Asia Reunion and Clavering

Hello all!

So last night I was out for my Asia reunion and then switching houses, so here's two days worth of blog for you :)

Yesterday Rhi and I had a bit of a lie in and then headed into town! I was once again lugging a suitcase around as at the end of the day I was switching locations to my friend Jo's place. 

Firstly we walked to King's Cross Station. When mum and I were here four years ago we searched high and low here for the Harry Potter trolley between platforms 9 and 10. For those who aren't fans, Harry and all the other wizards and witches are required to run through the wall between these two platforms to get to platform 9 and 3/4 which is where the Hogwarts Express (the train to their school!) departs. Unfortunately last time we were here it was another of the 892353392751 things under repair in preparation for the Olympics so I was shattered and couldn't get my photo taken. But yesterday the trolley was well and truly open! They've actually moved it so it's now not even near the platforms but is instead right near the main entrance and a Harry Potter shop. Rhi took my photo and I took hers, it looks as if you are running through the platform. Childhood dream - tick!! Hehe. The queue took about twenty minutes. I hate to think what it's like in summer!

Next we caught the tube to Waterloo. I've now reaggravated my shoulder because I had to lug my case up and down so many flights of stairs. Some tube stations are really well designed for prams and disabled people but some are not. Unfortunately we hit the parts that were not. But eventually we made it to Waterloo and I left my case in the left luggage office. 

We set off for a day of exploration before meeting the others. It was once again stunning and sunny! We walked to the weekend food market at Southbank. Rhi had some pasta and I had a pork sausage in a roll with pickles and sauce. Yum yum yum. Because it was sunny everyone here has gone a little crazy. It was only a top of 13-14 but there were people out in singlets, shorts etc and ice cream vans everywhere! We enjoyed our lunch and then went for a huge walk!

We walked along Southbank passing various interesting buskers such as a man playing a tuba which puffed fire out the top, and a man trying to beat the world record for most consecutive squat thrusts. It was an entirely different vibe to the Southbank I had gone through on Monday when going to meet James for lunch. People EVERYWHERE! So much so that at some parts you had to queue to get through because there was a huge bottleneck. 

We walked all the way down to tower bridge which we walked across. Just before this we enjoyed an ice cream. I spilled half mine on my coat and Rhi and I laughed so hard we just about wet ourselves! Coat is all clean again now though. Rhi walked me over to St Katherine's docks which was a lovely area that reminded me of lots of other places in Europe like Amsterdam or Germany. Then we headed back along Southbank and met her friend Ellie. 

Ellie is in the same circle of friends as Rachel (who we went to dinner with Tuesday) is. The three of us went and had a drink at a cafe. Rhi and I ordered lemonade and they were absolutely terrible! I think they forgot the sugar haha. 

Then we walked to Waterloo to meet the others from the Asia tour under the giant clock. This made me laugh as at home I always tell people to meet me under the clocks at Flinders Street station. In fact when Rhi, Jo and Lou were in Melbourne last May that's where I met them in the city!

So there we met Jo, Becky and Lou. We really were very lucky with our Asia group. I met all of these girls in January last year when we did 4-5 weeks in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Becky I hadn't seen since the tour, Jo I had seen last May in Melbourne and Lou and Emily (who met us at the pub with her boyfriend) I hadn't seen since November when they stayed with us in November. 

We went out to a couple of pubs and had a really great catch up, there's a photo of us all attached. I made them all laugh when within five minutes at the first pub I had gone up to a man wearing a Geelong top and said "go pies", and then continued to have a twenty minute conversation with four guys probably between 50-60 about AFL. How good it was to have a proper AFL chat with someone in person!! :)

After our night out, Jo and I got my case and headed to Liverpool St Station where we caught a train for 45 minutes towards Stanstead airport. My stupid railcard still hasn't arrived in the mail so I am still paying full fare, never mind. Christ transport is expensive here though. I have now spent $100 Aussie on rust my Oyster card this week. Eeeeek!!

Jo lives in the country in town called Clavering (where Jamie Elliot grew up!) with her boyfriend Blake who she met when she continued travelling after we met last year. He's from Wollongong in Australia. They live together in a little barn in the middle of a field, their place is really cute! I am crashing on the fold out sofa bed until Friday. I'm using it as an opportunity to see some of the country, see Cambridge and then chill out for a couple of days. I am currently incredibly run down and need a rest before Dublin for St Pat's!

Today we had a lie in and then drove to Jo's parents' place in a town nearby called Saffron Waldon. We then took their dog for a walk around town through some parks, near a duck pond and past an old stately home called Aubley End. It was a lovely walk in the sun! Then we went to a pub called the Crown and Thistle in a town called Great Chesterford. I had roast beef with veggies, Yorkshire pud and lots of gravy. It was AMAZING! A typical cute little English country pub too - loved it. Finally we had tea and biscuits at Jo's parents' place and then headed back to Jo and Blake's for a nap. I've just woken up and soon we are having cheese, ham and biscuits for dinner. 

It's really nice here and I'm looking forward to a few chill days :)

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox