London in summer

Summer is well underway here in London, and just as well considering we have stayed in town for the whole month of June! Temperatures have been at least 20 degrees for the past 6 weeks or so, with a little rain and some wind at times, but nothing to major.

It has been a busy month for us –highlights include winning tickets to see Coldplay in concert (I would have flown to another country to see them play so winning tickets was pretty cool). We also continued to tick some typically London things off the list and visited the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels and learn that the brand of gin was named after the Beefeaters and not the other way around!

It has also been a very social month with the arrival of Veronica from NZ –she proved that our studio apartment can indeed operate with the couch folded out into a bed (just as well as Mat's parents arrive here this week). We were also fortunate to have a meal and a few drinks with Brendon who was in London on business –it was good to hear some gossip and news from NZ first hand.

Last weekend we took a canal boat ride to the Camden Markets. We had been to the markets soon after we arrived in London but didn't have any money to spend and didn't go on a boat. I managed to buy some jewellery and a bag and we introduced Veronica to really bad English coffee.

Since we last updated the blog, there has been a special birthday in NZ. The Waller family celebrated with Uncle Les on his 90th birthday. Many happy returns Uncle Les and sorry that we couldn't be there on the day.

We have also just caught up with another member of the Waller family –Uncle Bruce came up to London to meet us today and we even managed to take a photo of him! Thanks so much for taking the time to make the trip Uncle Bruce (e is keeping a keen eye on our underground countdown.....see below for an update as we have done quite well this month!).

That's about all for now. We will be away for the next 2 weekends celebrating more big birthdays so watch this space.

M&S

When Kiwis go to London they.....
See Coldplay live in concert at the Brixton Academy
Have friends who are fresh of the boat stay with them
Have to send 90th birthday wishes by email rather than being there in person
Catch up with family
Miss the sea!

The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Ribs and pulled BBQ pork rolls at Bodean's!

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 70/321 and new entries include:
Embankment
Charing Cross
Ravenscourt Park
Brixton
Clapham Common

Edinburgh

Well the Bank Holidays are over until August, but that hasn't stopped us from seeing yet more of what Europe has to offer. This time we headed north to Edinburgh. Our forward planning paid off with a cheap train ticket –in fact, I am writing this on the train on the way back to London. With the wonders of technology these days, there is even free Wi Fi on the train!!

Looking out the window the scenery would be beautiful –very green and glimpses of the sea every now and again. We have already passed through Newcastle and will stop next near York. However, it has been raining all day and is very grey and miserable out there. Probably a good thing we are not on a plane! The 5 hour trip is made much easier by the fact that we can log on to see if anyone has emailed us over the weekend....none of you have though and we are presuming that it is Queens B'Day weekend at home so you are al enjoying a day off.

Edinburgh is a pretty city and the castle definitely commands the most presence on the horizon –and so it should. Up on a hill it looks down over the city and so we took the mandatory stroll through its 300 year history. It's hard to believe that the courtyard out in front is the stage for the annual Edinburgh Tattoo –it looks much smaller in real life! Mat also enjoyed the contrast of some modern architecture in the Scottish Parliament buildings in the wet today.

Yesterday was a very different story - 20+ degrees and the Scots were out in force in the many parks. We wandered the shopping streets and had a drink in a pub recommended by one of Mat's Scottish bosses (nice call Paul!) and also joined the locals for some ice cream and some R&R in Prince's Park.

Although we didn't have to get up at the usual 5am for a weekend trip, 5.45am was still WAY too early so we had a cheap pub meal (not hard to do in the UK) and then took in the new Indiana Jones movie. It would have be fab to head to Murrayfield and watch some action from the final leg of the Rugby 7's, but the last game for the day was just after 6pm so we settled for a movie instead.

Probably the oddest thing of the whole weekend was coming out of the movies at 10pm and finding that the sky was still as blue as it was at midday! I am not too sure how many hours of darkness there usually are in a summer's day in Edinburgh, but I am guessing that there aren't many! It was quite weird!!!

We are looking forward to a more domestic June and don't have any European trips booked. We plan to head to England's south coast to soak up some sea air at some stage, so watch this space.

M&S

When Kiwis go to London they.....
Miss the birth of friends' babies (go Rhys & Kylie!)

The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Since our last 'best meal' was only 6 days ago, we don't really have an update at this stage....

