Saturday, January 03, 2004
Fish porridge!!!!
i'll explain my reference to fish porridge a bit later...but not that much later as i unfortunatly I really only saw the 4 walls of my hostel during my stay in singapore...very brightly coloured and interesting walls too i might add. So, basically i ate some bad rice again and on my second day in SG found myself getting very very sick...the end result...double vision from an injection in the bum...eating nothing but dry biscuits again and trying desperately to forget that i was infact wasting my days away in a hostel in singapore rather than seeing the sights. But on the shuttle bus to the airport this afternoon i did get to see a few of the sights on the esplande...even if it was from a great distance. The hostel onwners were wonderful though...basically carrying me to the doctors...feeding me toast stuck together with fresh cocnut puree and butter...delicous...and steaming hot milo. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the dr had said specifically for me NOT to have milo. Milo is HUGE over here...they love it...big tins of it are sold everywhere even if it is the only grocery item in the shop. Apparelty Mcdonalds even have it as a permanent item on their menu. I was supposed to check out at 11am this morning but standing was difficulty and i was allowed to saty in bed untilo i caught the bus to the airport. Now fish porridge comes in (i think) when the lwner of the hostel came in to chek on me this arvo...i was knocked out of drugs but am pretty sure she asked me if i wanted some fish porridge from down the street...she was more than happy to go and get it from me. I politely replied no then as soon as she left ran to the bathroom to throwup yet again. I mean really....thats disgusting.
So unfortunatly it's been a bummer of an end to one incredible adventure...but these things happen i guess so i'll just put it down to just one of shitty traveling things. It could have been worse...my hostel could not have had air con...i'd have melted otherwise
My lasting impression of singapore though will be the very average but amusing performance of an ELVIS impressionist at the air port...followed by cabaret girls in the full glittery, feathery getup miming and dancing to "it's raining men"...gerri haliwell version. Classy. Time for me to find a couch to crash out on. be seeing you all VERY soon XX
i'll explain my reference to fish porridge a bit later...but not that much later as i unfortunatly I really only saw the 4 walls of my hostel during my stay in singapore...very brightly coloured and interesting walls too i might add. So, basically i ate some bad rice again and on my second day in SG found myself getting very very sick...the end result...double vision from an injection in the bum...eating nothing but dry biscuits again and trying desperately to forget that i was infact wasting my days away in a hostel in singapore rather than seeing the sights. But on the shuttle bus to the airport this afternoon i did get to see a few of the sights on the esplande...even if it was from a great distance. The hostel onwners were wonderful though...basically carrying me to the doctors...feeding me toast stuck together with fresh cocnut puree and butter...delicous...and steaming hot milo. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the dr had said specifically for me NOT to have milo. Milo is HUGE over here...they love it...big tins of it are sold everywhere even if it is the only grocery item in the shop. Apparelty Mcdonalds even have it as a permanent item on their menu. I was supposed to check out at 11am this morning but standing was difficulty and i was allowed to saty in bed untilo i caught the bus to the airport. Now fish porridge comes in (i think) when the lwner of the hostel came in to chek on me this arvo...i was knocked out of drugs but am pretty sure she asked me if i wanted some fish porridge from down the street...she was more than happy to go and get it from me. I politely replied no then as soon as she left ran to the bathroom to throwup yet again. I mean really....thats disgusting.
So unfortunatly it's been a bummer of an end to one incredible adventure...but these things happen i guess so i'll just put it down to just one of shitty traveling things. It could have been worse...my hostel could not have had air con...i'd have melted otherwise
My lasting impression of singapore though will be the very average but amusing performance of an ELVIS impressionist at the air port...followed by cabaret girls in the full glittery, feathery getup miming and dancing to "it's raining men"...gerri haliwell version. Classy. Time for me to find a couch to crash out on. be seeing you all VERY soon XX
Thursday, January 01, 2004
2 days ago i was complaining about how cold i was...now i feel like the next few days i'll be whining about how hot and sticky it is. I just can't be pleased...although i must admit i must prefer to being too hot than wearing 5 lyers of clothing hence looking like an umpa lumpa and still being cold. So i'm assuming everyone realises that all this talk about changes in temp means i arrived in singapore safely. Ok flight but...i'm really sick of flying. Kind of over that stinging feeling in the eyes s i peel away the sleep patches from my eyes followed by falling into fellow passengers laps as i stumble my way down the airplane ailse to the bathroom after having fallen asleep for a pathetic i hr during a 13hr flight. I smiled ever so sweetly at the check in desk though and scored myself an alise seat which i was over the moon about.
Leaving london was not such a big deal...although i was very tempted to saty for new years as there was quite the gang of ex marys collegians in town whom i was enjoying very much catching up with. But at the same time...being so close to home i just decided to keep on going just in case i happened to get stuck there indefintely.
