Day 1 - London. My Mission Is To Beat Jet Lag

Crossing 11 time zones backwards can take it's toll on a person, especially when you arrive at the crack of dawn.  All the travel tip books tell you that you should put yourself onto the time of the destination as quickly as possible, so if you land in the morning, you should stay awake until the appropriate bed time.

So I arrived at 5am and have been walking around London ever since.  

I wandered the back streets between London Bridge and Shoreditch and found some lovely treasures that I'd never seen before.

A dying trade?  It's been a while since I've seen a shoe shine.

I love how the old merges with the new. 

Spitafield Markets. 

 I do so love a good market.  These ones unfortunately didn't have anything that interested me, but I won't let that stop me.

I stopped off at about 3pm for a sit down and a quiet bevy.  I watched the beautiful people walk past.  Some had those ridiculous sized heels on that make you walk on your toes with your knees bent.  I couldn't get the camera out in time to get a shot of that though.  It was about this time that I could feel the tired coming on.

Come on ....... push through!

This was by far the best thing I saw all day.  Whilst seeking shelter from the pouring rain under a train bridge,  I shared the space with this couple who were not begging or anything but had just set up a little picnic camp set up......... 

And then the lady groomed the man.

That's me hiding behind my umbrella.

Hello Sunny London

Cheers to getting this journey started.........  It was during this time that the kid started screaming - hence the wine.

This was the menu we were handed for the flight which made me giggle immaturely and and think of my Bali peeps, ladies, you know who you are.  

Doogs!

So, for those of you who are keenly interested in my Game of Thrones status, I am up. to. date!  There was a tiny bit on disappointment when I realised that I didn't have episode 2, but after much thought and deliberation of whether I soldier on to episode 3 and just try to work out what I missed, I did just that and to be honest, I don't think I missed anything.  All the same people seemed to still be alive in Ep3, so it must have been a slow week in the writer's room.

So I can proudly say that I watched all 9 episodes back to back (like it's an achievement) but I have been left with a feeling of wanting.  When is Season 4 out?  Will there be a Season 4?  There has to be!  You can't leave me (and countless others, I'm sure) out there, north of the wall to just wander aimlessly wishing and hoping......

For the night is long and full of terrors

oh yeah

Once you get on the plane you are sort of on international time and you try and get on the time zone of your destination.  So by the time I'd watched all the episodes it was about 5am Melbourne time and I was over-tired.  As much as I tried, sleep just wouldn't come.  

However, after getting off and having a walk around in Dubai, I was more than ready to shut my eyes and get stuck into it.  I slept for the whole way to London and this is what I woke up to.  

Breezed through immigration, breezed through baggage collection, breezed through customs (do they even check anyone's bags?) Breezed through to train platform, purchased ticket with ease (I had 4 available ticket machines to choose from), had the train to myself all the way to Paddington and then got the first cab in the rank.  

An unheard of dream arrival.  Well done Heathrow.

So, I made it to Tanya's house unscathed after a bit of cabbie banter.  We discussed the difference in the price of petrol and where we get our fruit from and did I know that oranges in Australia all come from Brazil? And is it really as expensive in Melbourne as that documentary the uvva night said it was? 

It was a little foggy when we landed and then it was a little overcast and now, it's raining!

They had clear sky, 34℃ days last week.

Welcome to sunny London.

Snakes.....Oops, Kids On Planes

So, I arrive in my seat.  I'm happy with the location and am happier than Larry that I used my FF points to get me up the pointy end 

(could that be just one of the reasons that it's called the 'pointy end'?)

However...... a travesty was about to ensue.  There were kids up the pointy end!  That just shouldn't be allowed, should it?  I'm thinking that a very well behaved child of say, 10 years old and above perhaps could be allowed.  The kind that you don't even know is there.

But these kids - you knew they were there.  It started as soon as we boarded.  The young girl who would have been 3ish had the common childhood ailment where they can't quite differentiate between inside and outside voices.  There was a bit of shooshing from the tired looking mother and a lot of whinging from the girl.  However, that wasn't the worst of it.  Her younger brother would have been maybe 18 months old and he wasn't a fan of anything.  For a full, what felt like 13 hours but was really only 20 minutes, he screamed as if he were being stabbed.  Nothing was calming him.  Everyone tried to get involved, from the cabin crew playing peek-a-boo around the curtain to the woman from a few rows ahead with a well behaved, quiet child (!)

I was caught in-between wanting to tut and complain about how this baby was going to ruin the serenity and feeling terribly sorry for the mother who was doing this all on her own in front a cabin full of deep sighing FFers.  There were definitely looks and eye rolls shared between the childless people on board.  After 20 minutes of it, I have to admit, I was one of them!

Then once we were in the air, electronic devices were switched on and the day was saved.

Upon disembarkation I happened to be standing next to this family and the mother was trying to wrangle the kids whilst collect her bags and their toys etc...  I lent in and told her that she was doing a great job and that it must have been very stressful for her.  She was so relieved.  She said "I'll never do it again until he is her age."  

I kindly suggested to her that the next time she flies if she could do it down the other end of the plane, that would be great.

No I didn't.

The Packing Palava

Twas the day of departure

The packing was done

I added a jacket

In case of no sun

I weighed my suitcase

Kilos - 23

Could I finally have this packing malarky

Down to a perfect tee?

