Friday 18th August - London nightlife

Friday had been planned to meet up with the roxy crew who were over here holidaying, working, drinking, partying and in the end it was a great night.... well night and into the next morning.... Plan was to meet the 3 cheeks (Rachel, Sharon, Heather) along with Mo for a night out. Well things changed, mostly due to copious amounts of alcohol we drank before 11pm. I met up with Mo and his flatmate Johnsy at Liverpool Street station and then over the road for some alcoholic beverages for the house. We got back and met Friesy who also lived there and was travelling from AUS and decided to watch the big brother finale and went through the carton of Stella in about an hour and a half. Next was finishing off a bottle of Frangelico i had bought in Rome. Well then we needed more so Mo went off to the supermarket and grabbed a bottle of Bacardi and coke. So the four of us had hit it quite hard and was too late to head out far to meet girls so we went around the corner to a wharehouse that had been transferred into a nightclub. The secret entrance around the back would save us 5 pounds each so we gave it a go. Usually the guys have no trouble sneaking in but toinght the guards were all over there scam and along with others who had tried the same thing.

So Mo and Friesy went for it and were caught straight away and made to pay the $5. Johnsy (local lad) and I then hid behind some cars and gave it a go. i gave him a 20m head start so if he did get caught/chased (which he did) i could slip in undetected. So he came back to us after paying his cover charge but also followed by the security guard asking them about the other bloke that came in with them (ME) who was looking the guard in the eye. Mo and Johnsy did well in telling him some stories and then he asked for our stamps. Well I had done the old wet the wrist and try to copy Mo's stamp. Well I had a speck of black on wrist which in no way could resemble what i needed. I then showed him my wrist and said I had one. he barely looked and said ok then checked the others. As soon as i heard that I was outta there and headed towards the bar to buy a round. Lucky.....

Had a great night out with the boys and then after about 3am it closed so off home and then out again somewhere else for a pint until they also closed. What to do next. The bledisloe game was due to kick off at 630am so the natural thing to do was to go to Walkabout pub and watch the game with another pint. So back home before that and Mo and Friesy put on there wallaby jumpers and handed me a spare. The 3 of us then hit the tube and off to the game. Well great first half with us in the lead.... ( I then called Gabbi back home who I was missing so much) and came back in to see we were losing the game. So I saw the best half we have had and then missed the misery.... Oh well..... back on the tube and then back to my sisters school. 11am arrival.... bed time.....

Wednesday 16th August - London

Today we met up with my cousin Eamon who is living in London for a few months teaching before he backpacks through Europe over our Summer. We spent most of our time sitting on a tourist bus which stops at all the main attractions in London town. Our first stop was Hyde Park and a walk around the beautiful lake (although it smelt at one end quite bad) and around to Diana's memorial. I was very disgusted in what they had made for her. Although she was divorced from Charles and not involved with the royal family anymore, for a person who dedicated much of her life to help others and amazing work with charities and the poor it was very poor. As you can see in the picture it is a water feature that looks like a slip n' slide in a circle. The feature is fenced off by cheap garden wire with 2 plastic signs cable tied to the fence descibing the rules of entry. It was so degrading to the erson she was and what she deserved was somehting more dignifying that represented who she was. I left there feeling disgraced but feeling for the people of London who loved her so much and had to go through what I did all those years ago when it was first constructed....

From there we visited Harrods and walked through there amazing department store unable to buy anything as it was ridiculously priced. The main floor area with females bags was so expensive they didn't even have price tags attached and most of them were in glass boxes. So obviously whoever buys them is so rich they don't need to know the price as they can afford anything in this world. After covering the 4 floors quite quickly we then headed back on the bus tour for the remainder of the day. The tour passed Big Ben (name of the bells not the clock), london eye, river thames, london bridge, 10 downing street, westminster abbey and trafalgar square. A lot of old stories and building that still had blast marks from WWII which brought reality back about what happened all those years ago and how close to the city it was.

Saturday 12th August - Amalfi Coast

Another long day was ahead with a trip to the Amalfi Coast. And it was all worth it in the end. A train from Rome to Amalfi took about 2 1/2 hours then a local bus ride for an hour to the coast. The drive was hair raising with the bus fitting around tight bends along the coastline whilst traffic and other buses came from the other direction. These drivers had talent and were born to do this job. When we arrived we sat and had a wonderful lunch and gelatos before walking around the lovely coastal town of Amalfi. It was so nice and we wished we had of spent the night there. Somewhere mum would love to come back to next year and have a family holiday together for a few weeks. Sunbaking and relaxing is all we did before heading to the markets before catching the evening bus back to train station and home by midnight