The general vibe as i got on the MRT from the changhi airport was incredibly friendly. Everyone just keep smiling at me...asking if i wanted help with my bags...wishing me a happy new year. A lovely introduction to yet another continent. I then headed to my hostel...in the hub of chinatown thinking that i would just crash rather than celebrate the countdown to the new year. seeing how lively and colorful and packed chinatown was that idea quickly escaped me. I ended up going to an oudoor live band/rave/voting of hunk and babe of the evening contdown party. There were about 5 throughout singapore with about 5000 at each one...it certainly was an experience and the 'pagaent' for hunk and babe of the hunt was classic. Lots of parading around in very little with lots of spakly eye makeup (male AND female) with a $10,000 check awarded at the end of the night for both winners...all the 'hunk' could say in response to the question "how do you feel right now?" was GREAT...in a very high pitched yet not really that excited tone of voice. It was fun but pretty tough being by myself as well...firewroks were pretty spesh and the street decorations are quite impressive as the chinese new year is reaching fever pitch here. lots of massive red lanterns and over sized monkeys (year of the monkey!)and dragons covered in sequins scattered about. It's really quite breath taking. Add that to the atmosphere of chinatown and it's quite an experience.
I'm not so sure about the whole boiled fish head dish that seems to be a specialty in the kitchens here...makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. There is certainly a much brighter and lighter feel to singapore than i felt in london...although visiting the holocaust exhibition at the imperial war museum as well as the cabinet war rooms in the few days before i left...combined with the drab weather rpob didn't help the whol feeling. Oh...i didn't get a white christmas day but the 2 days before i flew here there was a small amount of snow...unfortunatley i had to be told about the first days snow falling as it was so significant it had melted before i'd left the British museum ( after ahving been evacuated for a reason i'm still unsure of!!). Wonderful egyptian exhibit though...All through Sth A megs was slighly obsessed with seeing the mummies in the museums...generally we just forgot to go or they were disapointing. These ones however were incredible!
yikes...getting carried away...expensive! ta ta
Leaving london was not such a big deal...although i was very tempted to saty for new years as there was quite the gang of ex marys collegians in town whom i was enjoying very much catching up with. But at the same time...being so close to home i just decided to keep on going just in case i happened to get stuck there indefintely.
The general vibe as i got on the MRT from the changhi airport was incredibly friendly. Everyone just keep smiling at me...asking if i wanted help with my bags...wishing me a happy new year. A lovely introduction to yet another continent. I then headed to my hostel...in the hub of chinatown thinking that i would just crash rather than celebrate the countdown to the new year. seeing how lively and colorful and packed chinatown was that idea quickly escaped me. I ended up going to an oudoor live band/rave/voting of hunk and babe of the evening contdown party. There were about 5 throughout singapore with about 5000 at each one...it certainly was an experience and the 'pagaent' for hunk and babe of the hunt was classic. Lots of parading around in very little with lots of spakly eye makeup (male AND female) with a $10,000 check awarded at the end of the night for both winners...all the 'hunk' could say in response to the question "how do you feel right now?" was GREAT...in a very high pitched yet not really that excited tone of voice. It was fun but pretty tough being by myself as well...firewroks were pretty spesh and the street decorations are quite impressive as the chinese new year is reaching fever pitch here. lots of massive red lanterns and over sized monkeys (year of the monkey!)and dragons covered in sequins scattered about. It's really quite breath taking. Add that to the atmosphere of chinatown and it's quite an experience.
I'm not so sure about the whole boiled fish head dish that seems to be a specialty in the kitchens here...makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. There is certainly a much brighter and lighter feel to singapore than i felt in london...although visiting the holocaust exhibition at the imperial war museum as well as the cabinet war rooms in the few days before i left...combined with the drab weather rpob didn't help the whol feeling. Oh...i didn't get a white christmas day but the 2 days before i flew here there was a small amount of snow...unfortunatley i had to be told about the first days snow falling as it was so significant it had melted before i'd left the British museum ( after ahving been evacuated for a reason i'm still unsure of!!). Wonderful egyptian exhibit though...All through Sth A megs was slighly obsessed with seeing the mummies in the museums...generally we just forgot to go or they were disapointing. These ones however were incredible!
yikes...getting carried away...expensive! ta ta
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
What a contrast...speaking to my cos olivia whom was wearing her christmas present...none other than a pair of bathers in preparation for a 31 degree day whilst i sat on a bed in london...shivering despite wearing 4 layers of clothing and a very thick doona. Not long now though and i'll be gladly soaking up the sun.
Ok, so as usual it was cold here over christmas but that didn't stop me and my new found pale friends from having a wonderful christmas day. Lou and Jane (lous housemate) slaved all morning to dish us up an absolutely delicous gourmet christmas feast...Turkey "hoisted on red onions" as lou liked to keep saying, roast pork with lashings of red onion gravy. Enough scrumptious roated vegetables...Jamie oliver style... to feed an entire army and the sole pain in the arse vegetarian (namely me) was even catered for with stuffed butternut pumpkin and halved peppers filled with garlic, cherry tomatoes and heavenly smelling herbs and spices. champagne, red wine, Home made mulled wine...oh...and smoked salmon with capers and squeezed lemon...and cheeses...and trifle and bachi cake and plum pudding with brandy sauce. Ok, i'm over talking about food...i'm sure you get the gist that these girls are VERY handy in the kitchen. Although it sounds like H and megs in Sth A also did very well for themselves in the christmas lunch department...yummo!
