Today, Sunday 28/12, Dad and I had to get up early to get on the Eurostar to take a day trip back to London.
The reason? Football. Or soccer, you Australian idiots.
We watched Arsenal (the team we support) play against Portsmouth, a mid-table team from the south coast. It was at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's home stadium that is quite new and holds over 60,000 people. We were in the bottom tier in row 19, midway between the goals and the corner post.
Arsenal won!!! It was 1-0, the goal was scored by William Gallas, and came only about 10 minutes from the end of the match. Up til then, I was getting increasingly frustrated as no goal came. We were also positioned in the block next to the away fans, and the fans in my block had a fun day abusing the Portsmouth fans next door and vice-versa.
Now I'm sitting in the Eurostar departures terminal, ready to go back to Paris. We'll arrive at around 22:45.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas
Yesterday we hired bicycles and rode from the flat to the Eiffel Tower, then dropped them off.
Then we waited in line for like an hour, and the whole time a screen said "top floor closed temporarily" and as we got closer and closer to the ticket booth it didn't change.
Then, only about 10 people from the front of the line, the top level OPENED. Yeeeah. So we went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Day. I got tons of good photos.
This Sunday, Dad and I are returning to London on the Eurostar to watch Arsenal vs. Portsmouth.
Merry Christmas,
Patrick
Then we waited in line for like an hour, and the whole time a screen said "top floor closed temporarily" and as we got closer and closer to the ticket booth it didn't change.
Then, only about 10 people from the front of the line, the top level OPENED. Yeeeah. So we went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Day. I got tons of good photos.
This Sunday, Dad and I are returning to London on the Eurostar to watch Arsenal vs. Portsmouth.
Merry Christmas,
Patrick
Monday, December 22, 2008
Paris
Ummmm..... so we're living in a flat like a normal family really, except that we're in Paris not Hobart.
Each day we seem to do one touristy thing.
We've been to and walked up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and walked down the Champs-Elysees and looked at the Obelisk at the end, and yesterday were at a Science Museum. It was pretty good but some exhibits had no English translation... anyway, that's pretty much it.
These next few weeks won't be cramming exciting stuff so perhaps that means less frequent updates. And I don't know who out there reads this anyway :D
Each day we seem to do one touristy thing.
We've been to and walked up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and walked down the Champs-Elysees and looked at the Obelisk at the end, and yesterday were at a Science Museum. It was pretty good but some exhibits had no English translation... anyway, that's pretty much it.
These next few weeks won't be cramming exciting stuff so perhaps that means less frequent updates. And I don't know who out there reads this anyway :D
Friday, December 19, 2008
London comes to an end
Yesterday, Dad and I did a tour of the Emirates Stadium (the home stadium of Arsenal). It was quite good actually! We got to sit in the directors' seats and see the change rooms and walk through the tunnel to the dugout area and stuff.
Then, the four of us walked around the science museum, but I don't need to tell you about it in very much detail, basically I looked at some exhibits.
This morning, we took the Eurostar to Paris. The train is really quiet actually. Except whenever we were in a tunnel my ears popped and it hurt.
Now we're in a flat in Paris, and I have my own room! (It's not a bedroom though, it's the room with the computer in it, and lots of keyboards and other music gear, the guy who owns this place looks like he's into the kind of things I'm into.)
We're here for 3 weeks so there's no cramming tourist stuff each day like in London.
Until next time
Patrick
Then, the four of us walked around the science museum, but I don't need to tell you about it in very much detail, basically I looked at some exhibits.
This morning, we took the Eurostar to Paris. The train is really quiet actually. Except whenever we were in a tunnel my ears popped and it hurt.
Now we're in a flat in Paris, and I have my own room! (It's not a bedroom though, it's the room with the computer in it, and lots of keyboards and other music gear, the guy who owns this place looks like he's into the kind of things I'm into.)
We're here for 3 weeks so there's no cramming tourist stuff each day like in London.
Until next time
Patrick
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
I saw...
Tom Cruise, John Howard, Justin Timberlake and Shane Warne all in the one place.
Or at least, wax replicas of them. At Madame Tussauds.
Some of them were very realistic, actually. Even if you know it's a statue, you still feel awkward standing in front of them looking at their faces.
I had my picture taken with a few of them and stuff.
This was yesterday, by the way. Really really cold.
ALSO
Today we went on a cruise down the Thames, getting off at Greenwich.
We walked to the Greenwich Royal Observatory, which is where time starts in a sense. GMT+0 is there (Eastern Australia is GMT+10, or 11 in daylight savings)
I stood on the line of zero degrees longitude.
And saw some pretty cool old clocks. Shut up! It was fun OK?
Oh by the way, does anybody read this?
Patrick
Or at least, wax replicas of them. At Madame Tussauds.
Some of them were very realistic, actually. Even if you know it's a statue, you still feel awkward standing in front of them looking at their faces.
I had my picture taken with a few of them and stuff.
This was yesterday, by the way. Really really cold.
ALSO
Today we went on a cruise down the Thames, getting off at Greenwich.
We walked to the Greenwich Royal Observatory, which is where time starts in a sense. GMT+0 is there (Eastern Australia is GMT+10, or 11 in daylight savings)
I stood on the line of zero degrees longitude.
And saw some pretty cool old clocks. Shut up! It was fun OK?
Oh by the way, does anybody read this?
Patrick
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
London
Not much time on internet!
I'm trying to get on whenever I can, but I can only do it by going to a cafe whilst in London.
