One way to the UK?

Well just a quick post – had to work hard at work today! One of my bosses has just been given an additional role as the interim project sponsor of Security for the 2012 Games, so now we have all the SOC documents and business cases for SEcurity to format as well as our own Logistics ones! This afternoon I swear my eyes have gone square shaped as for the last 4 hours (it’s 6pm now) I have been formatting the SOC bit by bit – the original is shocking! All the margins wrong, font wrong, incorrect diagrams and titling etc, etc! Fun fun. Need to go home then to the gym now!

My PT finally called me yesterday… but I missed the call, then phoned him back but he was with a client or something, and then tried again after my jog and he was busy! So I’ve left messages again and will wait, again, for his call! It’s lucky that I have a LITTLE motivation, otherwise with a PT like this one who only just called me 2 weeks after getting my gym membership some people are likely to have given in already! Perhaps he was waiting until I activated my gym membership (which happened Monday) until he phoned me…. I do have an excuse for waiting though! I’ve only just gotten over my horrible cold or flu thing which is a relief.

 Okay, so this morning, I was on my way to work from Clapham on the tube and nearly fainted! It was so bloody hot and packed, and just as we were approaching the final stop I totally overheated and was trying to breathe deep and relax, but had to run off the train and to the nearest seat to just sit, cool and breathe. Al was standing with me but i couldn’t even see anything and was just taking deeep breaths. Some nice lady gave me her water bottle after asking if I was okay (thanks to whoever she was), and a guy from london underground was standing there fanning me with a newspaper til I cooled down!

The tube’s suck with like no real air circulation and so many people pack in like sardines in the morning/noon rush hours it’s crazy when standing. Anyway luckily felt better in a few minutes and fine at work now ater more water and a yoghurt to eat!

Oh also this morning, I complained to the Channel 4, Big Brother people, about my outrage at the fake Aussie in the BB house here. I don’t even watch the show, I saw it on the news and this brit actress who’s never even been to Aust has been taught this crass kath & kim type ocker accent including phrases like “aww gee he’s a reyal spunk” and “Iyell pull the wool ova their oyes” and I just couldn’t believe that with all the Australian’s in Britain that they couldn’t hire a real one for the house, OR a real one to teach a decent aussie accent!

Well, two weeks ’til Milan – it should be worth the wait for a relaxing weekend.

This weekend just passed, Ali and I were going to do something Friday night and then one of his best mates got a payrise at work, which called for celebrations, so Pete, Ali, Bronagh (his new flatmate), Mara and I headed out in Clapham Common for the night. Al Pete and Bronagh had already been out a little while before Mara and I got to Clapham (had dinner at home first) and then we all headed to a place called Artesian Well… at least I think that’s what it’s called. It’s got a few floors for dancing to different music, and when we first got there it was pretty much as 5 and 8 other people upstairs with the good music…. so we went downstairs where it was a bit busier and then by the time we went back up, about 1am, it was PACKED upstairs! I swear when dancing you could feel the whole floor moving so I was glad to be on the top floor rather than the one beneath just in case something went wrong!!! The music was good and I ended up having a really good night after those drinks. As usual in a packed place, people, usually the skanky girls, get really pushy but Lis you know me how I sometimes get in the ‘this is my space so p*** off’ mood when on a dance floor… well I had to sort out a few who came too close to my space hahaha much to the amusement of Pete and Ali. We all went back to Al’s for the night to sleep after he made bacon sandwiches at like 3am or so…. then Darren the other flatmate also got home, quite drunk after he was out with workmates drinking since midday! So Saturday morning was a lazy one, and we all walked to the cafe a few shops down to have a nice breakfast. My BLT was nice, but not as good as the one you get at the RFDS cafe at home!

