VINCENT ON THE MOVE

A very exciting day began with an early start at Matt and Kelly’s getting ourselves packed up to travel to Leatherhead to meet Vincent, Dave and Lauren.  It was also an exciting day for the flat as new windows were to be fitted, another major job in the renovation.  The cats were on edge as the workmen began to make a lot of sawing and hammering noises that sounded like they were knocking out more than a couple of windows.  We left about 11.30 and managed a fairly smooth run on the trains to arrive at our destination just before 1.

Soon after Vincent came along to pick us up.  We had a final run down on him, hope we remember it all, and sorted out the business side of things and then went off to lunch. Dave had done a service on him and got him in tip top order for our first trip in him. We had another great couple of hours with Dave and Lauren over a delicious meal at The Plough. It was then time to drop them back to their accommodation and make our way back to Maggy and Grahams.  It was a perfect photo moment, our first and Dave and Laurens last time with Vincent.  I am sure our new friends were very sad to see him go but with darkness falling we had to venture out into the big wide world.  More hugs all round, I think Dave would have hugged Vincent if he had arms long enough.

So started a rather long journey across to the other side of London.  We managed to get easily to the first petrol station to give Vincent a little drink and then with only one little detour and one stalling of the engine across two lanes and an awful lot of beeping I presume was directed at me, sorry Vince, we  headed on to the M25. Within a few short moments it was down to a crawl, 1st gear most of the time for about an hour and then we managed to get a clear run giving Vincent his head to take us safely along the route home.  Georgia is an excellent navigator, thank goodness, so we arrived without further incident, very pleased to see the welcoming Christmas lights at The Bells.  Our journey had been made rather more interesting by constant rain, our first in our time here so can’t complain.  Maggy and Graham had a quick look in the dark and wet and were suitably impressed by out new addition to the family.  In the next week or so we will sort him all out and work out what we need to make him our new home.

It is with some pride that we can add that he is considered a “Classic Vehicle”.  Mikayla has always wanted to own a Classic and now we do.  It is really great to have a man in the family, hasn’t happened for quite a while now.  We will treat him well and hopefully he will look after us on our travels.

HARRY POTTER WORLD

I wish I was a witch! As huge fans of the Harry Potter novels and movie series, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Harry Potter World, was a highly anticipated part of our London experience. And it did not disappoint!

Maggy gave us her car again (and some hand written directions) and we made the trip to Watford. We were greeted by the enormous wizards chess pieces from, The Philosophers Stone, and upon picking up our tickets entered a world of magic and wonder. After a quick lunch to pass the time (the cafe could have really gone to town with dish names the Weasley Twins would have been proud of, but was just like every other cafe) before our tour started, we joined the line to start our magical adventure.

First was a quick run down of how J.K. Rowling’s novels were discovered and the process of making them into a film series. Then on into a movie theater for a quick run through the highlights of all 7 movies. They joked about it being all 7 movies in full, back to back. I would have been fine with that! After this the screen was pulled up to reveal the entrance to the great hall. Amazing! Even more amazing was what we saw when the ornate doors were opened.

The great hall was all decorated for Christmas. The Christmas banquet was laid out along the table that runs the length of the room. The Christmas trees were complete with witches on broomsticks flying around the top and beautifully decorated. The robes of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and our personal favourite Gryffindor were on display with the house crest. With these were the uniform worn by Robert Pattinson, as Cedric Diggory, during the Triwizard Tournament, The dress robes worn by Cho Chang, Neville Longbottom’s cardigan and Harry’s Gryffindor gear! At the teachers table stood Snape, McGonagall, Filch, Trelawney, Flitwick, Mad Eye Moody and most noticeably Hagrid. Most notably Professor Dumbledore stands front and center. 