Christmas day was great really, lots of laughs...some funny moments and some very sleepy guests at the end of the day. time is nearly up on here though...gotta go brave the insane people trying to get bargains at the sales (still out of my price range!)...i just want to get to the tube but even that will take me 1/2 hr to walk 20m
Ok, so as usual it was cold here over christmas but that didn't stop me and my new found pale friends from having a wonderful christmas day. Lou and Jane (lous housemate) slaved all morning to dish us up an absolutely delicous gourmet christmas feast...Turkey "hoisted on red onions" as lou liked to keep saying, roast pork with lashings of red onion gravy. Enough scrumptious roated vegetables...Jamie oliver style... to feed an entire army and the sole pain in the arse vegetarian (namely me) was even catered for with stuffed butternut pumpkin and halved peppers filled with garlic, cherry tomatoes and heavenly smelling herbs and spices. champagne, red wine, Home made mulled wine...oh...and smoked salmon with capers and squeezed lemon...and cheeses...and trifle and bachi cake and plum pudding with brandy sauce. Ok, i'm over talking about food...i'm sure you get the gist that these girls are VERY handy in the kitchen. Although it sounds like H and megs in Sth A also did very well for themselves in the christmas lunch department...yummo!
Christmas day was great really, lots of laughs...some funny moments and some very sleepy guests at the end of the day. time is nearly up on here though...gotta go brave the insane people trying to get bargains at the sales (still out of my price range!)...i just want to get to the tube but even that will take me 1/2 hr to walk 20m
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
I just read over a little of my last journal entry...sorry if anyone bothered to read it...i was just in such a hurry that day!
Well, I'm still in the home of takeaway prepackaged sandwhichs (i know people are busy here but YUCK!!) and buckets of sickly sweet coffee...icy cold london, and it's only 2 more sleeps till christmas and only 11 days, i think, before this big 'journey' i've been on for the past months (i seriously hate that word) comes to a halt. Wow, it really has gone so quickly .But enough about that...I read an email from H the other day that basically started with "whats happening"?! looks like the tables have turned so that i'm the one now slacking off on my diary entries. I guess it's because although i'm really enjoying london I also feel that little of it is worth writing about as such because it's not all so out of the ordinary as Sth A was. I shouldn't compare i know, but i just can't help it...but i will give it a go and try to let you all know some of what i've been up to.
Nell was a wonderfulhost and had me zipping around all the well known sites from the moment she greeted me at the airport...it must have been a huge struggle for her coping with me the first few days as i was seriously jet lagged and just kept falling asleep wherever possible. As our guide was filling us in on the history of stonehenge i was failing miserably to keep my eyes open and kept hitting my head on the bus window (and most likely drooling) as i nodded off...it was only when he said something about mice dropping into peoples open mouths as they slept that i sat bolt upright looking very sheepish and feeling quite rude. Big mistake to sit up the front of the bus...hence right in front of him!! It was also incredibly handy to have nell basically hold my hand tilli understood the whole dreaded london tube a bit more. For a while there i was even announcing to various peoplethat the whole system was actuallyquite good...and that i couldn't understand why people complained about it so much...that was until yesterday. Apparently there was emergency engineering going on which meant i wanted at least an hr for trains that usually came every 4mins and itjust so happened that it was the one day i actually had to be somewhere at certain time. I am totally sympathetic now to those who actaully have to rely on the tube to get to work etc. The delays made everyone crazy...fights on the platform, policeman running upand down the platforms...kids on holidays creating havoc on their skateboards...it was far from pretty and even further from the jolly old christmas spirit i had been experiencing this past week.
Otherwise nell and i went to the worlds largest antique market on sat...ovbiously the brillant portobello market in notting hill. I absolutely loved it. although basically everything was still out of our price range it was wonderful just seeing such an extraordinary variety of antiques,clothes, collectables and foods. smelling the fresh cut christmas trees lining the streets and the spicey aroma of mulled wine floating by every now and again as we scoured over the tables and tablesof jewelry and funky clothes for all tastes and the most beautiful scarves i've seen yet. Of course we also hunted down "the travel bookshop"from the movie notting Hill and needless to say it was jam packed fullof people. I did have a laugh when an english lady parked outside the bookshop popped her head out of her parked car and asked very sincerely why it was everyone was taking photos of the shop...well dah!! talk about living in her own little world...I had two words for her "Hugh Grant". she looked mighty sheepish and disappeared quickly back into her car. The Tate modern museum was also a worth while day venture. It had an exhibition on called "the weather project"by olafur eliasson...it was created in the Turbine hall...a massive room with an incredibly high ceiling covered in mirrors. Basically we could walk behind a free floating 'sun' suspended high above the floor and to the back of the hall. The 'sun' creates this alluminated but errie feel to the room with mist floating around. But mostly visitors just want to lay on the floor and make shapes with there bodies and hence look at themselves in the mirrors above. It was wicked, although my discription of it dosn't do it justice at all.
