Hi There

Hello Everyone!

Well it's Tuesday which means that this is my last day of freedom! Not that I much mind, the quicker I get into some form of routine the better. I'm not used to so much free time! I don't know what to do!!Okay, where I last left off...

Covent Garden. Righty-o. Can't remember if it was before or after I e-mailed that I had the pasty...but it was incredibly delicious! Well worth it! The internet cafe I was at three years ago isn't there (to answer Kathy's question) thus I was around the corner, just down the road from the Maple Leaf (apparently good waffles) and over the road from the Aussie Shop. Yes, a shop with a lot of aussie delights in it!Mind you its a little pricey so I better make sure I'm despirate before I buy...

After Covent Garden I got myself back to Pax Lodge and spent an hour going through the information folder we get upon arrival. It lists all the duties and policies and proceedures we have to follow whilst living there. I can tell you now, it covers everything! That said I kind of looked at it and went 'Oh my gosh this is far huger than Iinitially thought'...and sometime around 4pm I thought I'd lie down for a nap before dinner and yet didn't wake up until much later that night...around 11pm I think and even then it was only for a short while and woke up just after 8am on Sunday morning. Probably the only night's sleep worth while since leaving Oz...actually I was having sleeping issues long before I left...regardless, it was much needed and some of the other girls were asking where I'd vanished to as we were going to go to The Walk About!! I might just add that somehow I managed to lose myself and the Tube station around Covent Garden. It took me almost an hour to figure out I was actually almost going in circles and that's a pretty frightening thing in a place you don'tknow where you've heard horrible stories about pick pockets and tourist hunters and Loch Ness Monsters (don't ask..).....but I'm alive!

So yes, Sunday. Let me think. Oh it was the first morning I attended Colours and whilst I don't have an obligation to attend when not working, I went anyways. For those of you who don't know, Colours is the ceremony we do when raising the flag every morning. From Colours its Breakfast (staff eat after the Guests leave for the day which isusually around 9:15 in the morning). After food, and I tell you there is no shortage of that, I showered and decided I was going to go toHyde Park to Speakers Corner. What I found here was the most delightful entertainment you could imagine -for free! Each Sunday you can get up and speak about pretty much anything, most people there on Sunday were preaching about various religions and what not, but two ofthe speakers actually ended up having this full on argument! It was so good!! Okay, I know, I'm twisted...from there I ventured right acrossto the other side of Hyde Park (I tell you its huge but the most beautiful place) and found myself over near the Royal Albert Hall and the area I stayed in last time I was in London. Yes I found BP house and from there I had a general idea of where I was, which is a rarity!

I went into the British Natural History Museum and I tell you it is the most facinating place! Andrew would have loved it soooo much. I was there for about three hours and I doubt I even saw a third of it, it's just huge and there is just so much there to do. Again it's free admission so I do plan to make a visit back and see some more. Being over loaded with information, I ventured down near Glouster Road Tube stop, grabbed some Starbucks and did a quick check in on my e-mail account and sorted a few bits and pieces out. From there it was back on the Tube and back to Pax Lodge, where I rested for an hour and had dinner and even though I'm not offically on staff yet, was asked if I wanted to go out on one of the program groups to see how it all went. When I found out what they were doing, I most certainly said yes!!

What followed was one of the many walking tours available in London. We did the Jack The Ripper walking tour and it was fab! Most informative and just delightful. Creepy at some parts, especially once it started to get a bit darker in the little allys we were going down. Went to a few of the murder sights. We had 31 guests with us from across different parts of America and that isn't even all the Guests we have in at the moment. Currently Pax Lodge is running one of their sessions. This particular one is called the London Experience II and by my calculations we have about 50 guests at the moment. So walking around with the girls was quite delightful. I was getting asked 'How do you say...' and a mixture of other questions. I really enjoyed myself, although it was after 11pm by the time we got back. This little Aussie fell into bed, exhausted. I had to laugh though, Claudia from Mexico has given me a nick name 'El Papparazzi' he he he. Okay so I like my camera and I like to take photos!! I can't help it!!

Monday was much the same to start with as Sunday and indeed today, Tuesday. I jumped on a train and headed out west, it took almost an hour and a half by Tube to do this and I made a visit to the West HamUnited Soccer Club. Okay, so I don't really follow soccer, BUT I was asked to go there on behalf of my uncle and thus I decided I was going to do it Monday! I did feel some what out of place there, like I was far too pale to be in that part of London, actually heading out there on the train I am watching buildings delapidate and the passengers get rather...Broadmeadows like, and thinking, I kinda am not feeling too safe right now. But that was a comfort zone thing. In all honesty I was actually quite fine. Spent about two hours out there in total I think...I don't know. Looked around, made a few calls and got back on the train to get back to central London to find some half descent food for a late lunch.

