The lasts begin

Hi all!

I didn't sleep very well last night but I persisted and had a great day! I packed up a bit more this morning, then set off. 

I decided that today and tmro I was going to walk around to all the most iconic places in London and see them one last time. Firstly I got the tube to Lancaster Gate and walked through Kensington Gardens. The section I saw first was the Italian Gardens that Albert had designed for Victoria in the 1860s. The gardens were so beautiful. Autumn leaves everywhere, and I actually quite liked the grey skies! 

There were people walking and cycling, and I meandered my way to the Serpentine. Each time I arrived somewhere today I would sit and reflect and think about my favourite memory from this year of that place. I sat by the water in Hyde Park and decided my favourite memory there was riding Boris bikes with Jess, Ashlee and some of Jess' friends in the summer. That was so much fun! Today's fun was laughing at the funny squirrels and talking to them. They are so cute!

I next went to the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall. My favourite memories of these two weren't actually this year, but were when I did a tour inside with mum in 2011. 

I then made my way to Harrod's. I had McDonalds for lunch and then headed inside. On the way I checked out the Christmas windows they had - they were beautiful!! Once inside I did something very unusual for me, I bought things! The first was a surprise which I am keeping from my mum, but then I went to the toy section. Here I saw a £20,000 cubby house (what even?!), and a colouring book called 'Colour in Kate' which literally was cartoons of Kate Middleton for kids to colour in. I laughed out loud!! There were lots of amazing toys, and I bought some picture books for my little second cousins for Christmas to do with London (don't tell them though Ian and Robyn!). 

On my way again and I walked back through a different section of Hyde Park. I saw the Winter Wonderland being set up, and had a last look at Speakers' Corner (empty - different to summer!). I then made my way to Oxford Street and had a quick look through Primark, all I bought was a canvas 'London' bag. Yay!

Next up I walked to Buckingham Palace. I sat down and took it in. Best memory here was definitely the day after I arrived to live here when princess Charlotte was born and I saw the easel! I then walked to Westminster Abbey. I didn't go inside, but I did see the field of remembrance for 2015 out the front. Last week they were setting it up, today it was filled with stakes and poppies people had put in. People had written names of relatives who had died, and their names of family members. So I found the man selling them and bought two. I put one up for RD Harris, and one for John Thompson. I hammered them into the ground in the Australian section so they are there surrounded by the names of lots of other Australians. The only bad part was when an Asian man shoved a camera in my face while I was hammering them in the ground. I was a bit tears at this point because the field full of stakes was very powerful, and I wasn't very impressed with him!!!

I kept going to Big Ben (showing Brendon it was the best memory!). Very different to my first day here in March, grey, cold and windy! Lots of scaffolding on the Houses of Parliament now!

I walked along Southbank, my favourite memory there was having frozen yoghurt with mum and dad on the double decker bus the day they arrived in the summer. I walked all the way along past London Dungeons (did that with Brendon, was fun!!) to Waterloo bridge. Here I got my favourite bus, the #76 probably for the last time the whole way. I managed to nab the seat on the top deck above the driver and sat and stared at everything. 

I've booked myself in for the Tower of London tmro. Went five years ago but we were in a rush. Then I'm going to go past a few other places too. 

Jamie came over for a bit tonight. He flies to Melbourne tmro evening from London, can't believe how quickly that has come up! Ash arrives at mine soon for her week here before we fly home together next week. It's all coming up so quickly. Felt a bit emotional today seeing things for the last time, but I know that one day I will be back. For one I need to visit the friends I've made here!!!

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox