So it’s all over, London is now sans Worker and vice versa and I must say never again will I attempt to pack 4 years of my life into 4 boxes! The last week in London has been such a roller coaster ride of emotions, sad to be leaving, frustrated at having to spend my final week packing and hung over after the numerous farewells!
I figure since I have spent so long in London I would compile my list of 10 ‘must dos’ and favourite things about London and the UK, sure I spent 4 years there and never went into St Pauls Cathedral or Westminster Abbey, but I did mange to cram in a fair bit all the same:
1. Explore – every time you go into London you can come across a little alley or old pub that you never knew existed.
2. Get out – make sure you get out of London, having a car makes this easier as does working as a tour guide, but you would be amazed at the number of remarkable places within 90 mins of London; Rochester, Leeds Castle, Cotswolds, Oxford, Cambridge, MTB Riding in Wales etc etc
3. Wimbledon – the greatest tennis slam on earth is a must to do if you are then when it is on. Pity the only time I went it rained all day and not a ball was hit, but Yo and I still managed to get a good game of cricket going in the eating area, using a bottle of champagne as a bat.
4. High Tea – Go to Claridges for this. It is a sensational day out, even if drinking tea is not your thing, to sit in those surrounds listening to classical music even made me feel like I had class.
5. The Galleries – The collection of art and other artefacts in London is second to none, I probably didn’t spend enough time checking them out, but it gives me a reason to go back I guess
6. Stroll along Southbank – the walk from Big Ben down to Borough Markets winding past the London Eye, The Tate and Shakespeare’s Globe, with views of St Pauls, is second to none
7. Go to The Church – Ok, so most people think this place is feral but if you go with a good crew of people and stand at the back it is one of the great ways to spend a few hours on Sunday. The music is excellent, almost like being at a barbie at home.
8. Catch Buses – I know the tube is quicker but to sit atop a double decker bus and watch London go by is pretty special.
9. Ride a bike into London early on a weekend – Most people who read this would be leaving London early on a weekend morning, however, if you stay sober one Friday or Saturday night and get up around 7am to ride through the city you will have the whole place to yourself. Riding your bike down Oxford Street, through Picadilly Circus and past Buckingham Palace with no one else on the road is truly sensational.
10. Ice Skate – there is no better way to get into the festive spirit than rugging up and hitting one of the various open air skating rinks around the city at Christmas. If you drink enough mulled wine you wont even feel the bruises you get from falling on your ass.
So London is over and with it comes a new start, firstly in Africa and then at home, it will be weird to go back to my own country and feel like a foreigner but I am also looking forward to it.
To all the amazing friends I have made in London thanks for the good times, I know we will get on it together again somewhere, sometime. Especially the girls at Culmington who put us up for the last 2 weeks, stored all our stuff and are now trying to sell my car!!
For those of you who are back in Australia, I look forward to catching up at Christmas and for anyone in Africa … look out!
