One way to the UK?

Okay, so we’re getting a little excited about heading off to Europe very early tomorrow morning….. I would be more excited if I could fit everything I wanted into my pack!!! It just seems so damn tiny and I thought I had everything in, until I turned around and on my bed was still pajamas and black jacket and big Europe2007 Guidebook and a hair-dryer and pair of shoes (they have been ditched) but I need to try fit everything else in – well ok maybe the hairdryer can stay behind!?

Well last week, on Saturday Mara and I ventured around Bethnall Green, Whitechapel and then Rotherhithe to see and drop off various items and also to purchase some strap on sandals – which we did. Only thing is they are suede inner sole which means not much rain or walking in water in them.. oops. Uh well, they will suffice! Sunday we journeyed out to Heathrow (takes like an hour!) and then waited and waited for Lis to arrive out of customs (we had a iced chocolate…) and then she arrived, so we headed back home on the long ride – complete with jokes about the stop ‘Cockfosters’ at the end of the Picadilly Line (hahaha)! Sunday evening we headed to Brick Lane for some REAL Indian food, and got hassled the hell out of by the annoying hecklers trying to get us into THEIR restaurants! Lis and I crakced it at one guy who chased us across the bloody street, so anyhow we ended up eating at a really nice place which was quiet out the front and the men weren’t hassling us. It was nice and so not very expensive either! A lot cheaper than the silver-service Indian Mara, Ali and I had at Clapham last week, prior to watching the SImpson’s Movie (Bourne Ultimatum was sold out already).

Monday, Bank HOliday over here, we let Lis sleep in a bit, did some packing and cleaning, then headed to Notting Hill to see some of the huge Notting Hill Carnival! It’s sort of like a mardi-gras full of loud music, trucks with huge speakers followed by hundreds of well-costumed people wearing not much! Bright colours and millions, 2 million to be exact, of spectators. At some points to get thru the crows the only way was to join a conga line!!! Lots of fun. Mind you, gang problems in London meant that about 5 people got stabbed and 2 got shot at the carnival at some point over the two days!!! It’s kinda like being back in Alice ;o)

Monday night we met up with Terry, John, Kattoo and Johnny and the very nicely took us out for dinner. Found a really nice Turkish place and that guy from the Kenny Movie (toilet cleaner…) was there – Mara spotted him, I would have had no idea! Anyway, very nicely Terry and John paid for the whole dinner too, so thanks again to them for that. It was most unexpected, but very nice. They’re back in the States now, so I’ll have someone to drop by and visit on my way home when I journey that way!

So, it was a great long weekend :o)  Tuesday I had a Health & Safety Training day so that I can get my CSCS card, which will allow me to safely be at and work at the London 2012 Games construction site. Should be interesting! I don’t sit my test until the end of October once I’ve returned from Europe, but I think the questions won’t be nearly hard. I got 39/40 first trial one, and 40/40 second trial one! So I’ll definitely be issued with a hard had, boots (go Timberland) and probably also a fluro vest for when I start on-site! hahaha I will attempt to get photographic evidence!

Yesterday I tied up all the loose ends at work, handed over things to Cath, and left hand-over notes for my replacement temp and so after all that was said and done – I took today off work to pack and show Lis around! LUCKY I did too, cuz I have been packing for hours, like 4 hours this morning and still need to figure out a way to shove those extra things in!!!

Will update from EUROPE!

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 30th, 2007 at 10:07 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.