(Please excuse the late entry - I'm lazy)
London I - Following the missing my flight fiasco in Hamburg I did eventually arrive in London England toward the end of October. My stay at Shelly's was great. She had a guest room ready for me when I arrived and allowed me a MUCH needed freshen up before heading out to her friend Bridget's place for a dinner party.
I had intended to stay only a few days and was having a great time seeing a couple sites and hanging out with Shelly's London friends. Peer pressure prevailed and I was able to stay and attend Shelly's Halloween party the following weekend. Very cool party where I dressed up as a rather creepy clown with fangs.
On a side venture one evening I was able to take a bus to a bar a short distance away where a friend that I had met in Sydney was having her birthday party. It was hilarious to see Magdalena scream as I approached the patio at the bar. The rest of the night was a blur of bar hopping and strange sites with her and her friends.
My stay in London was great and I was able to catch up with Shelly, make a couple new friends and even venture outside the city with Shelly and Bridget to take in Leeds Castle.
London II - In late December I found out that mutual friends of Shelly and myself would be heading to London between Christmas and New Years to ring in the new year London Style. They suggested that I come along. I declined because I was planning/saving for a trip to Asia and the South Pacific in late winter. The daily phone calls continued and Shelly, Dave, Josy and Bridget even resorted to name calling. So, without letting them know, I bought a ticket at 1pm and was on the way to the airport by 4pm. I found out that Shelly, Dave and Josy would be out of town at Stonehenge when I arrived. Although, Bridget was to be working from home.
Turns out when I got off the train NOBODY was home. Walking in the rain to a from Shelly's place and Bridget's I was getting a little too cold and wet. The gig was up and I broke the surprise by calling Shelly. She suggested I find a coffee shop nearby and keep warm until people were home. On my way to find a cafe I asked a nice old woman for directions, she invited me in for tea and even headed up a beanbag warmer and fed me some treats. After a visit with her and her husband I got a call that Bridget was home... her husband even drove me to Bridget's door. Nice.
I stayed at Bridget's place for the next week and we all had a great time in London as well as ringing in the new year (most of it Bridget remembers).