Time in this room is limited as there are tour groups sent through on a regular basis but after leaving the great hall our time was our own. As you will see from our photo’s there is so much to see whilst walking through each studio and set. I don’t think you would be able to see absolutely everything in one trip. It is all done in so much detail and we discovered things that you would never pick out just by watching the movie. It’s even hard to pick out highlights because it is all so interesting and astounding but I will try.

For me the costumes, make up artistry and wigs were outstanding. As were the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore’s office and, I hate to say it but, Umbridge’s office in the Ministry of Magic. In my defense, it is pink!, The Burrow (The Weasley’s Home) is absolutely my favourite set in the movie, novels and now in person in the studio. The clock on the wall with the whereabouts of family members, the self knitting needles and the self washing dishes are incredible. I wish all dishes washed themselves! The potions classroom in the dungeons is fantastic too, every bottle has a different potion or ingredient on the label and the potions stir themselves.

We got to ride a broomstick while wearing a Gryffindor robe (sit on a broomstick and pretend to ride it while watching ourselves on a computer generated background). And did the same in Arthur Weasley’s magical Ford Anglia. In an outside set we had photos in the car, on the knight bus, riding Hagrid’s motorcycle, at the door of number 4 Privet Drive, and at the gate of the Potters’ cottage in Godric’s Hollow. We even tried butterbeer! Mikayla and I thought it was delicious, although very sweet and one glass was more than enough. Mum had tried it before and already knew it was way too sweet for her!

All this was finished off with the castle room. I can’t even explain just how amazing the model of the castle is but breathtaking and spectacular are a good start. It is cast in daylight and night time intermittently and at the moment is dusted with snow for Christmas. Absolutely stunning!!

Four hours and 516 photos later we had seen Harry Potter World, and already wanted to go through and do it all again! We survived the shop unscathed, i.e. didn’t buy anything, and headed out into the freezing cold to start our journey home. And boy was it a trek!! We started on the M25 and and were going quite well until about 4 miles from the exit we needed to take onto the A12. We hit traffic. London traffic that is a million times worse than Perth traffic (yes, yes it is possible). Stop start all the way to the exit and this continued along the A12. Suddenly we heard sirens behind us and everyone moved to the side to create a third lane through the middle of the two lane road. Five ambulances, five fire engines and three police cars went through and traffic stopped completely, we thought it must have been a huge crash and hoped no one was hurt.

When traffic had been stopped for quite a while mum decided it was time to turn off the engine, as did everyone in the jam. One girl even jumped out of her car to retrieve a sleeping bag from her car boot, she obviously knows London traffic and came prepared. Mum was very tired and finding it hard to stay awake so we encouraged her to have a sleep while we kept an eye out to wake her up when the traffic started moving. Mikayla and I took turns holding her head up and comfortable while she slept for about an hour. Yes you read that correctly, one hour asleep in the drivers seat on a major road! Crazy! We eventually arrived home to Maggy and Graham’s after a one and a half hour trip that ended up taking four! All in all Harry Potter World was very much worth it!

Lords and Commons

Another amazing day planned by Matt and Kelly began with a delicious gourmet brunch prepared by Matt of scrambled egg with smoked salmon on a bagel.  Absolutely devine and just the right start to another busy day.  We headed off to the Houses of Parliament on a tour.  This was another thing that even Matt and Kelly hadn’t done since they were at school so interesting for us all. As you are all probably aware, and as the song tells us, this is the building that includes Big Ben which is in fact Elizabeth Tower.  The oldest part of the structure is Westminster Hall built in 1037, can you believe how old that is.  The rest of the building has been added over the centuries, burnt down and rebuilt again.  The House of Lords is elaborately decorated with extraordinary detail and is just beautiful.  Very interesting to hear of all the pomp and ceremony involved and about all the works of art including magnificent murals, oil paintings, sculptures and particularly amazing stained glass windows and the architecture and its designers.  In contrast the House of Commons is quite simple and plane and functional.  A really well worth doing tour that we all enjoyed.  Having made our way home we were treated to our usual magnificent view of London from the flat.  Another amazing day comes to an end.

