Bathed in a Bath in Bath.

Tuesday morning bright, early and rainy started off eventful. Nolan slept through her alarm, might add she does this all the time. Clearly it needs to be turned up louder or something else needs to be implemented! After having no phone credit, running to the security office, asking to borrow one of the security guys phones, his phone running out of credit as I rang Nolan, then borrowing the other fellas phone and Nolan not picking up until the second phone call. Saying Nolan you've got 15 minutes to be at the Church bus stop and I'll go met varsh, sua. and running down the rainy hill to catch the bus, was all to much for 6am on a Tuesday morning.

But after that everything went rather splendidly. Our bus trip, tube ride, and train to Bath went by quietly. Arriving in Bath was nice, I'm not exactly sure what impression I made of it, it is rather small, quaint, cold and quiet. Does that make any sense at all?

 We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived the Christmas markets had just begun so we were able to get into the festive season, have some bad food at cute pubs and cafes, meet obnoxious old drunk fellas, and feast on yummy cakes! Before I accidentally through out Nolan's cake. Awkward.

We visited the touristy sites such as the Royal Crescent, The circus and the Roman Baths.

The Baths were definitely a highlight for me.  The history and purpose behind them is amazing. The engineering the Romans constructed was so clever, it's almost impossible to believe that what they built back was possible without the tools and resources we have today!

However the I've got a few upcoming trips....

This Friday back off to Edinburgh for (don't judge) the Harry Potter Snow Ball. To be honest I cannot wait!

Then the weekend after that off to Glasgow to visit some family friends, which should be a marvelous catch up time!

Then uni's out for three weeks! The Christmas break. I still don't have any plans for Christmas, hoping it will simply sort itself out. However I have to visit York in the North still and hopefully get of to Wales and maybe if I can make the money stretch Belfast!

Hoever in between all this my Bestest friend Kristie is arriving from Australia to visit and continue her own adventures around Europe! So much looking forward to her coming and visiting. I can't believe that after that I'll be heading home in two short months. Time has flown, but thinking of home brings a  smile to my face, and i can't wait to get back!

Another week in my life.

This week was slightly plagued by illness, I seemed to get the pre-winter cold. However it was made a lot better by some fantabulous op-shop and normal shop purchases!

My new cute gold and black necklace, with my brand spanking new My grammar and I book to help with my writing. Yes, I shall attempt make these blog updates readable. 

I scored two bargain jerseys, which will definitely come in handy for the cold winter weeks ahead. Uni work somehow consumed my one feeling well day, I pumped out some quality work. Today, however consisted of my alarm not going off, not the best way to start the day. However off to the markets at Hatfield house with some friends, then turned into an impromptu op-shop spree into St Albans.

I found this really lovely picture the other day. 

Off to La crosse tomorrow, which should be great fun. So far my night has consisted of a two hour nap, and continuous episode of Fringe. My new favourite TV show.

Och Lassy...Scotlandddd!

Scotland, this place really never gets old. Another weekend,  another bunch stories to tell.

However this time I'm slightly worse for wear, I seem to have caught a terrible cold, so with a nose that would give Rudolph the red nose reindeer a run for his money, and a slightly dizzy head, here goes nothing.

The morning started early enough. We, by we I mean my awesome new group a friends! Elle, Sam, Loryn, Johanna, and Nolan (only American amongst the the Aussies!).



We caught the bus into London, grabbed a quick brekky and headed over to the bus station to catch our supposedly quick bus to Edinburgh. It should have only taken around 8 hours, but being stuck in a traffic jam for 4 hours really puts a dent in that time schedule. So we didn't end up checking into our hostel until 10.30 Friday night.

But come on, the night was still young! Headed out to find some food, and cute boys. the night was only just beginning. This was my first time to experience the proper scottish night life and it was fantastic! We found these fantastic quirky little night clubs and watering holes!

