Pictures of my travels

IRELAND

These are way over due and should go into the actual blog, but its all too much effort now ... so now you get a montage.











1000 yr old church in Dublin, Biggest Free Standing Celtic Cross, Castle ruins, The city of Derry








Giants causeway from above and beside, McDonnell Castle (its slipping into the sea)









Sights from a photo stop in Ireland ...











The houses of Lower Shankill and their painted walls, guy with guy follows you round the area










Signing the "Peace Wall" which seperates the relgious areas of Belfast, and my little bit













Guiness Factory - first pint ever ... and outside the factory

So thats my overdue Ireland photos, hope you enjoyed ...

Stonehenge, Bath, Herbie the Love Bug, Garbage Bag Dress

After being chastised for not updating my blog, here it is.

Last I was off to Bath and Stonehenge. On March 24 I set off nice and early on Saturday morning off to catch the bus from Earl's Court. Met a lovely Swiss lady who was my travel buddy for the day - she was extra lovely as she put up with my spastic camera as well ... see its not just me. But alas, it did play nice and I have got some photos ... just not here with me now to post with my blog. I'll do it tonight I promise, as I have heaps of backdated photos I need to post.

Off on the Bus on Saturday morning, we travelled along with Anderson tours out of London and along the way our bizarre tour guide (seems they all are weird over here) was telling us lots of stories, we travelled along where Hugh Grant is from, where Mary Poppins was filmed and where the end of the head of the river race is. Interesting stuff, but don't ask me to tell you exactly it all was as I don't remember.

Then to Stonehenge we arrived ... awesome! Was my first word, being an astrological site, built by aliens, that the druids made it, ancient burial site, sacrifical worship site and the crop circles that are associated with it, its pretty good. So, if you just walk around and think about it, that its been there fornow despite the rumours of it 5000 years+ well, its a pretty amazing sight. And I would definately recommend to go. Only spent an hour there, but when you realise that its just in the middle of a paddock somewhere and all there is, is the rocks and gift shop, its enough time. But a thing I didn't know about the area of stonehenge is that it has these mounds (3/4 metres high and wide) around the area that are actually peoples graves, where bones and after life offerings are burried with them. Some have gold others have pots and pans etc. Very egyptian ideas. But the truths of Stoneghenge keep changing, one day we will know or it will remain a mystery - still a good mystery to look at though.

Then off to Bath, and not for my first Bath - members. Where we were swiftly hurried off the bus and straight into the Bath ruins, which are nice and green. We were told not to touch the water as its got some baddies in it which would muck you up nicely if you played with it. Its an amazing sight, with alot of flok law tales and truths about it. Its funny tour guides over here, tend to know all the rubbish and truths and tell you the lot. Its great. We heard one story about a guy with Pigs and Leprecacy and how he watched thank you sarcastic familythe pigs sores magically disappear after rolling in the springs mud, so he to did it and was cured and then he flew back on his magic carpet (yes you heard right) and took on the crown as he was rightly entitled to.

Went off for a lovely lunch and then quickly through about 5 streets of Bath and it was time to be back on the Bus for the 3 hour trip home. Therefore I didn't get to go to the new Bath Springs sauna, so I will just have to go back.

It was well worth the trip, even though it was very long. A big highlight for the day, I was watching the cars drive by and Herbie the Love Bug drove past. It was awesome, the car was all painted up with racing stripes and no. 53. I love that movie.

Then, glutton for punishment I went out that night with Jackie and Trudy, my housemates to a ABC party. Anything But Clothes party. Where we all dressed up in our grabage bags and hopped on the tube to West Hampstead to go to our party. Now luckily its still cold at night so we swooshed along in our dresses with our coats on. Now we picked up some wine at Waterloo station and started drinking on the tube. And my bottle was gone by about 1 1/2hours into being at the party. It was a great night, met some lovely new friends, sprained my hamstring in a competition of flexibilty - another girl and myself won as we had both done Jazz ballett. Then the night went on, and I caught the 7am tube home and slept in until 2pm in the afternoon. What a full weekend. It was great.

Evening out the balance

Went out for St Pats last night, every man his dog, sister and his uncles were out last night and it was a very busy night out. Still a good night, some people were dressed up, but others were just out for a regular night ... seems Aussies latch on a bit more, plus I didn't get to make it to and Irish pub, as they were all too busy, people were drinking on the street out the front of them, but alas still a good night.