TOWER TRIP

We had another round of croissants to start an amazing day full to the brim.  A quick walk down the hill and dash for the train had us on our way to Tower Bridge.  We disembarked at a station on the opposite side of Tower Bridge to the Tower of London and strolled, that is Matt’s and Kelly’s pace, more a brisk walk for the short legged girls, kidding, across the bridge taking in the amazing view of the Thames.  The  river is remarkable clean, something that has been worked on in recent years to great success. Matt explained one of the really simple ideas that has been very effective, a floating yet submerged 3 sided barge.  It is moored to the river bed and changes direction with the tide and catches any debris passing its way.  This is cleared regularly and is very effective.  No moving parts, no mechanics or power source, perfect. I had not realised that the Thames had such a large tide, yet to see it at high tide.

We then entered the Tower of London for a trip back in time.  Such a gruesome history of torture and death.  Those held at the tower carved their messages of protest, innocence and desolation into the walls that have stood so long,  quite a moving element of the history of this monument to lost souls.  There is so much to see in these cloistered walls. From armour for both human, adult and child, and horse.  Life size models of the horses of the kings in all their finery complete with swords and weapons.  The life like sculptures in different elements of stone and steel wire of the animals of the Tower, gifts from nations around the world to the ruling monarch.  The torture chamber with its rack and also a cruel steel circular band folding the body in 3, apparently the most torturous of all devices.  The church above many of those losing their lives.  The spiral staircases to hidden rooms housing the accused.  The Beefeaters, those honoured service men who finish their career working in this privilaged position and living in the private quarters within the Tower.

But above all these things of interest this is also the place protecting the Crown Jewels within the huge steel vault doors.  Being 3 girls I think this was the building of most interest to us.  What spectacular beauty, huge diamonds and precious gems beyond a girls wildest dreams.  Gold goblets, chalices, scepters, vessels, statues and objects of sheer beauty in solid gold, all just a few steps away.  So close and yet so far.  We lingered and dreamed and then grieved as we had to leave the glow and shimmer of the largest diamond in the world and more bling than one will see for quite some time.  Such beauty!!!

After a light snack, I had ice cream, I know ‘has she lost her mind’, lovely to eat but not to be cold on the inside as well as the outside, we moved on to the transport system to make our way  to meet Matt’s sister Chloe and her boyfriend Rupert for dinner. On our journey we stopped off to do a little shopping along Oxford Street, bling and shops in one day, what more can we ask for. It was lovely to be welcomed by another member of the family and introduce the girls to another cousin.  I mentioned to Chloe that I still had a letter she had written to the girls when she was about 10ish that comprised stamps instead of words.  She explained that she still has some of these stamps and still uses them in her work.  Chloe is an artist specialising in paper cuts and print making and carving out a business using her exceptional skills.  You can see her work on her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Papercuts-by-Chlo%C3%AB/222205947814121 or http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/partners/papercutsbychloe/products share and like it guys! On the side she is a teacher at a boys school, lucky boys. She is such a pretty girl full of fun and I am sure she has many young admires. The obligatory stories of foil and cream cheese set the evening off to a good laugh.

After dinner another jaunt through the streets of London off to the Natural History Museum.  As we approached on foot a stunning massive building bathed in pink light greeted us. This is the most beautiful building I have yet to see. Lovely gardens surround this amazing place and as we climbed the grand steps at the entry one gets their first glimpse of the detail of every aspect of this building. Every column, every flat surface, every frame within your view is carved and decorated with perhaps a shell or a monkey or a vine or any other elaborate work you can think of.  The whole experience just makes me think ‘detail’.  Apart from the actual structure there is the contents of the museum and on this occasion we experienced the dinosaur section and the mammals.  Both are exceptional displays with moving realistic dinosaurs to huge whale.  Don’t worry my Aussie friends I did mention our own Whale World in Albany and reminded anyone who would listen of the oldest dinosaur fossils in the world being in our own backyard. This was a special opening of the museum in the evening which involved the central hall being filled with a concert, food and wine, and also a special photography display that Chloe and Rupert had tickets to see.  Everywhere very busy and soon feeling exhausted so headed for home. Will return one day soon to explore this amazing place a little more, not sure you could ever see everything.  Even the locals enjoyed the journey of this day as it had been a long time since they had experienced the Tower and the museum.

