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Platinum Jubilee Trip

April - June 2022
A right Royal Romp! Read more
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  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Excitement : One month to go!

    April 30, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Excitement is building!

    Only one month to go until we take off for London to participate in the pomp & Ceremony of the Royal Platinum Jubilee Celebration! Accommodation is booked and many activities, fit for a Queen, are awaiting; including Royal Afternoon Tea cruise on the Thames, Brunch at Sky-garden, visit to Windsor Castle as well as exclusive Royal London walking tour to discover hidden secrets & stories!
    Also excitedly looking forward to ABBAsolutely fun and futuristic “Voyage” concert in the brand new purpose built ABBA stadium and a night of Mediterranean deliciousness and unique theatre at “Mamma Mia the Party !” at the O2 arena.

    An exciting side trip to the Peak District in Middle UK to visit friends and a sojourn to the picturesque Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre (Five towns) is exciting and hopefully relaxing as we enjoy our second Summer with leisurely lunches, lazily wandering through painted villages and laneways, swimming in turquoise water followed by lashings of delectable local Italian food & wine.

    This is a dream trip, to actually be in London, in what will be the biggest Royal Celebration in history as Queen Elizabeth becomes the only Monarch to have reigned for 70 glorious years!    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Is this really happening?

    May 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    … So, it feels like I have had so many things to contend with over the last couple of months that I have not even had time to daydream about the fact I am going on the holiday of a lifetime!

    Perhaps that is how it feels with most people who really need a holiday? But, I honestly think that the past couple of Covid years has made many of us even question if adventure & vacations were going to be possible again!

    I actually don’t think I’ll actually realise I am on vacation until I am sitting in my seat on the flight out of the country…

    Covid has messed with our inner capacities to daydream, imagine and believe we can manifest our thoughts into some sort of reality.

    I try to create a life that I don’t need a vacation from but, in all honesty, I need a vacation now more than ever! I know many people feel the same because they have expressed it to me and empathise with exactly how I feel…

    So, bring on May 30 and may it be everything that I hope for…    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    One week to go!

    May 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Excited. Trepidation. Anticipation. Disbelief…
    Some of the feelings conjured up with a week to lift off! Packing has not commenced as yet but definitely watching the international weather patterns (…lots of Sunshine in London apparently…!) to ascertain needs to convince myself to cut back items and ensure the luggage does not turn from essential to inconvenient!
    Richard and I recognise that going from two years of hermit isolation to celebration mode with the anticipated record history making crowds may require sensible & reflective navigation…
    Self imposed activity limitation for the next week to ensure the dreaded Covid keeps a respectable distance.
    Looking forward to sharing our thoughts, activities & oddities over the next month…
    Buckle up and enjoy the ride!    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Not long now..!

    May 29, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Yesterday I woke up to 10 missed messages and emails informing me that our second London Airbnb had been cancelled! As you could imagine, I bounced out of bed with some anger and anxiety in equal measure! Those who know me will understand that I organised all of the accommodation three months ago and put hours of research into doing so. To have this happen at the final hour was quite a blow…

    In true Troy-style I used my adrenaline to explore Booking.com until I found some options to share with Richard, who thankfully, helped make the final decision when my mind was mushy, like English green peas! Hopefully the first AirBnB will finally respond to messages sent over the last week so that we have keys to our first accommodation on arrival in London Tuesday… Needless to say that AirBnB will never be supported by me again. Interestingly, other stories emerge with similar situations which makes me feel a little better…

    To add to our current travel arrangements Richard has been informed of some very sad news about dear Shirley! He sung his lungs out last night in honour of her and we will be toasting her at every opportunity on our trip.

    On a brighter note, Trooping the Colour rehearsals have been held in London and the opening night of ABBA Voyage concert has flooded the Internet with excitement and jubilation! These images, videos and effervescent reporting have overshadowed the negativity somewhat.

    Let’s hope there are no more curveballs and we can let the celebrations begin… 🥳    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Only way is Up!

    May 30, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    In the immortal words of Yazz: The only way is up!
    …In one final blow Richard tested positive for Covid and had to cancel his flight! With some luck he may get a negative PCR test and be on the next flight out tomorrow. Worst case scenario perhaps joining me on the Italian Riviera!

    Let’s hope that you are right Susan…
    If it’s falling apart now then hopefully it will all come together over there! Fingers crossed 🤞

    In the meantime I am doing a slow pub crawl of all the international terminal hotspots! Aperol spritz at Brunetti and a white sangria at the Bar Pulpo watering hole!
    …boarding in an hour so that surely gives me time to make more lemonade with these lemons 🍋

    For those wondering about airport delays…so far…negative on that front! Through customs in under half hour and not a word of Covid anywhere…

    One observation since last travelling is that I need my reading glasses to see anything! Ah! Getting older: such sweet farkin’ bliss!

    2 hours til takeoff. 14 to Doha. 3 in Doha. 7 to London…

    To infinity & beyond!

