Item 83: Madrid - Girls' Weekend

Location: Madrid, Spain

Madrid, Madrid, Madrid! Uno, dos, tres. Yes, the weekend just gone was my third visit to the Spanish capital.

The fantastic 25 degree weather was perfect for soaking up the sun and culture in one weekend.

This time around it was a girls' weekend and we'd arranged a flamenco dance class at a local studio. With worn down floorboards and flowers in our hair it was an hour of alternative fun and tests of coordination. Feet tapping, hands clapping, heads turning and then the introduction of a fan was almost too much for our sun-stroked heads.

In the evening, to follow in the same spirit, we were recommended to head to Villa Rosa (Plaza de Santa Ana, 19, 28012 Madrid, Spain), by our teacher as the live flamenco show there was free unlike the other tourist traps in town. With a cover charge of 3 euros per head, we ordered some additional tapas and sangria while watching some very skilful dancing, in comparison to our fan-waving from earlier that day.

After the performance, we walked through the city centre, past stag groups in the streets to the nightclub Joy. The 18 euro cover charge, which included one drink, allowed us to get away from the riff-raff on the street. We were introduced to 'free-pour' spirits where a G&T came as a long glass of gin complemented by a side order of bottled tonic water. Inside they played popular western music from the years that I luckily was familiar. It was the first night in a long time I'd been out until closing time and what better city to do this in than Madrid!

Item: 83: Madrid? CHECK!

Item 82: Legoland Windsor

Location: Legoland Windsor, United Kingdom

I saw my flatmate's box of Cornflakes offering 2 for 1 entry to Legoland and what better time to visit than mid-week, now that the kids are back in school and my out of office is set on my work email account.

Although we queued for entry with the most number of prams I have seen at one time, this meant that most of the young visitors did not meet the height requirements (1.3m), for the 'scary' rides - shorter queues for me!

We played it safe by going on the Vikings' River Splash first so we could dry out through the rest of the day. As the sign said, "You will get wet".

Adrenalin pumping, we then went on the Jolly Rocker (pirate ship), Dragon's Apprentice (baby roller coaster) and moved into the Knight's Kingdom for the 'The Dragon' (bigger roller coaster). Unfortunately for me, it was then time for a tiny power spew. Oh dear, Legoland may be for the younger kids but the big kids, with obviously weak stomachs, still feel the punch.

I was fascinated at each turn through the park to find the level of intricacy of the Lego sculputures. Flamingos, tigers, dragons, workmen and when entering 'Miniland' I found amazing reconstructions of famous architecture from places I'd visited in Europe. Even more so, Legoland was well into the spirit of this week's Royal Wedding, with mini-Buckingham Palace surrounded by Lego men and women crowding its gates to get a glimpse of the newly married Lego couple.

Item 82: Legoland Windsor? CHECK!

Item 81: Kew Gardens

Location: Kew Gardens, London

With a 'heat-wave' passing through the UK, the manicured flower beds of Kew Gardens charge an entry of £13.90 and welcome you to enjoy the equivalent of most other London parks. More positively the pricing barrier weeds out the drunken chavs in their bikini's trying to soak up the bonus summer waves of April.

Inside there's the tree top walk which is a disappointing rusty circuit on a raised landing in the middle of the complex, with less than spectacular views.

There's also a depleting Japanese pagoda, with children running circles around, but a good focal point from afar and complementing the cherry blossom trees that line the pathway. The Palm House is a green house containing plants from exotic places including Australia. It's contructed of iron and glass and the insides remind me of rusty bathroom pipes.

Nonetheless, with the weather lifting the spirits of the sun deprived Londoners, a whole day roaming through the greenery listening to the aeroplanes fly pass on their way to Heathrow Airport, it's a day all about the 'serenity'.

Item 81: Kew Gardens? CHECK!

Item 80: V&A Friday Late

Location: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

There was literally a red carpet welcome on Friday night as I walked into the V&A Friday Late: The Play-House. Slightly embarrassing but it got everyone into the spirit of things as the rehearsed crowd screamed and cheered you into the the building.

During the last Friday of each month the museum hosts a themed evening and I made it along to get involved in the activities on show. Busy with activity around the Cromwell street entrance, drinks were served in the foyer and a theatrical performance on a temporary stage beamed through the growing number of attendees.