PALACE PASSOUT.

We hit the ground running on day two and headed straight for Buckingham Palace. Lizzie had invited us over for brunch. Kidding! This was also our first time in the center of London and we took the train to Victoria and walked along past The Royal Mews (from which transportation for The Queen and members of the Royal Family are provided) to find a good spot along the fence at 11am to watch the 11:30am changing of the guard (Changing the Guard or Guard Mounting). It was so busy we were lucky to get a “front row” spot. First thing was first, the flag on top of Buckingham Palace was flying, The Queen was home. Unfortunately, though her waving skills are second to none, we didn’t get a wave but realise she is a very busy lady!

For about half an hour we watched the guards to be replaced stand guard and pace intermittently. Four guards (or sentries) were visible to us, two standing each side of the two large archways at the front of the palace (another sign that The Queen is in residence). These guards are professional infantry soldiers from the British Army who also serve around the world. Their guns are huge, the shooting type, couldn’t see their arms! And their presentation is immaculate, and as we soon discovered, making sure everything is perfect is part of the process. Next came a group of about 8 soldiers (should have counted) from a side building located inside the fence, I assume they had come from other posts inside the grounds or other barracks, but this may not be correct. They stood being looked over and every now and again reshuffled into line or position. Looking back over our shoulders we could also see the bearskin caps of the next soldiers to be on duty in the distance, all lined up ready to march from Wellington Barracks to Buckingham Palace. There was the sounds of drums too. When the new sentries marched over to the palace they were accompanied by the Guards Band who play music from traditional military marches, popular plays and musicals and even some pop songs. Today it sounds like the military kind. They positioned in front of the palace and did a bit more checking and reshuffling.

We didn’t see much more than that…I was standing right at the fence (with the camera) with Mikayla slightly behind my left shoulder and mum standing behind her, Matt and Kelly were standing back. It was quite crowded and people kept reaching over us to get a good photo and a better view. Some were even filming the ceremony and watching the whole thing through their cameras. Talk about experiencing the moment! You may infer as to what happened next from the title of this post. Suddenly I felt Mikayla lean heavily onto my shoulder with her head and then push forward. I turned around expecting to see someone pushing her but watched as Mikayla continued to head downwards. Mum said that she initially thought Mikayla was bending down as if to look through the bars to get a better view but then she just kept going, crumpling at the knees. Mum caught her on the way down as she rolled down onto her back unconscious. Once on the ground she was only out for a few seconds and everyone had sprung into action. She woke to lots of faces looking down at her, a German couple next to us had quickly grabbed her legs to elevate them and Mum was holding her head. Matt and Kelly said they saw a commotion before realising it was Mikayla and rushing over. And a doctor with a baby strapped to her chest came to us to offer her help.

Needless to say Changing the Guards was the last thing on our minds but when she came round we walked Mikayla out of the crowd to sit on a curb and get some air. Much like when I pass out, Mikayla felt absolutely fine afterwards and said she didn’t really feel that bad before, just a bit hot and dizzy. It was the first time she’s ever passed out so she didn’t know what was happening. We were surprised it was Mikayla too as it’s usually me that ends up on the floor, as my friends from uni will know! It was then time to get some food into us before setting off again.

We walked past Westminster Abbey that we will visit soon. Saw the statues of famous and influential people in Parliament Square and the Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) then continued on past 10 Downing Street to the Horse Guards Parade where we saw a WHOLE Changing of the Horse Guards! Unfortunately at this point the camera ran out of space so I miss some shots that could have been great. Photos went from this…

to this…

Oh well! we did get this one!

