London

I know they say that it's the journey, not the destination, that matters with travel, but I think that little gem was invented before Ryanair came onto the marketplace. The journey for me involved discovering the TRUE meaning of "red eye flights", paying more than my airfare just to get into London from Stanstead airport, and facing the active discrimination that comes with being a Non-EU citizen: queuing for 45 minutes to get through the passport check and being grilled over my residence, which lead to me miserably wondering why I didn't have the foresight to break my legs prior to boarding at Malmo so I could go through the "fast track lane".

But all that said and done, London is a exhilarating, gritty and hyperactive city and I think I'm pretty gone for it. I have added it to my "places to have a penthouse in when I marry into money" list. Maybe it was because I was with locals who could steer me clear of the tourist traps, maybe it was because I threw caution to the wind and didn't bother converting the pounds I was spending into AU$, or maybe it was because, during one minute of unadalterated bliss, I devoured the best Krispy Kremes of my life in the Harrod's department store, but London has got its hooks into me.

So what did I do? I saw a gig in Brixton and drank warm beer by the pintglassfull (apparently it's social death to ask for a pot). I went to the marvellous Borough Market where massive wheels of cheese teetered on fold-out picnic tables beside kilograms of dark chocolate truffles, slabs of fresh fish and every sort of pickle and sauce you can imagine. I rode the underground. I went to the Natural Museum and had a face off with a Triceratops skeleton. Ate curry in the neon-lit Brick Lane with Nitz and 20 of her friends. Had Peking Duck Pancakes in Chinatown, just down from Trafalgar Square. Chilled out in Hyde Park. Saw a squirrel. Saw Westminster and Big Ben. Contemplated riding the Eye, but was scared off by the prospect of MORE queues. Wandered with the crowds down the Thames during the River Festival. Watched the British X-Factor in a moment of weakness. Was horrified by the public (and I mean PUBLIC) urinals in Soho. Had strange and confusing dream involving Shakespeare, Hugh Grant and Ginger Spice. All in all, a wholesome, well rounded and fully sick weekender.

My friend Nitz is an utter champ. I met her when she came on exchange to St. Mary's College/Melbourne Uni back in 2004, and I could tell straight off the bat that there was something of sterling quality about her. She continues to be brilliant. She called in her favours from all her London friends and rustled up some places to stay for the three nights we were there. From the moment I arrived until the moment I left again she was my tour guide without equal, selfless, chatty and hilarous, even if she was battling with stomach cramps and a big daddy of a hangover (by-product of a booze cruise down the River Thames with her music peeps from the National Academny, now how posh does that sound?). She's tops.

Stay tuned for my next big adventure!