The UK

I was in the UK all of November. I arrived after 2 months on the continent glad to be back somewhere where everything makes sense, beer is more expensive than coke, you can buy hot chips in the pubs, and people speak English! lol, not that I didn't love Europe, but a bit of a rest was great.

After a week in London recovering, catching up with family, doing my washing etc, I then flew to Belfast where I caught up with Sheree and Marty and saw a bit of the Irish contryside as well as rested a bit more. I even took a tour of the murals from the Troubles, which although the tour guide talked about it being way past them, was really only less than 15 years ago. Belfast seems nice, but it was freezing and not so much of a tourist town i think!

After that I went to Edinburgh. I had a great time in Edinburgh, catching up with Hayley and Nicky, doing two tours, one a bus tour and one a walking tour of the old town, and also going to a scottish dance called a Ceilidh (this rhymes with Hayley.. work that one out!) where we flung each other around, and having a mexican night with couchsurfers where we watched Flight of the Conchords on dvd (their season one of the tv series was just released). Altogether I had a great time and I wish I could have stayed there longer, Edinburgh is a great city!

Last week I went to Manchester where I fell ill with a annoying cold. So I caught up with Penny (who used to work at VUW when I was there) at night, and then slept all day with my head cold. Ugh. I still have a cough a week later! In Manchester we went Ice Skating, to the Christmas markets and saw lots of pretty lights (a lit up christmas tree and huge santa claus) and it felt all cold and wintery and like christmas in the movies. I bet all you people in NZ are laughing now because I heard it's extra warm there right now. Oh well, winter for christmas is a bit different I guess and I have to do it once!

So manchester was fun, even if I did only see it at night. Lastly I it Coventry for a weekend to see family and then went back to London for my final 10 days.

In London, I caught up with family, caught up with friends, partied a lot, went to the Tate Modern, We will rock you (the show - which was AWESOME, GO if you can), shopped a bit and took photos of Hyde park in Autumn. Mmm leaves. This is such a novelty to this Wellingtonian that I HAD to kick them hehe. One day I even went to Stonehenge, which btw, is tiny and miles out. The best part was the bus ride really, and the Americans complaining about smelling cows. Umm, it's the country? It made me laugh.

London was awesome as always and I met some cool people. From the dinner I had the 2nd night I was back where I spent the whole night talking to a guy called Brendan who got ditched by his gf, to the last night where it was Bex's flattie's birthday and we had a yummy homecooked dinner followed by the thickest cake ever, it was all good. Totally makes me wish I had my career sorted so I could be working there instead of trying to start again back home! Oh well, one day.

Next - to Vancouver on Dec5, and am staying with the lovely Rayna for a bit. Some of my family is nearby, so I will meet up with them for christmas and then I am coming back to NZ on Jan 22!