Day 1 - 16th July
So after running around getting all the final bits and pieces to complete the packing (not mentioning the fruitless hour we spent at 3 only to be told at the end that they couldnt unlock my phone at the store, i had to call customer care, grrr!) mum, dad and i were finally on our way to the airport. We had a nice dinner at the english pub (nice way to warm up!) and then was on my way through customs...flight was supposed to be at 10.50, but was delayed about 30 mins, so was finally in the air at 11.30, yay!
The flight was a bit turbulent in spots, but other than that a fairly uneventful 8 hour flight to Hong Kong, apart from being a bit restless and unable to sleep...sat next to a nice girl from Amsterdam who i found out later was 2 and a half months pregnant, so if i thought i was restless you should have seen her when the food came out! don't think i've seen anyone look so green and white at the same time, poor kid!
British Airways/Qantas did give me a present though, and i love presents! Included a lanyard, eye cover (can't remember what they are called, but came in VERY handy!), a pair of socks and a tooth brush/paste...not to mention that fact that they kept on serving food and we all know how important that is for me! PLUS, they kept the bundy and vodka coming...brilliant! ;)
Day 2 - 17th July
Flying from HK to London is about a 15 hour flight, and saw some AMAZING scenery over Mongolia and Asia...can't even describe, so will try to get a photo on the way back...
The rest of the flight was really very smooth, sat next to the Amsterdam girl again and had a bit of a chat, and on the other side of me was a man from HK that we shall call 'Geography man'...he knew so much of where we were, and what was coming up, and had clearly done the trip a few times...was quite good having him there, and thankfully he didn't talk too much!
So a few days before i left, BA sent me an email advising i would be flying into Terminal 3, so i forwarded that on to my sis meg (coming to say hi), Lisa (my travel buddy) and Ruth & Caley (english girls coming to pick us up). So i clear customs (english people so far have not been very happy chappies haha) and walk out expecting to see four familiar faces. I look around and after a bit i see Ruth & Caley but noone else...after a bit of confusion, the girls tell me that i have actually flown into Terminal 4! oops!
For those that don't know Heathrow, it is not like Melb airport where the building is all linked, but instead the Terminals are about a 10min train trip away from each other! So we decide to drive to T3 and pick up the other two...so you would think that it would prob be a wise idea to call the girls first before going anywhere..however, i've been awake for over 24 hours, and unfort my brain is working as well as it should...so it isn't until we are in the car about to leave the car park that i finally give give Meg a call...and we find out that Meg has been a clever little ducky and worked out that i have flown into T4, so is on the train over to T4 haha! So to fill in the time, we drive around and around and around a roundabout. So finally we pick up Meg...it isn't until now, that i realise that i DO have Lisa's number, and so finally give her call...Lisa picks up and we find out that she has also been on a little trip of her own, and realising i had flown into T4, got on the train to come meet us...while she got on the right train, she actually went the wrong way and didn't realise until she got to Paddington station! haha...when i call her, she has just got back to T3, so we drive over to T3 (should have been a 10 min drive, but we got lost, so ended up being about a 20 min drive), and meet her inside for our first drink in England.
We say goodbye to Meg, and head off down the M25 (London ringroad) on our way to Kent (where Ruth's dad lives and where we are staying for a few days). Now the M25 is Eng's version of our Monash Freeway, but worse! Took us 4 HOURS! to get to Kent, which is about 200 kms from Heathrow...was beyond a car park! Arrive about 8pm and a very nice Ruth's dad and stepmum have cooked us a beautiful Shepards pie.
Instead of doing the sensible thing and heading off to bed after this, we thought it would be rude not to head down the street and experience our first true english pub. End up doing a bit of a pub crawl, because pretty much on every corner there is a pub, and in the centre of town, there are about 5 all in a row! crazy!!!!!!! By 11pm i am well and truly on my way to being drunk, and thank goodness the pub closes and we head home (not before stopping in and getting some sustenance in the form of pizza and chips! hehe)..
Day 3 - 18th July
I awake about 7.30am and wake Lisa up to entertain me, haha! We have decided to train it out to Uxbrigde (west London) to watch Eng play USA in the final of a womens U20 tournament. We expect it to take about 2 1/2 hours to get out there, however not 10 mins on the train from Deal, Kent (where we are staying), and the train comes to a halt..15 mins later we finally get going again, but only as far as Dover...apparently issues with the track further down the line and after another 20 min delay we are finally on our way. 4 and 1/2 hours later, and a good learning experience about how the 'tube' works in london, we finally arrive at the rugby, for the second half! Seems we didn't miss much, with the score being 40-0, and by the end of the match eng have smashed usa 110-0, ouch! Was great to watch, and has given me some hope that you don't have to be massively fit to play at an elite level, because the 10 for eng, was certainly larger than me! hehe, let's just say she was solid! ;)
Got to catch up with the ref who is aus top female ref, and organised for us to meet back in aus, and also met a ref from eng who is going to set me up with some games once i get back to eng, so from my perspective was worth the 7 hours travelling!
After the match we head back into london and have a wander around, eat some tea at a pub (surprise, surprise) and catch the 9pm train home...get back about 11pm absolutely knackered and pass out. Good times!
Day 4 - 19th July
This morning have a had a marvellous cooked breakfast, you ripper! We looking at heading to Canterbury to see the famous Canterbury Church and heading to a local pub with Ruth and her mum for a traditional english roast lunch, yum!
