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It was time for another amazing Ploughman's lunch at the Mayfly and we saw these cute little ducklings floating by. See if you can spot the trout...! Theatre, food and great friends = springtime London fun!
Never mind that a weekend in London with my Mum cost the same as a long weekend in Europe - it's kind of what you expect anyway - and besides, we had a great time enjoying the marathon vibe and St Georges celebrations last weekend.
Lovely hotel in Kensington with a pool, so I even managed an early Sunday morning swim, excellent seats at Jersey Boys with snacks and drinks delivered to us during the interval and fab food at the Churchill Arms, said to be Churchill's Grandfather's local pub. I don't believe in doing things by halves! So the great thing about working in London is... all the cool things you get to do after a hard day in the office. On Thursday I went to a cocktail masterclass at the Mixology Studio in Shoreditch. We made (and drank) several (Expresso Martini, Singapore Sling, Sex on the Beach and Tequila Sunrise) whilst nibbling on antipasti, before making the ultimate - the Zombie - and having a go at a team effort in the final challenge. All good fun with a little history to boot! Pictured below is the Zombie cocktail said to have more rum in it than a pirate ship. The best bit is when you light the lime and sprinkle cinnamon on it. The sparks are amazing! The fruity taste smooths over the high alcoholic content, making it deadly. And now, having made (and sampled) it myself, I know what Billy Connolly is talking about, when he advised his audience during his An Audience With... show back in the 80s, to try the Zombie because it's "an extraordinary concept; [the consumer gets] drunk from the bottom-up" !!!
I had a private tour and reception of the RGS in London on Thursday evening with my new employment. It was a fascinating couple of hours looking at the World's oldest atlas (I am totally geeked out on this!) and enjoying the Shackleton centenary exhibition coupled with a sneak peak of a specially curated display of Antarctic archival material.
I thought I had preparing for a trip - whether big or small - down to a fine art, but on my recent month long visit to Canada in September, I forgot to pack a couple of things. This is so unlike me, I was pretty annoyed with myself. I know you can pick up most items in another Western country (and in most other countries too, although it might take you a little longer to find what you need), but I'm used to being super organised. I guess I just got complacent!
Here's an insight into my preparation checklist: 1) What does the Foreign Office Advice website say about my intended destination/s? 2) Is my passport in date? 3) Do I need visas? 4) Is my travel insurance in date? If I'm travelling to Europe, is my European Health Insurance Card in date? 5) Do I need any of my own medication? I have stand by pills for Vertigo for example. 6) Are my vaccinations up-to-date? Do I need any new jabs? Check Fit for travel website. Book in with the travel clinic if necessary. Do I need anti-malarial medication? Get private prescription for Malerone. 7) What flights are available? How will my ticket be issued? Can I check in online 24 hours before departure? 8) How am I getting to the airport? Can I book my RailAir ticket / taxi now? 9) Can I get the currency in the UK before travel? If yes, check Travelex, Post Office and Marks and Spencer to compare rates. 10) Do I need to pre book hotels? 11) Do I need to pre book any activities? 12) How should I divvy up my spending money - airport transfers, other transport, meals, excursions... Do I take a mixture of cash and cards? Are ATMs available? Do they charge a horrific percentage? 13) What apps do I need to download on my phone? Should I get a local sim card? 14) I get my luggage out at this point, lay it out in the spare bedroom and start dumping stuff in and around it as and when I think of something to pack... Does it fit the airline requirements? 15) Check on clothes / shoes / toiletries / camera gear / travel adapter / lock / money belt / any techy equipment / chargers / books / journal / credit and debit cards / travel money cards / first aid kit... 16) Take photocopies of your passport page, flight tickets, visas and travel insurance and leave with loved ones. Give them a rough idea of your itinerary too and where you'll be, when. 17) Am I making my own way to the hotel once I land at my destination? Explore transport options. 18) Start packing, going through every item - do I really need it? Have I missed anything? Am I carrying anything that could be banned? 19) Once packed, two final things I do - fill out luggage tags and attach them and lock my main suitcase 20) GO AND ENJOY MY TRIP |
AuthorBlogging is an amazing concept so here I am giving it a whirl. You'll get words. You'll get pics. Sometimes a vid or two. You'll get tongue in cheek, the odd humble opinion and an honest insight into my travels and writing life. Maybe even a few gems along the way. I'll be musing on home turf as I see more and more of the UK and sharing my experiences further afield on holidays and adventurous trips across the globe. Archives
December 2022
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