UK 2013

Michaela Skye. New Zealand born Australian who fell in love with the UK that one time. .

[myexchangediaryuk]

I know I should talk about my last week of school and going to Liverpool but I cant be bothered right now. On another note, I was at Lauren's today. It was lovely and I left in a good mood.

[myexchangediaryuk]

The walk back down, Barbora's tongue went green from her 'ice lolly'.

[myexchangediaryuk]

The view from the top! The rolling hills, the winding streets and the terrace houses. This view was typical England if I've ever seen it.

[myexchangediaryuk]

Picnic Picnic Picnic #omgitsfood #sahinstagram

[myexchangediaryuk]

Ah its a pony- walking up Mow Cop!

[myexchangediaryuk]

The walk up to Mow Cop- how freaking beautiful in England?!

[myexchangediaryuk]

Mow Cop

Last weekend was a long weekend as it was 'May Day' on the Monday. This meant that it was a Bank Holiday and most people had the day off from their education or occupation. The weather was absolutely perfect and a group of us had decided to walk up Mow Cop and have a picnic. Mow Cop is a big hill that has some old ruins up the top. From the top you can see for ages in all directions.Ellie, Hannah, Emily, Francesca, Barbora and I all met down near the Sainsburys to collect food before setting off on our walk. We got far too much but that was okay, because yolo or whatever. We got chicken and bread and stringers and cadbury biscuits and milka chocolate and apple pies and cookies.. it was all very amazing. It ended up being super cheap when split between the lot of us, only like 3 pound each. The walk was really pretty and quite steep at times. The weather was hot, blue and there was barely a breeze nor a cloud. We walked through some stereotypical English countryside with green fields, horses, stone roads and pretty, quaint houses. Once we were up the top we found a spot to sit and relax and eat. This became our home for the next two or so hours. We just laid and soaked up the sun, enjoying it's rarity and taking advantage of it as much as possible. For the first time in four and a half months I was properly hot. The ruins themselves were really pretty, as was the walk down through some lovely streets. Eventually it was just Francesca, Barbora and I and were so thirsty in the heat that we went to the shop where I bought a slushie and the others got 'ice lollies'. I ended up staying at Francesca's for a while as my buses were running really weirdly at that time on a Bank Holiday and her parents were lovely enough to offer me a lift home. Her family were really friendly and I felt at ease. We noticed that we wee sun burnt and I was in shock. Sunburn?! In ENGLAND?! It was almost laughable. My burn was minimal compared to that of all the pale British people but still hilarious. It was a brilliant day and some memories that I will never forget.

[myexchangediaryuk]

Silly mirror selfies in IKEA ft. the best beanie in the entire world.

[myexchangediaryuk]

FOOD! IKEA food is always the way to go, except for Toffee Laces.. apparently.

[myexchangediaryuk]

Exciting train rides to IKEA ft. my purchases and a happy looking Sabrina and Barbora

[myexchangediaryuk]

IKEA- Round Two

On the 27th of April Barbora, Sabrina and I set of on a train to go to IKEA. Unlike this time, we went to the store in Manchester. This meant catching a train first to Piccadilly, then a bus to Victoria and then another train out to Ashton Under Lyme. The journey took a while but it was okay because we were all in good company, Once we arrived at Piccadilly I just couldn't help myself and ended up buying a tshirt and a beanie from American Apparel. I am SERIOUSLY going to miss the shopping here. We then moved on to one of the few Boost Juice stores in the UK. Barbora had her first ever Boost and the drinks were amazing as per usual. The guy asked me and Sabrina about Australia and we were sad that he picked up our accents because we thought we were beginning to look and sound like the locals. The other two legs of the trip were very quick in comparison and we were there in no time. As we pulled into the station we could see IKEA out the window on the right. This was quite the change from our bewildered Birmingham experience. Inside the store we had fun looking round all the displays and lying on all the beds. Before we could get to any of that though, it was food time. It was Barbora's first ever Swedish Meatballs and I liked the fact that even this far into the trip there are still firsts going on. At the end of the store we went to the food bit and I bought some toffee laces that I used to eat all the time before I got braces but had not had in years. Unfortunately they ended up being binned as they were not as good as my memory had portrayed and made me feel a little ill. We made our way back on the train to Victoria station where we proceeded to walk through the Printworks because it is just so cool. Before we knew it, we were back on the train home. It was a really lovely day out and I know that I'll treasure the days like this forever once I'm back home in Adelaide and missing these girls like crazy. 

[myexchangediaryuk]

This time in two weeks ill be at the airport. asdfghjkl;' where has this year gone?

[myexchangediaryuk]

Lest We Forget

I'm currently in a very strange set of emotions knowing that the goings ons of ANZAC day are happening right now at home whilst Im on the other side of there world where it has not even reached the 25th yet. In a desperate attempt of normalcy and involvement Ive been watching a livestream of Sunrise and the Today Show online to keep in the loop. This is promoting some unwanted homesickness alongside the general sense of pride that I get every year at this time. Its crazy to think about where I was this time a year ago compared to where I am now. Its also insane to realise how little to no knowledge that the people have of something that has been firmly intertwined in my up bringing.   They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,We will remember them

[myexchangediaryuk]

For the last part of the day we went down by the river and just enjoyed the lovely weather. We were approached by a guy dressed in a superman costume who was selling wristbands to send kids with disabilities on trips. I managed to scrape together the change to buy one- ignore the chronic paleness. The park was real lovely, although the grass was a little wet it was just nice to be in the sun for a bit.

[myexchangediaryuk]

We ate lunch at a place that we found called the Wildwood Kitchen. The place looked tiny from the front but was actually quite big. It was one of those restaurants that you could see through to the kitchen which I really like. I loved the interior of the place nearly as uch as the Butternut Squash Risotto that I had. The last photo ft. Ana and Sabrina.

[myexchangediaryuk]

There was a shop in Stratford called the Nutcracker. It is basically a year round Christmas shop, I was in absolute heaven and ended up buying Christmas themed toilet paper, as you do. Only 248 sleeps yo!

[myexchangediaryuk]

My host sister Ana eating an icecream outside of Shakespeare's childhood home