for MAP click HERE
Showing posts with label LONDON. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LONDON. Show all posts
in the details
It doesnt matter where you are from...everyone can appreciate the detail IN THIS MAP! zoom in and see for yourself!
for MAP click HERE
for MAP click HERE
London Marathon
From the view of the spectator....
As exhausted as I am from fighting the crowds to get to the front of the barriers at each mile I was expected to be seen, I'll not complain but leave that to those who spent the hours running. (tho Phil and I had to do some sprinting to the DLR / Tube to make our next spots) Thanks Phil for being a great spectator companion! What an inspirational day! ALMOST makes me want to sign up for next year! I mean, hey, if batman/robin, senior citizens, ice cream cones, soldiers in full gear, cancer survivors, Guinness records breakers (for tallest costume, most people linked together) and hundreds of others can do it...I might be talked into it.
From the view of the runner...
"It was an emotional experience, beyond the realms of pain and exhaustion but the memories of yesterday will live me forever and your support from day 1 of training to the big day itself, generous sponsorship, encouragement and huge noise en route inspired me to keep moving and got me across the line.
WE have raised in excess of £2,000 for Children With Leukaemia, helping suffering kids with treatment and supporting their families through their treatment and recovery process. The money is vital to fund investment in treating the condition and every single penny is appreciated. Thank you so much."
THE BEST PART IS ....
The RESULT of yesterdays race - the sideshow of Sir Richard Branson vs Lee Garratty, the source of much amusement at the pub yesterday...
SIR RICHARD:(and I quote...(from the official marathon website)
"Sir Richard himself crossed the line 5:02:24 surrounded by his team of celebrities"
VERSUS
LEE GARRATTY; 04:57:03
Yes, that's right Team Garratty fans, he smashed Branson by a full 5 minutes! WOHOO.
AND SOME CHOICE PHOTOS
As exhausted as I am from fighting the crowds to get to the front of the barriers at each mile I was expected to be seen, I'll not complain but leave that to those who spent the hours running. (tho Phil and I had to do some sprinting to the DLR / Tube to make our next spots) Thanks Phil for being a great spectator companion! What an inspirational day! ALMOST makes me want to sign up for next year! I mean, hey, if batman/robin, senior citizens, ice cream cones, soldiers in full gear, cancer survivors, Guinness records breakers (for tallest costume, most people linked together) and hundreds of others can do it...I might be talked into it.
From the view of the runner...
"It was an emotional experience, beyond the realms of pain and exhaustion but the memories of yesterday will live me forever and your support from day 1 of training to the big day itself, generous sponsorship, encouragement and huge noise en route inspired me to keep moving and got me across the line.
WE have raised in excess of £2,000 for Children With Leukaemia, helping suffering kids with treatment and supporting their families through their treatment and recovery process. The money is vital to fund investment in treating the condition and every single penny is appreciated. Thank you so much."
THE BEST PART IS ....
The RESULT of yesterdays race - the sideshow of Sir Richard Branson vs Lee Garratty, the source of much amusement at the pub yesterday...
SIR RICHARD:(and I quote...(from the official marathon website)
"Sir Richard himself crossed the line 5:02:24 surrounded by his team of celebrities"
VERSUS
LEE GARRATTY; 04:57:03
Yes, that's right Team Garratty fans, he smashed Branson by a full 5 minutes! WOHOO.
AND SOME CHOICE PHOTOS
didnt stop!
OK all! I DID IT!!! I ran in a 10K (with minimal practice due to cold weather and ...well, im a wimp). I competed with 331 others and placed 209th! Not that I was really concerned at all with placement, just the shear fact that id finish without walking was the motive….and I DID! under an hour! I ran it in 58.35 according to my ankle chip. WOHOO
I've been trolling thru the photos to find a good one (there was only one to find anyway) but the site has a copy protection on it, so I cant share even with the watermark. I ran with my killer Boston Red Sox army hat (thank you Katie for the sweet purchase) and my old school JL's (must have been pulling some competitiveness from my rowing days).
Lee ran the half marathon while I was doing the 10K and for the first 7.5K the two races merged. Of course my steady turtle pace kept to the left as the sprinters took to the right, well, the left, and it felt like from the top and bottom too! There was a good 5-10minutes of peace before the hoards of marathoners were unleashed on us. I kept looking for Lee to pass as he's a much faster runner than I, but he had started too far back to pass me before the split. Lee finished the half in 2hours and 16 seconds. He’s right on track for the London Marathon – which he’s planning to finish under 4hours. (yes, of course, finish at all!)
