Three More Sleeps and a Thirty Hour Long Haul Flight to Go ;)
I entered the heart of darkness that is Oxford Street on the last Saturday before Christmas today to do some last minute Christmas shopping - it's amazing how much permission to travel inspires your Christmas Spirit :) The crowds weren't as bad as I thought they'd be and me and my post minx2012's birthday hangover coped rather well. I even entered the no go area that is Hamleys and escaped with a teddy bear for my future Great Nephling/Niecelet.
London was buzzing with a carnivalesque Christmas vibe as I meandered through town. I watched Changeling which was really interesting but not brilliant. I'd been gunning for the uber cheezy Australia for thematic reasons but it isn't released in the UK until Boxing Day! Bah humbug.
I also made it to Gabriel's Wharf, bivouacking my way through a cracking (and heaving with people) German market plus a Slow Food Market along the Southbank, which was much more crowded than Oxford Street, to pick up some ironic baby tshirts (Jolly Roger and Che Guevara) for my friend in Australia who is heavily pregnant as well as my niece - fingers crossed she delivers while I'm there!
Tonight is the final 'Saturday with Alex, Don and Andrew' before I head home and I'm dutifully charging my camera, phone and Mp3 player while checking emails and sorting out last minute administration. I have a couple of job interviews lined up for when I return in late January and although I'm not naive enough to expect them to come to fruition it's very nice to know I'm in with a fighting chance.
For the next two days, I'll be cleaning up the depressed mess the boat became during the long wait LOL. I'll then have to face the packing ... but then... home :)
Have a lovely silly season wherever you are spending it and I'll be thinking good thoughts for you over the coming New Year.
London was buzzing with a carnivalesque Christmas vibe as I meandered through town. I watched Changeling which was really interesting but not brilliant. I'd been gunning for the uber cheezy Australia for thematic reasons but it isn't released in the UK until Boxing Day! Bah humbug.
I also made it to Gabriel's Wharf, bivouacking my way through a cracking (and heaving with people) German market plus a Slow Food Market along the Southbank, which was much more crowded than Oxford Street, to pick up some ironic baby tshirts (Jolly Roger and Che Guevara) for my friend in Australia who is heavily pregnant as well as my niece - fingers crossed she delivers while I'm there!
Tonight is the final 'Saturday with Alex, Don and Andrew' before I head home and I'm dutifully charging my camera, phone and Mp3 player while checking emails and sorting out last minute administration. I have a couple of job interviews lined up for when I return in late January and although I'm not naive enough to expect them to come to fruition it's very nice to know I'm in with a fighting chance.
For the next two days, I'll be cleaning up the depressed mess the boat became during the long wait LOL. I'll then have to face the packing ... but then... home :)
Have a lovely silly season wherever you are spending it and I'll be thinking good thoughts for you over the coming New Year.