Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I will try and update the blog again before Christmas, but I don't know how that will go. Anyway, will have much more to update on after Christmas with all my France photos as I am heading there on December 21st for a week.

Not this weekend, but the weekend before, Sarah and the kids took me down to Richmond Park a former private hunting ground for the monarch of the day. The Park is huge, right in the middle of the suburbs and surrounded by a giant wall.

There are deer and birdlife throughout and we were there in the afternoon, in time to watch the sun set and the colours change. It was very beautiful. You can see the fog in this picture on the left taken from the top of the King's Mound was pretty severe, but apparently on a clear day, if you look the otherside of the mound, you can see right through to St Paul's in London.

By the time we got back to the car we could barely see 20 metres clearly. But it was still enough to spot some deer, which come very close to the path, so I was happy.

Last week I also went to Hampton Court Palace (home of Henry VIII to name but one) for the day, which was fantastic. See a piccy here to the left but will try and get some more up in the next few days.

On the weekend went into Harrods, to Kensington Park, saw the Princess Di memorial fountain (its like a weird river thing that flows into itself...) went to the Portobello Markets and Notting Hill and went to the victoria and Albert Museum where they have set up an ice-skating ring out the front and have a little Christmas market going on.

There are fairy lights in the trees, the beautiful buildings in the background and kids skating and laughing. Very filmic. as you see below.

Touring London

One thing I have learnt over the past few days is that it is quite tricky to take accurate photos of yourself outside famous landmarks without a travel companion or at least one of those flip viewfinders on your camera... as a result you will see here a lovely piccy of me and part of Buckingham Palace, as seen from the edge of St James Park.

Whilst the Palace itself is not as grand or impressive as some of the other amazing London landmarks (its actually sort of plain), the whole area from the palace, incorporating all the parks down towards Westminster Cathedral and Parliament and round further to all the other guards houses and arches etc was pretty mind blowing.

Eager to see the stoic guards and catch a glimpse of a corgy or Prince William in his jammies, I loitered with the German and Swedish tourists out the front of the palace for a while waiting for some action. Just when I'd given up on standing in the freezing cold to wait for the changing of the guard and started walking back, a band of soldiers left their barracks and marched right by me, so in good style, I ran after them like a crazed paparazzi (or perhaps a younger Bennett) trying to get a nice close up. They were a bit quick for me.

See below also some of my piccys from parliament, Shakespeare's Globe & the Millenium Bridge and Big Ben. All very cool.

Arrived safe and sound in the UK after a long flight via Vienna through to London.

My luggage was so impressed with icy Vienna that it decided to stay on for a day there without me. We were reconciled by the end of the day, but there were a few scary hours were I thought I would be stuck surviving off the contents of my hand luggage for the first few weeks of my OS adventure. At least I would have plenty to read.

So far I have had a quick look around Kingston upon Thames with Sarah and Mike, been to see where Edith and Callum go to school and been away for the weekend up in the country to the North of London where we stayed in a wonderful, grand country manor house (see picture). Not a bad way to spend your first weekend in the UK eh?

This week will involve sussing out my surrounds, touching base with mates and getting my CV sorted. Will try and upload some more photos during the week.

Farewell Australia

Have had a wonderful week of bon voyage parties and catching up with friends and family.

It was a great feeling to not have to go into work this Monday, after 5 years with Planpower I am ready for a big change for 2006.

The Brunswick Green on Saturday was fantastic - just what I wanted, the chance to sit back and relax and consome ample amounts of beer in the back garden.

45 Sleeps

I bought the ticket, no more lip service. It has been purchased. Leave is approved. Passport ready.

Booking

Well equipped with no money, boredom, romantic notions and lots of accrued annual leave, I am about to book my first European Trip.

Having had my share of sunny holidays, I have decided to embark on a winter adventure. Any excuse really for new coats, shoes an scarves...