I think i'll take a break from running and head back to the gym, the pool, the dance studio, the art studio... anything but! Ill be sure to have the biggest most obnoxious sign for Lee for the marathon though. Cheerleading isnt my thing, but i can sure make a scene when i want to! .....maybe I'll dress up like sonic the hedgehog or a banana or cow like a few of the half marathoners did on Saturday.
I've been trolling thru the photos to find a good one (there was only one to find anyway) but the site has a copy protection on it, so I cant share even with the watermark. I ran with my killer Boston Red Sox army hat (thank you Katie for the sweet purchase) and my old school JL's (must have been pulling some competitiveness from my rowing days).
Lee ran the half marathon while I was doing the 10K and for the first 7.5K the two races merged. Of course my steady turtle pace kept to the left as the sprinters took to the right, well, the left, and it felt like from the top and bottom too! There was a good 5-10minutes of peace before the hoards of marathoners were unleashed on us. I kept looking for Lee to pass as he's a much faster runner than I, but he had started too far back to pass me before the split. Lee finished the half in 2hours and 16 seconds. He’s right on track for the London Marathon – which he’s planning to finish under 4hours. (yes, of course, finish at all!)
I think i'll take a break from running and head back to the gym, the pool, the dance studio, the art studio... anything but! Ill be sure to have the biggest most obnoxious sign for Lee for the marathon though. Cheerleading isnt my thing, but i can sure make a scene when i want to! .....maybe I'll dress up like sonic the hedgehog or a banana or cow like a few of the half marathoners did on Saturday.
HELP SPONSOR LEE!!!!
This is his first attempt at the 26 mile distance. Over the past few months he's been putting in the training miles and will be rigorously training from now until the big event. His aim is to raise a huge amount for the charity CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA and to complete the course in a sub-4 hour time. To achieve the second part of his goal, he will be training 6 days a week.
To fulfill the first part, well that's where you come in!
ANY donations and sponsorships will be much appreciated.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION
Leukaemia is cancer of the blood. It’s not hereditary. You can’t catch it. Yet, alarmingly, leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer.
What started as a small memorial charity is now the UK’s leading charity dedicated to the conquest of childhood leukaemia through pioneering research, new treatments and the support of leukaemia children and their families.
Fifty years ago, leukaemia was a virtual death sentence. Tremendous advances in treatment and care mean that four out of five affected children now survive. However, alarmingly, incidence of leukaemia has also increased steadily during the past fifty years and the treatments, which include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplants, can themselves cause severe problems in the young children whose lives they save.
Thanks to the generous support of the public, many areas of research and treatment are being investigated and progressed. Teams of researchers funded by CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA are working towards the development of more effective, less punishing treatments which will not only drive up the survival rate still further but will reduce the risk of serious side-effects.
CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA is determined to find out more about the causes of childhood leukaemia and through an annual grants programme, project funding is awarded to researchers around the world investigating why children develop leukaemia. While research is the key to protecting future generations, the charity never forgets about the children who are suffering today and what work can be done to ease the burden on children and families who are struggling through the long months and years of treatment. The Paul O’Gorman Patient Hotel at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, one of the recently funded projects, provides accommodation for families who are traveling to and from London for outpatient appointments and helps to avoid the difficulties of attending treatments.
With administration costs kept to a minimum, you can be sure that when you support CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA, your money will be put to good use immediately in the fight to save young lives.
Both Lee and I thank you in advance for your support and kind donations.
XMAS in London
Eating, drinking, more eating, gifts and games...
Here are a few photos of my first Christmas in London...
Tree and gifts:
Xmas meal:
CRANIUM!!!!!:
Thank you Garratty's for hosting a wonderful Christmas and Boxing Day!
Here are a few photos of my first Christmas in London...
Tree and gifts:
Xmas meal:
CRANIUM!!!!!:
Thank you Garratty's for hosting a wonderful Christmas and Boxing Day!