So I came to the realisation that I probably have spent more time in pubs in London than sightseeing .. well almost. So I took myself on a mini tour today, I saw Tate Modern - modern art gallery, with some very weird pieces, if it exists in this earth, it is part of an art exhibition at the Tate Modern. Don't believe me well, they had an ode to floruos which were all lit up, toilet bowls and urinals painted and cast in pvc, drain holes, shot puts in random places, a light switch which had been photographed and then put on display via a projector and my favourite a room which was full of automated mirrored sliding doors (thats all, you just kept walking through the mirrored doors) .... but they had some very cool slippey slides in the middle, which I will do another day as the line was too long. Then I happened upon Shakespeares globe theatre which is an open air theatre, am going back there another day ... other sights to acomplish.

I then walked across the millenium bridge to St Pauls catherdral, this was a feat in itself. It was blowing a gale and the bridge is open, so there were times I had to stop or I thought I would get blown off. I was feezing, and wanted to put my scarf on, but I was worried that it would blow over the edge, and I am kind of attached to my £2 scarf.

St Paul's is an amazing building and all the bells were tolling as I walked up to it, as a service was about to begin. So I quickly looked around where I could and went down to the crypt and reads little tid bits of the history. Its been around since 600, is the 3rd St Pauls to be built on the same sight and has been through many atrosities but still stands today. And they are cleaning the outside in preparation for the 08 Olympics.

Thats about it, am working all next week and am thinking of taking myself to Bath for a trip next weekend.

Next up ...

Well, I can't provide any photos of St Albans as my camera is being retarded ... and no its not the user. But it was a nice place with a beautiful abbey and roman ruins which date back as far as AD 200.

On April 7 - 12 I am going with Alex to New York and on the Monday it will be her birthday, so what better excuse not to go. We have been able to get a flight and hotel for a very reasonable price and I can't wait ... VERY EXCITED as a lot of you found out by my text message that I sent out.

But I have since been able to get my camera working again, few little love taps, and hopefully it will behave for my Trip to New York. Going out for Mexican tonight with some people that we met at a pub, as we noticed that they were Australian and started to chatting to them. Gotta love the cultural link, if your an Aussie over here your almost instantly mates.

2 Weeks down

Well I have been a supply teacher for two weeks now and have worked 9 out of 10 days, and next week I am already booked for the full 5 days, its at a lovely school, so it should be a good week. Have come to realise that prac teaching though less stressful in a way, is still just as tiring, as you teach all day everyday. But its still working out alright, so I am going to stick with it.

Going to St Albans tomorrow, North London, so that should be great. Will get my photos from there and Ireland and shove them up so that people can see them.

My shortest blog ever ... wow!

Waffle

Boy o Boy can I Waffle on, but please forgive my looooooooong diatribe about Irleand I absolutely loved it all and I am writing this for me as much as for my poor suffering friends and family who decide to read the blinking thing.

Well If I haven't told you, and a lot of people don't know. I decided 3 weeks ago to change to supply work. After my week in Ireland, I have been working supply. And its going ok, its very different to full time teaching, but the schools haven't been too bad and at least it is still work, and I get to walk out the gate when the day ends and thats it for me. One school in particular have liked me and asked me back 3 days in a row in my first week, so all is good.

Went to David Strassman Thursday night, it was good, but then when you sit back you think ... hey this is just one guy on stage talking to a bunch of puppets all by himself .... hmmm can you spell crazy???

Went to the pub tonight - the Road House, nice pub bummer about the smoke, had a few drinks with Alex, Karen, Louise, Courtney and met Bridgit (Courtney's flatmate). The Aussie culture is great over here, if your an Aussie you have a link, therefore you become friends - I love it.

Also its been two months over here, so these are the things I have learned.

1. Pushing on the train is just the done thing, and if you grumble you get dirty looks.

2. You have to keep to the right when walking around or on escalators at tube stations, but at the train station you keep left. YEAH Figure that one out and explain it to me please.

3. 35 pound gets you your weeks worth of shopping.

4. It is wise to always carry your brolly, even if its blue sky.

5. Sha up = Shut up, Innit = Isn't it and saying Ta instead of thanks gets you weird looks like you are insulting a person.

Therefore thats my little, but long again update. Tell you what I am up to again soon. V