Entries Tagged 'UK' ↓

So… I left my home in London.

Strange feelings on my last morning. I woke early and walked to Victoria Park, football in hand.

I started to feel really nostalgic. Wandering around the perimeter of the park, thoughts everywhere, I started thinking back to the start of the journey - November 2004 in Thailand. I can remember everything so clearly, like it’s only been a few months since I was there.

European travels, experiences with new friends, working professionally for the first time, ending relationships, beginning new ones, exposing myself to inspiring new cultures. I underestimate what i’ve been through.

Great memories. People who i’ve met and will never forget. Experiences that have forever shaped me as a person. I’ve enjoyed the journey, thanks for being a part of it.

The Underground via the Howies blog:

the london underground tube is not a very cheery place.

lots of people, but no one interacts or chats. we all just stand there and suffer. i was chatting to my friend ceri at innocent about it and had an idea to make it better simply. (she is the one trapped behind the glass)

so i sent this message to london underground today.

hello the tube,

i live in deepest wales and we don’t have a train that travels below the earths crust. i now for my job have to use the london tube lots.

i get on and notice that most people are not very happy to be there. people don’t smile at each other, and no one talks.

so how about this as a very simple idea to cheer it all up at little cost to you.

the happy carriage.

paint it yellow and anyone who is feeling upbeat knows that if they get in the yellow carriage that there will be music and the people in there are all up for a chat. easy

you’ll also need to do a bit of advertising to let people know that there is a carriage to go and be social in.

i bet you once people know about it it will be packed and you will need to add more.

i have also put this message on our blog at www.howies.co.uk so the world is waiting for a simple yes or no.

i hope you are having a good day.

I’m happy to say that finally summer has hit London! The fact that it only lasted 3 days and right now i’m wearing a thick jumper while it rains outside is irrelevant.

Went back to Greenwich a few weeks back. Searched in vain for the Gypsy Moth for Dad - it had left port 3 years prior. To cheer ourselves up we bought vast quantities of clothing from the various market stalls and shops, including numerous jumpers to brave the rest of the English summer (i’m not bitter at all).

The Innocent Village Fete was held in Regents Park a couple of weeks ago and we had the best weather of the summer, even got a tan/skin cancer. We drank lots of smoothies, ate delicious food, watched some ferret races, line dancing, dog shows and the sun go down (the last time we would see it for a week).

Last weekend we saw The Herbaliser @ Jazz Cafe. Another impressive member of the Ninja Tunes label with a briliant Jazz sound and some nice guest vocals.

On the Saturday we took the train to Richmond Park, stopping on the way at Borough Market to pick up some finely made food items. Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London at about 1000 hectares. It has about 650 roaming deer apparently, we saw 5 of them, and 1000 species of beetle (which I think is excessive).

Finally we’ve decided on our travel plans: Sicily, Aeolian islands, Amalfi coast, Naples, Positano, Rome, London, Seoul, Sydney, Home sweet home. Can’t wait.

1, 2, 4 trains pass. Each set of lights at the end of the tunnel offers hope. That’s 4 sets of hopes dashed. Finally you squeeze on. You feel sorry for the people left stranded on the platform, but you’ve served your time. Crushed against a curved door. No sounds except the squealing of the train. Frequently a stop in-between stations. Darkness. Sounds of the operating theatre. No room to move. Sweating. It’s not even 20 degress outside.

First stop. Mass exodus. Human gridlock. Mass influx. Now stuck in the middle of the carriage with nothing to hold on to but the thought that you can change lines at the next stop. Instead you sway with the other people suffering the same plight. Like a concert, except it’s not entertaining. Somehow people manage to find room to read a newspaper when others can barely heave a sigh. Next stop you need to change lines. You push your way through. Fighting for the freedom of being outside the carriage and its relative fresh air. Still hundreds of meters underground. Still miles from your destination.

The next train is on the other side of the station. This is the rat race. Your destination is the most important. Thousands of people meet in the centre of the station, all coming from and going off in different directions. In the middle you bump into people rudely, as if it’s part of life. Sometimes people complain. They’re obviously new to this.

The next platform is always covered with people. Despite this, you’ll get on. The same amount of people are exiting the trains. Replacing one block of outgoing passengers with another is the challenge though. The incomers are itching to get on and claim a prized seat, the people on the train are itching to get off to go through the same process on another platform.

We’re all on. Angry people who just missed a seat now stare angrily at their nemesis. They’ll give them another stare when they leave their seat or when they themselves leave the train. The seated will read their papers as if everyone got a seat. For the next twenty minutes they are in business class. Gradually the numbers thin and you can breathe a sigh of relief; you’re about to reach your destination, a rainy summers day, car traffic, drunks, dealers and 9 hours behind a computer screen working for a cause you don’t believe in.

Couple of weekends ago we ventured down to Elephant and Castle to see this Kiwi band who had been on the iPod for a long time, but I was yet to see. Cool reggae/jazzy sounds and a cool crowd as well. The venue, Coronet Theatre, is almost an exact replica of the Hi-Fi bar in Melbourne. I miss you.

Photos of the Katchafire gig