The orphan xmas

Monday 25Dec06:
This city is weird.
The one day out of the 365 days in the year - this city literally shuts down. No buses, no tubes, no shops, no nothing. Well, with the exception of the aethiest small corner shops, there is no way to get around this city without paying exorbitant taxi fares or supplemented minicabs.

I had to stay over at Leona's place xmas eve so that we could have a leisurely hours walk to Yoko's place the next day.

This is the first christmas I've had that I haven't been around family or old friends. At first this point was a little upsetting, but I spent the day with down-to-earth people who's company I really enjoy.

It was such a leisurely start to the day. The walk to Yoko's was a route via Tower Bridge, granny trolley in tow holding the xmas food we were due to devour for dinner.

Leona, me, Yoko, Sophie and Noely just chilled, watched shows on Sky and generally mucked about. We were joined by Fatima and Noel later in the evening.





Reiterating the point that there is NO transportation on xmas day - sleepover at Yoko's.

Powered over back to Leona' s on boxing day. Helped her put down flooring in her apartment. Jigsaw, hammers, and power tools at hand, we blitzed this room which took all day to do for non-handyman girlies. Being covered in sawdust sent back memories from my previous home renovating the apartment, and the garage full of Damien's tools, bits and bobs.

Our effort in the beginning of the day

Finished result.

Impromptu Marina and Phil day

Saturday 23Dec:
Thought I had plans for tonight but the dates got mixed up, so I spent a lovely day with my new flatmate Marina and her mate Phil.

Got introduced to Church St markets at Lisborn Grove. Local markets with ultra CHEAP fresh produce and general clothes and goods.

In turn, I took them to Kilburn and looked around the cheap shops.

All the while - stressing Leanne again several times on the phone trying to plan what to get to prepare costumes for new years eve.

The bus ride back home resulted in taking the bus straight to Camden to have dinner at Phils place who made a lovely chicken korma, this along with salad, gin and tonic to quench the thurst and everything is golden...




We walked back via Warwick Avenue, past the famous Randolph (Randy) Ave

Iceskating at Hampsted Heath

Friday 22Dec:
I may be disgusted by the commercialism of it all, but I like the enthusiasm they have here for christmas and the festive season. The setting is so fitting - cold weather, the reverberation of christmas carols in shopping centres, early darkness to enjoy the pretty lights which line the streets and windows aglow by the christmas tree behind the pane.

I love half days at work.

Today gave me the opportunity to finish my christmas shopping, and I spent alot of this day window shopping to get some ideas for a new years eve costume.
The quandry of deciding whether or not to go as wraped presents-convicts-smurfs-the wiggles etc lead to no decision being made. Particularly after we found out the convict idea was already taken.

It has been quite foggy the last few days, to the extent that it has affected flights in and out of London and Europe.

The fog made my experience iceskating even more enjoyable. A misty, cold night, combined with the exhaustion of trying to stay on the skates and the hilarity of falling over was quality.
The reaction from Leona when her bum was pinched was priceless, I wish I got a photo of that!
The exhaustion didn't stop on the rink. Even though I live around this area I don't really know it that well, and because of the fog it was a bit disorientating.
So with none of us having any sense of direction and not sure of the buses, we hauled our asses up through the streets, stopping at pretty much each street corner to reassess where we were at. We walked past the Heath for a good 45mins, then onto Hampsted Hight St - walking with a random pedestrian (Raj) who pointed us in the right direction, and finishing a lovely asian restaurant Dim T.

The thick mist also affect the photos:

Leona, Yoko and me.

My lovely flatmates Madelaine and Rob (Stewart)

Work Xmas party

Thursday 21Dec:
There was an uplifting buzz in the office today knowing that we had the opportunity to let our hair down tonight and just mingle.

It was handy that a couple of my colleagues got a room at the hotel straight accross the road from the venue.

Combination of predrinks, decent dancing music and free drinks throughout the whole night (!!!) made for a lovely night with my colleagues whom I would not usually spend time with after work. (Our office xmas dinner in a previous post was an exception)

VaughanTown mini reunion

Tuesday 19Dec:

Work is winding down and the days are getting rather nippy now...but not enough to hinder catching up with some Gredos veterans!

Me, Leanne, Fletch, Hussein and some mates (appologies for the blurred fotos again, and thanks Leanne for your pics):