Why I Need a Phone with a Camera

Sitting having lunch in Caffe Nero and looked up to see a Large Cappuccino drive off on the top of a brand new navy, Jaguar S-Type (read: expensive, posh car). Thinking of you all, I began the search through my bag (with one eye on the Capp) only to watch the - now embarrased - driver stop and try to re-park (what was he thinking??) before grabbing his Capp and then driving off.

It was about this time I found my camera (the mobile still sitting in my pocket) and snapped off the photo as fast as I could.The blue Jeep you can see parking gives you an indication of how long a parking spot sits vacant in Waterloo.

Bollywood!

Well, it's official... Bollywood fans - you have your revenge! As most of you would know I can't stand Bollywood films. Though, today I found myself accepting a role as an 'extra' in a Bollywood Feature Film! ;)

It is a paid job - and my first paid one since being in London! I'm planning on spending the money on some red meat. mmmmm... The night shoot is next week and my role is a passenger on a train; obviously a very skilled role and one that will require lots of character development. :) All the same, it's going to be exciting to have the experience of being part of a feature film and seeing people make a serious movie - even if it is Bollywood!

Look out for "Scotland Express" - the next Bollywood Feature Film by KB Productions and you may just some of my hair or maybe - if you're lucky - some of my arm!
Keep you in the loop about the film.

Easter Photos

Hey there, we're trialling a way of posting photos from our exploits (or whatever happens) so you can see (and comment) while avoiding long loading times for the main site.
Please let us know how this works - together with suggestions/offers for help ☺
Click here to check out the photos.

Punching the Gap

On my ride in to work this morning I was coming down through lower Haymarket (sounds all too much like Sydney) I was accelerating away from stand-still - still riding slowly as I was hemmed in by double-decker buses on three sides - when a motorcycle courier came down the right-hand side of the road (on the other half of the road) and swooped into my little gap with me. (For the Mums: I knew where I was going, so I just moved over and gave him some room. No problems ☺ ). We were coming up to a tight left-hand corner when he decided to 'bus hop' his way forward. As the buses started to bend around to the left a *small* gap opened up between the bus in front and the one on my left. Stepping on the gas, he punched the gap and ducked through even as the buses were straightening up and gap was closing. It was all over in about 3 seconds, and I'd say he made it by 2 inches. Those guys (and girls) are crazy.

For the record, I was fine. As the motorbike went left, I was left with all the space in the world to exit right and head down a mostly vacant street (up to another set of Red lights). And No; I didn't get a photo.

Spare Keys, 15 Miles & Yorkshire Pudding

Matt and I travelled up to Flitwick on Good Friday night to see Nikki Baggaley. We worked out it has been more than 5 years since we've seen each other, (Matt and I weren't even dating then), but we had such a great time, it felt like yesterday.
When we arrived, it didn't take long to see that Nikki was up to the same old tricks. (Hi Nikki! ☺) She had locked herself out of her house. :0) Apparently she has a bit of a reputation for doing this, as we found out from half the congregation at her Church on Sunday morning, who had already heard about 'the incident' on Friday night.
Saturday was a great day for a casual walk. Now, if you know Nikki, you know she likes to walk. Our casual walk turned in to an EPIC 15 mile trek!! We thought she was taking us to see her parents in Edinborough! By night time, we very happily sat down to dinner and a couple of movies (I even stayed awake for both of them - much to Matt's surprise).
Easter Sunday: We walked another 5 miles to get to Nikki's church (no public transport) for the Easter Service. A beautiful service celebrating the true meaning of Easter. It was lovely to meet some of Nikki's friends, and some of the youth she teaches at "Friday Club" (youth group).
Another 5 miles later, Nikki treated us to a mouth watering 'Traditional English Sunday Lunch" of Beef, Potatoes, Vegetables and of course Yorkshire Pudding. We ate better this last weekend than we have for the past 5 weeks - thanks Nikki! The best part was when we were walking home, we could smell the beef cooking as we approached the flat. Mmmmm!
We reminisced about old times in college and shared memories from times apart. She misses lots of the College gang and is thinking of going over to Aus sometime soon.

So.. look out... and make sure you've got a spare key to your house.

A Good Friday Was Had by All

I'm sitting in our local cafe - where Jo must have been sitting about four hours ago when she posted 'Good Friday' - having just finished a six hour shift at Evans.
Today's been pretty hard for both of us. While we're both really looking forward to a weekend out of town with Nikki Baggaley (who some of you will remember from college), we're both also feeling quite a distance from friends, family and many of the 'familar things' we do with them at Easter time.
One of the polish guys at work played 'Land Down Under' by Men At Work today and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry ☺
It did make my Vegemite sandwich taste a lot nicer though.