Next thing I know I'd fallen in love...I'm getting married in September JUST KIDDING!!! Mind you half of you had me married off before I even left! No, I did fall in love, but with a place rather than a person. Andrea, I know you told me so a million times but CAMDEN TOWN ROCKS!! Oh my gosh, you haven't seen markets until you've seen Camden. And the people, I tell you every type of person is out there, from goths to glam to victorian to punk to classic vintage....oh my gosh, asian and hippie and just everything! I was out there most of the afternoon and guess what? I brought not one, but TWO skirts!! Now while you guys pick yourself up off the floor, yes skirts, I just want to add they're long ones. Very few people have seen my sorry pale excuse for legs and that's not changing any time soon! But I love them. One is a deep emerald green and the other is like a deep purple. Oh I love them! I also brought a bag and some beeded bracelets. The issue with Camden is that you could easily go bankrupt there! Admittedly I spent a bit more than I probably should have, but I couldn't help it!! It's just an amazing place!! I loved it sooooooo much!!

From there I decided to get the bus rather than the Tube. Which was fine, until the bus reached it's final stop. Hampstead Heath. Which is fine, because that's pretty much where I am living. But I'm not too familiar with the area yet and nothing was registering. So I asked. It's actually the main part of town which is just down the hill from where I am. Usually I walk to the end of my street, turn right and go to Belsize Park tube stop, where as Hampstead Heath Stop is straight ahead from my street and down the hill. So I found a bit more of Hampstead which was nice.

Got back to Pax Lodge just in time for Dinner and ended up watching Zoolander with some of the guests which was good. Only issue was I dozed off (in my room) about 9:30pm again! And slept right through! I don't know if it's me still trying to catch up on sleep or me walking like EVERYWHERE or just the humidity continuously draining me....or a combination of all of the above.

Today saw the guests go down to the Heath for a service project and it finds me sitting on Fenchurch Street. Been to London and Tower bridge, was trying to make my way to the Modern Tate Museum but got distracted and here I am. I will make my way there after I've gotten something for lunch. You want to know the best bit about today? Well technicallyit's tonight and there are no promises as its going to depend on numbers, but I might be going to the Theatre!!!! Yay!!! I couldn'twork out why everyone was either singing 'We Will Rock You' or 'ChittyChitty Bang Bang' this morning but I've discovered half are going to see one show and half are going to see the other! We Will Rock You is full, but apparently there are a few extra tickets floating around for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and so yes, I might be going!! Ohh it's so exciting! The THEATRE!! Wahooo!!! Okay, I better settle down. In which case, I really should think about heading off. It's now after 1pm and dinner is early today, at 5pm and I'll have to allow an hour to get myself back to Hampstead (peak hour, me getting lost) so I should think about winding this up.

A couple of things. I am loving the Tube. Well no, just the annoucements really. 'Mind The Gap' and how every so ofter the annoucements are telling travellers to keep water bottles with them at all times due to the heat (ha this is nothing!). I hate how at the end of the day I blow my nose and what comes out is black. And I mean black. Gives you a general idea of the pollution levels. It's pretty yuck. And I'm going brown! Okay everyone up off the floor for a second time! It's very weird. I usually burn and just go white, but slowly there's this brown tinge creeping up on me...beautiful!!!

Regardless of small moments of quietness, I'd just like to emphasise, I am having a BALL! And will continue to. Its just going to take a while to settle in. Give me a month or so (maybe a bit more when I've earnt a few more £s!) and there will be e-mails from Germany or Paris or where ever!! I'm trying to get my head around London first, and then comes the adventures.

Personal notes:

Sarah, I am so sorry I haven't returned your call!! It was tapped to my door the night you rang (Jack the Ripper Night) and I just haven't called yet. I have to wait until tomorrow when I start training to get an idea of what my hours will be on Friday. Worst case scenario I finish at 9pm...but we'll wait and see. I'll call.

Kathy, the poster is just fine for the moment, you'll hear me hollar if I need anything else. Don't know if these e-mails will serve very well for anything to be posted any where, at the moment it's just crazy ramblings!

The Noones, Lauren and Laura; sorry about leaving you guys out! I've only just found your e-mail addresses so I'll get around to sending you my previous e-mails somehow, sometime....yeah, when I do!

Righty-o I think that just about does it. Perhaps next time I can tell you a bit more about what exactly I'm doing at Pax Lodge (in aPhysical sense, still haven't worked out what I was thinking when I applied!) but yes, hope you are all doing well and thank you for the e-mails that have been sitting here, it's nice to get news from home.

Take care and stay safe, much love,

Rachael