e is for england.
if you know anything about me at all, you'll know i'm not from around here. but, you'll also know that i have pined for england for a long, long time. i'm not that typical aussie girl; i don't like the summer, i hate the beach and the thought of bare legs sends me into a panic. i love the cold weather (despite complaining about it constantly), and my wardrobe reflects that of someone who loves to layer. i was meant for england, it's in my blood.
typically, my birthday (in the southern hemisphere at least) is in spring. since making the move to the uk, my birthday has been met with crispy leaves and a change under foot. i have never in my life experienced such defined seasons as those in england. i'd always supposed london would be 50 shades of grey, depending on the month - i could not have been more wrong. the summer is warm and sunny, with bright blue days and highs in the low 30's.. something i'd never have expected, while the autumn has a very strong tint of orange. you actually notice the change in the trees - and animals, and i'd never seen anything like it in my life. i was amazed last autumn at the magnificent piles of orange and pink leaves all up and down the streets. it was truly beautiful. the winters are cccoooold, and very wet for the most part, but the rain.. the rain gives way to snow, and as if snow is not the most beautiful weather i have ever encountered. could i live somewhere that snowed all year round? absolutely! - providing i had the appropriate footwear, because... that is the only sucky part. i adored the snow this year - ask anyone who saw me frolicking during working hours! the snow melts away and brings with it fresh buds on the trees and a new scent in the air. the birds and animals come out from hiding, and, well... wake me up bloody early again. the flowers are so pretty again and, it's so green! thus it all begins again. it really is a wonderful thing to watch, and coming from somewhere hot and dry, it's a fascinating experience and... obviously one to wax lyrical about! i digress, forgive me!
typically, my birthday (in the southern hemisphere at least) is in spring. since making the move to the uk, my birthday has been met with crispy leaves and a change under foot. i have never in my life experienced such defined seasons as those in england. i'd always supposed london would be 50 shades of grey, depending on the month - i could not have been more wrong. the summer is warm and sunny, with bright blue days and highs in the low 30's.. something i'd never have expected, while the autumn has a very strong tint of orange. you actually notice the change in the trees - and animals, and i'd never seen anything like it in my life. i was amazed last autumn at the magnificent piles of orange and pink leaves all up and down the streets. it was truly beautiful. the winters are cccoooold, and very wet for the most part, but the rain.. the rain gives way to snow, and as if snow is not the most beautiful weather i have ever encountered. could i live somewhere that snowed all year round? absolutely! - providing i had the appropriate footwear, because... that is the only sucky part. i adored the snow this year - ask anyone who saw me frolicking during working hours! the snow melts away and brings with it fresh buds on the trees and a new scent in the air. the birds and animals come out from hiding, and, well... wake me up bloody early again. the flowers are so pretty again and, it's so green! thus it all begins again. it really is a wonderful thing to watch, and coming from somewhere hot and dry, it's a fascinating experience and... obviously one to wax lyrical about! i digress, forgive me!
since arriving in london on boxing day of 2010, i have seen an inch of the rest of the country. i have travelled abroad to see some of what the rest of europe has to offer, but i have done minimal discovering of my own backyard. i'm desperately hoping that will change this year, and with kim's wedding in suffolk later this year, at the very least i will see a bit more of the countryside then!
instead of renewing my australian drivers licence (which expires in 4 days), i opted to exchange it for a uk one. now that i am officially a licensed driver again, i have decided a road trip is in order! boyfriend wants us to goto wales for a weekend, which is a fab idea, and which will see us take in much of the sites of the west country along the way. rebekah, on the other hand, has suggested we head north, to middlesbrough to see her friend claire. maybe, we could even do both!
don't get me wrong, i have had weekends in the country, and taken in the fresh air of the cotswolds and the home counties. but i haven't seen much. last year was probably my most active adventure year, with trips to liverpool, brighton (a couple of times), swindon, northleach (in the cotswolds), bath, salisbury plain (stonehenge), andover (where we did some fantastic charity shopping) and... essex. we can't forget essex. well, this year, that all changes. i resolve that (while we are saving for a holiday to australia) i will see more of the beautiful country i now call home. wales is a definite, as is a trip to visit kim in norwich. i would love to make it to manchester some time, as well as newcastle - which could happen sooner rather than later if this roadtrip to middlesbrough goes ahead! if all else fails, a day trip to southend-on-sea is fairly cheap, and at least then carmen could show us around.
don't get me wrong, i have had weekends in the country, and taken in the fresh air of the cotswolds and the home counties. but i haven't seen much. last year was probably my most active adventure year, with trips to liverpool, brighton (a couple of times), swindon, northleach (in the cotswolds), bath, salisbury plain (stonehenge), andover (where we did some fantastic charity shopping) and... essex. we can't forget essex. well, this year, that all changes. i resolve that (while we are saving for a holiday to australia) i will see more of the beautiful country i now call home. wales is a definite, as is a trip to visit kim in norwich. i would love to make it to manchester some time, as well as newcastle - which could happen sooner rather than later if this roadtrip to middlesbrough goes ahead! if all else fails, a day trip to southend-on-sea is fairly cheap, and at least then carmen could show us around.
who's with me?
