Yesterday was not forgotten

7 years ago yesterday my dad died. Just over 7 years ago I started posting on TT. 7 years ago all I wanted to do move here, it consumed me and got me through. To be honest, I never thought that I would actually do it.

Once he died I couldn't imagine being away from my mum on his birthday or the day he died (8 days apart). I always made a big deal of making sure that we did something for him to be remembered.

Yesterday (thousands of kms from my mum) I slept in, I had breakfast with 3 fantastic new friends, one of whom is going travelling round Europe for a couple of months and who I'll see in Budapest in 2 weeks time. Then I went and spent the day lying in Hyde Park with a book, dozing on and off. To finish the day, I caught up with some more friends, back to the park and had long lazy conversations about nothing in the sun.

I'm here, I'm doing it. It blows me away how much I've grown in the last 7 years, let alone 5 months. I've lit a candle in every city I've been to for my father because he is the reason that I'm travelling, he instilled me with this curiosity about everything from a young age.

I always worry about whether or not he would be proud of what I'm doing and yesterday he would have been.

That is all.

Paris, Paris, Paris

Two dear Julia’s and one dear Julie have had me curious about Paris for the longest time and being a celebratory weekend could think of no better place to go.

I jumped on the Eurostar at St Pancras after a busy day on Friday. Relaxing beforehand with a cocktail at the Champagne Bar (how stunning is the terminal?!) while chatting with a friend from Aus. Details of the conversation need not be revealed however I’m guessing that she is blushing furiously while reading this.

We arrived at Gare du Nord just after 11pm and then followed the masses out of the station having no idea where I was going but figured that surely I’d land behind someone who knew where they were going. Ended up catching a cab from the station which was a bit surreal – I think the last cab I caught was in NYC before I left, just so I could say I’d been in New York cab (for all of 3 blocks and 20 minutes).

I was very proud of myself when I arrived at the hotel – it had the whole Amelie thing going on, beautiful garden out the back, wonky stairs, quaint nooks in platforms leading off the staircase, shutter/windows that opened onto a tiny street but were also double glazed. Perfect, haphazard little place that I just seem to have a knack finding. Maybe not the kind of place I could recommend work sell in Paris but hey, it was very Meredith. I wandered the streets for awhile, getting those shuddery giggles I get when I’m too carried away and then off to bed.

My weekend starts with gloomy, grey, overcast Paris and finishes with Meredith wind/sunburnt (I manage this everywhere I go).

The Louvre was stunning but how could it possibly not be? I was in within 5 minutes and spent a couple of hours wandering the Denon wing (one of three wings) and saw a smidgen of it. How people go and “see the Louvre” in a day is beyond me. You’d need several breaks, especially from the crowds (we all know that I’m not a crowd person). The ceilings in this place are amazing and chatting with one of the guard dudes turns out he had work at the Vatican museum before moving to the Louvre. Imagine being surrounded by such beautiful things all day, I wonder if it would affect their perception of them.

The Notre Dame was a challenge. I’ve taken to lighting a candle for Geoff in a church in every city I go as it’s his fault that I’m off traipsing the world (well, Europe at the very least) and could think of no better place to do so in Paris. I couldn’t get out of the place fast enough, I got my candles, wandered around, found my perfect spot and just sat and watched and listened and talked. Then it just all became a little too much and had to get out – I blame it on the incense :P

My third major stop of the weekend was of course the Old Lady herself – the Eiffel Tower. Now, you guys will laugh hearing how damn determined I was to get to the top, I was not leaving Paris without going to the top. Well, I left Paris without going to the top. I’m sure I’ve shared the story of me on the rollercoaster’s before so I don’t need to go back there but I must apologise to the girlfriend of the guy I grabbed. I really, really didn’t mean it and I’m sure the fact that I was shaking like a leaf and pale as a ghost must have given you an indication that I wasn’t trying to lure him away. I made it to the second level and had to move around holding onto everything. I’m sure the words “please don’t collapse, I’d rather be in a snake pit than here” gives some indication as to how bloody terrified I was!

Jack had a wonderful time though, especially at the Eiffel Tower. There was a little boy ahead of me in the line who squealed with delight the first time he heard him, was the funniest little thing. A lady in the Louvre also recognised him as a Tasmanian Devil (my proudest moment) and he had his photo take with a man in uniform (and with a gun bigger than in any of the US airports I’ve been to).

I wasn’t disappointed with Paris, not by a long shot but I didn’t leave thinking “wow, I never want to leave”. For the most part I wanted to be home, surrounded by things that I know and my friends. And much more of a desire to be in London that Hobart as much as I miss my beautiful little city.

And finally, my apologies for terrible spelling. Catching up with a mate last night makes my brain a bit slow to work today and spelling errors are the last of my problems!

Miss you all, not homesick but wishing you were here and sharing this with me xx

*photos to come when I've found my cable which could be absolutley anywhere.

Such a Meredith thing to do...

I’m going to the Sziget festival in Budapest in August. It’s being held on an island on the Danube in the middle of the city which I think rocks, plus I’ve made a friend promise to swim in the Danube with me. Mainly I want to see if I have limbs when I get out.

So I’ve been procrastinating (no, really?) about flights, I’ve had my festival ticket for awhile. But I booked my flights today!

I’m flying into Bratislava for a couple of days before the festival, to Budapest for Sziget and then to Vienna to catch a flight home (saving me around £120!). Apparently I’m brave for doing it that way, but hey, I get to see so, so much more and I get a day in Vienna on the way home although I may not be 100% sober.

Enough about flights, the festival. We have The Killers, Sex Pistols, Kaiser Chiefs, REM, Alanis Morrisette, The Presidents of the USA. 7 days of camping with new friends, middle of summer, I’m so looking forward to it.