Remembrance Day
Any visitor to London may be confused to see most of the population wearing a paper poppy pinned to their jacket or shirt (even all athletes wear a poppy during games) so i'll explain ... A red poppy is worn during November in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for us during wars (past and present). Today we celebrate Remembrance Sunday (usually the 2nd Sunday in November - nearest to the 11th) while the official Remembrance Day is November 11th. At one time the day was known as Armistice Day and was renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War. On the 11th there will be two minutes silence as there was today at 11am. The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the signing of the Armistice, on 11th November 1918, to signal the end of World War One.
Special services are held at war memorials and churches all over Britain; poppy wreaths are laid at many of the memorials.
Please take 2 min out of your day to bow your head in remembrance of those who died in service.
The TUBE
Today on the freebie newspaper I like to read on my train/tube journey to and fro work, the (London Morning/Evening) Standard, there was a fantastic article on the history of the Tube.
If you are lazy and dont want to click to read the article, or the book the article was based on, The Little Book of London Underground by David Long, here are some fun FACTS for you!
- The Tube dates back to 1863.
- It has about 250 miles of track and 270 stations
- Earls Court station had the first escalator (tested by a one legged man to prove it was safe)
[the escalator's right side finished sooner than the left side as the shunt mechanism ended with a diagonal, which has lead Britians Tube etiquette :: *standing riders stay to the right. walkers take the left side]
- The Circle line was crap back in 1884 and is still crap. (luckily i dont have to take this one!)
- The Northern line has the deepest tunnel and the highest point (this is the line i take!) ... and i take the steps here instead of the creepy cramped elevator. GREAT for the buns :) and the lungs for the morning wake up!
- Harry Beck produced the first rendition of the Tube map (this is a famous graphic diagram!)
- There have been deaths, births, fires, bombings and all sorts of other events in the underground.
- Way too many mice live down there - of course i jinxed it when I said I hadnt seen any since I've moved here....yep, saw 2 just yesterday.
*very important for any visitors to know!
- Also - sorry I havent posted anything in a while. My life became unexciting as my day to day adventures changed from anything to mundane work again - I'm not complaining tho! WOHOOO for work!
If you are lazy and dont want to click to read the article, or the book the article was based on, The Little Book of London Underground by David Long, here are some fun FACTS for you!
- The Tube dates back to 1863.
- It has about 250 miles of track and 270 stations
- Earls Court station had the first escalator (tested by a one legged man to prove it was safe)
[the escalator's right side finished sooner than the left side as the shunt mechanism ended with a diagonal, which has lead Britians Tube etiquette :: *standing riders stay to the right. walkers take the left side]
- The Circle line was crap back in 1884 and is still crap. (luckily i dont have to take this one!)
- The Northern line has the deepest tunnel and the highest point (this is the line i take!) ... and i take the steps here instead of the creepy cramped elevator. GREAT for the buns :) and the lungs for the morning wake up!
- Harry Beck produced the first rendition of the Tube map (this is a famous graphic diagram!)
- There have been deaths, births, fires, bombings and all sorts of other events in the underground.
- Way too many mice live down there - of course i jinxed it when I said I hadnt seen any since I've moved here....yep, saw 2 just yesterday.
*very important for any visitors to know!
- Also - sorry I havent posted anything in a while. My life became unexciting as my day to day adventures changed from anything to mundane work again - I'm not complaining tho! WOHOOO for work!
FIRST STEP TO FAB..
What are the first steps in feeling wonderful? GOOD PRODUCTS. (ok, your right, it's really eating healthy ... start from the inside out, yes? but today, the last of my 20's we're talking outside in.)
2008 i made my first ever New Years resolution list and for the most part i followed everything on that list. I've slacked a bit since my move (i havent had one mani/pedi here yet!) At the top of that life changing list included using better products; hair, face, body - and thanks to Lee for my Aveda gift baggy I can continue my ways of feeling beautiful and as fabulous as i do on the inside!!
now...where's that snickers bar ....
2008 i made my first ever New Years resolution list and for the most part i followed everything on that list. I've slacked a bit since my move (i havent had one mani/pedi here yet!) At the top of that life changing list included using better products; hair, face, body - and thanks to Lee for my Aveda gift baggy I can continue my ways of feeling beautiful and as fabulous as i do on the inside!!
now...where's that snickers bar ....
BOSTON-LONDON in 3 DAYS
I am pretty lucky to have such an awesome sis. To start the month celebrations of my 20's ending Christina flew over to London for a weekend. Yep - just a short Friday - Sunday trip. Here's the low down and a few photos from our adventures!
