Item 42: Do Something Different Weekend

Location: Barbican, London

As part of the East London Festival, the Barbican was opened to the public and filled with creative workshops at the weekend, many of them free!

With knitting, juggling and recycling activities on the schedule, I managed to head in on Saturday afternoon for some crafty action. Fun was had making badges from recycled magazine images, backed onto decorative rosettes from material cuttings. Even with kids running everywhere, parents had just as much fun making things for themselves, however strange they looked at the end of the day.

For me, the highlight of the exhibition was the virtual bike ride through East London - "The East London Cycling Machine". Two cyclists on a tandem bike rode two routes through the East. The front rider was steering while the on the back filmed the journey. For visitors at the weekend, we were able to relive their days' worth of travel in 6 minutes, sitting and peddling on the exact same uncomfortable bicycle. Concentrating on not falling off the mounted bike, we watched the footage of the trip, having one of the riders provide a dynamic narration using a speaker phone from behind. This was more effort than your standard virtual reality ride!

Item 42: Do Something Different Weekend? CHECK!

Item 41: Homesick

Location: London

Two weeks ago, I bought my first ever jar of Vegemite. Now don’t get me wrong I, like every other true blue, grew up on the stuff. It’s just that every other time it’s been my Mum buying or my mate, Judes, who gave it to me as a farewell gift before I left Australia.

To go with the Veg, I brought a block of Australian Mature Cheddar. Nothing beats a cheese and Vegemite sandwiche in times of need. Last Friday, I bought a packet of ANZAC biscuits.

Yes folks, I am homesick. It’s the strangest feeling as through all my travels over the years, I have never really missed home.

Am I a product of the real strategy behind British High Commission's work permit scheme? One that forces you to wait and wait and wait for your new visa in your 'home country'. How conniving, as during this time of waiting, a recession is declared in the UK, the job market dries up, the interest rate on your savings drops to below 1 per cent and the winter grows colder and darker.

Meanwhile happy times are had in the Land Down Under as the sun comes out, you’re catching up with friends and family, eating awesome food, going to barbeques, talking of friend’s engagements and weddings and there’s general frivolity all ‘round.

With 2,700 Australians leaving the UK each month, I’m trying my best at the moment to not be one of them. Maybe I'll head out for some home remedies at the Australia Shop today.

Item 41: Homesick? CHECK!

Item 40: Tango...Go, go, go!

Location: Las Estrellas, Academia Nacional del Tango, 2-3 Inverness Mews, Bayswater, W2 3JQ, UK

All in anticipation of a travel surprise later on this year, I've signed up for four Tango lessons, the first of which began last night. At £10 for a 2 hour lesson, this is conceivably the best deal around.

The first-timers made up almost half the class of beginners. We stood in a circle prepared to learn all we could. After the first half-hour spoken introduction, we were finally allowed to take a partner and dosey-do uh, tango style.

Not sure whether this was a wax-on wax-off approach to teaching, but the class seemed to be standing around listening and watching for a lot of the 2 hour lesson.

The instructor intermittently selected one female into the circle to demonstrate the concepts in front of the class with him, paying extreme attention to all the dance details: position, posture, axis, walking, balance and more. The simple instruction for the girls to get it right “Do not think, just follow,” as he led them through a sequence of steps.

How boring for the males, of which there would’ve been a ratio of 1:3 girls. They stood and watched, only mimicking the final 'salida' steps during the last 30 minutes of the session.

What we did learn though, was how essential it is to have each partnership move as one. Should the couple move as two, the dance falls apart. I assume this is why he places so much emphasis on getting things right from each student from the very beginning.

Lesson one is over, three more to go.

Item 40: Tango? ... NO! NO! NO!

Item 39: Chamonix

Location: Chamonix, France

In a cosy little town, 50 minutes drive from the Swiss city of Geneva, lays the valley of Chamonix. Views of Mont-Blanc greeted us on the first of our four day get-away with snow covering the pine trees as if we were once again in the middle of Christmas.

A well organised destination, we were grateful for the courtesy Mullet buses that loop around the town centre saving us from walking in our uncomfortable ski boots to our first ski lesson at Le Savoy. To my slight disappointment our instructor, George, was a well matured gentleman although he did have thick French accent and taught us how to ski.

Fully confident of our abilities after half a day on the slopes, we joined our more experienced friends on the second day for some more spectacular scenery. We took a ride in the tele-cabin at Brévent only to find out at the top that the ‘green’ beginners run was short and required a further uphill climb. Onward we decided, and spent the day on three blue runs traversing across the mountain, through low visibility and many tumbles to reach a green run by the end of the day.

Along with the skiing, we filled up on delicious quality French food, including a home cooked raclette of melted cheese, potatoes, gherkins and cured meats. With plenty of things to enjoy in the town, the holiday would have been just as lovely without the skiing. Hence Chamonix's popularity throughout the year.

This was by far one of the prettiest places I have been on my travels so far.

Item 39: Chamonix? CHECK!

Item 38: Snow in London

Location: London

I left Melbourne a little over a week ago with the temperature reaching 42 degrees the day I boarded the plane. Since my return to London the weather has been gloomy with only rare glimpses of sun to brighten my day.

For today, the BBC weather report predicted "Heavy Snow. Max: 1. Min: -1," and waking this morning I was not disappointed. Busses and trains have been cancelled (much like in Melbourne during extreme temperatures) and snowmen have been born.

If it's going to be cold, at least now it's worth it!

Item 38: Snow in London? CHECK!

Item 37: Golden Gaytime

Location: Australia

I have a list of ‘Tastes From Home’ to bring back to the UK. Included are the standard Tim Tams, BBQ shapes and Mint Slices. All will fit in the luggage quite easily. My dilemma: how do I transport a box of Golden Gaytime ice-creams on a 24 hour flight back to London? Ice-cream dipped in chocolate and covered in crumbled biscuits went down a treat in the 30 degree weather yesterday. Will they make the distance on the journey back?

Suggestions are most welcome!

Item 37: Golden Gaytime? CHECK!

Item 36: SmartGate

Location: Tullamarine International Airport, Melbourne, Australia

Over the last year and a half I have had a merry old time travelling throughout Europe on weekend getaways, soothing the travel bug within.

In order to minimise holiday transit time I have refined my airport strategy, always carrying spare landing cards in my carry-on luggage and racing off the plane to be at the head of the queue at immigration for ‘Non-EU Passport Holders”.

I have come to terms with my alien existence in the European Union. There is the consolation that when I return to the Land Down Under I will have the benefit of the short wait and a speedy entry into Australia. This becoming even more rewarding after a 22 hour flight!

And so, adding a two hour delay by Qantas back to Melbourne to the travel time, I was pleased to have landed at Tullamarine International Airport on a Saturday evening. Walking past the last minute duty free shops and through the arrival halls to the immigration counter the only sign I could see was “Australian and New Zealand ePassport holders”. The country had implemented the SmartGate system while I was away! A scan your passport embedded microchip and we’ll scan your ugly face so you can get through customs quicker technology!

My older and well travelled passport did not make the grade.…and it needn’t be said that I had no joy on my face as I joined the queue for ‘All Other Passports’!

Item 36: SmartGate? WAITING!