    Harry, Meghan, Archie & Lilibet… get in line bitches! I’m the bigger Drama Queen 😜👑    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Notting Hill, B.O & Pies at 5am

    May 31, 2022 in Qatar ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

    Wow! That was certainly a huge first leg! 14 hours since departing from Melbourne and currently sitting in Doha at 35°

    Probably didn’t sleep more than a couple of hours, especially as I had a XXL man who had raised his seat arm so he could fit… Consequently, almost sitting/sleeping on me! It didn’t help that he had a very bad BO problem either… Thank God (or Allah!?) for the mask in this case 🙄😷

    The food and service on Qatar 🇶🇦 is outstanding! The only odd choice was the snack of a meat pie at 5 am! The rest of the meals were extremely well done, nutritious and delicious 😋

    I settled in and watched One Night in Soho (..very strange flick) and got teary-eyed watching Notting Hill, knowing I’ll be physically there this weekend.

    I’m reminded just how far Australia 🇦🇺 is from the rest of the world 🌍 12,000km and still half as far to go again! Hopefully the Airbnb con artists will not play funny buggers in 7 hours time… it will be in no mood to play hide 🫣 & seek!    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip

    Airbnb Accomodation Relief!

    May 31, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    AirBnB have redeemed themselves… For today! Thankfully, the accommodation is luxurious and very lovely. To be honest, it ALMOST makes up for the grief they gave me with all the changes and cancellations. I have even added my own touch to the “Juliet balcony” as you will see in the photos! God save our longest reigning Queen in history 🇬🇧🥰👑👜

    The apartment has a lovely park behind it which leads onto Embankment on the Thames! (For the uninitiated, it’s a simple 10 minute stroll to Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden & Leicester Square.

    Perfect location!

    Even went for a wander through the West End & Old Compton Street past Admiral Duncan’s but just couldn’t pluck up the stamina and courage to head in…perhaps tomorrow! Once again, had Richard been here I’m sure we’d have added that extra spark of Dutch Courage.

    It’s 9.42pm. The sun ☀️ has gone to bed and so must I…    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip
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    London At Last!

    May 31, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Wow!

    To say I’m exhausted is an understatement but that didn’t stop me from my ritual of heading straight to my London ‘touch point’ Big Ben! Even against a dreary drizzly London Spring day the recent refurbishment looks awesome: shiny golden & new! The accomodation is one tube stop from the Elizabeth Tower so I walked above ground, from Embankment, along the Thames, to catch a glimpse today…and, as always, my heart skipped a beat! 🕰🥰

    I was going to leave it at that (as I knew the 30+ travel hours had taken a toll) but I seemed to just follow the crowd and check out the local area…ended up walking down the Mall to Buckingham Palace to see that there were some rehearsals going on but sadly realised that seeing the actual artists on stage would not be possible because huge fences have been erected around the entire area…oh well…I’m still here so that’s the main thing. Many roads have been closed so it was quite unique to be wandering around the middle of the road without traffic…
    And: check out the flags & bunting everywhere.

    Pushed myself as far as I could so I could actually comprehend that I was finally here! Hopefully after an actual sleep 😴 in a bed, I will be renewed to explore, celebrate and reflect on the history defining moment I’m about to be a part of!

    Such a shame Richard can’t be here to enjoy the jubilant Jubilee with me. These are the times we still live in…although you’d never know it here in London: nobody is wearing masks 😷 anymore, anywhere: the tube is packed and it’s business as usual!

    Good night
    It’s 9.30pm and still light out! Seems strange but tomorrow is Summer here…alas, I feel I’ve made a slight packing error! Well, the shorts should come in handy next week in Italy 🇮🇹    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip
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    Royal Jubilee 👑 Walking Tour

    June 1, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This is my view for lunch today! The sun has come out and people are everywhere… The atmosphere is electric and jubilant! I truly feel honoured to be in London at this historic time. This is history and I am in it!

    Today, as I did 25 years ago for the first time, I headed to the Tesco at Westminster tube station, right next door to Big Ben and bought a lunch deal for 5 pound! As I enjoy my BBQ Chicken, bacon & Cheese with Branston pickle “Garden Party Picnic 🧺 style” Big Ben chimes 1pm: a pinch-myself moment!

    Our guide Claire took us to all the rehearsal hotspots today and we were able to get some fantastic footage of changing the guards and learn about the best spots to be for all the long weekend celebrations!

    We started at James Park tube station and headed to Queen Anne’s Walk. We saw some typical Queen Anne style architecture over doors (see photos). She was last Queen of the Stuart era. None of her children lived to continue to Stuart dynasty sadly.

    Afterwards we headed to St Jame’s Palace, built by King Henry the VIII, in typical Tudor style. We saw a black chauffeur driven vehicle head into Clarence house (which is next door). We all hoped it could be Charles & Camilla…

    Overwhelmed with emotion and as I watched the guards march down the Mall I honestly was beginning to tear up, realising where I was and what was happening all around me! It is a truly life changing experience to be here at this moment in time!    Read more

  • TravelerPlatinum Jubilee Trip
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    I love the Nightlife!

    June 1, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    25 years on, after working together at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square the lovely Marta and I finally caught up; where it all happened in front of the Empire Cinema… So fantastic to reminisce and recollect the fun times we had in 1997 when we worked together…

    It seems we both have the same addiction to London and everything Royal which allowed conversation to flow in all directions… Maybe just slightly more vigourous and exuberant after a couple of Aperol spritz’s for the questionable price of £11!

    After dinner we wandered all through Piccadilly circus, Leicester Square and Soho recounting our similar experiences through the years…and beyond *wink wink”😉

    Another big day tomorrow with very high hopes we may catch a glimpse of the lady we all honour for her traditional birthday parade!    Read more

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