i should try the english way of life but have to say warm beer is disgusting and god knows how they drink so much of it. But when in Rome.....
Been wandering up and down Oxford St and in a vaguely circular direction there of. It seems like a high price shopping area though, heaps of flagship type stores like FCUK, Espirit and stuff like that. Its really weird they got these Nike shops and that in these really old school english buildings like out of Mary Poppins or something. I've mainly just been wandering around eavesdropping just so i can hear the accent and checking out the cool buildings.
Not sure what i'll do tomorrow, probably chill out and see what Anna recommends just gotta be careful though as i've paid for this sight seeing package and i'm not 100% sure what's included in it so i don't really want to pay for anything twice.
Laters
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Nightmare Start.......
Well the last week's been somewhat of a frigging nightmare......
All I can say is don't lose your wallet exactly 7 days before you leave as it will cut down on the stress of trying to get replacement cards that take 7-10 working days to replace.
I think just this would have been fine but then having to travel to Auckland to get my J1 visa was another misadventure that I'd sooner forget. My appointment was at 9.30 so I got up at 4.45am to make my flight at 6.30am to have the plane delayed for an hour and having to get a taxi to the consulate where the extent of my
participation was waiting in lines for a total of an hour and the only interaction at my "interview" being handing them my papers to peruse for 5mins being asked to sit and wait for an hour and then placing my fingers on the fingerprint scanner taking a total of about 10 seconds......wicked!
All I can say is don't lose your wallet exactly 7 days before you leave as it will cut down on the stress of trying to get replacement cards that take 7-10 working days to replace.
I think just this would have been fine but then having to travel to Auckland to get my J1 visa was another misadventure that I'd sooner forget. My appointment was at 9.30 so I got up at 4.45am to make my flight at 6.30am to have the plane delayed for an hour and having to get a taxi to the consulate where the extent of my
participation was waiting in lines for a total of an hour and the only interaction at my "interview" being handing them my papers to peruse for 5mins being asked to sit and wait for an hour and then placing my fingers on the fingerprint scanner taking a total of about 10 seconds......wicked!
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