(if you didnt know yet, anything shown in the text as YELLOW you can click on to read more about that which is highlighted)
FRIDAY
I arrived at the airport just in time to meet Christina already out of the gates! Her flight was early and T5 got her through customs and such in a giffy! (though i heard it took it a while to get there! the first month it was open i heard it was a nightmare!) I would have been there in plenty of time had everything been a normal flight day. 8:45am landing - she would have been out of customs and baggage claims around 9:45am at the earliest! well i was there at 9:15am. Christina had come out at 9:05am. oops. Next time ill get there earlier so we can both enjoy the excitement and big hugs when you walk thru the baggage claim exit and into the arms of the waiting crowds.
Well, OK .. so CHRISTINA IS IN LONDON! WOHOOOO.
We hop on the Tube and head to her hotel the Novotel Tower Bridge - which i HIGHLY recommend - drop the bags and hit a pub for a Full English Breakfast. A full English breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, black pudding (or mushrooms), bacon, baked beans, hash browns, and half a tomato. Though we both chose the mushroom instead of the blood pudding. (eww).
After a quick check into the room we walk over to TOWER OF LONDON where we gooed over the royal crown jewels; the many crowns, the scepters, orbs, swords, rings, spurs, robes dishware and other extremely shiny items connected with the coronation ceremonies and other state functions. All of course displayed in magnificent cases stored in a mega vault. (No photos are allowed here, but alas online you can see lots of photos anyways.. here's on NOT taken by me...
(Christina ready for action!)
The Henry VIII's Dressed to Kill exhibit was FANTASTIC - again no photos were allowed here, however lets just say that a select few of his body armour's were male suggestive - i'll guess these were early forms of the jock strap.
After a quick shower and change we met Lee after work for a few drinks and dinner. First to the NatWest Tower to have a drink at the bar Rhodes24, then to another bar (no idea the name or where it was!) then off to Dim T an Asian fusion restaurant for dinner with a view of the Thames, and Tower Bridge. The food was fantastic - the service awful. I wouldn't even say mediocre, just awful. Dinner took 3 hours - good thing the company was fantastic!
SATURDAY
We wanted to get up and have a full day of touring before meeting Lee's family for dinner in Wimbledon village and friends out in Clapham, so we got up ready to go and double decker tour bus it for the day. Turns out to be the the coldest day of the year so far! We were frozen! We made it one stop when we decided to take the tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theater - another London item i HIGHLY recommend! Christina really wanted to take this tour since 15 years ago when she was here last - it want built! Yes, that's right, it's a replica. But they hold plays here as well - which Lee and I will plan to see one next season (as they shut next week until April...but for the first time this year will be showing plays over Christmas-so this might be an idea).
We spent the rest of the cold afternoon riding on the bus listening to the history from the bus guide - bur more from Lee! The bus tour is a great way to see lots of sections of London (even though they drive by quickly things you might want to look at longer) but at any point you can get off the bus and get on at the same or other spots.
SUNDAY
We slept in. Big time. We needed it. Today was a day of shopping and less tourism. We did end up on Oxford Street - my least favorite shopping area due to the crowds, but Christina was able to score two shirts at the Camdon Town markets and a killer jacket before we had to head to the airport to check her in.
The trip was short but sweet. Next time i'll take Christina outside of London City to see some of the wonders of Greater London.
LOVE YOU SIS!
(if you didnt know yet, anything shown in the text as YELLOW you can click on to read more about that which is highlighted)
FRIDAY
I arrived at the airport just in time to meet Christina already out of the gates! Her flight was early and T5 got her through customs and such in a giffy! (though i heard it took it a while to get there! the first month it was open i heard it was a nightmare!) I would have been there in plenty of time had everything been a normal flight day. 8:45am landing - she would have been out of customs and baggage claims around 9:45am at the earliest! well i was there at 9:15am. Christina had come out at 9:05am. oops. Next time ill get there earlier so we can both enjoy the excitement and big hugs when you walk thru the baggage claim exit and into the arms of the waiting crowds.
Well, OK .. so CHRISTINA IS IN LONDON! WOHOOOO.
