The sun has come out to play!

The Sun, the hearth of affection and life, pours burning love on the delighted earth.

(Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) French poet and adventurer)

Isn't it amazing what a big difference the sun makes? It is true what they say. The sun has the ability to lift a person's mood and makes them see things in a different light. The past week in London has been great as the sun has finally come out to play. Hooray! Teachers and children at school seem to be happier ( I love it as I am not so cold on the odd occasion that I am on playground duty) and people here in London do actually know how to smile. I am even now brave enough to venture out and not wear any thermals!

The view from my bedroom. The building you can see is the Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre.

It was great while I was in Ireland. Travelling south along the coast for five days was an amazing experience and I highly, highly recommend it. I can guarantee that there will be no regrets. Leaving Dublin we went to Killarney, Dingle, Ennis and Galway and crossed from one side of the country to the other in two hours. Needless to say, all the Australians on the tour were amazed that this was done in such a short period of time. To add to this wonderful experience, the Irish are really friendly and are always happy to share a pint or two with you! I plan to go back to Ireland one day (who wouldn't when it is only an hour flight from London?) and do a tour of the Guinness and Jameson Irish Whiskey Factories.

Welcome to Killarney. From here you can see the highest mountain in Ireland.

The town of Ennis. They make excellent Fish and Chips here.

Me striking a pose by the Dingle Peninsula.

We were glad to see a beach again. Legend has it that if you dip you feet in the water the Atlantic Ocean will take a part of your soul.

Another great view from Dingle.

My next 'fix' of the sun will be in Egypt during the Easter school holidays. Fourteen days of sun will be bloody fantastic! Time to pull out those shorts, sunglasses and hat!

Until my next blog,take care.

Bonjour!

Bonjour and welcome to my first blog as a jet setter from London. In less time than it would take to drive to Canberra from Sydney, my feet landed on Swiss soil-or snow for that matter of fact! I was met by my dad's aunty and over the two days was shown what Geneva has to offer in winter. This place is absolutely amazing and those who have been here will tell you the same. I plan to return here during summer and cruise along the lake and also do a trip to France. Sounds wonderful doesn't it?


The first day was spent exploring the Swiss Alps. This place took my breath away! It was like something out of a fairytale, movie, postcard and the list goes on. The ground so white and the tree branches ever so gently covered in snow. I even saw my first frozen lake. It was a surreal moment. During times like this the cold doesn't really bother me as it is all part of this wonderful experience we call travelling. It was then essential that we head for coffee. The cows in Switzerland sure make good milk! Of course, with good milk, comes great chocolate. I can taste it now. The rich, smooth flavour melting and leaving a sweet taste in my mouth. I have already made batches of cookies with swiss chocolate and they went down like a treat with my house mates.

It was then off to a Medieval town called 'Estavayer-Le-Lac (Le-Lac meaning 'lake'). It just so happened on this day there was a carnival organised by local primary schools. They came out and showed us their costumes and dance moves. There were other bands as well and all the colour and music got my feet tapping! All this dancing called for more coffee and desserts. I had this most amazing hazelnut mousse. It is only made in winter and is like something that I have never tasted before. My taste buds were dancing with joy!

Now, having family all around the world is such an advantage. My dad's aunty works for the United Nations (Yes-you heard right). I was very fortunate to go inside the UN and take some happy snaps.

Wow....what a long and amazing weekend it was. I was back in London on the Monday (where I was greeted with more snow) and went to the work the following day.

When is my next trip? More importantly, those who have a European passport should realise how lucky they are.

The pieces are coming together

Just like a jigsaw puzzle, my life here in London is slowly coming together. In the short time I've been here I have moved into my new home, sold my car, opened a bank account and am getting regular work and earning those pounds. I am on my way to becoming a London-er.

It feels weird to think of what my life back home in Australia was like. One of the obvious things is the weather. I have left a place of shorts, thongs and singlets to a place where layers are required on a daily basis. The only time I wear shorts and T-Shirts are indoors where the house is centrally heated 24/7. Still, I have always been a winter person, and I think this climate suits me.

Another thing I like about London is how central it is. In a few short hours you can be in Spain, Paris, Rome and so many more places. I am going to make the most of my time here and will try to see as much as I can. So far, I have booked a trip to Geneva, Dublin and a big European trip during July and August. Egypt and Turkey are at the back of my mind. London also has a history that is still beyond my imagination. Every corner you take, every building you see, has such a history to it and you can't but be amazed by it. I can just see myself in Big Ben on a weekly basis with a cappuccino in my hand. London also has a fantastic transport system and really there is no need for me to have a car here.

Life here in London is truly amazing. I can say without a doubt that this is the best thing I have done in my life.