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 65/321 and new entries include:
Kings Cross

P.S. don't miss the Berlin blog further down the page. We don't have enough time between trips to keep up to date!

Berlin

May the 23rd marked our seven year anniversary and two years since I proposed. The last two years have been particularly busy and to make sure our eighth year together started off on the same foot we flew to Berlin on the 24th to continue our 'May month of travel'!

We flew out from London city airport which was reported to be a bit posh because all the smaller private planes fly out of there (we flew from there 'cos it was cheap). Alarm bells rang when we checked in on-line only to find ourselves in row 10, only halfway back down the plane.... We had visions of being required to pedal or flap.

We are getting quite good at all of this travel now though. We have organised ourselves into little bottle (less than 100ml) and we can squeeze enough into a bag big enough to carry on with us. Along with checking in online we are now streamlined to the point where we can turn up and walk on to the plane. The added advantage is that British Airways doesn't get the chance to lose your bag for you.

On top of our organisational skills we seem very good at picking good weather. Berlin was no exception. With a bank holiday in England we managed to escape some pretty average weather in London. Shorts and t'shirts for three days straight.

I was in Berlin a few weeks after Sam and I started going out. The re-building following the fall of the wall was well underway and very evident. It is a very different city now. With the exception of the odd building the city feels far more complete. It was interesting that the locals had embraced 'The Wall' a lot more. When I was there last it was difficult to find any evidence of it at all.

All this re-building means there is a long list of architectural highlights. In order to make sure this entry doesn't deteriorate into an architectural rant I will restrict it to just that; a long list (in order of appearance):

Hauptbahnhof station, TV tower, Altes Museum, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial, Potsdamer Platz, Hotel Adalon (where Micheal Jackson dangled his kid out the window), site of Hitler's bunker, New National Gallery, Government Buildings, Nordic Embassies, Kaiser Wilhelm Church (which was bombed in WW2 and has not been repaired) and The Jewish Museum. Phew!

All in all, the city was really nice. It was interesting to see that the city had found a new center of gravity in the Eastern side (cheaper rents!). The old western center felt a wee bit run down. We went on a walking tour which was really interesting. We didn't walk far but it's nice to be shown little spots you would never find otherwise – Hitler's bunker and the underground library for instance.

Our flight home was split into two and took what felt like an age. We seem to be making a habit of arriving home late at night only to get up again early and go to work. It's tough being an international jetsetter.

For now, that's all. Edinburgh next!

M&S

When Kiwis go to London they.....
Stand on the right, walk on the left.


The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Dinner out in the Sony Center, Berlin.

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 64/321 and new entries include:
London City Airport

Amsterdam

May is a busy month for us. Two bank holiday weekends and the lure of good weather means we have booked a trip away for three of the four (and a half) weekends. The first trip was Amsterdam where we had a great time.

Early morning flights are cheap. They are also really hard. Flying out of the ill fated Terminal 5 made things even more difficult. And so it was that we got up at 5:00 on the Saturday of a long weekend to fly out to Amsterdam. We spent more time taxiing than we did in the air. They seem to put more staff on these short flights so that they can hand out the snacks fast enough. By the time you get up you start coming down again.

By mid day local time we were safely into the city center via our very handily placed hotel. Given that the weather has (with the odd exception) been pretty average up until now, we were gifted three cracking days of sunshine and temperatures in the low 20s. We spent some time on our first day joining the rest of Amsterdam sunbathing in the park. The tulips are out, the trees are green and so is the water.

After a day of wandering around we thought it would be a good opportunity to drop into the Heineken factory and partake in one of the local 'H' delicacies (the other two being hookers and hash). It was hardly surprising that true to our record of visting famous buildings wrapped in scaffolding, the factory was closed for renovations. A pint in the park had to do. Bugger.

We started off day two by hiring a couple of bikes. We were staying to the north of the city so we were nice and close to the 'countryside' and spent most of the morning and early afternoon peddling along the canals watching windmills and locks. The afternoon was spent back in the city which was packed (it was the Dutch remembrance day). A wander around the redlight district was, shall we say, entertaining and disturbing, all at the same time. It's safe to say that quality varies greatly.

Shopping anyone?