We hop on the Tube and head to her hotel the Novotel Tower Bridge - which i HIGHLY recommend - drop the bags and hit a pub for a Full English Breakfast. A full English breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, black pudding (or mushrooms), bacon, baked beans, hash browns, and half a tomato. Though we both chose the mushroom instead of the blood pudding. (eww).
After a quick check into the room we walk over to TOWER OF LONDON where we gooed over the royal crown jewels; the many crowns, the scepters, orbs, swords, rings, spurs, robes dishware and other extremely shiny items connected with the coronation ceremonies and other state functions. All of course displayed in magnificent cases stored in a mega vault. (No photos are allowed here, but alas online you can see lots of photos anyways.. here's on NOT taken by me...
Below are some choice photos of our Tower of London 3 hour tour. (YES...we got the guided tour headset - very educational!)
(see anne's creepy shadow!)
The Henry VIII's Dressed to Kill exhibit was FANTASTIC - again no photos were allowed here, however lets just say that a select few of his body armour's were male suggestive - i'll guess these were early forms of the jock strap.
After a quick shower and change we met Lee after work for a few drinks and dinner. First to the NatWest Tower to have a drink at the bar Rhodes24, then to another bar (no idea the name or where it was!) then off to Dim T an Asian fusion restaurant for dinner with a view of the Thames, and Tower Bridge. The food was fantastic - the service awful. I wouldn't even say mediocre, just awful. Dinner took 3 hours - good thing the company was fantastic!
SATURDAY
We wanted to get up and have a full day of touring before meeting Lee's family for dinner in Wimbledon village and friends out in Clapham, so we got up ready to go and double decker tour bus it for the day. Turns out to be the the coldest day of the year so far! We were frozen! We made it one stop when we decided to take the tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theater - another London item i HIGHLY recommend! Christina really wanted to take this tour since 15 years ago when she was here last - it want built! Yes, that's right, it's a replica. But they hold plays here as well - which Lee and I will plan to see one next season (as they shut next week until April...but for the first time this year will be showing plays over Christmas-so this might be an idea).
We spent the rest of the cold afternoon riding on the bus listening to the history from the bus guide - bur more from Lee! The bus tour is a great way to see lots of sections of London (even though they drive by quickly things you might want to look at longer) but at any point you can get off the bus and get on at the same or other spots.
After a quick nap shower and change we were on the Tube headed to Wimbledon to have drinks/dinner with The Garratty's in Wimbledon Village. After a good fish n chips in the Dog and Fox we headed off to the Goat in Clapham to meet Lee's crowd. THANKS FOR COMING OUT GUYS! - big thanks for Kelly and Jeff for coming so far!!
SUNDAY
We slept in. Big time. We needed it. Today was a day of shopping and less tourism. We did end up on Oxford Street - my least favorite shopping area due to the crowds, but Christina was able to score two shirts at the Camdon Town markets and a killer jacket before we had to head to the airport to check her in.
The trip was short but sweet. Next time i'll take Christina outside of London City to see some of the wonders of Greater London.
LOVE YOU SIS!
BIKE THE THAMES
After weeks of talking about it, the timing yesterday was perfect for an afternoon of cycling the path along the Thames. The weather was wonderful! People were out walking, cycling, having picnics, and just enjoying the perfect afternoon. Starting from the house, we biked to Richmond upon Thames, followed the paths along the river to Hampton Court Palace (see the photo). We'll do the tour of Hampton Court Palace in the winter, but if you can see behind me in this photo how perfect the gardens are...very well kept. All in all i think we biked a little over 15 miles, just a leisurely ride to see the houses and boats along that part of the River. OH..i saw two scullers today! (I haven't been on a very good look out to be honest, nor have I been scouting the River daily for rowers, but non the less, I was happy to see they were out there). The next path we'll do is to walk the 8 miles from the London Eye to Putney (where Lee was born) then the 10 miles from Putney to New Malden. Anyone want to join?
Me outside the back gates of Hampton Court Palace.
We snuck a nap in at the banks (well, Lee napped, I took silly photos)
Cheesy Smile on the Kingston Bridge on our way home.
SHARKS vs WHALES
While there are Great White Sharks off Cape Cod getting tagged, there are Humpback Whales dying in the Thames. Ill be very interested to read the follow up on the cause of the whales death. And ooooooo I would love to see them sharks!!! Dad ... get out on that boat!!
