London!

 "So your Big Ben" I said quietly to myself as I stood in front of the famous clock.  It wasn't what I was expecting,  it was actually quite underwhelming.   I mean I had the excitement I always have going to a new place but I was absolutely exhausted.   I was up at the crack of dawn to grab an early coach so I could have a full day in London.  

I booked the wrong ticket...well...not exactly the wrong ticket.   My ticket was from Bournemouth to Victoria,  but I was getting off in Hammersmith.   "Baby just get on the bus and when they call Hammersmith just hop off,  I used to do it all the time;" but of course I always having to have the exact instructions and directions I asked one of the drivers,  "excuse me, this is my first time in England and I didn't realize I could book my bus to Hammersmith is there anyway I can hop off there."  "Well not all of the coaches going to Victoria stop in Hammersmith, but if you get on mine I will make sure you get off there."   See, if I hadn't of asked I wouldn't have been able to get off at Hammersmith and ended up in Victoria where I would've had to back track it by the tube, and everyone gets lost on the Tube. 

A short two hours later I arrived in Hammrsmith (an hour shorter than going to Victoria).   I wasn't able to check in to my hostel yet so I put my stuff in a locker and off I went.  

I was told by the front desk at the hostel that I could get a day pass that includes the bus and the tube, but the guy at the information counter said that no that wasn't true and if I wanted to take the bus to the Tate Modern then I had to transfer from bus 9 to 11.    I went down to the main floor in the station to purchase my ticket where I was told that yes, I can buy an all day pass for both the bus and the tube and if I wanted to take the bus to the Tate Modern I had to grab the number 10 bus; definatly not what the other guy told me.  She also tossed a Tube map at me that she circled in three places "What is this I dont really understand this map, I have never been here before." "Thats what I was trying to tell you, you get on here" she said pointing to the first circle "you transfer here" second circle"  and you get off here.  Next."   I looked at the map which was colours with names,  I had absolutely no idea what lines they were as some stops had three colours and more then one train to hop on for the transfer.  Lost,  thats where I would be, not just in London but lost in London.  I really wanted to take the Tube just for the sake of taking it but Dan had freaked me out so much about taking it "you will get lost, everyone gets lost,  you will end up in Wimbeldon and wont be able to find your way back." Gee thanks for the pep talk babe; he seems to forget I was backpacking fine on my own before I met him.   Anyways I decided to take the bus.   I went back up to the info booth - same guy- "I was told I have to take the number 10 bus to the Tate Modern"  "Nope,  take the 9 and trasnfer to the 11"  "ok and where would I get the bus"  "over there" he said pointing to the otherside of the terminal like I knew where I was supposed to wait.

It was a red double decker bus!  Awesome,  I sat up top so I could look out at the city.  The ride was long,  it took almost two hours for me to get to the area I needed to be in.  There was so much traffic and it was raining when I had to make my transfer.  I was so angry at this point,  exhausted, irritated, hungry and was ready to head back to the hostel to sleep, but I only had one day there so I really wanted to make it count. 

I looked up at the digital bus timetable,  8 minutes.  It was raining but the street I was had a warm cozy vibe to it; there were old fashioned black taxies and my bus shelter was right in front of the Waldorf Hotel that looked very lush with its theatre like lights and black framing.  8 minutes, not too long;  11 minutes, it must be stuck in traffic.  9 minutes, 7 minutes 11 minutes, 8 minutes,  11 minutes...11 minutes...11 minutes;  the original 8 minutes was taking soo long and I was getting more moody by the minute. 

I didn't have to wait long and the bus ride was short, thank god, and instantly as I stepped off my exhaustion and anger was washed away by the buzz of the city.   I was going to the Tate Modern to meet up with my friend Jess I met in Queenstown  - for lunch.  I walked by the St. James Cathedral, along the Millenium Bridge to cross over the River Thames.  Zen like music with calm talking played out on speakers along the bridge, and out to my left, out in the distance was the Tower Bridge displaying the Olympic symbol. 

It was really great to see Jess, we hadn't seen eachother for a year and a half and we had only known eachother for about 48 hours in New Zealand but we never ran out of things to talk about.  Lunch was great,  I just had a veggie wrap but I was so hungry I think even a can of tuna would've been satisfying enough.  After lunch Jess had to go back to work so off I went along the path (which Jess told me to take) along the River Thames.