A wedding outfit, the perfect shoes

A dress clutch and a wrap

Going out attire, some casual gear

And a whole lot of other crap

T-shirts x 4, shorts x 2

Sunglasses and a hat

Swimming togs, a summer dress

And you'd think that that was that

But as I give it one last look

Theres one thing I don't see

In amongst the shoes and clothes

Theres not a single toiletry!

So I take it all out and start again

This shouldn't be so hard

If I'm to add my paste and creams

What am I to discard?

Why is it that we think we'll wear

Something different when we roam

I should take out that purple dress

That I never wear at home!

So I'll lug my largish suitcase

Through the airport to check in

If she's bloody overweight

Then I'll just take it on the chin

Reverse Nesting

Apparently just before a woman is due to have her baby, she nests.  

Having a sister and many friends who have babies I've seen this happen first hand.  They wait until they've got about a week to go and should probably just sit down but instead they say they want to go to Freedom Furniture or Ikea and get that tall boy they've had their eye on for the past 8 months or perhaps we might just paint the nursery one more time or let's redo the back yard.  The baby won't be able to play out there for a year or so, but let's do it now.

Well, I think I have Reverse Nesting.  

It's a term I've just coined myself which relates to the activities of someone who will not be welcoming one into the world, but for one who is travelling across it.  For some reason this week, pre departure, I can't stop organising things.  

I'm changing sheets on beds that I won't be sleeping in for 2 months.  For reasons unknown to me I'm tidying the sewing/study/junk room up.  I've even done a bit of sewing this week! The kitchen cupboards are next on my list and I don't even really have much in there.

 I'm getting my home ready to have nobody in it.

Why is this I wonder?

Purposeful Preparation

With a week to go I am finding myself running against the clock making sure that I have all the necessary episodes of Game of Thrones downloaded as I plan to catch up on 2 complete seasons on the flight.

You see I'm a late bloomer when it comes to these fantastic shows. 

Mad Men 

Status update: Up to date. Am able to talk confidently about it.

Game of Thrones 

Status update: Nailing it.  Season 1 down, 2 & 3 to go.

Breaking Bad

Status update: Too much on my watching plate to commit to this just yet.

The Sopranos

Status update: Started watching about 5 years after it finished.  Made it to midway through Season 3.  The thought of 3 more seasons was a little overwhelming.

Downton Abbey

Status update: Next on the "to watch" list.

 I always find out about them later than everyone else and then I'll listen to people talk about the characters and the plots and the "can you believe what so and so did in episode 4?" conversations, but it tends to take me a good 6-12 months after the hype before I'll really commit to watching the series.  However, instead of drawing it out by watching one episode per week, I like to watch the whole thing in one sitting.  

Lucky for me I have a 24 hour 'sit in' coming up which will be perfect to get the whole 3 seasons out the way.

Finally I'll be able to contribute to the conversations........ if people are still talking about it that is!

The Best Laid Plans

When planning these trips one is usually working with a limited amount of time and trying to ram as much as possible into the time frame can be a tricky business.  There are pre planned activities and special events to work around, not to mention the plethora of lovely people that I desperately want to see and catch up with.

You see, this jaunt is not only about the Middyear Mediterranean Maddfest.  It just so happens that my lovely friend Tanya Hammond is getting married to her dashing beau, Nick Collis and I've been honoured with an invitation.  It also works out that the 3 week long Maddfest begins a week after Tanya's Hen Weekend and finishes up just a week before Tanya and Nick's special day. That is timing that is too good to be true.

The Hen's Weekend is going to be a group of Tanya's favourite ladies coming together at an English country house in Bristol where hen's night shenanigans is sure to ensue and

the wedding is to be held in England's charming south east countryside.  I'm hoping that the current weather they have been experiencing over there subsides a little.  

Nobody wants to sweat in their finery!

ewww!

So at the moment, with just under 2 weeks left before my departure I am practising packing for a whole range of activities and weather conditions. 

I always overpack. 

 Always!  

I just can't seem to work out what I'll feel like wearing next week or the week after.  Yet upon my return from every trip there is always 2-3 items that sadly never made it out of the suitcase, no matter how hard they tried.  When I get home and take out the pieces of clothing who just came along for the ride, I promise myself that next time I will pack smarter and lighter and I'll just make do with what I've got.  Then, the next time comes around and I go through the whole saga again. 

 Will I need this skirt/pants/jeans/hat? 

How many times will I wear it?  

Does it go with more than 2 tops?  

Could I do without it?

Do you think I'll need boots? 

Hopefully by the time I leave I'll be down to one suitcase and who knows, maybe this time will be the first time that every items gets a guernsey.

Maddfest - A History

For as long as I have known her, my good friend and travelling companion, Madeline Kennedy has had a birthday festival called Maddfest.  

Each year we do something a bit different like:

Eating snails in Paris........

Maddfest 2007

or 

A night out somewhere with a bunch of favourite pals.......

Maddfest 2009

or

A helicopter flight over the 12 Apostles on The Great Ocean Road....

 Maddfest 2010

or

Rocking out at A Day on the Green......

Followed by a Kenny Rogers concert......

Maddfest 2011 

It's hard to pick a favourite, although Kenny really has to come in first even though he's difficult to recognise.

So this year is Madeline's 40th year and she has chosen Turkey as the Maddfest 2013 destination. 

This year's players are:
Madeline and her lovely beau, Rob

Luwenski & Shellenski

Kath & Kim Australiana style Maddfest 2013

Turkey, here we come.