Friday August 11th - Rome

Up at 6am and off to the Vatican and St Peters Museum for the day. Onto the metro train system which was quite clean and fast. Had some brekky outside the Museum and then joined the queue to enter. We stood in line for just over an hour before it started to move and we were inside within 30 minutes. The end of the line stretched on forever and it would have taken the last people over 4 hours to get in. The museum was huge (as is everything else in Rome), nothing can be done on a small scale. We ventured through all the rooms and saw old statues, baths, paintings, tapestrys from the 1800's the size of soccer goals that took 2 years to make. We then came to the sistine chapel and the painting. No photos or filming was allowed but Holly snuck a few photos in whilst she was hiding the camera. Down from there we went into the cattacombs and saw all the popes tombs and the late Pope John Paul. Outside of there we went up to the Vatican and inside to see the amazing pieces of art, statues, tombs and tapestries. The ceiling was so high and there was so much in there. After 4 hours we finished and headed out for some lunch.

Trevi fountain was our next stop as it was so beautiful the first time we decided to head back for afternoon and evening rest. We arrived at 2pm and spent 4 hours sitting by the fountain relaxing and having cheese, salami and camambert crackers whilst sipping on frangelico. A lovely afternoon and evening. Then it was off to the Spanish steps for dinner where 3 little kids tried to steal my camera, but they weren't going to get me. Whilst two of them put postcards in front of our faces whilst eating, the other one covered my camera (on table) with his postcard and then swiped it. As soon as they got there I knew something was happening so grabbed him and told him to put it back. It was put back and then told them to leave (in a nice way).

Thursday August 10th - Rome

Today we took the on/off bus tour around the city. We spent the first half of the trip just seeing the sights from the open air bus as they covered what we saw yesterday. We then got off near Trevi fountain and headed over to the Pantheon to get some pictures there and also to have lunch. We had some fabulous italian food and also another great coffee. The Pantheon was amazing and the hole in the roof had a strong beam of light shining on an old piece of art.

After that it was on to a massive town square (well rectangle) with a fountain in the middle and at both ends. I will get the proper names for these and put in soon. It was beautiful. Restaurants lined the side whilst people sold souveneirs, holly got a temporary tattoo, and others selling paintings, and the usual fake bags.

Wednesday 9th August - Rome

Up early to the sounds of builders working right outside our windows at 7am. Well complaints made and they are going to move us tomorrow. Feel sorry for the next group to use that room. €100 per night ($190 AUS) for 3 beds and a bathroom. Bathroom is main feature with room very tight and a tv the size of my hand with only channel english being MTV. So we ventured off on foot today and decided to head towards the Colosseum. We were lucky to be pulled from the line (1.5 hour wait) and go straight to the front as long as we paid an extra €9 for a tour.
Amazing the size of the stadium and how it has held up over 2000 years. Stories of hippoes been thrown in the ring along with chimps and other animals without chains as depicted in Gladiator. Also the character based on the movie actually won 1000 fights before he was defeated. The man who defeated him was then stabbed to death outside by the dead mans fans. I guess he was going to die either way then. Also when the floor was removed they found the pit underneath could be filled with water so they then decided to throw 50 crocdiles in there and then put the christians in for entertainment..... So many bad things were happening all those years ago. Then it was through the ruins and onto the palace (i think) see picture of me outside.

It was huge. Then to Trevi fountain where we threw our coins in for good luck. Then to the Spanish steps for some window shopping through the designer shop district and a gelato on the way back to hotel.


more photos @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503160843@N01/

Saturday 5th August - Tuesday 8th Galway

Time in Galway was just time to relax and recouperate from the previous week. We spent most days just shopping and I spent most days on the net catching up with Gabbi and others. Not the most exciting place to visit but it was more for mum to catch up with her friend so I was happy that she was able to do that. Monday afternoon it was a 2 hour drive to the airport and we were able to pass through the village of where my grandfather was born and raised in Ennis. Mum felt at home their and liked the town. Flight to Rome was good and only took about 2 1/2 hours. Arrived at midnight and then had to wait an hour on a bus to be taken into the city where our hotel was. Lucky we booked a hotel only 2 blocks from main station and were in our rooms by 2am. Then at 7am builders started making noise outside our window and it sucked.... Kept awake all morning and now trying to change rooms in a fully booked hotel. Hopefully someone will leave in next day or two so we can swap and give our room to some unsuspecting sole who checks in.