Our last day started with pancakes. These were closely followed by the Anne Frank house and a wander through some newer (and tidier) parts of the central city. The Anne Frank house was interesting and sobering but bigger than we had thought....not that living there in fear without any sunlight for a number of years would have been much fun. The new developments are very Dutch modern – interesting, sobering and bigger than we thought.

Finally we wandered along the 'waterfront' towards the new library (which proved to be a very nice modern library) and NEMO, the new science center. This bit of town felt very different to the rest of the city with long views and an openness you don't find elsewhere. The new civic buildings are very good and clever in a number of ways. The roof of the NEMO is for instance, a public roof terrace with fountains and a cafe.

Amsterdam Library

NEMO

All in all Amsterdam was very nice. We feel like everyone should ride bikes more (although we suggest everyone else should be careful not to step out in front of a bike as we witnessed waiting for the Anne Frank House). Now we look forward to our next trip to Berlin!

M&S

When Kiwis go to London they.....

Get up at five in the morning to go somewhere else
Sunbathe in Kensington Gardens pretending that the round pond is like the sea.
Don't go to sex shows in Amsterdam but get to witness one close hand in Hyde park.
Catch up with cousins they haven't seen for years.
Take a fancy to cider and ice in the sun.

The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Thai at our new favourite restaurant in Soho.

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 63/321 and new entries include:
T5 and Clapham North for Jacinda's birthday

Spring in London

Spring arrived properly yesterday. No more than three weeks since the heaviest snow fall in 20 years we had 20+ degrees and beautiful blue skies. It was the first day that our forecast has been Better than Auckland's!

We had been hanging out for an opportunity to go to Kew Gardens so we went there yesterday. Below are some photos. Please note the shorts and t'shirts!




Sam doing her best Bluebell impression.




The Palm House




Shorts and T'shirts for the first time this year!












When Kiwis go to London they.....
Go to Kew Gardens
Go to the Carphone Warehouse Ball and watch Mika play
Go to the Boathouse pub in Putney and reckon there were more Kiwis there than British.
Stop needing the heating and start opening the window.
Look forward to friends and family arriving/visiting over the next few months.

The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Some burgers at GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen - a kiwi owned chain selling good burgers). It was a Friday night, slightly hung over type situation where a good fresh burger hit just the right spot.

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 61/321 and new entries include:
Kew Gardens.

Dublin

One of the nice things about being here is that you can do things like fly to another country for a weekend. So that's what we did. Last weekend we flew to Dublin for a night and found it refreshing (and not only because of the rain).

Most of the cities we have been to have clearly had a period on wealth in their history. They have a sense of grandeur about them. They might have a large civic space or series of buildings built by a king or emperor or other such dictator. Dublin doesn't feel like that. Its Georgian buildings feel modest and pared back. There's nothing too flashy. Instead of going to the cathedral or palace you go to the (decommissioned) jail.

Our usual plan when we go to new places is to walk around a bit on the first day and get our bearings. Saturday was pretty wet so there was less walking and more....striding between various highlights on the Dublin City visitor's map. Sunday was spent out at a little seas side town called Malahide and polishing off a few things in town that we didn't manage to get to on Saturday.

Lowlights included:
- The price of getting into a church,
- The rain
- The Dublin castle which doesn't look like a castle,
- The rain,
- The lack of 'Irishness' outside the pubs and,
- The rain.

Highlights included:
- The jail; the history of which gave us a real insight into the history of Ireland,
- Malahide; a nice little town not too far away with its very own castle in a big park,
- The Guinness factory; a very well designed installation explaining the history and manufacture of....well, Guinness.
- Irish pubs; really nice atmosphere with lovely people and did we mention the Guinness?

We had a really good time in the short time we had available. Staying in a hostel was interesting and so were the accents. The locals do say 'tirty tree' and 'pertaytoes' very well! It's hard not to laugh when you're being told all about the pertaytoe famine.

Meanwhile we're both well. We have three trips booked for May so the next few weekends are going to be spent enjoying London.

M+S

When Kiwis go to London they.....
Get much happier when spring arrives.

The best meal we've had since our last update was.....
Gunniess

Underground countdown
Our total so far is 60/321 and new entries include:
Acton Town for Laura's birthday!

Snow!

After the disappointment of missing the snow in London over Easter we woke up this morning to look out the window and see a good bunch of the white stuff falling!

Here's some pickies as proof!

M+S