I must begin by teasing you all with my current situation. I’m sitting in my winter jammies by an electronic heater that resembles a fireplace with dancing flames all aglow. I’ve no work today so I have decided to do not very much at all, fantastic isn’t it? My slightly anti-social budgie is perched to my right occasionally chirping into the lively Irish tunes playing through my laptop. Her name is Bella. And now I’m writing to you all! Hello J I’ve also some exciting news to fill you all in.
My mother and I have just come back from ye old England to visit the Queen visit my aunty and uncle in London. What an adventure it was! I can finally say I’ve been overseas without using our local joke. You know the one, the one where we say, “Oh I’ve been overseas, I go overseas every day, every time I cross the Bribie bridge I’m going overseas”, -.- ).
The whole thing happened because my aunty was having a birthday and my uncle wanted to surprise her by bringing some of her Aussie relatives over without her knowing. The look on her face after we popped through to the lounge at 11 pm their time was worth it all. Cross the world for your family. We didn’t plan out each day of our trip but adventured on the wing every day. It was spontaneous and fun. We met lots of interesting locals and other travellers and saw some beaut sights.
Of course, we saw some of the more prominent of attractions like Kensington Palace with even a quick spotting of Prince William himself! Talked to some 17th-century castle folk at Hampton Court and looked at ancient hot springs at Bath. But you know what was most enjoyable for us? Seeing the gardens, and meeting the everyday folk in suburbia. You know, we put so much emphasis on the past and great monumental structures that symbolise wealth and power.
We wonder at them, like they’re magical, pay money to see into the past. I hope not to offend lovers of history and artefacts, but, you can have the past, I want the now. I enjoyed the education the past gave, but I saw no beauty in it, no life, and I wasn’t inspired. It felt dead. You know what made me feel alive? Sinking into the long, sweet grass of Hyde Park and watching the cheeky squirrels jump and play. Seeing the swan mothers and their babies relaxing by the lakeside.
To hear the little English birdies that tweet in the distance, this made me feel alive. Not to mention that these pleasures were completely free. You can have the Kings and Queens, I want the locals who make the community. You can have the fortresses of stone and wood, I want to touch the wood in the Copper Beech trees of Corsham and climb the stones of the Peak District. You can have the royal family; I want my family with memories to make in the present. Like the saying goes, “You can always make money, but you can’t always make memories”. Like my sneaky recording of my Aunt bringing the house down with her groovy moves in a local pub. I’d happily pay for many a trip o’er the sea, but not to see what everyone else goes to see, but to see the not yet seen.
As much light-hearted fun I had in England, I’ll tell you what, flying over that rugged landscape of Australia and seeing dawn break over her edges was a sight like no other. Flying over Bribie and her neighbours was super special and made me fall in love with home all over again. It’s good to be back. Nikita
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