It is my last full month overseas! What?

I started the month in the wake of the half term break. I was spending every spare moment organising university applications and auditions. The first weekend I had an inspirational lesson with Brigitte then on Sunday I went to see the Lion King. Wow. What a spectacle.

Monday night I popped over to Ronnie Scotts to see Brigitte singing. It was a pretty sweet show. Also, I met some cool musicians and some cool Italians, but I had to cut the night short because of a 7:30 start the next morning, our last rehearsal before the Autumn Concert! The Autumn Concert was on Wednesday at St. Johns, Smith Square. I spent the day with Charlotte and Dan setting up, running rehearsals and just managing the general chaos. At the concert, my year 7 choir, Voices, did me very proud singing Heyo and Song for a Russian Child; I lead Chorale, the year 8 and 9 choir who sang Zamina; Close Harmony, my senior girls ensemble sang an African medley (Shosholoza, Siyahumba and Sing Gen Gen) and All The Wild Wonders; I played in the Wind Band; and I sang in the Senior Choir. It was a massive night, finished in the pub down the road with all the Music staff. What a night! On the Thursday afternoon I had my VCA audition and rehearsals on Friday to end a busy week. 

That weekend, I went off to Cambridge to visit Susannah and Kiki. Woo. I had coffee with Susannah then met up with Kiki to see Kings College Choir and then we went for dinner. Afterwards she introduced me to all her way cool Cambridge friends. Sunday was BRUNCH DAY! Woo! After brunch we went for a walk around the town, saw Trinity Hall, Jesus and lots of other Colleges before going for a little shop and looking around the markets. In the afternoon we met up with the Selwyn crew and had afternoon tea which was super nice. That night, Kiki sang to me at Clare College Evensong, it was beautiful, followed by a yummy meal with the other Clare Colleg-ites.

Monday brought me another audition. This time for Melbourne. On Thursday I was joined by the Close Harmony girls n Bond Street to sing carols for the Great Ormond Street Charity. We raised over 100 pounds! Afterwards, Dan took Charlotte and I out to Gordon Ramsay's Claridges for martinis. Talk about classy!

That weekend I had a nice relax. On Sunday I went for a wander in town and through Hand Made and Bound market which was very cool. Then I went to the Barbican to see Hermeto Pascoal with Brigitte. MOST AMAZING SHOW I HAVE SEEN! It was so cool. He played the teapot, the bass flute, the keyboard... and every solo was greeted with a portuguese exclamation.

I spent the next week psyching myself up for the weekend. On Friday night I met up with Lisa and Kendra! Woo! We went out for curry on Brick Lane - Starter, main, naan, rice and drinks all for 10! Bargain!

Saturday we went to Portobello Markets which was a lot of fun perusing the clothes, makeup, food, antiques. Then we went into town to see CHICAGO starring AMERICA FERRARO. To be honest it was a bit of a let down. Poor singing, weak dancing, boring set. After that, I headed home for an early night while Lisa and Kendra went to catch up with a friend.

Sunday morning was a big sleep in (Lisa and Kendra didn't get home until 3:30am!) before heading over to Greenwich for my singing exam. Aah! But it all went smoothly. After that I met up with the girls (who had been at Camden Market) and we went to the Greenwich Meridian before going for High Tea at the cutest little cafe called Royal Tea! 

That evening, we just lurked facebook and packed before the girls early morning departure (4:30am, ergh). And that brought the end of the month!

We are on the final count down now! only 17 more working days to go!

October. The month with 5 Sundays.

This month began humbly and nonchalantly, creeping up on me like a squirrel in the park. I spent the weekend catching up with the lovely Mollie Powers in Hyde Park which was RIDICULOUSLY busy, full of Londoners enjoying the unseasonal warmth. From there we walked to Sacred Cafe in town. By complete coincidence we bumped into Paul Bently there, enjoying the home vibe too. After whiling he afternoon away over coffee, tea and brownies, we walked up to Regents Park and then through to Primrose Hill where we sat on the hilltop enjoying the revelry of the summeresque evening.
The next day I went to Camden Markets for a bit of a shop, before reading and working on my tan in Hampstead Heath. A pretty good weekend in my books.
The next weekend I caught up with Mollie again, hitting Portobello Road markets. Woo woo! From the markets we wandered through Notting Hill, the shops were so cute. That night we went to Niki's 30th birthday drinks out at Canons Park. It was a super fun night!