Last night nell and i headed down to the globe theatre for some vodka cranberry shots in ice shot glasses at the ice bar...the perfect chaser afterwards was some very warming mulled wine. Last night was absolutly freezing so it was the perfect thing to do really. H,you will fully be abletopicture what i say next...I had this habit in sth A of having to'touch everything i came across at the markets etc...i love texture...anyway, i decided to pick up the ice shot glasses excpet they were incredibly slippery and soi just kept dropping them which in turn crested an domino affect that i just couldn't stop...thankfully none broke but it was VERY embarassing! Nell took me out on the town sat night with a few of her work friends...I just love a good cosy pub! expect I got very tired of hearing "so, how does it feel to be a loser!"...Can't they just shutup about the world cup already...like i could care less!!!!! after the pub we went on to a club called revival...kind of tacky but loads of fun as it only plays 80s music...nell and i were singing our lungs out to "summer of 69"...totally hamming it up. The club had disco balls and rubix cube lights hanging everywhere...complete with a revolving dance floor...classy it wasn't... but entertaining and fun it was. A pretty big downer was put on the night though when we had to wait in line for over an hr to get a taxi...it was beyond freezing to the point where i was only able to stutter...i kid you not...it was absolutly FREEZING. I was already pretty annoyed that the all the venues closed at 1am anyway...i was just getting started!
Sushi in Harrods was pretty delicous too the other day followed by gourmet sweets for me and donuts for janelle. Only my second time using chop sticks though...the first being at a sushi bar in santa monica with megan...i managed to get more in my moth than all over me this time than i did with megan (whom i provided endless entertainment for) I couldn't believe the setup of Harrods though. I was actually scared to touch anything! A home cooked meal at a work friend of nells the other night was another highlight. It was wonderful just being in a house surrounded by young children again who were all so incredibly excited about there only being 4 sleeps till santa came. Hearing the english accent on an adoreable 4yr old with beautiful blonde hair...especially when she said "mummy" was too cute for words. Made me realise how much i miss not having my cousins nina, yolande and liv around each day though...kids laughter and excitement...especially this time of year is just so infectious! well, i think i'm even boring myself now with all this...time to sign off with a huge Merry Christmas for all...Hopefully it's full it exciting presents, scrumptious food, laughter and beautiful memories for all. Just think of me as i freeze my butt off over here...will be seeing you all soon XXXXX
Well, I'm still in the home of takeaway prepackaged sandwhichs (i know people are busy here but YUCK!!) and buckets of sickly sweet coffee...icy cold london, and it's only 2 more sleeps till christmas and only 11 days, i think, before this big 'journey' i've been on for the past months (i seriously hate that word) comes to a halt. Wow, it really has gone so quickly .But enough about that...I read an email from H the other day that basically started with "whats happening"?! looks like the tables have turned so that i'm the one now slacking off on my diary entries. I guess it's because although i'm really enjoying london I also feel that little of it is worth writing about as such because it's not all so out of the ordinary as Sth A was. I shouldn't compare i know, but i just can't help it...but i will give it a go and try to let you all know some of what i've been up to.
Nell was a wonderfulhost and had me zipping around all the well known sites from the moment she greeted me at the airport...it must have been a huge struggle for her coping with me the first few days as i was seriously jet lagged and just kept falling asleep wherever possible. As our guide was filling us in on the history of stonehenge i was failing miserably to keep my eyes open and kept hitting my head on the bus window (and most likely drooling) as i nodded off...it was only when he said something about mice dropping into peoples open mouths as they slept that i sat bolt upright looking very sheepish and feeling quite rude. Big mistake to sit up the front of the bus...hence right in front of him!! It was also incredibly handy to have nell basically hold my hand tilli understood the whole dreaded london tube a bit more. For a while there i was even announcing to various peoplethat the whole system was actuallyquite good...and that i couldn't understand why people complained about it so much...that was until yesterday. Apparently there was emergency engineering going on which meant i wanted at least an hr for trains that usually came every 4mins and itjust so happened that it was the one day i actually had to be somewhere at certain time. I am totally sympathetic now to those who actaully have to rely on the tube to get to work etc. The delays made everyone crazy...fights on the platform, policeman running upand down the platforms...kids on holidays creating havoc on their skateboards...it was far from pretty and even further from the jolly old christmas spirit i had been experiencing this past week.
Otherwise nell and i went to the worlds largest antique market on sat...ovbiously the brillant portobello market in notting hill. I absolutely loved it. although basically everything was still out of our price range it was wonderful just seeing such an extraordinary variety of antiques,clothes, collectables and foods. smelling the fresh cut christmas trees lining the streets and the spicey aroma of mulled wine floating by every now and again as we scoured over the tables and tablesof jewelry and funky clothes for all tastes and the most beautiful scarves i've seen yet. Of course we also hunted down "the travel bookshop"from the movie notting Hill and needless to say it was jam packed fullof people. I did have a laugh when an english lady parked outside the bookshop popped her head out of her parked car and asked very sincerely why it was everyone was taking photos of the shop...well dah!! talk about living in her own little world...I had two words for her "Hugh Grant". she looked mighty sheepish and disappeared quickly back into her car. The Tate modern museum was also a worth while day venture. It had an exhibition on called "the weather project"by olafur eliasson...it was created in the Turbine hall...a massive room with an incredibly high ceiling covered in mirrors. Basically we could walk behind a free floating 'sun' suspended high above the floor and to the back of the hall. The 'sun' creates this alluminated but errie feel to the room with mist floating around. But mostly visitors just want to lay on the floor and make shapes with there bodies and hence look at themselves in the mirrors above. It was wicked, although my discription of it dosn't do it justice at all.