Saturday afternoon Mara and I headed to Borough Markets on the way home to stock up on some fresh vegetables and we also got two large salmon steaks – yumm! We then headed into the city as Mara wanted to see the timetrials for Tour de France, or ‘Le Great Depart’ or whatever it’s called in French! There were SO many people everywhere, and so much security including about 5 helicopters in the sky keeping an eye on things and police every 15-20m along the inside of the track, plus a polic emotorbike escort for every single rider in the time trials! So all you saw (through the people) of the track was a police motorbike go by, then a motorbike with a camera man onboard, then the cyclist sped by so fast and then their support car (spare bike/tyers etc) driving right up their bum! So literally blink and miss the rider, however we knew when people were coming because the crowd really cheered them along! I’m not even that interested in the whole race but I Was pleased to hear this morning that the Aussie boy Robbie McEwen won the first leg of the race, so has the gold jersey!

Finally, the weather was good over the weekend! Yesterday before heading into Oxford Street, I got a half hour relax time to lie on the grass across the road with my book and soak up some sunshine! Hopefully it will make this flu go away faster! Nose and throat are nearly better, but now one ear has gone manky again so just can’t win at the moment.

Yesterday afternoon on Oxford, it’s summer sales time, so I bought some shorts for gym/exercise, and a pair of lime green heels from Walk, and then a pair of casual sneaker sketchers, that I’ve been eyeing off since I got here, from Barrett’s (they’re brown with pattern and green ribbon detail) so I was pleased with that! Mara also finally got her black shoes for work, and lucky I humbugged her in this particular Clarks shop, cuz the sales guy was really nice (and pretty good looking), and she said she loved the shoes but not the price haha, and after a sml negotiation she ended up getting £40 shoes for only £27!!! Thanks to the  nice salesman and his 33% staff discount!!! Lis – we need to work in a shoe shop!

Well, no, not a romantic weekend or things of that sort – but yesterday I was trawlling through the internet and found some cheap flights from London to Milan – for £0.01 plus taxes one way, and then only £19.00 to get back! So after a quick check with Mara I booked the flights for the weekend before her birthday. So there’s her birthday present! A return flight to Milan… now if I hadn’t have told you all what I did, or didn’t pay for the flight then you probably would have thought I was made of money and spoiling her for a holiday weekend! Oh well, next time.

So Mara’s booked a hostel in Bergamo (one bad thing about cheap flights, it lands in the airport 1 hr train ride away from Milan city), but it’ll be fun and then two nights in Central Milan at a Hotel.

Well, I just went to the post office to mail some things, and then had lunch at this cafe place up the other end of the shopping mall (underground bit), and on my way back I glanced up and noticed a copper in navy blue full gear, including vest, belt with all the gadgets on it and a rifle… AK-47 or M16? (it was huge) cocked at his elbow… then looked around to the other side of the walkway (on my way back to building by now) and noticed about 5 more of his officers dressed the same including weaponry… I guess at home in the NT it would be like the Tactical Response Group (TRG) officers in their jump suits and full gear… or the Federal Police during an Apex Summitt or something with all their gear and weapons… anyway! It’s just enough to make you stop and think crap, why are they here right now, like, I wonder if someone tipped them off to something OR if they’re just doing a little routine stop-by the business park district?!

Can only wait and hope nothing happens – at least they’re around (good to look at too mind you haha) but I think I’ll avoid the tour-de-france most populated viewing areas this weekend (the police presence I bet, is going to be super huge).

Have you ever stopped and looked at the word ‘draw’ and how unusual it is? I’m just doing filing at work, and homing things to their draw location… and was thinking is it spelt draw or drawer, or is one British spelling and one Australian? Like the way they spell ‘programme’ over here… I generally use program for normal things and programme for theatre-related things… but over here it’s all one programme! Anyway… just something odd ;o)

I think that’s the latest news anyway… there were two attempted car-bombings in London’s west end last week, followed by an explosive car driven into Glasgow Airport – luckily none of the three car-bombs detonated which is good news for general public, and also for the Metro Police (and MI5 I presume) as the DNA evidence (et al) is all still there on the cars.

On my way to work this morning I noticed security which was already quite present in the business park had been beefed up a bit… from the London 2012 intranet:

Security in Canary Wharf

Following this weekend’s events, Canary Wharf have increased their security measures across the estate. All vehicles are being stopped and searched on entry to the estate. Extra security staff have been deployed and are carrying out extra random bag searches and other patrol activity. Additional search dogs are present at the vehicle entrances, in the retail malls and outside. Searches of all car parks are being carried out on a frequent basis. Police have an increased presence on the estate, working with our security staff.