That Thursday night, I went along with the Music Scholars trip to the Barbican where I was treated to Bruckners 1st and Rachmaninovs 2nd. It was bliss. A total morgasm : )

The third weekend of the month brought the lovely Stephen Tabener to the city of London. I spent Saturday workshopping with him and a few girls I brought along from school.

The next weekend brought the wonders of Skern Lodge! Days and days of abseiling, rock climbing, high ropes, zip lining, rafting, dancing, singing, walking, skipping... From Sunday to Thursday. Some of the highlights for me were the Halloween Disco and Ewetopia.

October was also spotted with auditions and the like. I had my Gondwana audition (number 8 and going strong) and my Sydney Conservatorium audition. So I also was having lessons with Danny (Classical), Brigitte (Jazz) and rehearsing with Barry (Jazz pianist and accompanist), which was really cool, but exhausting at the same time. My brain has been on over drive. After Skern Lodge, I was awake 8 hours after getting home, ready to jump on the plane to Portugal, but that story is for another time.

Happy Halloween!

Rafting. Bring it.

Belgium in a waffle (or is it nutshell...)

Day 1: We arrived very very late at night, and after checking in, we grabbed a late night felafel (although technically, by this time it was day 2!)

Day 2:Today we slept in until 9:30 before heading out to start our day in the best possible way - waffles! We ended up getting them from the 'Australia' chain, how ironic. The guy liked us so much we scored free cream! We ate them as we sat in the Grand Place. Perfection. Our next stop was the Belgian comic strip museum where Lisa engrossed herself in the Tin Tin goodness for a while. I was also informed that it is apparently pronounced 'Tahn tahn'... Who knew!

After that, we went across town to Pl. du Jeu de Balle to the flea market. What a banonza! I got a jumper and a skirt while Lisa finally found the watch she had been scouring Europe for. Next stop was Place du Grand Sablon, Brussels chocolate central, to sample chocolates, macaroons and speckuloos. Yum. We decided it was probably time for something nutritious, so we went and got lunch in a super cute cafe. From there, we went to the Cantillon Brewery to see how Gueze beer is made, before doing some tastings. This stuff is crazy. It sends your tastebuds into a frenzy. We had the standard beer as well as raspberry and cherry infusions.We went to the hostel to sort out the next leg of our trip before going out to dinner. I had some of the local specialty - Mussels. So good. We went chocolate shop hopping after that, decidedly the best and cheapest way to enjoy Belgian chocolates. We scored 8 each, at least! We went home happy and full.

Day 3: Today we went to Bruges. After we dumped our stuff at the hostel, we headed in to see the sights. We went to the Belfry at Markt square, and then to the Basilica at the Burg square, where the silver vial holding Jesus' blood is! (apparently). We saw the oldest bar in Bruges, est. 1515 and then on to the bar with 300 beers. There we had a tipple and met some very cool Americans over a cherry beer. From there we went on a free walking tour with the coolest NYC'er Kai. He was hilarious. We saw the oldest bridge in Bruges, scenes from the film 'In Bruges' and Bruges smallest alley. That night for dinner we went to a traditional Flemish restaurant for some Flemish stew. So so so good.

Day 4: Today we headed out early on our Quasimodo tour of Flanders Fields and Ipres. We saw a whole pile of amazing things: Tyne Cot Cemetery, NZ Memorial, ANZAC memorial, Polygon Wood (Where my Great Great Uncle Norman D'Angri died on 26/9/1917), Hooge Crater Museum, The Iron Harvest, Hill 60, Field Dressing Station where John McCrae worked, a restored trench, Ipres and the Menin Gate - where I found Norman D'Angri's name! I was so excited!!! We learnt so much. It was so great. On the tour we met these two great Canadians who were in Belgium on a NATO exercise. That night they shouted us drinks and dinner. So great.

Day 5: Our last day in Belgium, we left Bruges that morning, enjoying the extra hour sleep. We went to Ghent for a stop over. We walked through town, enjoying the sights. We stopped in at Mass in St. Baarts. We ended up at a little market out the back ok St.Jakobs which was fun. From there we went back into town and got some well deserved waffles. After that we went back to the train station to catch the train to the airport to end a wonderful week in a wonderful country.

We have had such a great week, eating and drinking our whiles away. Thanks Lisa!

Nutritious AND delicious