Happy Easter.

Cycle Commuting on a Monopoly Board

I started cycling to work last week (after my helmet arrived at the store) and last night was the first time I didn’t get lost. ☺
In my defence, I do devote most of my attention to not getting run over by buses or swiped by taxis, and when the road is clear I spend more time watching the Monopoly board go passed than thinking about directions.
As the attached link shows, my homeward commute starts at Waterloo and after heading across the Thames, I skoot down The Strand (past the theatres currently showing Chicago and Stomp) and on through Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square (the home of those enormous lions - that look more like big dogs - and Nelson's Colonnade). I have been trying to turn up Regent St, but have kept missing the turn off (until tonight!) so head down Pall Mall and up St James St instead. This then means I have to choose between Piccadilly (and a crazy 6-lane version of the Arch de Triumph) or about 1km of one-way streets (coming at me) up through Mayfair.
Tonight I did find Regent St and took Oxford (at Oxford Circus - funnily enough) down to Marble Arch. Marble Arch is slightly better than the round-a-bout near Piccadilly as it’s 5 lanes instead of 6; from there it's a relatively easy ride along the top of Hyde Park, to Bayswater.

All up, I cover 3 sides of the Monopoly board and save around $1620 on accommodation (assuming they all have at least 4 houses) ☺

(Quedos to anyone who can tell me the exact amount I would save assuming 4 houses and no mortgages ☺ )

Good Friday

I went along to St Helen's Anglican Church, Bishopsgate for their Good Friday service.

While the Underground (more fondly known as "The Tube") is excellent most of the time, Engineering works tend to limit services on weekends. Being Good Friday and a Long Weekend, the 'ol English were a little put out by the changes.

The service was beautiful, mostly of readings from Jesus' last days and The Last Supper and then of course 'Good Friday'. In between readings we sang songs where the church was alive with voices sung out with thankfulness to God. There was an item played; a piece by J.S Bach with Continuo, Bassoon, Violin and Flute with a Solo Baritone. It was absolutely amazing - would have paid to go and see it. Rob - I wish you were here to hear it.

And then, what better way to celebrate than with fresh, oven baked Hot Cross Buns and English Tea.

Views of the Studio (from the outside)

Sorry about the brief absence (Jo's been keeping the fort admirably). We've had a chance to grab some photos of the outside of the studio from the road.

As you can see, the house is an old style (for Australia at least) Victorian Terrace that has been converted in to a series of studios and 1&2 beds. You may be able to see that the landlord is in the process of converting the house two doors down (to the right) into the same style of accommodation.

The area is fantastic. Our street is basically an entire row of terraces just like ours. Many of them have been internally converted to multi-flat apartments or to B&B or short-stay Hotels (of varying price levels) - so if you do come and stay and decide that our studio really is too small, then you won't have to go far. ☺

More to follow about the area - including photos. Stay tuned.

Hyde Park

I 'stumbled across' Hyde Park this morning. I knew there was a park near our house but I had no idea how excellent it was. Matthew - thank you for finding this place!! I love you!
The park is probably about ten times the size of Hyde Park in Sydney. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining (third time this year), people were out walking, running, pushing their prams (don't get any ideas mums). As I ran along I could also enjoy the smell of freshly brewed coffee from the cafe in the middle of the park.
I could almost hear the collective sigh: "Spring is finally here".

Go here, if you would like to check out my running track on a satellite map. ☺

Moving "When I Was Your Age"

When I was your age, we had to move houses on public transport. We packed everything we owned – and it wasn’t half as much as you kids nowadays – into suitcases and shopping bags - not our shopping bags mind you, we had to sneak them from our old landlord while she was at work. We ate soup for a whole month just so we could catch the bus to the train station. We had to change trains 3 times – in those days the train lines were all on different levels – and had to carry our luggage up to street level at the last stop. We carried the bags to the landlord’s place and then on to ours and up the four flights of stairs to our studio – and we were thankful – but not half as thankful as we were after we finished the second trip...

Lights Out

Sat night tonight. Matt was working and the guys from work were going to have a beer at The White Hart which is what they like to call their local.
Afterwards matt and I went to a cheap place to eat (even I couldn't stand soup again! - Matthew says he could empathise) and I went to the toilet which was next to the kitchen and as I went to turn the toilet light on, I flicked the wrong switch and plunged the whole kitchen, cooks and kitchen hands in to darkness..... the only part of the cafe that was lit up was where matt and the waiter were laughing at me. :)