Last night nell and i headed down to the globe theatre for some vodka cranberry shots in ice shot glasses at the ice bar...the perfect chaser afterwards was some very warming mulled wine. Last night was absolutly freezing so it was the perfect thing to do really. H,you will fully be abletopicture what i say next...I had this habit in sth A of having to'touch everything i came across at the markets etc...i love texture...anyway, i decided to pick up the ice shot glasses excpet they were incredibly slippery and soi just kept dropping them which in turn crested an domino affect that i just couldn't stop...thankfully none broke but it was VERY embarassing! Nell took me out on the town sat night with a few of her work friends...I just love a good cosy pub! expect I got very tired of hearing "so, how does it feel to be a loser!"...Can't they just shutup about the world cup already...like i could care less!!!!! after the pub we went on to a club called revival...kind of tacky but loads of fun as it only plays 80s music...nell and i were singing our lungs out to "summer of 69"...totally hamming it up. The club had disco balls and rubix cube lights hanging everywhere...complete with a revolving dance floor...classy it wasn't... but entertaining and fun it was. A pretty big downer was put on the night though when we had to wait in line for over an hr to get a taxi...it was beyond freezing to the point where i was only able to stutter...i kid you not...it was absolutly FREEZING. I was already pretty annoyed that the all the venues closed at 1am anyway...i was just getting started!
Sushi in Harrods was pretty delicous too the other day followed by gourmet sweets for me and donuts for janelle. Only my second time using chop sticks though...the first being at a sushi bar in santa monica with megan...i managed to get more in my moth than all over me this time than i did with megan (whom i provided endless entertainment for) I couldn't believe the setup of Harrods though. I was actually scared to touch anything! A home cooked meal at a work friend of nells the other night was another highlight. It was wonderful just being in a house surrounded by young children again who were all so incredibly excited about there only being 4 sleeps till santa came. Hearing the english accent on an adoreable 4yr old with beautiful blonde hair...especially when she said "mummy" was too cute for words. Made me realise how much i miss not having my cousins nina, yolande and liv around each day though...kids laughter and excitement...especially this time of year is just so infectious! well, i think i'm even boring myself now with all this...time to sign off with a huge Merry Christmas for all...Hopefully it's full it exciting presents, scrumptious food, laughter and beautiful memories for all. Just think of me as i freeze my butt off over here...will be seeing you all soon XXXXX
Friday, December 19, 2003
too much to write and just too little time! well, i'm in london now and staying with gorgeous nell out in northwood. it's a bit of a trek back into london but then town is lovely and i enjoy being out of london at such a busy time of year.
Mostly we have been doing the usual tourist sites...Buckingham palace, the 20 xmas tree in trafalguar square that doens't actually look that big because of all the huge buildings surrounding it, Big Ben, tower bridge and so on and so on. I'm sure all of you know what it is i'm seeing with alot of those reading this having seen them before me. We did take a day trip to bath and sailsbury though to see stonehenge and the roman baths for ourselves. I really loved bath, it ws beautiful...the english countryside even looked exactly how i pictured it...green fields that do on forever enclosed by wooden plank fences and hedges. Even the occasional castle seen in the distance. Nell thinks i bought the good weather with me as i have been lucky enough to have not one single day of rain...just wait till tomorrow though. I've probably jinxed myself! I am officially freezing though and trying to keep my complaining to a minumum. I keep getting all these emails from people back home telling me how hot it is...37degrees i've heard...it's between 2 and 5 over here. I'd cry but i think my tears would just freeze. But, other than the cold and the fact thats it's so expensive here...i really do like london.
I particularly love the winter fashion...long divine coats...toasty wooly but colourful scarves...everyone just looks so cosy and suave. guys over here even wear scarves and look gorgeous in them. i still find myself giggling though as policeman walk by in those ridiculous hats...one last thing before my time runs out on this! the buskers in london are so completly upper class it's ridiculous as they don't just have empty tin cans and a couple of dogs howling along to "how much is that doggy in the window" as the ones in swanston street do. Instead they are all flogging their own CDs and have there guitars and microphones plugged in to massive amplifiers ( i seriously need to go back to uni so i know how to use the spelling part of my brain again) but the main difference is they are actually worth listening too and i want to give them money for that reason rather than because i feel sorry for them.
the christmas spirit here is incredible as well and beautiful decorations everywhere...makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside
Mostly we have been doing the usual tourist sites...Buckingham palace, the 20 xmas tree in trafalguar square that doens't actually look that big because of all the huge buildings surrounding it, Big Ben, tower bridge and so on and so on. I'm sure all of you know what it is i'm seeing with alot of those reading this having seen them before me. We did take a day trip to bath and sailsbury though to see stonehenge and the roman baths for ourselves. I really loved bath, it ws beautiful...the english countryside even looked exactly how i pictured it...green fields that do on forever enclosed by wooden plank fences and hedges. Even the occasional castle seen in the distance. Nell thinks i bought the good weather with me as i have been lucky enough to have not one single day of rain...just wait till tomorrow though. I've probably jinxed myself! I am officially freezing though and trying to keep my complaining to a minumum. I keep getting all these emails from people back home telling me how hot it is...37degrees i've heard...it's between 2 and 5 over here. I'd cry but i think my tears would just freeze. But, other than the cold and the fact thats it's so expensive here...i really do like london.
I particularly love the winter fashion...long divine coats...toasty wooly but colourful scarves...everyone just looks so cosy and suave. guys over here even wear scarves and look gorgeous in them. i still find myself giggling though as policeman walk by in those ridiculous hats...one last thing before my time runs out on this! the buskers in london are so completly upper class it's ridiculous as they don't just have empty tin cans and a couple of dogs howling along to "how much is that doggy in the window" as the ones in swanston street do. Instead they are all flogging their own CDs and have there guitars and microphones plugged in to massive amplifiers ( i seriously need to go back to uni so i know how to use the spelling part of my brain again) but the main difference is they are actually worth listening too and i want to give them money for that reason rather than because i feel sorry for them.
the christmas spirit here is incredible as well and beautiful decorations everywhere...makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside
Friday, December 12, 2003
Well it's adios South America and hello darlings of Los angeles; city of angels...but to be more precise, west Hollywood as megans groovy one bedroom apartment (with a really impressivly huge, flat screen T.V) is nestled between santa Monica and hollywood boulevards...it's all very surreal but FANTASTIC! However i do feel that if i lived here it might seem alot less appealing. This place is gigantic and has a very pathetic bus system for those who don't have a car to get around.
First impressions have been surprisingly good and everyone is 'super' friendly to the point sometimes were i feel quite ill. people are just so incredibly poilte and upbeat despite the fact that the majority live their incredibly busy lives eating pre packaged foods. Now i knew this fact already but walking around supermarkets here really bought it home. Everything can be bought in a packet...from liquid eggs or there more technical name being cholestrol free, fat free, low calorie, pasteurized, refrigerated egg 'product'. to pump spray butter. But i really laughed aloud when i picked up a jar of powdered guacamole...just add advocados (i'm surprised they weren't dehydrated IN the jar already!). Now i have no talent in the kitchen at all but even i was able to whip up some guacamole dip for my going away party and Dave even said it was quite edible! Also the obsession here with fat free, lowest calorie possible foods is...how should i put it...mental! but the sushi is delicous and home delivered and i'm well and truly getting my desperately needed hits of good coffee. Coffee chains, a.k.a starbucks plus other ones are everywhere and the smallest coffee size available is grande...literally a bucket of coffee and every person that i walk past is drinking from one...many using a straw to drink from it. I've never understood this concept and i refuse to sucumb to peer pressure and become one of the masses...at least in terms of drinking coffee out of a straw anyway.
Back to the 'friendly' american comment...so many people that have gone out of there way to give me directions etc said something about 'connections' meaning they felt a connection with me and thats why they stopped to help out. OK...weird...creepy...flattering if i don't think about it too much. Including one guy...one very hot 25yr old guy to be exact from baltimore who raced out of his shop to introduce himself and give me his cell number. Proceeding to ask if i'd also felt the connection...i smiled and nodded because i didn't want to explain to him that i was simply checking him out, hence the long stare...he just happened to look up and catch my eye. i could get used to this whole 'connection' thing. Feeling very safe, actually invisible here as from what i've been told and can see for myself...this area of west Hollywood has a very large proportion of gay men. toned stomachs in crop tops and getting around in very flashy cars is everywhere...certainly not missing the constant kissing noises from creepy spainish men at all... this anonymity thing is blissful!
The day after i arrived i went for a walk around the farmers market... a very expensive version of the queen Victoria market in melbourne. One of the shops/stalls was entirely devoted to spicey sauces...shelved according to their heat factor...i high tailed it out of there though as soon as the lady started to bring taste samples around though. Feared it may burn my skin even just by picking it up. I'm SUCH a woss! What i don't get though is their insistence on everything being flavoured cinamon. It's a fact that red lollies in Aust and even Sth A are THE best...the ones that everyone fights over...yet here red ones here are positively evil and make me gag. Not impressed! It's no wonder that america is described as an obese nation because it is so much more expensive to eat healthy here. Fruit and veg prices are sky high everywhere...takeway or 'junk' food is a much cheaper option. Mind you, i haven't seen one over weight person in this part of town...lots of over weight hair styles though...lots of blonde dos that wouldn't even budge if a hurricane came through...it's facinating to see all this first hand. Big four wheel drive cars everywhere...moving at a snalis pace during peak hour. From the air the huge number of freeways overlapping each other looked like a massive labrynth at an amusement park that would take weeks to get yourself out of. Ovbiously the thing that stuck me first about L.A was the size if it...absolutely HUGE...every few seconds airplanes were landing and taking of...22 international terminals compared to Australias 1!