28 ft male
BBC PROMS
In preparation for Lee's Duathlon tomorrow (details and photos on that to come tomorrow!) we are having a very relaxing evening in, watching the last night of the BBC's aunnual Proms. (aka Promenade Concert) Held at the Royal Albert Hall, conducted by David Robertson, this symphony orchestra performance is seen world wide. Are you watching?!
While the Royal Albert Hall is filled with the better dressed - even though there is NO dress code! - for 5pounds you can watch on big screen in parks in Country Down, Glasgow, Swansea and of course London's Hyde Park (Bring your chairs and warm clothes of course!) We of course are cozy at home watching on TV.
I haven't figured out how to put a video on here yet, but click this link below to watch a performance from 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7geFBbda-g
A little history for you; This is the 115th year the concert has run, the first on the 10th of August, 1895.
While the Royal Albert Hall is filled with the better dressed - even though there is NO dress code! - for 5pounds you can watch on big screen in parks in Country Down, Glasgow, Swansea and of course London's Hyde Park (Bring your chairs and warm clothes of course!) We of course are cozy at home watching on TV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7geFBbda-g
A little history for you; This is the 115th year the concert has run, the first on the 10th of August, 1895.
THE ENGLISH WAY
What a wonderful weekend to share!
Lee and I hired a car to go camping in the New Forest National Park this weekend. Home of hundreds of (pregnant) wild horses, cows, deer, small villages, and great bike and walking paths. So Friday afternoon Lee and I packed the car with our tent, sleeping bags, chairs, food for a few days and packs with hiking gear (frustrating for me a bit since all my hiking gear stills sits in my parents basement closet). Two and a bit hours after leaving the house and hitting some traffic we came to the New Forest and found our camp ground for the weekend....ah, but it wouldn't be a good story without a twist here! SOOO .. the one which we were recommended to stay at required each camping group to have their own chemical toilet. Right. So off we went to find a store that bought one (thinking we'd buy one to have with no intentions of using it, return it on the way out or sell it on ebay later maybe for a profit!) Well, of course by this time the stores have shut in the villages, and the camp grounds are starting to fill up quickly (it's school vacation week and there were plenty of campers!) FINALLY after driving around and talking with 3 or so camp grounds, we were told to go to Pondhead Farm. Yep, a farm. A real one too! On the way in there was a very large cow to great us (the same cow who's moo's were very stern and territorial). With no showers and lots of brown patches on the ground to be weary about, we set up camp for two nights.
Our final camp site :: Pondhead Farm.
Night #1.
Rain. Guess what... I dont have ANY rain gear. flip flops; that's about it. BUT, with no lamps or big flashlights (aka torches) when the sun goes down, so do we. With every intention on getting up with the sun and starting our day early to hike several miles of the New Forest we slept as bundled as we could - it was very cold this night #1.
SO. Saturday morning comes and goes. The rooster crows and the angry cow moo's her head off. 9:30am I think we finally got our butts into gear.
Following paths thru trees and wooded areas, thru open fields and rolling hills we hiked about 14 miles when the day was finished. Here are some choice photos...
WILD COWS
WILD HORSES
The super bright caterpillar we made sure crossed the road without getting hit (there were 3 cars that came REALLY close)
Super cool pathway
The old lady walking her dog. Almost everyone we passed had a dog or two with them.
WELL .. it doesnt get more English than Tea and scones, right? Here they call it cream tea. That would be tea. scones. clotted cream (to put on the scones) and jam. Very filling. Very tasty - coming from a coffee person..oh, and I highly dislike jam. eww.
Night #2.
Too tired to stay awake to enjoy the beautiful non-rain weather! We watched the sun go over the farm hill we were staying on and with the daylight gone, so were we. 8:30pm I think!? Mom you would be so proud.
All rested and smelling lovely, we decided to head to the coast to Milford on Sea (aka Gods waiting room) for a run and a dip in the ocean. How people swim in water this cold in beyond me, yet there were plenty of swimmers...I got knee deep-ish and dipped my head. Since the weather was gorgeous we stayed the day on the rocky beaches getting some sun and walking the cliff paths.
Typical beach houses to rent for your day at the beach.
All showered and back to city life, I'm missing that mean old cow...
Night #1.