Saturday morning saw us being tourists and visitng the amazing Edinburgh Castle, sitting on it's great hill, the inspiration for JK Rowling's Hogwarts castle. Far out, it was impressive! It is actually like a whole other settlement up there on the hill!

The afternoon was spent purchasing little things. Check this! BAZINGAAAAA

My favourite buy EVERRRRR!

We found the cutest little Mexican restaurant! The hit the town for another amazing night! Found some cute kiwi fellas!

The next day was all about Rugby! the Hakka! the ALL BLACKS!

It was amazing to see the All Blacks play Scotland. I still can't get over how blessed I've been, everything seems to be working perfectly!

My favourite moment of the weekend.   Two of the girls walking into a store, that they thought was selling stuff that makes you happy, and finding out that it's actually a not-for-profit organisation that helps addicts and people get of that stuff. Ahh awkward....

London, Bonfires, Tennis, Rugby // ILY

So the weekend was crazy good.

Saturday consisted of an impromptu visit to London with Nolan!

We hit up the Natural History museum, Victoria and Albert museum- which currently has a historic timeline of hollywood fashion/costumes on display!

We then became complete tourists and grabbed photos with the London Bridge, the Eye, Big Ben and parliament... Finishing off the day with the yummiest strawberry, cream and chocolate cups! Delicious!

That night we attended Hatfield Houses firework and bonfire display for Guy Fawkes night. That was fabulous, freezing but had a massive group which made it epic!! Even better we saw a celebrity... If you've watched Sean of The dead... SIMON PEGG was there! 

This weeks been very productive so far!I have done some actual uni work for a change so that's nice, good to actually learn something at school. That is why we go to school right?

However today i hit up the Barclays ATP World Final basically, the playoffs between the top 8 men's best doubles and singles players.

 I was was lucky enough to be able to watch Djokovic play Murray. What a game. The crowd was crazy for Murray, they were so evenly match it literally game down to the last point!

  

 Loved every second of it!

Now to get amped about going to Edinburgh, SCotland this weekend with mates to cheer on the All Blacks vs. Scotland!

 So keen!

 Sua.

Venice, in water? No way.

You know when you put some thing off for a while, in your mind you have categorised it into the 'bad' stuff group, stuff 'I don't want to do'. Somehow my blog ended up in that group this week.

I visited Venice last weekend with one of my great friends Speck, who I do know reads this blog. So I apologise if it looks like I was a psycho lazy freak who didn't want to talk about our never ending fight against Italy and it's weather. It was simply lumped into the 'I'll do it soon' pile. 

But never the less my subconscious and excitement of the next few weeks has spurred me on to update  this blog.  Forewarning, this will be a long blog, so go grab a cup of tea, or a coke, or a beer, or something. You'll need it to wash down your jealousy with.

Friday, 26th October 2012
I have to say today was probably one of the worst days ever, in relation to things going my way. It was an early morning start, by early morning I mean 2.20am, walking out of my flat, bag packed weighing 7kg.... Yes, you heard me 7kg. One digit weight! Caught the 3.20am bus to Stanstead airport, an hour away, from the galleria; a massive outlet shopping centre, 10 minute walk from my house.

 

That was an uneventful trip. I had previously printed out the boarding pass, and tucked in behind my ipad in it's case. Reaching my hand into my sports bag, shovelling around and coming up empty. I have to say I have never felt so away at 4.30am than I did this morning. No iPad. My stomach dropped. No friging way. I lift my iPad at home. Looking down, I remember thinking, well that's alright, first travelling mistake in 4 months, not  shabby not to shabby at all. Just a pity that it'll cost me £60 for a reprint. 

However before resigning to wasting more money, and getting into to this ridiculously long cue for this time in the morning, I do one more soul searching, arm raping of my bag. And guess what. I FOUND ITTTTTT! It was at the other end of the bag. Opps. Blonde moment. Morning moment. Red head moment. Awesome moment!

So booyah, waltz through security, grab a Frappuccino, and find my plane... A bit bumpy but amazing views whilst flying into Venice!

