Item 87: Glastonbury Festival

Location: Worthy Farm, Pilton

It was a well run project, getting tickets to Glastonbury last October. After prior registration on the website, we teamed up in groups of six and woke early on a Sunday morning to log on to seetickets in the hope that one of us would get through the system and put a deposit down for the rest for the group. After two hours, there was success and we had our places booked for Glastonbury 2011!

Being one of the golden ticket holders for the sold-out event, as the weekend approached and packing lists arrived in my inbox stating that I pack copious amounts of babywipes to cover the no-shower for five day expedition, I was a little apprehensive that the mud would get the better of me. My trusty wellies got me through the snow, but would it cope with the mud?

The efficient cattle-call of National Express coach service transported us from London Victoria to Glastonbury in under four hours. We disembarked and made way to the festival entrance. It was a long muddy walk! The packing list overlooked the handy term 'light' as we walked through the trenches to find our camp site for the weekend.

And this was just the start. Flicking through the festival programme, I was overwhelmed by what was on offer. One of my friends calls Glastonbury the 'happiest place on earth'. And it very well could be.

Yes, the headlines were Beyonce, U2, Coldplay, Paul Simon and it would be amazing just to see one of them let alone catch them all in a single weekend. Jessie J - with her broken ankle sat graciously on the Other stage to sing for her fans and highlighted that all the artists wanted to be there, as did the rest of us.

Taking over an hour to get from one side of the festival to the other, there's something on offer for everyone.

Late at night Shangri-La opens up the clubs until the early mornings for people who want to see the sunrise from the other side. There's a circus, acoustic tent, Glastonbury university, craft area and you'd lose a few kilos trying to cover it all in four days. But this was the best part, wandering for hours with a sense of discovery at each turn to find something so random it made the effort of walking through the sticky mud all worth it.

As for my wellies, they were the unfortunate fatality of the weekend and had to be retired to one of the wellie graveyards with the many other pairs that didn't make it through. RIP.

Item 87: Glastonbury Festival? CHECK!

Item 86: Udderbelly Festival - Wil Anderson

Location: Jubilee Gardens, Southbank, London

In what is a magical set-up of an up-turned cow along the southbank of London, I went along to the Udderbelly Festival on a drizzly Friday evening to see, who was once my favourite breakfast talk-show host, Wil Anderson. I'd seen him at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in the year before I left Australia and was keen to have another enjoyable night out.

Entering the tent via a decked path illuminated by lanterns and fairy lights, the venue has been noted down as somewhere to hang out with a glass of Pimms, if summer does arrive in London this year.

As the show was free seating, I arrived 15 minutes before the start and my ears were pierced with the Australian accent left, right and centre. But, that should have been a given as Wil is a well-loved comedian from home.

Although I admit I expected the same substance and quality that I saw in his "Wil of God" performance, which generally leads to disappointment I came out of the night wondering if it was the same person I'd seen five years ago. In addition, maybe my tastes have changed since moving to London and seeing a number of other comedians on the circuit. There were moments of laughter and it wasn't as bad as one heckler bluntly laid out, 'You're boring the crap out of me mate'.

With many other shows planned in the tent including another personal favourite, the 'Fitzrovia Radio Hour', I'd definitely recommend that udderbelly is well worth a visit this summer.

Item 86: Udderbelly Festival? CHECK!

Item 85: Blue Lagoon

Location: Blue Lagoon, Keflavík, Iceland

During our weekend in Reykjavík, we were spun many an old wives tale on the discovery and healing powers of the elusive Blue Lagoon.

Even still, with the smell after each shower in the hotel we hoped that the tourist price of EUR 30 meant that the establishment afforded do something about the rotten egg smell of the country's hot water system, even though its pools are made from the run-off from the local geothermal power station.

Located in Keflavík, our visit was en-route back to the airport. Crazy hoards of buses entered the premises through the protective valley of lava fields. We were given an automated wrist band that worked as our the locker key for the change rooms. A quick pre-shower and then out into the bite of the fresh Icelandic air, straight into the rejuvenating powers of the 39°C waters.

Wading through chest deep cloudy blue reflective water, we located pockets of extra warmth and enjoyed a morning of relaxation at the spa. Steam rooms, sauna, intensive waterfall shoulder massage and a do-it-yourself face mask of Silica mud from the side of the pool completed our beauty regime before we headed back to the airport bound for London - very refreshed.

Item 85: Blue Lagoon? CHECK!

Item 84: Reykjavik - Golden Circle Tour

Location: Reykjavik, Iceland

The second ash cloud that hovered over London in the week leading up to the last May bank holiday posed little threat to my fellow travel companions and I as we embarked on our long weekend to the capital of Iceland - Reykjavik.

Arriving at midnight, the skies remained the colour of dusk and the rude 5:30am beaming sunlight through our hotel room window only indicated that this is summer in the nordics - very long days, the exact opposite of the to the winter seasons where it's common to have almost 24 hours of darkness during winter. Reminder: pack eye mask!

As I travelled with a big group this holiday, we were lucky enough to book a private tour bus for ourselves. Off we went following the path of The Golden Circle to travel to one of Europe´s largest waterfalls - the Gullfoss. En-route we were let off the bus to visit Thingvellir, site of the World´s first Parliament. Unlike what is common in cities this meeting place was held outdoors so it's a natural site with cliffs and valleys - no controversial architectural buildings in sight.

The highlight of the route took us to the geothermal fields of Haukadalur to get up close to the geysirs. Erupting every 10 minutes, we waited surrounded by the subtle smell of steam and sulphur to watch the activity. For those of us who remember high-school chemistry, sulphur has the more familiar smell of rotten eggs.

It was a worthwhile day trip, taking almost seven hours for the return journey to view some very spectacular landscapes.

Item 84: Reykjavik - Golden Circle Tour? CHECK!

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!