London, England- WEEK 2

There are simple normalities in life we take for granted. Food. Water. Shelter. Most of all our parents. Then there are the luxuries that we become so accustomed to they can often be perceived as normalities. For example, a comfortable bed. I never knew how much I would miss my mattress. There is one simple factor that effects your perception of what is a normality and what is a luxury and that is COST. It all comes down to cost. The cost of living. As a child, you are blissfully unaware that this term even exists. Little do you know that you parents are dealing with these costs everyday, while you live in your beautiful house and go on your fancy holidays, your parents are crunching numbers and working budgets. And when I say you, I am really referring to myself, because I can't believe how blissfully unaware I was. I always knew I was lucky. I always knew that I was well provided for, but wow. My parents were and still are magicians because they made all this travelling and maintaining life look so damn easy. They say that Sydney is the fifth most expensive city in the world to live in and London is only at number fifteen. This I truly can't believe. The cost of everything is twice as much, due to the weak Australian dollar. Knowing we have a budget to last 6-9 months of straight travel without paid work, London somewhat terrifies us. We had to find a balance of having fun and saving costs. So far, so good.

It is now week 2 of London and the realities have kicked in. This past week has revolved around our mission to find the perfect camper van. We have travelled far and wide from Dartford to Essex to Bedford (paying a small fortune!) searching for a camper before narrowing down our choices. However, before making decision, came the logistics and research. Research on car insurance, european break down cover, tax and registration. There was so much to consider. Numbers. Budgets. Unanswered Questions. Instead of exploring London and seeing the sights, we spend days inside trying to find answers and get realistic quotes. This is the part of travel I never knew existed. It is harder than we thought.

Although the outcome has been positive, we have made an offer on a camper! We have an insurance quote and everything sorted. We are now just waiting to collect and pay for it all.  The real adventure is about to begin. Travelling the open roads of Europe and exploring the little quaint cities- there is so much to look forward to. In the meantime, the rest of our London experience will be (hopefully) from the inside of Michelin starred restaurants and we trial and experience some of the greatest kitchens London has to offer. I think the fun is just beginning. Stay tuned!

London, England- WEEK 1

It feels like I am home. Stepping off the plane, I am stepping back in time. London hasn't changed one bit. It is brisk outside yet beautiful and sunny. The feeling of this city is unique- quiet, calm, and bustling all at the same time. Day 1 was spent walking the city, getting our bearings and pinching ourselves. We had finally made it to London, after five years waiting to return, it was an exciting realisation. We saw all the famous sights during our day long walk from oxford street, leister and trafalgar square, big ben and everywhere else in between, resting only for a moment to enjoy a traditional pub lunch and a cider.

We spent the next few days exploring in more detail. Spending our saturday morning at Borough market. If heaven exists then this is what it looks like. Borough market is a chefs playground- beautiful fresh produce, from every variety of mushroom and truffle, as well as cheeses and meats and fish. We sampled. We bought. We fell in love. Breakfast consisted of a variety of treats from honeycomb caramel doughnuts, classic freshly fried scotch eggs as well as french raclette cheese on potato and pickles, all washed down with some mulled cider. An odd combination yet completely delicious. Lunch was also bought- freshly baked foccacia and aged compte cheese, followed by a dessert of turkish delight in every flavour imaginable. Perfection is the only word to describe it. 

Of course, Matt spent the next day exploring every skatepark in London (all four of them- haha), while I continued my market adventure. This time finding myself in camden market. Camden market is the home of tourist nick-nack shops, art and punk culture in general. The atmosphere is electric and the excitement contagious. There is a strong smell of incense in the air and the bright colours in every store shine in the english sun. They sell everything from vintage clothes and leather shoes to candles, art works and old paperback books. As the small lane ways lined with market stalls twist and turn, you find yourself lost, wondering if you are going in circles. I didn't mind though, I could walk in circles in Camden all day just soaking up the atmosphere. 

These first few days have been quite the adventure.  Although it is time to get down to business, there is work to be done before leaving London in a month. We have begun our hunt for the perfect camper van, that we can call our home for the next six to nine months while we travel Europe. There are places to see, people to meet and old friends to visit- so stay tuned because there is much more to come for London, England.

Kowloon, Hong Kong

The journey has begun. First stop Kowloon, Hong Kong. The weather is almost eerie. A thick fog covers the concrete jungle below. It looks so foreign and unfamiliar. I have never felt so out of place before. It is a fascinating place however, a blend of asian life and western influences. The streets are packed and the night markets bustling. The back streets filled with little run-down restaurants and nick-nack shops while the main streets are lined with international clothing and food brands. It seems as though the city never sleeps. The nights are bright and chaotic, exploring the back streets is where the most fun can be had. The food is varied between traditional Chinese food and dumpling houses to pasta, pizza and other western delights. We spent some of our time exploring the Hong Kong botanical and zoological gardens, listening to the loud songs and cries of the gibbons and orangutans, and visiting the aviaries full of rare and unusual birds. We walked all of the streets of Central just exploring, always thinking of our next meal and struggling to make a decision with the many options offered. 

The highlight, however, was the wet markets, filled with produce I had never seen before. So fresh and vibrant. The smell of stunning flowers mixed with asian hole-in-the-wall noodle houses filling the air. The seafood so incredibly fresh it is either still alive in the water or still twitching once prepared. The butchers housing mostly offal or unusual cuts of meat- that the locals love but I can't seem to get my head around. It is fascinating how for such a modern culture they still utilise every part of the animal, in-keeping with the ancient traditions. Although the treatment of the animals can often be cruel and saddening and such a contrast from our modern techniques and views.

The last two days have been such an eye-opener. A glimpse into another world filled with tradition and culture. Although it is time to move on. This is only the beginning after all. There are many more adventures to be had, all over the globe. So thank you, Hong Kong, for such an incredible experience. Next stop London, England.