I met speck at possibly the smallest airport i have ever had the pleasure of being in. We caught the shuttle bus into Venice, all perfect timing and great so far. 

Get into Venice, the main bus station, walk down to the canals, get slightly lost, ask for directions tot he 'people mover'. Slightly nerve racking name right? Back to the bus station, get pointed to the 'people mover' i.e. trams like the ones at changi Singapore airport. Spend a euro  to move 400 metres, yay for ripping tourists off.  We were now at the meeting point for our hostel shuttle. Hour and a half later, no shuttle. We make the wise decision, and call it quits, time to dominate Venice's mad public transport. 

We miss the first bus, and have to wait another twenty minutes. Get off at the right stop thank goodness. In a neighbourhood that doesn't look to shabby, I would possibly classify it as the suburb of Venice's, if that's even possible. 

We get lost, eventually find our hostel. Grab our keys, chill in our cabin, decide to take the 4pm shuttle into Venice. Hop on the bus, get kicked off the bus for no ticket. Walk to the public bus stop and find the best Gelato EVER! The whole day was just recovered! Our reward every time we caught public transport was gelato... Good reward system.

Upon arrival back into Venice, the heavens opened, flooding the streets. We were spectacularly drenched in record time, shoes and socks sodden, jackets no more use than a wet towel, but it was fantastic. Successfully got lost again after dinner, illegally stowed away on the ferry taxis, in an attempt to get back to the bus station.     All in all, the first day was amazing.

Saturday 27th October 2012

I think today i got a experience of what it would feel like to be living on a flood prone area. Today consisted of balancing acts. Walking the plank, as on one side the canal, the other side half meter of flooded path. 

Purchasing new 'Alien boots', these plastic contraption that you strap to your legs, so it looks like you feet won't get work. Lie.

Curly hair, drenched again but oh so worth it! we ventured out to St Marks, which was absolutely beautiful, we caught a ferry taxi out to the glass island. Finishing the night with bucketful sex on the beach cocktails and gelato. 

Golly gee. Good day all in all. 

Sunday, 28th October 2012

End verdict Jayllee and Speck 2:Venice 5

I think today would have been the coldest I have been, wettest I have been, and numbest I have ever been in my life.

Walking out the cabin door, no rain just thunderous winds. That's a good thing, perhaps it wasn't as flooded today as it was yesterday? An optimist in my head, the realist saying, its Venice, the place is on water, when it's been raining, and storming, go die of pneumonia. 

But I'm if the half glass full variety, therefore Speck and I donned our thermal tops, singlets, jerseys, jacket, scarves, mittens, beanies, umbrellas, pants (basically every piece of clothing we brought with us), and thongs (flip flops). Yes thongs, our shoes had not yet dried, we debated that if our feet were going to be wet all day, we mine as well be able to dry them at some stages if they were not covered. Let me tell you. WRONG IDEA. Hello 6-degree weather, winds and rain. Smile.

So first journey of the day, get into Venice. This was made nearly impossible for other less worldly independent travellers, but our worldly experience made speck and I a force to be reckoned with. This is where we got our first point against Venice.

The Venice marathon was on today, meaning many roads were cut off because of flooding and closed off for the marathon. Resultantly almost all bus routes has been changed, however, never fear, running across 4 lanes of traffic, risking our necks because remember we're in our thongs. Joined by our new found friends one Australian and one American both students on exchange in Dublin who did indeed end up missing their train. Awkward. But 30 minutes later we arrived saturated but victorious in Venice. Oh yeah. The day was just beginning.

We then proceeded to view the Biennale Architecture 2012. This is where nations from around the world put together a room, competieng. It was fantastic to se e la different sorts of creativity and designs from the worlds best architects!

After a day exploring these venues, we headed home, tot he sanctuary of our warm cabin!

All in all a great trip, with great company! However, I think if I were ever to go to Venice again, I would only go in the Summer months!