As soon as I entered the Sackler centre, which was abuzz with creativity from 'Fire The Inventor' group, I was caught up in the evening and itched immediately to start making something. With lots of odds and ends of offer, I quickly grabbed a piece of automata and started building my contraption. Compiled without glue, my machine fitted nicely together with the mish-mash of inventions made by other visitors that night. And with the crank of the wheel, mechanical theatre was made.

Addictive fun, and childhood relived with feathers, pipe-cleaners and sparkly things it was another Friday night well spent.

Item 80: V&A Friday Late? CHECK!

Item 79: Brussels and Brugge

Location: Brussels and Brugge, Belgium

With a need for a cruisey holiday, I found a really good deal via the Eurostar website with a two night stay in a five star hotel. The plan was to laze about and eat mussels in Brussels. In the middle of winter, comfort food was definitely required.

A nice and easy check-in at Kings Cross St Pancras and on to my beloved train to take me across the English Channel, popping out the other end at Brussels Midi.

Having been to Brussels before, it was nice to find the city very familiar. I spent a day exploring the main city, saying 'hello' again to the Mannekin Pis and savouring my first waffle of the tour.

The city itself was covered in snow, so an indoor visit to the Belgian Comic Strip Center to find Tin Tin and Papa Smurf waiting for me was really heartwarming. I love finding childhood heroes in foreign countries.

With time on my hands, I hopped onto a train to Brugge for a day trip to walk around the Burg and the city hall. There I ate a giant pot of mussels in a local haunt off the main street and wandered the village along the canals, window shopping at the brightly lit chocolate displays.

A most casual visit to the continent but a two hour journey on my favourite mode of travel in Europe, this short break was just what I needed.

Item 79: Brussels and Brugge? CHECK!

Item 78: Tromso - chasing Northen Lights

Location: Tromso, Norway

March may be the optimum time to see the NORTHERN LIGHTS, the Auroa Borealis, the dancing lady of the night, but I went to chase them in December 2010.

I booked flights to Tromso, which was researched as an ideal destination to begin my Arctic adventure. With day light hours between 11-2, it was amazing that the people were, as my postcard home read 'really really nice', to the point where my travel companion suggested that I go and date a Norwegian. Ever so friendly and helpful, our ad-hoc adventures were driven by the one purpose - to see the lights.

The first night we joined a tour which started from the town's cathedral at 6pm where we hopped in a van, rugged up in the snow suits and travelled to the islands as our guide radio-ed in to see if his accompliaces could see the lights from their positions. We stopped at a spot with low cloud cover, lit a fire and huddled around with 'special' viking drinks - blackcurrent flavoured as we gazed above. At midnight, with conversation amongst the group waning, we got back into the van where we were dropped off at our B&B which the guide described as the cheapest hotel in town with the best view.

In the dusk of day on our second day, we visited the Polaria and watched the documentaries of the Artic landscapes and wild life. But with our time shortening and no sights of the lights, we decided to make the most of being quaint and friendly town and we booked places for a one hour dog sledding tour with Lyngsford Adventure. Again, rugging up in the hired snowsuits were were taken inside the Sami tipi and served reindeer stew around an open fire.

After dinner, stepping out of the tent we looked up and there she was, Miss Auroa.... but not as we had seen in pictures. She was white and didn't feel like dancing, almost camouflaged as midnight clouds. But, convincingly the tour guide told us she was out, as we hopped into our sleds and the happy dogs took us on a tour of the open plains under the night sky.

It may not have been the lights that we'd seen in photos before our trip, but the town of Tromso was so welcoming and peaceful that I'm planning the next adventure to chase the lights.

Item 78: Tromso? CHECK!

Item 77: Somerset House Ice Skating

Location: Somerset House, London

Maybe it's because of its corporate sponsor, bit I Iike to think its due to the very nicely decorated Christmas tree that welcomes you into the courtyard of Somerset House which makes it the prettiest place to go ice skating during the festive season.

Many thanks to my friend to organised our tickets a month in advance, as the weekend sessions are now sold out.

One hour on the ice followed by a hot cup of mulled wine in the bar, this is what it's all about. The festive cheer will definitely be be topped off if the weather forecasters have got it right... here's to dreaming of a white Christmas.

Item 77: Somerset House? CHECK!