So the week after BSAVA I went to London for Lou's birthday get together and again caught up with my uni mates and Emma and her friend Kat. It was a really good night out and a bit of the taste of the London nightlife. On the Sunday was the London Marathon and I chilled with Emma and Kat down near the finish line and watched as the runners went by looking near death. Then I'd have a beer and feel happy it wasn't me. It was a full on weekend because I actually went out on the Friday night with Susie and mates from work until the wee hours of the morning, then worked on the Saturday a full day then went to London for the said festivities. By the Sunday afternoon I really didn't think there could be anything worse that running the London marathon. We all make lifestyle choices.
The weekend after was again a Friday night out. Susie wasn't with us this time but Jodie and Lisa from work took me out to Cheeky Monkeys in Wolverhampton again. This is a club that plays heaps of 80s and 90s stuff and the setting is in a converted old town hall. It reminds me of being at a blue light disco in Camperdown or even a social at Camperdown high. Takes me back. Anyway, it is great fun there and tonight happens to be another Jodie, Lisa and Sal night out at Cheekys so it should be fun. So back to that weekend...
I worked the Saturday but had the Monday off so went to Edinburgh for a night and a day to visit a mate Neil who I met in Dubbo when I worked there. I got to Edinburgh and it was gorgeous weather. Neil took me for a walk up the hill in the centre of town called Arthur's Seat. From the top you could see for miles because it was such a clear day. The time went quickly that night as I didn't realise how late it was until my tummy complained and I realised it was past 9pm. I forgot that I was a bit further north and days were longer.
The next day Neil took me for a drive down the coast in his MG and because it was such a great day we could have the soft top down. It was great. Speeding down the Scottish coast. We went to a place called Bass Rock (well not the actual rock since it is out at sea but we viewed it) which has a huge bird population including puffins and gannets. We went further down the coast and saw some lovely little beaches. We stopped at one and went for a walk and went among the rockpools and looked at the clear water in the ocean. If I'd had my snorkel and fins I would've been tempted to test the water out even though I knew in my head it would be too cold.
Neil had to leave for work at about 5pm so he left me in centre of town where I wandered up to the castle and enjoyed walking around and soaking up the atmosphere of the place.
Got home late on the Monday night exhausted.
The weekend after was again a long weekend because I had the Monday off for a day out. On Friday night I drove to Oundle to stay at Snooze's and to go to Pedro and Rupert's (both of whom I met in Wales) birthday party on the Saturday night. So I got to Oundle and met up with Snooze and her lovely friend Lizzy at the pub. We had a good night at "the Ship" then the next day Snooze and I went to Peterborough for a girlie day out. That night the party was great. Snooze and Lizzy and I spent some girly time doing ourelves up and drinking wine before we headed out. It was really a great night meeting up with the people with whom I went to Wales and also other friends of Snooze's who are sooooo lovely. I also got to see Ben again who I know from Rarotonga and hadn't seen since then. It was lovely to see him again and catch up. The sun was up before I went to bed.
The next day was a chill out with people from the party before cleaning up the cafe where the party took place.
The next day I had the day off for a reason. I had organised to go with Simon to Alton Towers which is a theme park with heaps of cool roller coasters and Si had been telling me he'd take me since last year. There were meant to be 8 other people going but in the end it was just Si, me and Si's mates Gaz and James. The others had pulled out as it seemed had many others who would have otherwise gone out for the day because there weren't many people there. Apparently the minimum wait in the queue for a ride is generally about 30 minute. We barely had to queue at all so we went on the really good rides about 3-4 times and didn't even bother with the others too much. One of the rides, Oblivian, I went on 4 times and each time scared the bejesus out of me. It is a vertical drop and you hang from the drop before you drop and then you drop and I think I'd run out of adrenalin by the end of the day. The first time itI went on I nearly chickened out but since I was the only girl with three guys, thought it would be bad form. Although when we approached the vertical drop I would have jumped out had I been able to undo my seat belt.