It is a bit surreal, as all the threats in Australia always dissipate, however over here it’s a bit more for-real but everyone’s feeling safe and no one is complaining about all the extra security measures as yet which is a good sign. Mind you my bus didn’t get stopped or searched – so let’s hope they don’t use public transport systems like that.

Well, Friday my throat was sore and I could hardly swallow, and then my nose started running… and it just got progressively worse over the weekend and so here I am on Monday morning, at work, after dragging my behind here, however I don’t know if I’ll last the entire day yet!

I rugged up all weekend and tried to stay warm… Friday night I met up with Ali at the wharf (where I work) as he was at a friend’s birthday drinks there… then we got into the tube and headed out to Clapham (near where he lives) to another friend’s birthday drinks. Ben was there (great guy I’ve met before a few times) and I got to meet Tim and Will & Clare (i think) as well which was good fun. Tim had all sorts of drinks from the boys as it was his birthday – and apparently wasn’t feeling all that great come Saturday!

On Saturday Mara, Al and I were supposed to go to Borough markets and then the Zoo… but I woke up sick and it was raining outside so nope, didn’t happen. I know if you put things off here in London for the weather, it’ll never ever get done – but being sick makes it allowable ok! Saturday night found out that Ali’s brother and his wife were in London, so we went out to visit them… in the rain… and I was so not a happy little camper after walking across a very long bridge to get over the Thames, in the rain, through the puddles, and in my purple boots. Soo… purple leather boots and water don’t mix (as Vicki T my boss from ASH told me before I left, I can still hear her words) and so on Sunday I had them stuffed with newspaper to help dry them out and had to fix a tiny bit at the back of one heel where i’d peeled some of the covering off accidentally when it was wet and soggy! Yes Ruth, these are the “your” purple boots that I bought!

Yesterday (Sunday), I was again feeling sick-as when I woke up and so we did little – just a trip to find the Spittalfields Markets and the Brick Lane and Petticoat Lane Markets… and none of them were actually that great so we didn’t spend much money except on lunch! A quick trip to Tesco’s (supermarket) on the way home, and then Mara and I hung around the lounge room (i was under blanket with scarf on to keep warm) watching DVD’s. All the other house-mates joined us for most the afternoon too which was nice seeing as there was only 6 people in the house so we all had a chair to sit on! Adrian’s back at the moment (he’s one of the guys who left on Thursday to a concert in Belgium) but only until Tuesday when he heads back on his holiday – lucky thing! As he said last night, it’s funny being ‘a dosser’ as he was one of the original housemates but now all the rooms are taken by us new tenants.

Simon left today on his holiday too so it’ll be such a quiet place! Brenton is a PT from Perth, Digby is Simon’s cousin (also from Perth) & a labourer and then there’s Jacqui from Melbourne who’s a teacher and then Mara and I. So there’s only 5 ‘tenants’ at Grove Road, however at various points we’ll have some of the original tenants (and dossers) back on the couch we’re sure –> lucky we’re all such nice people and don’t mind sharing!!!

I think I forgot to post so-far this week – so quick rundown, actually only really one thing happened, which was after work drinks on Tuesday night at a place called All Bar One in Canary Wharf. A work coleague Vishnu organised the night and had his credit card over the bar so he obviously earns more than me by a lot, and note to self to not organise a drinks night cuz I may well end up paying for it all! Anyway, the service at the place was shocking so everyone had to double-order drinks so that we actually got them in less than 45 minutes (I waited 30mins for my first one, some people waited longer!). I left work drinks early-ish, as Mara and I were on cooking duty for the house. We were planning on doing baked spuds during the day, however after checking prices we thought stuff it, we’re cooking for the house mates PLUS all these dossers (drop-ins) and they’re all leaving on Thursday so they’re not going to repay the favour and cook for us – so bugger it. We had stir-fry instead! It was actually really nice – pork mince, fresh vegies and hoi-sin and plum sauce. Everyone ate it down fast… mind you it was quite late once Mara and I both got home to even cook it!

This crazy people heading actually applies to quite a few people in various situations over here!

