Oxford race ahead

A little bit like the race that stops a nation in Australia, the 157th annual Cambridge vs Oxford boat race did just that in London on Saturday March 26. Crowds gathered along the water - some who had picnicked for most of the afternoon - and waited in anticipation for the race to start at 5pm. I joined some Spanish friends at the waterfront in Ravenscourt Park - about half way along the route. Oxford, who lead from the start, won by 12 seconds.


Cambridge ahead of Oxford



Road Tripping to Wales

One Friday night in March four girls set off on a road trip to Wales!! We set off from Heathrow Airport in our brand new Astra and couldn't understand why we were getting so many flashes from cars behind us on the motorway... the dash board was lit, we could see our front lights on. We pulled over twice and it wasn't until the second time that we realised the back lights weren't on and we didn't actually have the lights on properly.

Take two... we finally got to Cholderton but it took us at least half an hour to find the lovely farm hostel we were staying at as we didn't have a GPS or a real road map, just a main highway map of the UK and some Google map directions which seemed to get us lost. Eventually we pulled up, found our room and settled in the lounge room for a cup of tea and some late night snacks before bedtime.

The next morning we took advantage of the toast and cereals on offer at the farmhouse before enjoying the company of the farm animals outside - horses, pigs, chooks, goats, rabbits and more!


Ready to leave the farm house

Before long we were on the road again to Salisbury, approximately 10 minutes away to visit the famous Stonehenge - literally a circle of rocks in the middle of nowhere! For £6.90 adults can go inside and get up close to the stones but we opted to take a photo through the wired fence surrounding it... we could see it just as good from the road.

Stonehenge

Next stop was Bath and once again it took a little longer than expected with a drive in the wrong direct. Bath is a beautiful city with a lot of character. Home to the ancient Roman baths, the Jane Austen Centre and a lovely cathedral and town square, it's the perfect setting for a Saturday afternoon.



Bath

Town Square



Roman bath

After four hours in Bath including an awesome pub lunch, it was time to set off for Wales via Bristol. Finally it was my turn to drive and it wasn't as scary as I thought. I actually enjoyed it despite not knowing where I was going. We crossed over the Bristol Channel (the bridge joining England and Wales) and headed through Wales to our final destination of Swansea.

In the driver's seat

Bristol Channel

Swansea - Wales' second largest city - is definitely interesting. We quickly become accustomed to the Welsh road signs and the pronounciation of the Welsh language. We arrived about 5pm and after some resting we made ourselves up and headed into the city to Wind Street where we were confronted with a number of restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as a lot of drunks at 7.30pm. There had been a rugby game that evening (Ireland vs Wales) so everyone had started a lot earlier. We enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner - my marinara risotto and garlic bread went down a treat!


Dinner in Swansea

After dinner it was a night out in Swansea town and as we bar hopped (in the rain with our umbrellas) we saw everything from Amy Winehouse lookalikes to naughty dress up outfits, drunken disorder and a girl fight! Swansea definitely left an impression! The next morning we were on the road again to Mumbles, a short drive away, for a traditional English breakfast. Out of luck, we ended back in Swansea having breakfast in the Sainsbury cafe... who would have thought!


Wind Street at night

Sunshine for the drive to Mumbles

After a full breakfast it was time to head to Caerphilly to visit Caerphilly Castle. It is one of the greatest medieval castles of all time and the second largest in Britain after Windsor. We explored the castle and its parklands where locals were enjoying a fish of the dams.


Caerphilly Castle

From Caerphilly it was the long drive (well not really too long - approximately 3.5hours) back to London through Cardiff, back over the Bristol Channel and across England. It was a great weekend, helped by the convenience of having a car - definitely something I would recommend anyone doing if they have the opportunity as English countryside is beautiful. It was a learning curve as well, I have included some kind advice below.

Essentials before you head off on a road trip:
- know how your car works: check lights, mirrors, hazard lights etc.
- invest in a GPS or a good road map.
- make sure you are stocked with snacks for the journey and late night arrivals at your accommodation.
- do some research on where you plan to eat, i.e. where offers an English breakfast.
- shop around when it comes to petrol, especially in the UK!!

Oxford in a day

I headed to Oxford on a sunny winter's day with three other girls living the life in London. A one hour train ride from Paddington Station and we were in the heart of Oxford. Easily walkable, Oxford is a town with plenty to offer, especially Harry Potter enthusiasts. With Christ Church College and Bodleian Library open for tours, it will excite even the slightest of fans.

Other things to note, don't waste your time looking for Oxford University. It is in fact made up of several colleges rather than one main campus. After a whole day searching for the famous Oxford University we stopped some kind locals who explained how the university was divided. Other musts include a traditional English mean at the Turf Tavern - one of Oxford's oldest pubs - and visiting Magdalen Bridge, Hertford Bridge and the History Museum.


Christ Church College



Turf Tavern



Celebrating the year of the rabbit

London's Chinatown and Trafalga Square came to life on February 6 with a sea of red latterns, food stalls and the traditional lion dance. 2011 is the year of the rabbit and was celebrated throughout the day with one food outlet even selling rabbit-shaped cakes. Performances filled the day, children popped crackers and those who could threw a wish at the wishing tree hoping it would stick!


Chinese New Year 2011



Wishing Tree



Three princesses enjoy high tea

I instantly felt like royalty after walking into The Ritz for an afternoon of high tea - it didn't help that Mum had us wearing tiaras for the occasion! The elegant old English decor mixed with chandeliers, flowers and trios made it the perfect setting for any occasion. With a choice of 17 teas (from Ritz Royal English to Earl Grey and Rose Congou) and a selection of sandwiches, scones, pastries and cakes - with champagne on arrival an added extra - there was plenty to go around! Sittings last approximately 1.5 hours and run every two hours from 11.30am to 7.30pm. Traditional high tea is 40 pounds, add a delicious glass of champagne and you're looking at 52 pounds. Make sure you book in advance!

Three princesses enjoying high tea.

Delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes

The tea!

An afternoon in Biarritz

A five hour and 15 minute train ride from Montparnasse train station in Paris will take you to Biarritz, on the south-west coast of France. A popular summer destination for many Europeans, Biarritz still has plenty of charm and Christmas spirit to give in winter. Take a walk along the coast, explore look out points and shop in some of the city's exclusive boutiques. Stop by Le Ble Noir creperie along the coast for a range of sweet and savoury crepes. Fromage et jambon (cheese and ham) and Nutella were my personal favourites!

Biarritz coastline

Biarritz Cathedral's Christmas light show

New year, new city!

Paris is a city of many things - beautiful pastries, world renowned sites and serious charm so it was no surprise when we chose it as our European new years eve city of choice. We spent the night between the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees where we were for the new year celebrations. The street was full of Parisians and tourists but the celebration was a bit of a let down with no entertainment, music, fireworks or even a countdown to take us into 2011... just a whole lot of shouting, sparkling wine and party poppers! 

New Years on Champs Elysees

Paris has days worth of sightseeing and shopping but if you're there on a tight schedule some of the must see sites include the Eiffel Tower, Lourve, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomph and Moulin Rouge. Must try: French onion soup, crèpes, creme brulee, croissants and escargot. 

Nutella crèpe