The Thames isn't much too look at,  I mean the views from where I was looking across the Thames were nice but the river itself  didn't look overly exciting; it was brown.  Yuck!  But the walk was still enjoyable.   I had no idea how artsy London was, there were so many interesting things to look at, watch and listen to; indie musicians,  skateboarders in a graffitied out skate park, a cafe bar built with sheets of metal making it look like a construction site,  a big family stage theatre with oversized furniture made out of fake grass,  an old red fire truck now used as a hot dog stand,  it was all so awesome.   The vibe was great,  I really wanted to park myself down with a tent and sleeping bag and enjoy this artsy pat of London for as long as I could, it was fab!  Next in front of me was the London Eye.  I got dizzy trying to look up all the way to the top - for those of you that don't know what it is, its a massive ferris wheel that you can see all of London from -  the thing is is massive...and no, I didn't go on it,  I wont go unless I have someone with me as I really dont think complete strangers would appriciate my panic that would set in with my vertigo.

Up ahead, on the other side of the Thames, was Big Ben. 

You know how when you pour a bucket of water on sand and then you pick up the wet sand and you squish it in your hand and you let it drop into into piles creating an interesting looking sand castle?  Well thats what the Big Ben building looked like,  a rustic gold colour that looked like a wet-sand sand castle; red double decker buses passing infront of it along the Westinminster Bridge over the River Thames, the hustle and bustle of the city, it was picture perfect.

I just stood and stared at it.  It was a lot smaller then it seemed to be on television, and the big round-a-bout in front of it was also a lot smaller,  I expected some sort of massivness...but I have learned nothing seems to be what it is on TV,  I have lived in Hollywood I should know this already.  

 

I made my way to Buckingham Palace - snapping heaps of pictures of Big Ben and red telephone booths.  It started to get warmer on my way to the Palace, the sun started coming out which was really nice.  It was about a fifteen minute walk to the Palace from Big Ben which wasn't to bad.  I don't really know what I was expecting but man,  this wasn't it.  In the centre of the cul-de-sac was the Queen Victoria Memorial that was just infested with tourists.  People were si tting, climbing and snapping pictures all around it.  There were gates around the cul-de-sac each baring the name of all Common Wealth Country - yay Canada!   The Palace itself really just looked like an oversized mansion.  I guess I was expecting more of a castle-like palace -  have you ever seen the Excalibur in Vegas?  Thats how I picture a Palace lol but I guess thats just the little girl in me.  I couldnt help but think what it must be like to have hundreds of people standing outside of your house (or Palace) everyday and climbing over your front statue, or memorial at that; kept looking to see if I could see movement in the windows but there was nothing - apparantly the Queen wasnt there.  I don't think I would enjoy that many visitors everyday,  it would suck,  but I'm just a tourist with a camera :)  The most exciting part for me was the Palace Guards, standing so still they didn't waver,  it was like they didn't even breath.   Once in awhile you could hear a high pitched bell and they would do a little left knee up, right knee up and switch their gun to the other hand.  I must've stood there for 20 minutes just watching them do absolutely nothing, unfortunately standing infront of them and waving, making faces and trying to get them to move is a no-go, it's surrounded by gates and police officers so you can't go up to them, but just being able to see an actual Palace Guard was a highlight for me and now checked off my bucket list.  They did do a sort of march which was just for them to stretch their legs (thats what the Police officer told me), which once again was nothing special but I couldn't stop watching.  It started raining so I decided it was time to leave.  The changing of the guard was in another hour but I was so exhausted and still had to find my way back to my hostel, plus I was meeting up with Jess for some drinks later on and I wanted to grab a cat nap before then.

I had no idea what bus I had to take, all I knew is that I had to go West back to Hammersmith.  The sun came back out.  One bus driver I dont think knew what I was talking about and the other one pointed accross the street and to the right.  with streets coming out of the round-a-about I had no idea which across-the-street he was talking about so I decided to take the Tube.   There was a man working there who seemed to know every single Tube line to take and was pointing everyone in the directions they needed to go.  I went down one level and to the right.  I must've looked terrified as I stood on the tube,  I definately had tourist written all over my face, my eyes popping out of my face like a deer caught in headlights,  LOL!  I was wondering how safe it was,  not because of the people but the Tube itself.  It rattled and shook and jerked this way and that,  it sounded and felt like I was on an old wooden rollercoaster at Canada's Wonderland, except this was inclosed and underground.  I can proudly say I rode the Tube without getting lost and will definatley do it again next time I am in London.

Jess came by for a few drinks at the hostel pub.  It was really great,  it was like we had been life long friends with no time apart.  We talked about our travels and me getting married and just all that girl stuff that I miss so much with my girls from back home,  it was just what I needed.  We could've talked late into the night but she had to be up for work and I was completely beat and decided to call it a night and meet up at a future date.   The musing pouring in my room from down below would normally keep me awake...I could here the songs word for word but completely exhausted and traveling with my iPod I just popped in my earbuds and was asleep in no time.