Work this week has been pretty good, I’m on my own today as the other Assistant is taking the day off so I’m being kept busy by all the team members — still plenty of time to talk and share email jokes though etc, etc (am i the only one here always working? haha).

Housemates Joel and Ryan loved their birthday presents from everyone – iPod Speakers, one white and one black so they can tell who’s is whose. Last night we had 19 (yup, nineteen) people crammed into Grove Road for pre-going-out drinks! It was quite impressive how that many people fit into the kitchen/living room. Anyway, we all headed out, finally, after phonecalls to friends and a check at the internet cafe to try and locate the pub where we wanted to go! It’s called Cheapskates.. well actually it had a different name last night, but I think we went to Cheapskates still (I could be wrong), but anyway as I’m a student still (online diploma still lets me qualify!) I only had to pay £4.50 entrance, and then everyone inside gets vodkas and mixer for £0.80 – great place! Cheap drinks and cheap and nasty vodka. I don’t know if you could even ask for ‘the good vodka’ there or they only stock cheap stuff. Stayed there a while and it was pretty good for a Wednesday night. Having to work this morning, we decided to leave the place early. On the way to the bus stop we were walking along, and this guy, aged about 35-40 spat on the ground just where I was about to step (dunno if he was actually spitting towards the bus he just got off) but anyway I said out loud ugh that was disgusting and then… he launched into this tirade of abuse like (said with irish accent) I’ll give you f***ing discusting, I’ll f***ing do this and that and all these other feral things so, we’d kept walking anyway and so i said ‘oh that’s nice’ and we kept walking — then, when we were waiting at bus stop he comes up behind me and tapped my shoulder or something and was like ‘did you f***ing hear what I said? you should watch what you f***ing say cuz I will do all those things to you’ etc, etc and then the 25 bus pulled up (the one needed) and he bloody got on it! So we didn’t. In the meantime he’s still screetching obsenities and pointing at me etc, etc! Then the bus pulls away with him on it and these fellas at the stop were like what the? looking at me, and I was like ‘oh what a nice irish chap’ hahaha. So yeah – close call! Lucky I backed off when I did from the freaky man. There were heaps of people at the bus stop if he did try anything worse, but then again, it was central(ish) London and people here don’t generally render assistance to anyone so they probably would have all just watched and then been witnesses to the Police later!

Well, for the weekend just gone Mara and I had planned to visit Buck Palace and see the changing of the guards and the state rooms etc (open whilst the Queen is in Scotland on holidays) however, Friday night was the ‘last weekend in London’ celebrations for Carrie and the other flatmates sooo we didn’t wake up early enough on Saturday morning to go! I bought a new dress/top Friday after work (half price summer sale) and wore that out – nice black and blue silk and unline anything I already owned. I didn’t actually drink much on Friday night at all (ahrmm quite unlike Mara!), just danced an awful lot so had biggest blisters on my big toes and sore feet overall which wasn’t too nice. Carrie actually had a glass dropped/smashed on her foot accidentally though so her toe was quite nasty! Luckily for her the alcohol had hit home and so she felt nothing!!! Me being the sober one, fixed her up with TCP (like Dettol) prior to sleep & all was healed over in the morning.

I had motivation on Saturday to do something and Mara had just enough to come downstairs to The Cafe for bacon and eggs and some nice cold juice to get the day started! The day wasn’t too bad either, so once we’d finally left the house we headed for Borough Markets under London Bridge and the produce was fantastic! All organic, so I’m guessing probably a little expensive however, we bought some really nice vegies for dinner – made a salad of sweet potato, baby spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, jersey royal potatoes, toasted pine nuts and german wiesswurst (sp?) sausage plus balsamic dressing — the nice thick almost molasses like dressing that they use in Oscars Restaurant (Alice Springs) and it tasted sooo good! So yeah, we ate really nicely Saturday night! All the flatmates had a night in too! I think Friday night did it for most haha even though it’s their last weekend here.

To backtrack a little – after the markets (yeah, we did it in wrong order & had to carry everything around), we went to Leicester Square to see the WEST END LIVE, a free concern by the City of Westminster which showcases most of the big west end musicals that are currently playing. Read the rest of this entry »