I know I’m slack not updating this thing, I’m having too much fun I suppose :P

Last weekend I saw The Police in Hyde Park, along with Starsailor and KT Tuntstal. It was unreal, Sting is in stunning form and it was a great concert. This weekend is Fatboy Slim and Sam Sparro in Hyde Park again with a mate. London is the perfect place for a concert junkie!

It's me, again, somewhere.

It seems as though I have been a bad daughter and friend :P With working and pub (which doesn’t totally seem like working until the following morning and I wake up knackered) I just haven’t been inclined with keeping this thing updated. Although I have been following a couple of friends blogs and thinking “Oh, I must do that” but I just don’t. And Jules gave me a kick in arse this morning so here I go.

Last night was the Champions League final in Moscow. I didn’t know this until about mid afternoon and was so glad that I wasn’t working in the pub. Football nights are usually nuts and the games that I’ve seen so far just haven’t been all the enthralling. Until last night.

I popped into the pub on the way home to get my payslip and some food. I could hardly make it through the door! Made my way to the bar and then behind the bar to help the girls clear away all the stuff and then ended up staying. Not that I did a lot of work last night, I ended up sitting with some guys I knew and having a few drinks. I jumped on the Chelsea bandwagon and you guys know what I’m like with bandwagons. There were football facts flying left right and centre and had me thinking “why can’t this be V8s, I know everything about that!”. That said I learnt a lot last night.

It was a good game but went into extra time and penalties which I just cannot handle. No matter what the game is, I cannot handle penalties and always end up panicking. It reminds me of the Mens Hockey gold medal match at the 2000 games and my heart breaking for Brett Livermore when he missed the stroke. Even now the memory of that is gut wrenching. Yes, I’m a pathetic Australian sports addict who just takes it all too seriously.

This weekend is the second May long weekend and I’m so looking forward to it. Not much planned, going out with some friends Friday night, probably gym on Saturday, spa on Sunday which I’m soooooooo looking forward to. Reminisce of my Sundays in Hobart going to the Savoy, with Floss on occasion, and then just chilling out for the rest of the day. I may partake in something touristy, I haven’t taken Jack out for a whirl for awhile however he is keeping Antoinette’s desk happy at the moment. Just wait until he’s let lose on the pigeons outside – actually, no. Going to jail for pigeon slaughter would revoke his visa and I kinda like having him around J

I’ve booked more of my 2p Ryanair flights – this time to Ireland (Shannon anyway) to go drinking with Pattie, a girl who I’ve been working at the pub with and has been entertaining me on my days off. She’s running away to Ireland, decided that London isn’t for her and I will miss her dearly.

Life here is still good. Am still in the hostel, but it’s getting harder as people move on. Not that I want to come home just yet, but it would be nice to go home for a weekend, have dinner with Tobe and Bob, wander around the markets, drinking with the girls, coffee with John and Greta. I have a touch of home next week when some friends arrive before their grand tour of Scandanavia. It will be lovely to see them again.

I’m off into London again, well actually Camden but hey, same difference right? Miss you guys, will talk to most of you soon. I have more photos I have to load, funny Camden folk, random dogs, my tree in Kensington Gardens (seriously, it’s a Meredith tree!!).

xx

Has it really only been 6 weeks?

It feels like I've been here a lifetime.

Proper job is a blast and I feel bad that I don't have more work to do. The pub is fantastic

Today I booked trips for the May bank holiday weekends - a weekend in Oxford and one in Cardiff. £4.50 return. Yes, that's what I thought.

I have bought the cutest pair of black ballet flats with a green bow for £5.

Bit sad this weekend as first London friend is going home. I'm a little bit jealous, I'd love to have a weekend at home and then be back here but a tad far to fly for a weekend! Drinkies this weekend and then she's off early next week.

Not really that much gossip, haven't really been in the mood to write much. Still missing you guys and hope you're well xx

ANZAC Day from afar

Tomorrow morning I'm up at 4am and heading to the pub. That's a good way to start ANZAC day right?!

Am going to the ANZAC Day dawn service at the NZ War Memorial at Hyde Park Corner. I'm guessing that it will be a lot bigger than my usual dawn service at Hobart's cenotaph with a couple hundred people and whalers. Maybe it will be smaller, who knows, I will report back.

Sorting out the "finer details" this afternoon I was asked "Will you have a couple of beers after?" ANZAC Day to my horror (:P) isn't a public holiday here so I can't curl up in bed for the rest of the day. So tomorrow early, early morning will be spent with walking through London in the dark, dawn service, couple of beers and then to work.

Oh, did I mention I'm working tomorrow night?! It's going to be a looooooooooong day!

Warning Ladies and Gents: I'm on a roll!

Last week I was on the tube home when a guy jumped on who I knew. I told myself off because I'd been in London 4 days and didn't know anyone! So I watched him awhile and tried to figure out who he was.

He was an ex. He was exactly an ex. Same build, same height, same receding patches, same hands, same pot belly, same eye colour, same bloody freckle above his collar bone. It was very strange. My delightful mother suggested, when recounting this story a couple of days later, that I lean over and whisper "I know a whole lot about you" but agreed that it wouldn't have been a good idea when I mentioned he was wearing a wedding ring!

This has been happening a lot over here and I'm starting to find it strange. There have been 5 people that I've seen that have English twins. It is the strangest, strangest thing. It's not like you see someone and see a couple of similarities, these are a whole lot of similarities that make you stop and think hold on.

Like a conversation I got into with a couple because I stopped the lady because she was the spitting image of a friend. No, she'd never been to Australia but her husband had. Who went on the tell me that he'd been in Royal Hobart Hospital with a hernia in the late 70's. End of his hippie days he said!

The things you learn!