Saturday - First day of the Trip!

When I awoke early on the Saturday, one thing was on my mind: today is the start of the London adventure! After managing to catch our train successfully from Leamington spa station at 12.10pm, we where on our way, and successfully arrived at London Marylebone at around 1.45 PM. One of the stations we went through happened to be Wembley stadium station, and the train stopped for just enough time for me to take a picture whilst on the carriage:

"We're on our way to Wembley... or maybe not"

Upon arriving in London, we were hungry, which meant trying to find somewhere to grab some food. My brother was hoping to find a Greggs (and me if I'm honest, they do fantastic sausage rolls & cheese and onion bakes!), but instead we settled for a Tesco a few minutes after leaving Marylebone. After a quick 'al fresco' (and I use the term lightly here!) lunch outside some very nice looking apartments (and getting weird looks from the odd passer by) we made the short walk to Baker Street tube station, for the journey to Kings Cross, and once there, changed onto the Piccadily line to Arsenal, from where we would walk to the Emirates stadium, Home to Arsenal FC. Arriving at approximately 2.45, it was eerily quiet; fortunately for us, they were playing away up in Sunderland at that time. It was the first time me and my brother had ever been there, and even though there wasn't a match on it was still a joy to take it all in at the time:

Next, it was onto White Hart Lane to do the same really, although there were playing at home, and were playing later at 5.30. Before that though, we had to find the tube station to Finsbury Park. I thought I had found the sign directing us to it, but it turned out it was a small circular street. Which we ended up going round, and coming out where we were, bar a couple of Yards (silly me!)

After successfully managing to get the tube to Seven Sisters, we hoped on the train to the nearest train station near the ground, White Hart Lane station. Getting there at around 4.30 – an hour before kick off – it was busy with fans from both sides. At this point we started to go around the stadium, while I got some pictures. Quite what anyone who saw us there with two green reusable bags (co-op ones I might add) and a orange bag on wheels is anyone's guess, but I'm sure the fans from both sides were wondering about the result, and debating whether 'Arry would still be at Spurs next season (It had been a few days since Capello resigned) and not two lads with bags and a bag on wheels.

My brother, whilst in the club shop, just before we went to my friends flat, he noticed someone familiar; turns out it was this Asian tourist bloke who we'd seen earlier – Scary or what! We made a quick getaway, and hopped on the train to take us back to Seven Sisters tube station, then from there, to Highbury Tube station, arriving at approximately 6.00 pm. Onwards and upwards (or should that be down?) to New Cross gate!

I was looking forward to meeting my friend James. It had been a while since I last saw him in Leamington, October to be precise, so this trip also meant it was a good time to catch up.
Upon arriving at New Cross Gate at around 6.45, and a quick stop to the Sainsbury's to get dinner (first pizza of the weekend!) nearby, we started making the 20 minute walk back to his flat. After a while, I noticed a bloke head in our direction looking towards us: Was he going to mug us? Or something else; sell cookies or something? No – as soon as we went past him, I looked behind and it appeared he had a rendezvous with another man in the middle of the street. Was it some kind of dodgy deal? Or maybe he was selling cookies, I'll never know but I doubt they have many cookie sellers in South London!

But what to do in the evening? Because it was late (8.30 pm by the time we'd finished dinner) and James not really knowing where to go, we all decided to stay in and play Fifa, the rest of the evening, until the early hours (well 1ish, when we all went to bed) and the last thing before catching some Zzzzs was me pumping up the airbed that me and brother would be sleeping on.

London weekend 11-13 February

Two weekends ago, me and my brother went to London, and what a weekend it was! The reason why we went down there as at the end of January, after entering a competition on  the 'Orange Film To Go' section on their website, I received a text to say I've won tickets the The Baftas: The Final event. I couldn't believe it! I think I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat for a few hours, and was the first of quite a few competitions I won in the space of a few weeks.

The next week, I received the E-ticket that Orange sent me, which specifically required me to show it along with Photographic ID, otherwise I would not be allowed in!! Eeep! The email I received also stated we weren't allowed on the red carpet (gutted as this meant I couldn't pretend to be a star for a few minutes, oh the shame!!) 

But where to stay? fortunately I had a friend who lives in SE14 (New Cross, Lewisham for those outside the M25!) with his fiancée, who has always said that I would be welcome to go down and visit him and a cousin who lives in N19 (Islington, North London) who lives with his fiancée, so set about asking if we could stay. After being notified by my cousin that Saturday was a no go, I got told Sunday was not a problem, I contacted my friend if we could stay the Saturday. It was Monday the 6^th, when we provisionally arranged it, he just needed to notify his partner to see if it was ok, and I received a text from him the next day, saying it wasn't a problem for him nor his fiancée. At this point I was very relieved, as the pressure was off me and also meant that I/we didn't need to spend a penny (no, not that) in a hotel (although we would later spend a penny in North and South London!) 

Accommodation sorted then, along with train tickets earlier  and Oyster cards being received Tuesday the 7th, now time to decide between my brother and I, about where we wanted to go during the weekend! This took the form of an Itinerary. It was now Thursday, and I had just started to write it.

I made it very detailed (whilst adding 'Times are approximate') after the first few entries on Saturday's order of activities! (Get to London at this time, after that who knows!). Worked like a monkey typing a Shakespeare play on a typewriter ( I used good ol' word Processor, much quicker and efficient I must say) on Friday, before printing it off just after midnight.

 If this was a novel, that would be the prelude, is there an equivalent for a blog post?

Coming up... The first thing we did upon arriving in London, and our first trips on the Tube - all in Saturday's entry!

Welcome and hello!

Well after many months of deliberation, I hve finally decided to create a blog of my own! 

I like reading blogs of all kinds, as I feel it gives you an insight into what they are thinking about, what they are liking, what happened at x event; that kind of thing. There are some people I follow on Twitter, (hello to you all!) who all have thier own blog which I read and comment on a regular basis.

As this is my first attempt at one, I will probably do things wrong. Any feedback or comments would be appriciated:-) 

Enjoy!