We got our obligatory London telephone box photos!

And I found my initials (I wish, actually this is for George Rex, Rex for male ruler) funnily enough Mums initials CR are likely to be next!

We also walked through Trafalgar Square and had a quick look around the National Gallery where we saw paintings by Monét and Van Gogh. Before walking across Hungerford Bridge to a beautiful Christmas Market on The Thames where we had yummy hot chocolates (white for me, raspberry for Mum, caramel for Mikayla and chocolate for Kelly) before heading to dinner. We went to a pop up place just near Gypsy Hill train station that make their own beer and ciders. On Thursday and Sundays they have burgers on offer cooked by the barman who once worked in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen. We had delicious American style burgers (don’t hate me Loz) and I’m so glad Matt took us there because there’s a chance it will only be around for a few months. Another early night followed ready to do Tower of London the next day…

AIRPORT.

Over the next year or so we will use this space to update you of our travels. Will write a bit more about our preparation for this trip soon but for now we thought we’d get something on here.

Our last hour and a half in Perth was spent with our best friends. Ellen and Shauna came to see me off and I just felt neutral, the excitement of going away was cancelled out by the sadness at leaving my best friends for just over a year. Mikayla spent the time with Zeena, Rory and Sheridan and Mum spent the time with Marilyn and Michelle. We were so sad to say goodbye when the time finally came and there were lots of tears. When we went through the departure gate we realised there was a bit more to do than just get on the plane so forms were filled out, hand luggage was scanned and toilet trips were made in a mad rush before making it onto the plane on time.

During our flights from Perth to London we gained a few funny stories to tell. We flew from Perth to Denpasar (Bali), Bali to KL, then KL to Heathrow London. When getting off the plane in Bali we thought we were organised with all our hand luggage (3 large hand luggage, 1 backpack, and 2 handbags). Half way up into the airport we realised that we had left our coats in the overhead compartments on the plane so Mum had to rush back to retrieve them! She wasn’t allowed back on the plane so the flight attendants had to go and find them, when giving them to Mum gave her a look that said “why on earth do you need coats in Bali??” It was boiling! So humid and we had to pick up our luggage and drag it through the airport to check it in with a different airline. Tip: when transiting through Denpasar airport (if you ever have the need) make sure you have enough cash to pay visa and airport taxes.

Short flight to KL and then we started the 13 hours to London. This flight was on a Boeing A380 and actually quite comfortable. Even thought the flight left at 11:50pm we were quite hungry and waiting for food before trying to sleep. About an hour into the flight we decided they must not be providing food until breakfast time so we took our sleeping pills. Literally just as we swallowed our sleeping pill they started serving food. I went into panic mode and had to be reassured by mum that they wouldn’t work straight away and we would be able to eat. Eating was uneventful until Mum started talking gibberish… She’d finished eating the main, savory, part of her meal and salad and was starting on her extras. She turned to me and said something I couldn’t quite understand, after asking her to repeat a couple of times I gave up and though she must be falling asleep. But, she continued to try to eat sitting hunched over and eyes pretty much closed. We had a small sachet of creamed cheese (about the size of a butter sachet) and she picked it up and examined it as you would something small in the light, opened it and then started dipping her fork in it, swirling it around her salad bowl (that was empty), then eating it. She did this a few times and then just as the flight attendant was about to collect the trays she picked up her scrunched up piece of foil that had covered her meal, looked at it then stuck it in her mouth to eat it. When I noticed she was sucking on the foil I had to pull it out of her hands with a “no Mum” and she turned to look at me as if to say “why not?” All the while I watched laughing, and then told mum the story when we all woke up about 5 hours later, very funny!

After arriving in London we changed into our thermals and warmest clothes to brave the freezing cold weather! Our cousins Matt and Kelly met us at the airport and it was then time to brave the tube…