a week in

I'm over a week into my London experience and it's been an amazing week. 
We did some typical sightseeing over the first few days. We checked out Buckingham Palace and attempted to view the Changing of the Guards Ceremony however with the Queens Jubilee being this weekend it was mayhem. Hundreds of people trying to get the perfect photo of the marching guards. We ended up ducking away in the middle of it and headed down to Westminster Abbey and saw Big Ben and the House of Parliament.
As the weekend came around the weather started to turn to shit however it didn't stop us as we prepared for Field Day Festival and the Queens Jubilee celebrations. Field Day was an insane day with the highlights being Grimes, Metronomy and many more. The end of the day got rained in but it put no damper on the day as a whole and a few of us took to a deserted Brick Lane before heading home to wrap up warm.
For the Queens Jubilee concert we headed to a street party out East only to arrive to find it closing up! After some street drinking (you're allowed to drink wherever here and it's awesome) and a quick bagel for dinner we headed into a packed bar to watch the concert among many patriotic Poms. It was an amazing concert and Queeny looked to be enjoying herself.
It's only 4 days till we leave for Europe now so we're all getting sorted and buying everything we need. There's been some dramas to do with Haydons passport but I wont go into that. Hopefully everything will work out and the four of us will be heading on the Eurostar in Betsy! 

we're here

It's official, I'm in London! 
My final day of work ended suddenly when Dad  gave me a call tell me that we should shift our flights forward another day as the HK to LDN flights were filling up. After rushed goodbyes, packing and some chill out time with Mum and Dad we headed to the Airport on Saturday morning.
Thank gawd we did! Stand by was such a stressful experience. Hong Kong was extremely hot and I wasn't told that I would get on the plane until 50 minutes before it departed. But sure enough I was on and relieved.
Arriving in London at 5am with 4 suitcases, 1 laptop bag, 1 snowboard bag and a hand bag trying to catch the train added more to the stress of travel. But eventually we were at Loveridge Road! 
At 27 degrees we were welcomed with insane weather. We spent the day out a Regent Park in the sun having a few drinks and continued on at a garden bar in Camden. Day 2 consisted of buying some food supplies and heading to the bank to get it sorted. We then took a walk down Oxford Street to find Heaven in the form of Topshop and H&M. Needless to say I'll be back there later in the week.


That's all for now! Here's hoping this amazing weather sticks around.

View from the plane ride in to London. (I discovered new effects on my camera late in the flight was pretty much highlight of my plane ride)

london bound

We're going, we're going! 

Our flight has been brought forward a day so we're off on Sunday to London. Just casually. 

The adventure begins and there is no looking back! My bags are packed, I'm ready to go! 

To those of you who are checking in to read my adventures over the next few months I welcome you, I hope you enjoy my stories and writing. Hopefully I will be able to check in here regularly but if I'm vacant for a while it's only because I'm having too much fun! 

So Bon Voyarge.

The next time I'll be writing in here I'll be on the other side of the world!

inspiration

I'm dying to go shopping once I arrive in London town... Here's my current inspiration

cats

How sweet is the new TwentySevenNames summer collection? Cats, cats, and more cats!

The two tone shirt and shorties are so my cup of tea. They've event made their own sockies. I hope they ship to the UK, and I hope I'm rich by NZ Summer!

monaco

Spending six nights on the Cote D'azur will mean day trips to Cannes, Nice, Verdon Gorge and Monaco!

I'm not going to lie, I have seen the cheezy Monte Carlo movie and this state looks insane. And what's best, the Monte Carlo Casino will be the first Casino I ever go to!

This is mearly weeks away!

What is only one week away however is leaving! 

mind fuck

Ready to leave but still have to work!
Someone get me some chocolate!

count,down

It still doesn't seem real. Maybe it's because i'm sitting at work killing time trying to look busy. Maybe its because I haven't been away from home for very long before and it feels like I'll be coming back?

Whether it feels like it or not, in two weeks time I'll be either in a plane from HK to London. Or I'll be landed and rearing to go.

My last minute things to do list is growing and the nights I have avaliable are deminishing. I think about not seeing my family or cats for a year and get sad, I think about the experiences I'm about to embark on and get excited. 

Extened family goodbyes have taken place and now for the 'leaving drinks'. Then eventually the airport goodbyes. All that stands between then and now is stress, sadness, exitement, drunken convos and the stress of packing....

Unreal....

venice

The planning and booking of our 6 week Euro trip is underway and getting more exciting by the day. Stop number 4 on our trip is Venice, the floating city. Although we will only be there for a day I can not wait to explore this city and get some picturesque shots of the waters... And take a romantic canal ride of course!

sun

This photo shoot is getting me excited. Today I'm wrapped up warm, wearing tights for the first time in months and it's grey outside. In four weeks time however I'll be in warmer weather, out to grab some bargain deals of little skirts, dress and shorts. 

Time is creeping up. It's so surreal!

san sebastian

Times really creeping up now. So many points to note.

1. KB and I have both been approved Visas! Mine will be delivered in the next few days!

2. It was my birthday yesterday which means the next few weeks is going to FLY by

3. We've started purchasing festival tickets and booking accommodation.

It's all becoming very real now.

One destination being booked in as we speak is San Sebastian, Spain. For the Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona we will be staying in the coastal town of San Sebastian. It looks like a natural beauty and the perfect place to be nursing a hangover or two. This will be our lookout for four nights.

loveridge

Technology is amazing. I already know what my soon to be London abode looks like and how sweet the road looks. Loveridge Road, Kilburn.

Before we even get to Europe we'll be milling about London, trying to see as much as posisble (for as least as possible). Seen in movies and on tv many a time will soon be seen with my own eyes. 

Excitement builds by the day.

dimes

I've been saving all my pennies and dimed recently (with a few splurges here and there), but what I really would love to get my hands on if I had the cash to spend is a bunch of different bracelets and bangles. Silver mixed in with gold and some colours to accompany my watch and brighten up my arms.

Images: Late Afternoon, Song of Style, Tuula

cappadocia

In the more distant future, maybe 2013 or 2014 I look forward to exploring Turkey. My parents fell in love with Turkey and spent five weeks living on a Turkish beach living off bear minimals.

Cappadocia in particular will be a must see in this trip.

Cappadocia is famous for its caves, underground churches, and unmatched structure. Located in Central Anatoloa in Turkey, this place is one of the country’s most famous and unique attractions.

Staying in a Cave Hotel while there will be a must.