Rain. Guess what... I dont have ANY rain gear. flip flops; that's about it. BUT, with no lamps or big flashlights (aka torches) when the sun goes down, so do we. With every intention on getting up with the sun and starting our day early to hike several miles of the New Forest we slept as bundled as we could - it was very cold this night #1.
SO. Saturday morning comes and goes. The rooster crows and the angry cow moo's her head off. 9:30am I think we finally got our butts into gear.
Following paths thru trees and wooded areas, thru open fields and rolling hills we hiked about 14 miles when the day was finished. Here are some choice photos...
WILD COWS
WILD HORSES
The super bright caterpillar we made sure crossed the road without getting hit (there were 3 cars that came REALLY close)
Super cool pathway
The old lady walking her dog. Almost everyone we passed had a dog or two with them.
WELL .. it doesnt get more English than Tea and scones, right? Here they call it cream tea. That would be tea. scones. clotted cream (to put on the scones) and jam. Very filling. Very tasty - coming from a coffee person..oh, and I highly dislike jam. eww.
Night #2.
Too tired to stay awake to enjoy the beautiful non-rain weather! We watched the sun go over the farm hill we were staying on and with the daylight gone, so were we. 8:30pm I think!? Mom you would be so proud.
All rested and smelling lovely, we decided to head to the coast to Milford on Sea (aka Gods waiting room) for a run and a dip in the ocean. How people swim in water this cold in beyond me, yet there were plenty of swimmers...I got knee deep-ish and dipped my head. Since the weather was gorgeous we stayed the day on the rocky beaches getting some sun and walking the cliff paths.
Typical beach houses to rent for your day at the beach.
All showered and back to city life, I'm missing that mean old cow...
365
I want to set up a rainy day vs sunny day poll for London. Anyone want to build this for me? I'll keep it up to date. Today = rainy. Tomorrow I'm guessing here, RAIN. This weekend... sunny with some rain. Yeah, I want to set up a 365 day poll and log all the days it rains. OOOOOOOOOOO maybe someone in Sydney (Marco? Andrew?) wants to do the same for Australia. We can compare. Bets anyone? I might even put my money on Sydney raining out London!
EYE
The London EYE ... wow.
I've been told its not scary for those who have a fear of heights (that's me folks) yet I've been duped before....you shall remain nameless you who convinced me to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, telling me it may even help conquer my fear. HAHA, right. By the time the hour tour was finished, I had learned nothing the tour guide said(they give you head phones to listen to the tour guide tell amazing stories of hows it was built and construction quality) and I nearly passed out from shaken so much from the stress of it all. So, it may be a while before I get coerced into taking a ride in this monster. For now, firmly footed on the ground, I'll take photos.
I've been told its not scary for those who have a fear of heights (that's me folks) yet I've been duped before....you shall remain nameless you who convinced me to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, telling me it may even help conquer my fear. HAHA, right. By the time the hour tour was finished, I had learned nothing the tour guide said(they give you head phones to listen to the tour guide tell amazing stories of hows it was built and construction quality) and I nearly passed out from shaken so much from the stress of it all. So, it may be a while before I get coerced into taking a ride in this monster. For now, firmly footed on the ground, I'll take photos.
FEARLESS
I thought the flower eating, garden reducing deer in my Mom's backyard were fearless ... allowing my Mom to come just feet away from them in a fight to save her yard's beauty... but these Shrewsbury, MA deer don't hold a buck to the deer in Richmond Park here in London!
They come right up to the road!! (the speed limit is 20mph and usually cars slow down to a halt to have a look when they are next to the road)
I did NOT use the zoom feature to take this photo. I could have touched one, but chose not too ...
There are around 300 Red Deer and 350 fallow deer in Richmond Park. You can drive the 7mile circle, run, bike, hike, walk, picnic..and dogs are welcome! If the weather ever warms up, we'll have a picnic day .. but for now, we'll run and drive thru.
I did NOT use the zoom feature to take this photo. I could have touched one, but chose not too ...
There are around 300 Red Deer and 350 fallow deer in Richmond Park. You can drive the 7mile circle, run, bike, hike, walk, picnic..and dogs are welcome! If the weather ever warms up, we'll have a picnic day .. but for now, we'll run and drive thru.
DIVING IN...
Well as I dive head first into my UK job hunt ... today Tom Daley, 15 years old, dives in Rome to become the FIRST British diving world champion. Big news over here in the land of Tea and crumpets.
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