Um, talk soon
Patrick
I'm trying to get on whenever I can, but I can only do it by going to a cafe whilst in London.
Um, talk soon
Patrick
Sunday, December 14, 2008
HEY!
So this is Wales right now:
- Daylight hours approx. 8:30 to 4:30 only.
- Often rains.
- Cold. Very cold.
I'm having fun though.
I went to the swimming pool yesterday.
I also tried playing a left-handed guitar, but I held it like I would usually hold a right-handed guitar. Like Hendrix, but in reverse.
It's Luke's 18th birthday! Only just beginning here but in Hobart it's 3.5 hours from being over.
I challenge anyone to beat my track record in Freecell. 46 wins from 79 plays (58%).
Not sure how often I'll be online now, since we're probably leaving this house today.
Bye!
- Daylight hours approx. 8:30 to 4:30 only.
- Often rains.
- Cold. Very cold.
I'm having fun though.
I went to the swimming pool yesterday.
I also tried playing a left-handed guitar, but I held it like I would usually hold a right-handed guitar. Like Hendrix, but in reverse.
It's Luke's 18th birthday! Only just beginning here but in Hobart it's 3.5 hours from being over.
I challenge anyone to beat my track record in Freecell. 46 wins from 79 plays (58%).
Not sure how often I'll be online now, since we're probably leaving this house today.
Bye!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The journey
Hobart to Sydney - only like 1:20, very quick and stuff.
In Sydney I had to kill 5 or so hours, I mainly browsed duty-free items and seriously considered getting a 200mL bottle of Jim Beam, JD's, Bailey's, Absolut etc. (there was quite a range) for only $5.99!
Sydney to Singapore - 7:25, but this time I killed it watching the movies Stepbrothers and The Rocker (two comedies aimed exactly at idiots my age) and generally occupying myself instead of just watching the flight path wishing I were dead.
In Singapore we only had about half an hour between planes, it wasn't enough to make the walk into the shopping centre. I mainly sat and talked to an English girl I met back in the Sydney departure lounge.
Singapore to London - 13:10, but it did not feel like nearly that long because the first half or more involved me getting a lot of much-needed sleep. After that I watched Family Guy, then, the first time I checked the flight path, we were over Poland with 2 hours left to go! I was happy.
At Heathrow I got annoyed at poorly organised lines for border security, then the officer checking my passport had a dig at the fact that I was wearing an Arsenal scarf! Typical Englishman. I got a train from Heathrow to Paddington Station, then killed a couple of hours, then a train from Paddington to Cardiff Central. At long last, I reunited with Mum, Dad and Kit.
Since then we've driven in our hire car to a house just near Carmarthen in the west of Wales, where my mother's friend lives. This is our home for the next few nights.
Sweet.
Patrick
In Sydney I had to kill 5 or so hours, I mainly browsed duty-free items and seriously considered getting a 200mL bottle of Jim Beam, JD's, Bailey's, Absolut etc. (there was quite a range) for only $5.99!
Sydney to Singapore - 7:25, but this time I killed it watching the movies Stepbrothers and The Rocker (two comedies aimed exactly at idiots my age) and generally occupying myself instead of just watching the flight path wishing I were dead.
In Singapore we only had about half an hour between planes, it wasn't enough to make the walk into the shopping centre. I mainly sat and talked to an English girl I met back in the Sydney departure lounge.
Singapore to London - 13:10, but it did not feel like nearly that long because the first half or more involved me getting a lot of much-needed sleep. After that I watched Family Guy, then, the first time I checked the flight path, we were over Poland with 2 hours left to go! I was happy.
At Heathrow I got annoyed at poorly organised lines for border security, then the officer checking my passport had a dig at the fact that I was wearing an Arsenal scarf! Typical Englishman. I got a train from Heathrow to Paddington Station, then killed a couple of hours, then a train from Paddington to Cardiff Central. At long last, I reunited with Mum, Dad and Kit.
Since then we've driven in our hire car to a house just near Carmarthen in the west of Wales, where my mother's friend lives. This is our home for the next few nights.
Sweet.
Patrick
Sunday, December 7, 2008
It's true...
I lost my passport.
I noticed it Friday night, whilst packing, and my family and I ended up staying up til 3am looking for it, but to no avail.
The plan is: They've left as scheduled on Saturday, and tomorrow morning I'll be applying for a priority passport, to get here before Wednesday.
My flights are rescheduled for Wednesday, and I meet my family again in Cardiff, hopefully!
Yes, I'm an idiot.
PN
I noticed it Friday night, whilst packing, and my family and I ended up staying up til 3am looking for it, but to no avail.
The plan is: They've left as scheduled on Saturday, and tomorrow morning I'll be applying for a priority passport, to get here before Wednesday.
My flights are rescheduled for Wednesday, and I meet my family again in Cardiff, hopefully!
Yes, I'm an idiot.
PN
Friday, December 5, 2008
The day before...
The day before it begins.
I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm scared.
Today I went to the orthodontist, bought some shirts, bought some socks, bought a traveller's cash card, bought a toothbrush, bought earphones, went to the cat centre, went to visit my grandmother... but I STILL HAVEN'T PACKED!
Peace. Tell your friends!
PN
I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm scared.
Today I went to the orthodontist, bought some shirts, bought some socks, bought a traveller's cash card, bought a toothbrush, bought earphones, went to the cat centre, went to visit my grandmother... but I STILL HAVEN'T PACKED!
Peace. Tell your friends!
PN
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