London

On Friday afternoon I left work and walked down to the station to get the train to London. I've been heading down there pretty regularly during the past nine months and I normally get the coach — this has made me appreciate the train like you would not believe! I had a little snooze and listened to a couple of podcasts and before I knew it I was at Kings Cross. 

I headed straight to The Oxford in Kentish Town for Hazels bon voyage party. It was a fantastic night! Hazel knows some really interesting people and it was great meeting some of them for the first time. I managed to pop out of The Oxford for a bit and went up the road to meet Dianne for a drink! When I went back to see Hazel we spent all night reminiscing and drinking and catching up. We made our way home in the early hours of the morning via the chippy and crashed.

I'm going to miss my trips down to London to visit Hazel. Her house really became a home away from home for me towards the end of last year — in fact we use to joke about that every time I set up camp in her living room — my second home!  

The next morning I found myself going on an early morning Diet Coke run to the local corner shop and then we sat on the sofa surrounded by Hazels belonging in boxes talking about the future. We went out to the local greasy spoon for breakfast before packing her stuff into the car and preparing for the drive up north. While Hazel was bringing her boxes out from the house I sat on the boot of the car; enjoying the sun and people watching. The area that she lives in is lovely. Walking distance to Camden yet out of the way and pretty quiet and it's sad to think I'll never walk to her house from the tube station again. Or see Georgie the cat. It's the little things you know.

Our goodbye in Leeds was slightly weepy. But it's not like it's goodbye forever. It's just going to be a little longer till I see her again. The world's getting smaller everyday and as I was telling one of her friends on Friday night; Australia is only as far away as you make it in your head. 

I've started saving for a trip over to see her already. I'm thinking sometime next year and I'd love to visit my old friend Alison again. Perhaps swing by NZ too. I might as well try and knock some stuff of that bucket list right?

Do you have certain smells that remind you of places? I'm not sure why but every time I use Burts Bees pomegranate lipbalm it makes me think of London. Just like if I use the perfume 'Stella' I could close my eyes and imagine I'm in Australia again.