The farewell comeback tour

Leaving home was tough and despite, or maybe because of, the sunshine illuminating the beautiful south Devon countryside I was feeling a bit melancholic as the train headed towards London. The trip was not over however, but it felt like the last leg, squeezing in a few more hellos and goodbyes before being re-deported to Australia.

So, London was the first added date on my European tour, meeting a friend Brian for lunch in a sunny and constantly revamped Paddington before trundling – because trundling is all you do on the District Line – to East Putney. Now this was one of those upside down moments because I was here to meet up with my now ex-housemate from Canberra, Lauren. She was on my patch now, and I was pleased to help her navigate to the City where we had a beer and walked along the South Bank for a bit to St Pauls, where we had a spot of Gelati.

We then did our most to avoid the rush hour crush and walked onto Chancery Lane where we hooked up with two more TNS friends of mine, Sadia and Susie in a great old pub. Seated in a confessional booth, it was very much a chance to let off steam and have a good old gossip, enhanced by beer which only cost £1.99 a pint.

The next morning I left Putney and joined the crowds of workers heading to Waterloo, traveling the Northern Line one more time to Euston for a train to the mysterious North. Northern England is a place I haven’t really explored in depth and it wasn’t going to be the case this time, having only a day and a half to meet up with more friends around the Blackpool area.

Now, Blackpool is an interesting place…the most popular holiday destination for Brits I think. It is dominated by a number of features, namely the Blackpool Tower which rivals Paris, the long stretch of muddy looking beach perforated by piers, trams riding their way past countless B&Bs, teashops, amusements, takeaways, bargain stores, pubs and clubs. It seems a place you can both love and hate at the same time!

Luckily I had more to see here than the legendary B&M Bargains and stayed with Melita and her family, enjoying a full on Blackpool night out, complete with chip kebabs and girls wearing hardly anything on hen nights. Well, they were my abiding memories of it anyway. Somewhat wearily we turned in close to 5 in the morning at Lee and Michelle’s, our tiredness the next day enlivened by their beautiful daughter Eva, who was having a fine old time jangling keys, emptying bags and tottering all over the place.

In the afternoon Melita and I met up with Ollie, another former housemate and great friend who was now settling down in Lytham St. Annes, a stone’s throw from the Open golf course. It was a warm and pleasant afternoon as we sat and had a late lunch beside Lytham green and strolled along the waterfront to the Windmill, from where Ollie and I had a contest to see who could look best in a picture.



Clearly Ollie won, maybe because I was taking the picture and also because he was in his natural environment. I was in a foreign land and look to be waiting for an old lady to park herself to my right so we can gaze out to sea together. Melita meanwhile was content to be a bystander and try and avoid having her picture taken.

Pictures done, we ambled some more for an ice cream and strolled round a small boating lake, the highlight being the young lad falling in and struggling to get back out due to the slippery bank, egged on by his family safely dry in their little boat. Suitably entertained we visited a local pub where they were showing the opening games of the new football season and Stevie Gerrard was making himself even more popular in these parts.

After a decent night of much needed sleep it was time to move on again, back to the more familiar south to my last stop of the European trip, Basingstoke. I was here to see my relatively newly arrived in the country Dad and Sonia, and whilst I didn’t get to see much of Basingstoke itself, this was compensated by some hearty food and a trip to Christchurch and the New Forest!

Christchurch (England, not New Zealand) was bright and quaint, with a nice relaxed feel, a few old buildings and a market. Highlight of the market for me was the cheese stall, with some stand out Cheddars mixed with either Marmite, smoked garlic, curry, sundried tomato and various other herbs. I would of loved to have brought some back to Australia but I’ll have to make do with Coon.

I feel, like the New Zealand one, Christchurch is an ambling town where you happily go to have an amble. Our amble took us down to the quayside, dotted with boats and huge swans, then along a river full of fish and lined with leaves. There were also a number of buildings, including a priory and ruined Norman castle.



Despite the dark and dramatic clouds in the air, it stayed dry and we were peppered with the warming summer sun as we ambled on through more gardens and pure leafiness, the odd red robin coming to join us.

Have I mentioned food yet? It’s been a while. Now Dad & Sonia are regular readers of my blog (come on, you should all follow their example!) and were worried about how they could compete with all the Devon delicacies and Cornish cuisine which has made my jeans tight in recent weeks. They did very well however with a full on, heart stopping English breakfast, modeled by yours truly before and after.



The reason I have not turned completely into a Rik Waller lookalike during this time is thanks mostly to the walking, and we took some more fresh air in the delightful surroundings of the New Forest. Now this is a fine last taste of southern England, full of love and life, another unbeatable place when the sun shines through the dense green foliage.

Here we saw an old tree, a few birds, lots of New Forest ponies and a herd of deer, nothing could be more English apart from a nice cup of tea and a youth in a fake Burberry cap.

Alas, quaint olde England had to be left behind and we rejoined the M3 up to Basingstoke where I made my way onto Heathrow. Now this is the tricky part. How do I end this story…a month of amazing sights, memories, above expected sunshine, food (oh my God, how much food), and truly terrific people? I’m actually quite sad to be leaving, I was getting used to our English ways and my stomach was expanding so I could happily continue with the eating. I love England, I love home, and I love the people I am leaving behind but I also love travel and the thrill of exploring new places. For me, Australia still remains mostly untouched and that excites me. Now all I need to do is get that little bother called work out the way!

As something of an epitaph I would like to thank all the people who made my trip so special, all those who put me up (sometimes unexpectedly) and put up with me. I’ve traveled the world and been lucky to see so many places, but this has been my best holiday ever. Now, I must pack up as, rather aptly, Don’t Dream It’s Over by some antipodeans called Crowded House plays on the radio of this coach delivering me to that Malaysia Airlines check-in desk. See you in Oz!