My coach the next day wasn't leaving till 2pm but hammersmith is quite away from the city centre and I didn't really want to carry my bag all around the city with me so I decided to take an earlier coach.  I called the company and there was a coach leaving down the street from the hostel in 20 minutes, I just had to pay 5 pounds for changing my pick up time and location.  The driver had one spot left on the coach and when I went to pay him he told me to put it in a charity box; I must say being a solo female traveler has it's perks, they don't happen much when I am with Dan ;).


Still, no Coronation Street.

Some Wonderful Entertainment and The Land of the Queen!

As little as we have done since we have been here we have still managed to get stuff done. Dan got offered the job as a shift manager at a restaurant chain - the interview he went to the day after we got here - which he is really excited about; and he also managed to get his papers signed.

On top of getting our taxes back we also get to claim our Superannuation fund which is a pension you pay into while working in Australia; the only problem is we had to get heaps of stuff signed. We have to photocopy our passports, work visas, arrival and depature stamps and get it all signed - two copies of each - by a police officer, doctor, pharmacist etc.; like when getting your passport. We had to wait to get to England due to the language barrier in France but the problem in England is that no one will sign the papers for us! The local pharmacist said no because we dont have an account with her so we went to the police station only to be welcomed by a sign on the door that said "this station no longer has counter service." We went to another police station in the next a few days later this time being welcomed by a sign that said "this police station has been moved," though it was only across the street. We waited for half an hour our only entertainment being an irate teenager who was cussing and saying how dumb and stupid the cops were, and a drugged/drunken girl - well really I dont know how old she was as she was bloated with leathery skin, and looked years beyond her acutal age - who I thought was on a cellphone but was actually talking out loud to herself but wanting to involve all the people waiting into her onesided conversation. "I have to sign in because they think I am gonna leave the country. Idiots. I'm not gonna leave" and then the angry words of the teenager "fucking cops they are so stupid" with her replying "now you know how I feel. Haha, they think I am gonna leave, I'm not gonna leave..." It was interesting, though to be quite honest I was more disgusted by the teenager then by her. He was swearing and slammed the front door and his mother just looked at me with a sad smile. "Wow" I thought "I would never speak like that in public, especially at a police station, at his age, my parents would've smacked me silly, even now they would and I'm a married woman. He had no respect and his mother obviously didn't seem to care, she didnt even tell him to calm down...some people I tell ya!

Anyways after our wonderful (pure sarcasm) half our of entertainment we finally got to speak to someone only to be told that the Chief Constable of Dorset does not allow police officers to sign any papers whatsoever; "we can only sign them if we know who you are and that is only under certain circumstances" "well, no offence" I replied "I hope you guys don't know me." He smiled and said "sorry I can't help you." Now what? Well Dan had a doctors appointment today and his doctor is signing them which is great news. Mine? Well I have to go to my Embassy in London and pay over $100 (Canadian) to get them all signed, and I can only go Tuesday or Thursday between 2-4pm. WTF? Lol. It's alright, Dan is getting his signed and when we get some more money in I will be able to get mine done. At least one of us is getting it done, and at least one of us is officially employed :) things are finally looking up.

Tomorrow, it's London for me - though I am not getting my papers signed, it will be Wednesday and Thursday I leave before the signing hours - I am super excited. Unfortunately I won't get to see Kate, plans got changed around but I have a few other friends I have met along my travels. I can't wait. It will be just me and the Land of the Queen.

Where is Coronation Street?

I didn't get my cat-nap before we left for England, though I dont know if it would've helped anyway.  I slept on the way to the ferry - well the upper half of my body was on the two seats in the back of the cammper while my legs were resting on Dan who was snuggled nicely on the floor wrapped up in our duvet - but it wasn't the most comfortable sleeping arrangment, and everytime Dan moved I had to adjust my legs.  The ferry ride was alright, 2hrs, nice views as we left France as well as nice views as we entered England.

Customs was easy.   They just said "you are only aloud to stay 6 months" and stamped my passport - yay new stamp!  After we drove through customs we had to pull over so a police officer could check the van - incase we had any stowaways - and check our passports.  "Who is the Canadian" he asked "Hi that's me!"  I said popping my head out the window.  "Where in Canada you from?"  "Toronto, Ontario."  "Oh ya"  "Do you know it?" "No.  Not really, but I have been to Victoria."  It was one of the nicest experinences I have had going through customs, friendly and no intimidation.

It doesn't look like what I pictured England to look like with small little streets, little cars and little town-house-like residences.  I kept saying "Where is Coronation Street?  Where are the little streets with the row of little English houses?"  But to no avale did I get to see a Coronation-like street, though the houses are smaller here.  They are built out of concrete and are quite narrow which makes them look taller then they are, and they are built quite close together - England is a small country and quite overpopulated so they need to squeeze together (so Dan says) - however, they are quite spacious and not a little cramped; well Dans parents place isn't, which is where we are staying.  It's the house that Dan grew up in! Kind of cool, we are even in his old bedroom.  I asked him "did you ever think you would be living in this room with your wife?"  "I never thought I would be living back in this house, ever" was his reply.  He is not overly keen being back in England,  he hates it,  even though it's only temporary he is still not happy about it and he can't wait till we can leave again; we have no idea when that will be yet.

