I'm so happy to be here :) one and a bit days in and I'm absolutely loving it.
On my last day in Rio Kathrin and I met up and went to Ipanema beach. We hired two chairs and an umbrella and alternated swimming and sitting/minding our belongings. It was quite choppy but I loved it! I realised it's the last time I'll be at a beach and be able to swim until I'm home so I made sure to savour the moment. Then it clouded over so we went and got Açai and said our goodbyes!
Then I had a shower and grabbed my stuff and caught a taxi at 5.30. Went and picked Danton up in Copacabana (I had typed the driver a message in Portuguese so he understood!) and made our way to the airport. It poured with rain on the way! Didn't take as long as we thought so we were a casual 4.5 hours early for our flights - haha!!
We killed time by using the wifi, looking in the shops and having some dinner. We pooled together our remaining money to buy a packet of nerds. Problem was we only had R$14.85 and they cost R$15. This is the equivalent of 6 Aussie cents we were missing. We asked the guy if we could put that on card, then the three of us burst into fits of laughter. In the end he felt sorry for us and let us have them for R$14.85 haha!
Then we sat at Danton's gate. His friend works for United Airlines so he had a cheap ticket that meant he was only on standby. But he was lucky, he got on, and in business class! So we said our goodbyes after a really good couple of hours of chatting and I went to my gate.
My flight was delayed by 40 minutes, then I got in the wrong queue. Then I boarded and a lady was in my seat and got annoyed she had to move, and then the man next to me was huge and took up my armrest and half my foot space! I was off to a goo start!!!! But I managed to sleep 9/12 hours and only woke for food and part of a movie at the end.
Arrived in Frankfurt. When I booked my flights in April last year it made me anxious knowing I had to come back here. My first ever solo travel experience was when I was 18 and I flew to Berlin via Doha and Frankfurt. Long story short there was a massive snow storm, huge delays, my phone was dead and they told me I could lose my luggage. It all turned out ok but was probably the most stressed I've ever been. I walked past the area I spent 6+ hours in last time and couldn't help but laugh. I'm really proud of how much I've matured since that night in December 2010, travel has especially helped with that!!
I accidentally said 'ola' to the German security man who laughed at me and let me through.
Arrived in London and the immigration man said "oh good - a teacher, we need lots of those!" Caught the tube to Green Park where I met Rhi who I am staying with this week. I met her on my Asia tour in January last year and she came to Melbourne last May! We caught a double decker bus to right near her place in Islington and I stayed the night. Her flat she shares with one English girl and one kiwi is really nice!
This morning we got up and left for the day. It was pretty cold but I am absolutely loving it after the disgustingly hot weather in Brazil! I caught the tube to Victoria station with Rhi. She then went to work and I was on my own. So began my huge day of adventure! I walked from the station to Big Ben, had a look around in parliament square at Westminster Abbey as well. I'm so strange. I came here over four years ago now and I can still see the entire city in my head. Not once did I look at a map today, I knew where to go the whole day! Even to the point that I remembered specific places Mum took photos of me. Weird..! At this stage it was cloudy and London was living up to its reputation. However, then I got on the train to Sutton to meet my friend Emily (from the same tour!) and the sun came out. And it stayed out. All. Day. Long! I have brought Rio's sun with me! :)
I caught the train for 25 minutes to Sutton, South of the city to meet Emily and grab the case mum sent over for me full of warm clothes and teaching attire. It was a quick meeting on her way to work, then I went back into the city! For the rest of the day I walked around lugging a 22kg case around. I definitely got my daily exercise today! I walked in the sunshine to Buckingham Palace, down the Mall, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square (which last time was full of scaffolding and fences, all shiny and new now!!), back to Big Ben, past the Eye and along Southbank past St Paul's Cathedral and Shakespeare's Globe to London Bridge tube station. It was funny, I didn't have to ask one person all day to take a photo of me. Every time I stopped people offered! At the station I met my friend James (same tour again in Asia, we had such a nice group!) outside the Shard which is a huge skyscraper that looks like a shard of glass. We had lunch at Pizza Express, was great to catch up!
Afterwards I remembered that our family friend Stephen has just moved from Melbourne to London and lived right near by. So I contacted him and it turned out he lived literally around the corner! We had a coffee and a great catchup, he gave me lots of advice for moving here.
Then I began the journey back to Rhi's. In case you were wondering, the tube is not much fun when you're lugging a 22kg suitcase during peak hour! But I made it on the tube and made it out. Then the fun began, as Rhi's station was closed so I had to get off at Old Street instead. There were no lifts! But a really nice guy about my age helped me with my case, and as it turned out he moved to Melbourne for two years a few years ago! So with his help I made it up the endless stairs and then walked back to Rhi's.
Tonight we had pasta for dinner, I washed every item of clothing I took to South America and organised the new clothes from the case mum sent over into my travelling case. Feeling very organised now :)
I have had an absolutely fantastic first day here. Saw a few good friends, some nice sights and some sunshine! And met some really nice people along the way too. Can't wait for so many more amazing days here!! It does feel strange knowing I have so long here and that I've been here before. I've already done all the main tourist attractions with mum so it's kind of cool being able to wander and not stress about seeing and doing everything.
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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