Weirdest thing the other day...i was walking back from the farmers market when i walked past three guys who looked incredibly familiar... i decided that i couldn't be this far away from home and just walk right past someone who i thought could be from melbourne. It worked out that we did know each other...my first line to him was..."um, this may sound strange but, you don't happen to work at the melb uni gym do you? before long the four of us were having coffee and i was helping them out on where they should go in Sth A as they were flying there in two days time. It really is a small world! Hey, they said something about there being floods in Melbourne...um, guys, what's THAT all about?!? I've also had another coincidence whilst i've been here. Megan has loaned me her mobile for the week... anyway, her phone rang and assuming it would be her i answered...but it wasn't her it was jess smith and it was such an awesome surprise because i haven't talked to her for ages...not even before i went away. In true jess style she said um, where are you? which was hilerous seeing she had called L.A for megan! she was a bit confused thinking i was on my way back to australia having already stayed at megans a while ago. So there we were chatting on megans mobile...in different continents. She was just as surprised as i was but it was wonderful catching up with her.
Well it's time for me to shower and start my day...megan headed to work at 6am this morning...shes over worked and tired but i'm very impressed as she is (somehow) still passionate about her job. Also... i am under the impression that she is making a very good impression upon the more senior partners and is quickly moving up in the food chain of goldman sachs. It's just been so wonderful to hang out with her again and get to see where she lives etc etc, although it's been ages since i saw her last... now we are seeing each other each day it doesn't really feel as though it's been nearly 2yrs (i think)
off to hollywood blvd today for a bit of star watching and general glitz of this place...i'm assuming it will just be another world entirely over there. i'll keep that glass of water handy Rach...
First impressions have been surprisingly good and everyone is 'super' friendly to the point sometimes were i feel quite ill. people are just so incredibly poilte and upbeat despite the fact that the majority live their incredibly busy lives eating pre packaged foods. Now i knew this fact already but walking around supermarkets here really bought it home. Everything can be bought in a packet...from liquid eggs or there more technical name being cholestrol free, fat free, low calorie, pasteurized, refrigerated egg 'product'. to pump spray butter. But i really laughed aloud when i picked up a jar of powdered guacamole...just add advocados (i'm surprised they weren't dehydrated IN the jar already!). Now i have no talent in the kitchen at all but even i was able to whip up some guacamole dip for my going away party and Dave even said it was quite edible! Also the obsession here with fat free, lowest calorie possible foods is...how should i put it...mental! but the sushi is delicous and home delivered and i'm well and truly getting my desperately needed hits of good coffee. Coffee chains, a.k.a starbucks plus other ones are everywhere and the smallest coffee size available is grande...literally a bucket of coffee and every person that i walk past is drinking from one...many using a straw to drink from it. I've never understood this concept and i refuse to sucumb to peer pressure and become one of the masses...at least in terms of drinking coffee out of a straw anyway.
Back to the 'friendly' american comment...so many people that have gone out of there way to give me directions etc said something about 'connections' meaning they felt a connection with me and thats why they stopped to help out. OK...weird...creepy...flattering if i don't think about it too much. Including one guy...one very hot 25yr old guy to be exact from baltimore who raced out of his shop to introduce himself and give me his cell number. Proceeding to ask if i'd also felt the connection...i smiled and nodded because i didn't want to explain to him that i was simply checking him out, hence the long stare...he just happened to look up and catch my eye. i could get used to this whole 'connection' thing. Feeling very safe, actually invisible here as from what i've been told and can see for myself...this area of west Hollywood has a very large proportion of gay men. toned stomachs in crop tops and getting around in very flashy cars is everywhere...certainly not missing the constant kissing noises from creepy spainish men at all... this anonymity thing is blissful!
The day after i arrived i went for a walk around the farmers market... a very expensive version of the queen Victoria market in melbourne. One of the shops/stalls was entirely devoted to spicey sauces...shelved according to their heat factor...i high tailed it out of there though as soon as the lady started to bring taste samples around though. Feared it may burn my skin even just by picking it up. I'm SUCH a woss! What i don't get though is their insistence on everything being flavoured cinamon. It's a fact that red lollies in Aust and even Sth A are THE best...the ones that everyone fights over...yet here red ones here are positively evil and make me gag. Not impressed! It's no wonder that america is described as an obese nation because it is so much more expensive to eat healthy here. Fruit and veg prices are sky high everywhere...takeway or 'junk' food is a much cheaper option. Mind you, i haven't seen one over weight person in this part of town...lots of over weight hair styles though...lots of blonde dos that wouldn't even budge if a hurricane came through...it's facinating to see all this first hand. Big four wheel drive cars everywhere...moving at a snalis pace during peak hour. From the air the huge number of freeways overlapping each other looked like a massive labrynth at an amusement park that would take weeks to get yourself out of. Ovbiously the thing that stuck me first about L.A was the size if it...absolutely HUGE...every few seconds airplanes were landing and taking of...22 international terminals compared to Australias 1!