He is enjoying seeing his friends again but if we had the money I know he we would be on a plane to Thailand tomorrow lol.  I have met a few of his friends.  The day after we got here we went for dinner and then drinks, well, I of course played Mother Hen while the others got smashed.  Mike (Dans best mate)  was always wandering off  and popping up randomly throughout the night. Carli (Dans other best mate) doesn't like going to public toilets by herself so everytime she had to go she was like "Emmie, come wee with me"; and Dan, well he is just something else altogether when he drinks, though getting him to leave was easy as it was his idea to go home, and the cab was one of the little English cars you see in Coronation street,  loved it!   The bar itself was alright, sometimes I feel my bar-nights, are slowly concluding; young girls dancing in too-short skirts grinding against eachother, songs are played more then once and guys trying to get late and everyone absolutely mangled with no communication or walking skills.  It's really cheap to drink here as the economy is quite bad at the moment, but I guess cheap drinks means cheap service.   We waited at the bar 25 minutes for our drinks!  I know, for a night club it happens but the place maybe had a hundred people in it and at this point no one was really buying anymore drinks due to their intoxication levels.  The bar was just a line of people, not even two people deep and 4 bartenders.  The bartender kept serving everybody but us, and when I tried to tell her we were next she ignored me and served someone else.  She finally served us and when I complained and she says "we are really busy and there are only 4 of us working tonigh"  I just looked at her!  "Busy?"  I replied "I dont know about you but a line of people along the bar not even two people deep is not busy, and there are 4 of you.  If you cant handle that you really shouldn't be a bartender."  She just looked at me.  "Oh and with my drinks could I have a manager?"  I explained the situation to the manager, I said I didn't want a free round or to get anyone fired, but there was absolutely no reason for us to stand at a bar for 25 minutes when it's not busy. Grrr....I hate incompetent bartenders.

A few nights later Dan wanted to go to a drumb and base rave with some of his mates so I stayed in and had drinks with his sister (she lives in the house as well), and we got to know eachother.   We've been shopping in Bournemouth Centre.  It kind of reminded me of The Grove in LA except it's not as enclosed, but it's got that high end sort of feel to it.  It was buzzing with people and had live entertainment going on,  maybe others dont dont feel the vibe the way I do, it could b3e because I found France so quiet with it's ghost  towns that swarms of people and noise is exciting more so now than usual. There is a shop called Primark it's kind of a mix between H&M meets Urban Behaviour meets Forever 21 except it's super cheap!  T-shirts are 1 pound = $1.60, it's awesome and it's my new favourite place, I got some things as all I have is summer clothing and I needed some warmer stuff for here.  We have walked to Boscome Town Centre a few times,  the layout of it reminds me of Darwin CBD with its walkway down the centre with benches and lined on either side with shops, but where Darwin CBD was almost void of people Boscome is full on busy with people, and some quite sketchy people I might add, but Dan keeps me safe lol.

The other morning we walked down to Fisherman's Walk Beach.  It stretches for miles down either side of the coast; one side stretches to cliffs which are small black silhouettes in the far distance and the other stretches to the expensive area with it's mansions.  The weather wasn't the greates but there was still quite a few people out enjoying the English sun that only shares its heat when it feels like it.    The beach is lined with beach huts, there must be 200 of them.  The just stretch all along the walk way, different colours, and some bigger than others; there was nothing overly remarkable about them but I get excited in new countries so everything seems awesome to me.

We have settled in quite nicely here.  Dan is waiting to hear back on a job sometime this week, so we are keeping our fingers crossed for that and we still have more money coming from Australia - not gonna get ino that,  its our Superannuation Funds and we are going with a different company - so hopefully after a few months we can head off.  I like it here I'm comfortable, and I think it's good for Dan to spend time with his family as we have decided Canada is going to be where we settle and we don't know when he will get to see his family and friends again; but he still wants to leave asap. LOL.  Oh well, it will happen, we just have to be patient.

As for me I am off to London next week!  Yes without Dan.  He actually didn't want to go - as I said he hates England - with me and was going to convince his sister to take me, but it just so happens that my friend Kate is coming out from Austrlia and we haven't seen eachother since eachother since California <---check out blog - so it has been quite a long time;  I did see both her brother and sister in Austrlia but her and I never got the chance to meet up.  So it's London town next week. Do you think I will find Coronation Street?