Friday 4th August - Dublin to Galway

As soon as we woke we went into the city and got had some brekky before jumping on the on/off bus that toured through the entire city and sights. First stop was the Guinness factory and took the tour through the whole place. It was great to see the history behind one of the most famous beers in the world. Then it was up to the top floor and the glasshouse bar with veiws all over Dublin and time to enjoy 'the best Guinness you will ever have' and they didn't let us down. Mum and Holly had one sip before putting theirs down but I had to finish mine. I couldn't go all the way there and not have a whole pint of Guinness. It tasted so good. It tastes so much better than the colder and thicker stuff we pour in Australia. It was so smooth and although warmer than a usual beer it tasted good. I was impressed and will look forward to my next one. But now I guess I will be let down as no pint I will have in the future will taste anywhere as good!!! The rest of the day we visited the jail and several castles, museums and small towns before heading home grabbing our bags and back on the bus to the main bus station for our trip to Galway. 3 hours on the bus and we arrived around 930pm to meet Lorraine, a friend of mums who she hadn't seen since she moved back home to Ireland 6 years ago. We stayed up late drinking and catching up.

Thursday August 3rd - London to Dublin

Another long day of travelling with a train and bus ride to Stanstead airport in London to then fly to Dublin. Flight was good because it only took about an hour after spending a few on the train and bus. A cheap flight like virgin blue so no free drinks or food to get through the flight. Once in Dublin it was a taxi ride to a friend of mum's place who lived near the city. Maurice was kind enough to let us stay the night at his place so we got settled in and then went out to a nice restaurant for dinner. Still had to adjust with the sunset at 10pm and the smell of the Guinness factory which was really close to his house. After dinner we ventured down temple bar and saw all the nightlife there was to offer, before heading through the famous trinity college were Oscar Wilde once went.

I'm in London town - Wednesday August 2nd

Wednesday morning we had plans to meet Denise at Victoria station and then head somewhere for the day and grab some lunch. We decided to go to Trafalgar Square and then walk sown to the Thames and see Big Ben, Downing Street and the London Eye. All four sites were amazing but the most amazing thing was the other kilometre after kilometre of old buildings that surrounded everything. Then there were places from the Monopoly board everywhere. Red phone booths everywhere. Pubs everywhere. Everything was everywhere over and over again. We took plenty of photos and then headed into a pub for some cold ales and lunch. After that it was back on the tube to Victoria Station to get a sim card sorted out (+447880791540) and some dinner to cook back at Holly's dorm.

Holly's arrival - Tuesday 1st August

Well it wasn't as hyped up as it was made out to be. Holly rang from the bus and said she would be in around 6pm. So from around 555pm mum and I sat in her lounge room looking out the window for her arrival. Every minute mum got more and more anxious until it got too much and she couldn't bear the wait. We finally got another call just before 7pm and she was coming through the front gates of the school and would be here in 5 minutes. We went downstairs to wait for her and then the cab came through the gates and mum was so excited. As soon as Holly opened the door the tears started o flow, then there was laughter, more tears and hugs and kisses. It was beautiful. Then onto me for my reunion with my little sister who had grown up so fast over the past 8 months away from home and becoming an adult very fast. We sat down together with Holly and 2 of her friends for dinner in their living quarters and heard al lthe stories from her 21 day Contiki tour through Europe. Amsterdam was the main story where her and friend Sally went through the red light district and then to a sex show. Thats right a sex show, not a strip show. They paid €26 euro each to experience a once in a lifetime thing taht they can always look back on and laugh about. But they didn't walk out they stayed for then entire 1 hour and watched it all. Mum was a bit shocked but happy that holly had ket herself go and see the world for the good and bad things that happen.

Flight from KL to London - Monday 31st July

24 hours of travel..... Don't wish it upon anyone. We departed my brothers house in Pantai Hill Park at 8pm (KL time), arrived at airport by 9pm, checked in, ate with them , said our goodbyes and went through customs. We had asked for an aisle seat and to be seated next to each other as there were no exit rows available for leg room.As soon as we got on the plane we were next to each other but with an aisle between us. The next thing I noticed was that there was no screen on the back of the chair in front of me. I had to spend the next 13 hours like this!!!!! We were able to do some swapping of seats so we were at least next to each other. It wasn't all that bad in the end as I watched the in house movie 16 blocks with bruce willis (ok if not average) then took 2 sleeping tablets after a few heinekens (the only reason to fly KLM - their beer is the best on flights) and passed out for a few hours. We landed in Amsterdam for an hour and a half layover before finally arriving at Heathrow in London at 730am local time (1pm KL time so 14 hours later), then it was onto a train to main terminal, 1 hour bus ride to Victoria Station in the city. We stopped there and bought some food and a phone card so I could call my girl. Then another 45 minutes on a train and a 15 minute cab ride to the school. We arrived 24 hours after we left Jas and Zabs house. We were exhausted and am writing this 4 hours after that. Relaxed now and Holly is due to arrive in an hour with some cool beverages to wind down and some wine for her and mum to enjoy. I have the camera by my side and will capture all the tears and upload for everyone to see.