Weirdest thing the other day...i was walking back from the farmers market when i walked past three guys who looked incredibly familiar... i decided that i couldn't be this far away from home and just walk right past someone who i thought could be from melbourne. It worked out that we did know each other...my first line to him was..."um, this may sound strange but, you don't happen to work at the melb uni gym do you? before long the four of us were having coffee and i was helping them out on where they should go in Sth A as they were flying there in two days time. It really is a small world! Hey, they said something about there being floods in Melbourne...um, guys, what's THAT all about?!? I've also had another coincidence whilst i've been here. Megan has loaned me her mobile for the week... anyway, her phone rang and assuming it would be her i answered...but it wasn't her it was jess smith and it was such an awesome surprise because i haven't talked to her for ages...not even before i went away. In true jess style she said um, where are you? which was hilerous seeing she had called L.A for megan! she was a bit confused thinking i was on my way back to australia having already stayed at megans a while ago. So there we were chatting on megans mobile...in different continents. She was just as surprised as i was but it was wonderful catching up with her.
Well it's time for me to shower and start my day...megan headed to work at 6am this morning...shes over worked and tired but i'm very impressed as she is (somehow) still passionate about her job. Also... i am under the impression that she is making a very good impression upon the more senior partners and is quickly moving up in the food chain of goldman sachs. It's just been so wonderful to hang out with her again and get to see where she lives etc etc, although it's been ages since i saw her last... now we are seeing each other each day it doesn't really feel as though it's been nearly 2yrs (i think)
off to hollywood blvd today for a bit of star watching and general glitz of this place...i'm assuming it will just be another world entirely over there. i'll keep that glass of water handy Rach...
Monday, December 08, 2003
i have to make this reasonably quick as i'm at the airport and it's mega expensive...but when theres internet around and i have nothing better to do i may as well spend my last paseos connecting with you lovely people!
feeling quite strange at present because i can't really remember feeling this way before...a feeling of saness and excitement. All day i just wandered about satiago trying to put off the ineviatble packing thing... something that i've come to dread each time we move to another destintion. Except this time i'm not just moving into the town or even the next country. This time it's too the big flashing lights of L.A and a city that i'm sure will shock me so much more than santiago did with it's 'westernized' ways.
Leaving Santiago on a sunday was a stroke of luck though as the city itself is quite different. It slows down about a thousand paces and the gorgeous parks about the city fill up with families devoting the entire day to lazing on the grass...eating even MORE icecream than usual and cleaning fairy floss of their childrens/siblings faces. I also learnt from roaming through the park that the copious amounts of pigeons here have as much difficulty flying as chileans do walking. Either that or they just don't like me very much at all! They are also the fattest and happiest pigeons i have come across...i put this down to the fact that there is always peoplein the parks just sitting on a park bench and throwing food into the masses of pigeons. They kind of waddle, thus being frightingly similar to ducks.
But enough about the bird life here...i'm desperately trying to take mymind of leaving this stunningly amazing continent. I think what i will miss alot from my time here is not constantly bumbing into the same travellers time and time again as we all head down the gringo trail. A few will visit me in Aust early next year but it just is difficult to take in that my time here is up. Its certainly not all doom and gloom though guys as i'm pretty excited about the next phase of my trip and almost bursting about seeing megan in 16 hrs or so. I will do my best to not ramble on about how sad i am about not being in sth A anymore because it's remarkable for me to even think that i was here for as long (or relatively short time in the scheme of things) as i was...when i was sick i very nearly went back home. All i can say is i'm so thrilled that i stuck it out.
Yikes, gotta go
more from L.A
feeling quite strange at present because i can't really remember feeling this way before...a feeling of saness and excitement. All day i just wandered about satiago trying to put off the ineviatble packing thing... something that i've come to dread each time we move to another destintion. Except this time i'm not just moving into the town or even the next country. This time it's too the big flashing lights of L.A and a city that i'm sure will shock me so much more than santiago did with it's 'westernized' ways.
Leaving Santiago on a sunday was a stroke of luck though as the city itself is quite different. It slows down about a thousand paces and the gorgeous parks about the city fill up with families devoting the entire day to lazing on the grass...eating even MORE icecream than usual and cleaning fairy floss of their childrens/siblings faces. I also learnt from roaming through the park that the copious amounts of pigeons here have as much difficulty flying as chileans do walking. Either that or they just don't like me very much at all! They are also the fattest and happiest pigeons i have come across...i put this down to the fact that there is always peoplein the parks just sitting on a park bench and throwing food into the masses of pigeons. They kind of waddle, thus being frightingly similar to ducks.
But enough about the bird life here...i'm desperately trying to take mymind of leaving this stunningly amazing continent. I think what i will miss alot from my time here is not constantly bumbing into the same travellers time and time again as we all head down the gringo trail. A few will visit me in Aust early next year but it just is difficult to take in that my time here is up. Its certainly not all doom and gloom though guys as i'm pretty excited about the next phase of my trip and almost bursting about seeing megan in 16 hrs or so. I will do my best to not ramble on about how sad i am about not being in sth A anymore because it's remarkable for me to even think that i was here for as long (or relatively short time in the scheme of things) as i was...when i was sick i very nearly went back home. All i can say is i'm so thrilled that i stuck it out.
Yikes, gotta go
more from L.A