Last weekend I went to Cornwall. I went as a pilgrimage for my sister Kate whose birthday was on May20th (Happy Birthday again Katie). Kate was there in 2002 to start her bike ride from Land's End to John'o'Groats. I was too tired to leave on the Friday night and also figured there'd be traffic so I headed off at 4am on Saturday morning. It was an easy drive. I stopped in at Cheddar on the way where supposedly cheddar cheese originated but didn't go and see the gorge because you actually had to pay to enter and it was too early for any tourist stuff to be open (they usually open at 10am and it was about 6am) so I continued on to Dartmoor national park.
I sat down to breakfast in a little village in the middle of the park then headed to one of the highest point. With the wind blustering and the rain hammering down for a bit I sat down in my cosy car and sketched. It was a beautiful setting and the weather actually added to the setting creating the expected atmosphere for the place. Once the wind and rain let up, I drove a bit further to a place where I could go for a walk and went for a long walk over the hills and checking out the rocky "tors". There were sheep with lambs and fields of purple flowers that weren't Patterson's Curse.
After my lovely walk I drove to Land's End and saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. I have now seen all the oceans. I unfortunately could not look at the book that Kate had signed because it was too late in the day but was advised that if I returned the next day after 10am I should be able to see it.
I did get to meet some people starting their Land's End-John'o'Groats bike trek and got a bit of a feeling from them as to how Kate and Nat would have felt 5 years ago. I also met a guy who was getting his photo taken with signs held up that he loves his girlfriend and wants to marry her and was going to show her them as part of his holiday pics. How romantic!!
I headed off and stopped at some 2000 year old ruins. Basically the foundations of the buildings were left but there was a whole cellar intact with a fireplace which was amazing. It was just beautiful with all the flowers growing over the ruins. And I saw some Foxglove and remembered it was Kate's favourite when she was over here. Part of my pilgrimage for my sister!
I went for a drive to St Ives and because of the time and the fact that the coastline was beautiful I thought I'd book in at the backpackers there. It was booked out but I got directed to a backpackers in a tiny little hamlet called Zennor about 6 miles west. The sun was setting and the sky was clear and it was absolutely beautiful. I felt so lucky. It is always the case that I get lucky like that.
Then I stopped to take a photo and for a little while my stupid little car wouldn't start. Of all places somewhere where I had no mobile range!! But at least I had a good view. All was well though. I figured the engine had flooded a bit because it can be a bit temperamental and waited a while and luckily he could go.
So I booked in at Zennor and the girl Rachel who was working there was going to the pub and I met her over there. Unfortunately also met another guy who was staying at the hostel who was frankly a weirdo but in the process of getting rid of him I met the most lovely 5 people and stayed with them playing pool until close. Then they took me back to their place in another tiny hamlet a few miles west called Morvah and we ended out continuing the party there. The girl Nik reminded me so much of Jen Ervin from uni. Looks and personality. It was one of those doubles on the other side of the world things.
The next morning I got a lift back to Zennor, dropped the keys to my hostel room off and got Mikey Megane (my car) and drove to Land's End via St Just. The coastline took my breath away. It's beautiful and I luckily had gorgeous weather to boot. There is a walk from St Ives to St Just that I would love to have done had I had the time so I will have to go back. I did walk down to the cliffs for a look though.
I got to Land's End again and unfortunately couldn't look at the book because it was locked up and the woman who could get it wasn't there on a Sunday. So my pilgrimage was a bit unsuccessful, however I had a great time and I think that's what Kate really wanted so all are happy.
I went to Tintagel castle on the way home. It is meant to be the birthplace of King Arthur in the myth. The castle was actually built in the 1200s and is now ruins. Again the ruins are beautiful though and the stone foundations are covered in grass and flowers and the castle is on a rocky outcrop with spectacular views of the Cornish coast.
I can't express how happy I was at that particular time, enjoying such beautiful sites and being a tourist.
Tonight, as I said, I am heading out with the girls so now we are at work about to ho into pizza in preparation for a night out later.
It is a long weekend again this weekend so I'm going to Oslo tomorrow to see Ellen (my host-sister from my exchange in 1993-94 and still good friends) and will stay there until Monday night.
Must say that I am enjoying myself!
