(1) Catching Fire. How many times can a movie make me cry in 2.5 hours? Rhetorical question, Bob Dylan. It was really good, as good as the first one - which, incidentally, I watched with Miki at the very same Finchley Road cinema. Seems I have no choice but to return to London for the remaining sequels.
(2) Cheesy tourist shots. Miki and I went everywhere this week. Everywhere! Well, everywhere important, including the Sherlock Holmes museum, the Disney store on Oxford Street (where I certainly did not knock down a Christmas tree while making plush toys kiss), the Natural History Museum, Lord's Cricket Ground and Abbey Road.
A particular highlight was Harrods' Toy Kingdom. There were life size lions and tigers and bears, dollhouses that left Downton looking underdressed, and a dedicated Harry Potter section. Speaking of which, a trip to Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross was mandatory as Miki hadn't been before: shocking! We trolley-posed while our scarves were stretched then released to achieve maximum 'running through the barrier' effect. Brilliant. We also climbed Monument (along with a thousand school children) and visited the British Library for Magna Carta and Beatles lyric times.
(3) My grand tour of London's parks. I dragged Miki through most of the city's green spaces during the coldest week of the season so far. Totally worth it. Hampstead Heath was as beautiful as ever. Miki and her brother George accompanied me through large tracts of it, but mostly to the tops of hills. So much mud. St James Park was another favourite despite the ninja pigeons along the water's edge. And don't even mention the geese.
(4) Being able to legitimately complain about the cold. Duvet coats have emerged from hibernation. It's bloody freezing! I spent most of my time in London pointing this out and cherishing my ridiculous panda hobo-convertible gloves. But really, northern hemisphere - how do you cope??
(5) Sending Michael back to Melbourne. We had a great time on his last day in London. We ducked into the British Museum for a glimpse of the Rosetta Stone and the pinched Parthenon bits (which I hadn't seen since visiting the Acropolis) before heading towards the Old Bailey. Unfortunately I was turned away at the (particularly uninviting) visitors' entrance for daring to have a bag, camera and/or phone on my person. I grabbed Michael's mobile and left him to his twelve angry men. Once he'd been released, we ducked into Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese for a pint and then collected Miki for dinner at a Lebanese place in South Kensington as per Dad's instructions.
(6) My week-long Starkid binge with Miki. 'No, you don't know you the way I do.' So many good times entertaining bus passengers with our impromptu karaoke sessions. We mark our friendship by saving the world! (You're the Miki to my Minnie.)
(7) My new status as one degree separated from David Bowie. One degree! I can't and won't get over this. At this fantastic cafe in Soho called the Breakfast Club (think super trendy, stuff stapled to walls, food puns, etc), with Cara and Miki and loads of Miki's friends, one of said friends casually announced that she was Iman's niece. Which means that Bowie is her uncle. Which means I leapt straight into heart attack zone. Luckily I'd already finished my amazing apple cinnamon French toast. I'd almost recovered by the time Miki took me along to a KCL Shakespeare Society meeting at the Strand campus, which made me all shades of nostalgia and nerd happy.
(8) Savouring my London friends. I had a couple of pub nights with Hayley during the week, culminating in one final pint at Paddington. I caught up with Victoria at Primrose Bakery for some vital life+Hiddleston conversation, and even managed to grab an ex-lecturer for tea at Somerset House. I also managed to catch Cara for one last coffee session at Notes, though I have high hopes of visiting this lovely lady in Canberra next year.
(9) A fantastic last day in London. While Miki headed off to the Globe for Shakespeare lectures, George helped me heft my suitcase to St Pancras. Obviously we couldn't leave the station without delivering an impromptu piano duet of Für Elise. I took the left hand. People stared in what I have to assume was admiration. We then wandered through Bloomsbury to satisfy my Senate House Library curiosity before making our way down to the Strand.
I said goodbye to Waterloo Bridge before meeting Miki at the Globe for one final go at Borough Market. Cue brownie cameo. After George met us on South Bank, we made our way up to Chancery Lane where I taught these lifelong Londoners a shortcut to Holburn. Smug face. And then came the inevitable goodbyes that I'm trying to distract myself from, and then back up to St Pancras to meet Maddie and Jonny.
I said goodbye to Waterloo Bridge before meeting Miki at the Globe for one final go at Borough Market. Cue brownie cameo. After George met us on South Bank, we made our way up to Chancery Lane where I taught these lifelong Londoners a shortcut to Holburn. Smug face. And then came the inevitable goodbyes that I'm trying to distract myself from, and then back up to St Pancras to meet Maddie and Jonny.
(10) The promise of adventures in Paris with Polly and Maddie!
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