The Ten Commandments (of London)

I know I have been only here for less than 24 hours, but I have observed some things in my short stay:

1. Thou shall always remember a scarf, beanie and gloves on thou travels.
2. Thou shall still find it funny and try hard not to laugh when someone slips over on ice.
3. Thou shall think it is funny when told to "Mind the gap" before boarding or exiting the tube.
4. Thou shall live the life of a rat when travelling from station to station underground. It is amazing how people know where to go.
5. Thou shall ALWAYS find Australians no matter where thou is.
6. Thou shall enjoy a pint or two every night.
7. Thou shall try to stay up as late as possible in a different time zone as to not wake up in the wee early hours of the morning.
8. Thou shall learn to appreciate skype when chatting to loved ones back home. It is so cheap.
9. Thou shall always find it amazing that so many people have travelled around London and have a great stories to share.
10. Thou shall always take a tube map and the A to Z Street Directory when taking a tour of London.

G'Day from London!

Eskimo Anthony

I just had to be a tourist during this point in time.

Hi one and all. Currently it's 3am local time and I say jet leg has well and truly set in! I fell asleep early last night and am now wide awake! I have decided to make my way down to the lounge in my hostel (http://www.palmerslodge.co.uk), hop on my new netbook (which has turned out to be a great investment) and do the usual social things like check my Facebook and skype to some familymembers back home.

I arrived here yesterday morning around 7. Our plane could not go all the way in as the snow meant the run way was slippery and we had to be towed in. After what seemed like an eternity we were allowed off the plane and made our way to Customs. Now, if you think you have seen a crowd at the airport back in Sydney, you ain't seen nothin' yet my friend! The traffic came to a halt at Customs and the same announcement repeated itself several times and was starting to get on my nerves. Nevertheless, I got through and caught the shuttle bus to the hostel. Paul,the nice bus driver, gave me a great audio commentary along the way.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the places nearby and trying to balance myself on the slippery ice. Australian clothes don't really stand much of a chance here I think. I also went with Mial (pronounced Me-al with a french accent) to look at the possibilities of finding a place to rent. What you pay for here and what you get are two different things! Public transport here is amazing and puts Sydney to shame.

The night ended with dinner here and two pints which funnily enough went straight to my head.


Going to head off to the shops sometime today (Thursday) and find a good pair of shoes and a nice, long jacket. I will also see the teaching agencies and finalise my paperwork that will allow me to work here. The sooner I start earning the pounds the better!

Now back to this hostel. I must say the room I am sitting in is amazing. It is not only filled with history and charm, but with people from all around the world. I sometimes forget and approach someone, speak to them in English, only to realise that they don't understand. What we lack in language, we gain in understanding. Understanding that all this travelling is a path to self growth and exploration. My room mates so far have been quite nice and as expected they are from all around the world. You have one from France, one from Germany and one from Boston. Okay Okay I guess I should mention the one from Melbourne too. He just doesn't have interesting stories like the other guys do lol

Well, it's time for me to say good night (or morning) and try to get some more sleep. I haven't put a lot of photos on here as it's easy via Facebook.

Cheerio!

'Tis the season to be jolly!

I feel like this bear. Bags ready to go!

Dancing the night away at the Shelbourne Hotel.

Well, what a month it has been for me. This December has been hectic, busy and crazy. Most of it all it has been fun and possibly the best end of year I have had in a while. I have had a nice time with friends at an Italian restaurant followed by delicious (and I do mean DELICIOUS) desserts at Jenny's place where she made tarts, cupcakes and easy peachy. Needless to say everything was decorated in red, white and blue. Friday was the big party as 20 or so of my friends joined me at the Cargo Bar and immersed ourselves in good food and drinks, where some of us then kicked on at the Shelbourne Hotel and displayed some serious dance moves. Yesterday, I had lunch by a lake with some friends that I have known since high school. The breeze was really perfect. To top it off, some work friends and I ventured out into town today and had lunch at Cafe Sydney where we drank expensive wine from a magnum sized bottle (1.5 litres) while overlooking Sydney Harbour. What a week it has been! What's in store? Coffee with some friends over the next week or so and packing in between. I guess I should start soon....

I must say while this partying has been slightly taxing on the body, it has been awesome! Never have I felt so supported by my close peers and family. To all my friends I must say a big heart-felt "Thank you". I also bid you farewell for now and hope to put up my first post from Old London Town very soon.

Please, Sir, can I have some more?

Okay, I have just over a month to go and have given more thought as to what I should and should not take. Now, after seven years of teaching I have accumulated so many teaching resources and so much junk (the teachers out there will know EXACTLY what I mean) and somehow have managed to sort through and pick out a few items I will need to take with me to get me started. Let me tell you, this was not an easy process! Now it is about 3 kilograms. A folder with some BLMs, some maths texts, some literacy worksheets, craft activities, music and a book full of outdoor activities just to get me started. Kicking a ball in the freezing cold should be interesting.

Sometimes I wish I could ask for more luggage allowance and say, "Please, Sir, can I have some more?" Realistically though, I don't want to be dragging heaps of work things. There needs to be room for all the fun things and souvenirs! Okay, now all that awaits is cleaning out my study and classroom. Any volunteers?