Spring into Spring

April april april, where did you go? 

I marked the beginning of Spring with a visit to the Borough Markets. I made my way there via the John Soane museum, an amazing miscellany of artefacts collected from all over the world. <http:></http:> Next door, at St. Lincoln-Inns-Fields I listened to a saxophone quintet rehearsing before continuing on my way to the Markets<http:></http:>. The smells, sights and tastes were just overwhelming! Every kind of cheese, mean, jam, chutney, bread, cake, pastry, chocolate, fruit, vegetable... endless! Once my senses had recovered from this initial assault, I had some lunch next to Southwark Cathedral. Next I crossed back over the THames and had a look at the Guildhall's Clock Museum<http:>before Evensong at St. Pauls.<http:></http:> The boys voices took my breath away. It was mesmerising, especially underneath the Cathedral's beautiful domes, I was in another world. Sunday was pretty relaxing before dinner with the visiting Duncan McArthur and then Ronnie Scotts, which I must say, was very very cool.<http:></http:></http:>

Then began the final week of term. Monday was the day of the annual SHHS Spring concert. After an intensive day rehearsing and making last minute tweaks, we put on a fantastic show. Close Harmony was a massive success singing Fragile and Java Jive. The Headmistress even submitted a special request for us to sing at the final assembly! Wednesday was the BIAAG charity walk.<http:> The staff departed at 8:30am to walk from Hampstead to Westminster. My station was on Carlton Terrace, instructing the girls to their next checkpoint. The walk ended at Westminster, next to the Houses of Parliament. After a lunch in the sun, we scored a free tour of the Houses of Parliament from an old SHHS girl, which was awesome.<http:></http:> After listening to the proceedings for a while, I went to a pub on the Thames with the staff for a catch up in the sun. The perfect way to finish the day. Thursday's final assembly performance went swimmingly, and the day was relatively easy, just tying up ends before the break commenced.</http:>

Friday, first day of the holidays was celebrated with a ride along Regents Canal which took me to the English Homes Museum and then on to Spitalfields Market,<http:></http:> returning home via the blooming squares of the city.

Saturday began with the Chocolate Festival over on the Southbank.<http:></http:>After surveying the stalls, I watched some cooking demonstrations and ate lots and lots of free samples and cookies, before meeting up with Robbie. We rode up to Camden to catch some Jazz <http:></http:> before heading home. Sunday started with a walk through Regents Park, then down to Hyde Park via the Sherlock Holmes Museum<http:></http:> and Selfridges. We stopped at Speakers Corner<http:></http:> and argued with people professing Evangelism, Meninism and all sorts of doctrines before having lunch in the park. Next stop was the Science Museum<http:></http:> before heading home again. The next day was my plane to Amsterdam, which I have already told you all about...

Sunday, my first day back, was spent recovering from my trip and doing loads and loads of washing. Monday I met up with the lovely Laura Begbie and her travel companion in Covent Garden before she treated me to the Ballet in the Royal Opera House.<http:></http:> Wow. wow. wow. I don't know how I haven't seen a ballet before?! It was Cinderella, music by Prokofiev. Tuesday, the last day of the holidays, was spend riding around the city, seeing Liberty<http:></http:> and some other shops.

Thursday afternoon I collected all our gear and headed to Buckingham Palace.<http:></http:> I set up our campsite and waited for Tessa to arrive from rounders and the night of epic proportions began. We introduced ourselves to the campers around us, Americans, Englishmen, Canadians, Phillipinos... Then the media frenzy began./ FIrst was a Spanish news, then the BBC and NBC wandered past, then SUNRISE! I jumped around like a lunatic with my Aussie flag yelling hellos to mum and home. Then I bumped into some fellow Australians who accompanied me to Kochie and Mel's hub, where we continued our cheers : ) My throat was starting to get hoarse, so I headed back to our camp spot to lay on the concrete for a few hours.  Over the night more and more well wishers arrived, and it became harder and harder to hold our ground. As the sun rose, Emma Alberichi from the ABC come over and had an interview with me, for TV and for Radio. Woo! <http:> And then Monique from 7 News came over and had a chat too. The festivities began around 9am when the police, soldiers and guards began entering and exiting the Spur. Then the dignitaries began to leave for the Abbey, which included the Queen and then Kate MIddleton herself. At 11 the serviece began, which was broadcast over big loudspeakers. It was beautiful and so so so exciting to hear William and Kate utter the words "i will" to each other. The Rutter, sang by the choir was equally as emotive. Jsut wow. Then the wedding party returned to the palace in their carriages, surrounded by knights in shining armour on their noble steeds, before making their way up to the balcony for the much anticipated kiss. Talk about a buzz!!! The celebrations ended with the fly over and then the crowds began to exit, which was a spectacle in itself. The afternoon was spent with Laura over tea comparing photos from the morning before an early night.</http:>

Saturday I met up with Laura again at Portobello Road, we had a good look around before I grabbed a divine filo pastry for lunch. Then the shopping got serious. I purchased a CD by the Robbie Boyd Band<http:></http:>, some lovely scarves, sunglasses and a beautiful vintage backpack. Yay. I rode home along the canal, passing through little venice, where some Saturday markets were on. All in all, a lovely day.

Sunday, the last day of the month began with some serious skyping sessions, catching up on all the royal gossip back home. Then I headed off across the city to Columbia Road Flower Market.<http:></http:> After perusing the blooms, and relishing the aroma's I bumped into a man collecting images for his Photography Project - Unlikeness <http:></http:> He took a photo, if I liked I got to keep it, which I did. That was exciting. Walking down the road, a girl on a bike comes up to me and asks 'Are you Alex?" Turns our it was Elenor, a girl who I used to sing with in Port Macquarie. Talk about a small world. After lunch in the cutest little Italian cafe, I continued on to Brick Lane Market<http:></http:>, pretty much the definition of Indie. I spent a few hours immersed in a world of vintage clothes, rayban sunglasses, homemade jewellery, vinyls, and exotic hair styles I made my way home for an early night.

Month 4 went very very smoothly, and the count down to summer holidays has already begun!