Week 5 in London

Week 5: 4-10 May 2015

We started the week with a bank holiday, and contrary to popular belief, London does actually bask in occasional sunshine and Monday was a perfect example. Brendan managed to break or fracture his toe/toes/foot (we aren’t quite sure because we haven’t investigated any further) and has been limping ever since. Our new flatmates Michelle and Nathan then arrived to move in about an hour later. The 4 of us went along to the Campo Viejo Streets of Spain festival, set in a prime riverside location on the banks of the River Thames.

Now that we actually had an address to receive mail at, we also received our first parcel from Australia – belated Easter eggs along with an early birthday present for Roslyn, tickets to Taylor Swift at Hyde Park.

Being now 2 months since departing Australia, Brendan had his first UK haircut although kept it a little longer than usual given that we aren’t exactly in the midst of summer just yet.

Following a short working week, on Saturday we ticked another stereotypical tourist activity off our list, and went to the Abbey Road crossing, made famous by The Beatles. We also found out that the Abbey Road Studios have a live webcam (http://www.abbeyroad.com/Crossing), and so were able to be seen by our families back home for the first time in 2 months. Later, we went across to The London Dungeon, an indoor walkthrough experience that recreates and explains various events from London’s sinister past in a humorous style. After that, we went to another Aussies in London drinks event, and the rest of the evening became a bit hazy for one of us…

The next day, we journeyed to North Greenwich, an area under extensive redevelopment that looks like it will become a modern, vibrant district once fully completed. We were greeted with the Urban Village Fete, a “contemporary twist on the traditional village fair”. We walked/limped a little further to the Emirates Air Line, a cable car crossing the River Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks.

Highlights for the week:

- Monday Bank Holiday

- Brendan broke/fractured his toe/toes/foot

- New housemates moved in

- Campo Viejo Streets of Spain festival

- Received a parcel from Australia

- Brendan’s first London haircut

- Abbey Road crossing and webcam to Australia

- The London Dungeon

- Aussies in London drinks

- Breakfast at The Breakfast Club

- Urban Village Fete at North Greenwich

- Emirates Air Line across the River Thames

(PS it was Brendan who went overboard at the drinks)