Lloyd's Adventures in London 2005 Chapter 2

Well. Things are settling down, So i dont think i have to write one
once a week. I know that would kill a lot of people, but adjustment
and change is always necessary. It makes you stronger. So bare with
me.
Well I got back to london after an interesting trip to Wales. Was
relieved to be back. I was ready to settle down.
I got back to oscars and went straight out to a random house party of
his friend. Was in a tiny flat in central london, most people were
speaking portugues and there were two little dogs running around. I
trod on them twice. Accidently of course. Then people attempted to
dance. In a room, and directly outside. .people were lighting
fireworks. It was guy fawkes night, was really cool. The whole of
london was just alight with fireworks. Sort of like bomb raids. 60
years on. Odd really.
Crashed into bed, then slept till like 1pm the next day. And then did
nothing but watch tv. tv is shocking here. What a great sunday. did
nothing.
Monday I started the task of looking for flats. Tis rather painful.
Especially when young sydney boy didnt know where any of the suburbs
were. So used a handy "A-Z london directory" to find each place.
Vauxhaull, Brixton, Pimlico, Stratford, Euston Road, Leyton,
Leytonstone, Covent Garden. And on and on. Phew.
On Tuesday I met up with matt, a kiwi friend who is 23 on this
saturday (19th). We decided to look for flats together. He was new to
london too, and is a school teacher so we combined our efforts, along
with a loot. That is a newspaper out everyday, it even changes colour
everyday! It has all the adds for flats/flatshares in london. It was a
nightmare. We sat in a starbucks. Yes I apologise, I am a traitor, but
they dont have gloria jeans here and they tempted us cause they have
special edition christmas red cups. So I got a gingerbread flavoured
latte and we scanned "the loot". No real luck. But earlier that day I
..>had a meeting with a company that helps with new starters from oz, nz,
sth africa. told us about bank accounts, tax, health care, shoes,
coats and Umbrellas. bit detailed. Then they set up bank accounts for
us with HSBC. I got my own bank card. Very cool. That meeting took 4
hours. Painful and i was in a room full of aussies. Painful again,
cause most were loud and annoying, some wore bright yellow australia
cricket shirts, and thongs. It was 10 degrees outside. Good luck to
em.
Wednesday I met up with my dendy boss Iain and he gave me my first bit
of work, reseached the films we are making etc and reading the scripts
and learning to look into how the industry patterns work. Was all
pretty cool. I had earl grey tea. Its bloody good. My favourite now.
And everyone has tea. I mentioned that before.
Then matt and I flat hunted again. No luck. I think other people found
a place that day, I'm pretty sure. Not us.
Thursday I had a job interview with a media agency, for the Discovery
Channel. We chatted for a bit, she called the channel and they pretty
much said, yes we will have you. Stoked.
I got a call on friday to confirm. So I was to start monday as a
scheduler. I program in tv shows. Friday night oscar and me and his
friends went out to a big club. Was so huge, never seen anything like
it. There were lots of rooms with different sorts of music. I stayed
in the indie room.
Saturday was a nothing day, slept in. Im sure ur all glad i am writing
this cause its so riveting. Went out with Lee on Saturday night, and
this chick performed. I had no idea who she was but everyone else was
screaming. so either they detested her or she was well liked. I found
out she was just voted off X factor. Shame. She sang "your beautiful"
by james blunt. I think you will know which one i mean. its been
played a few times on the radio back home as well as here hehe.
Didnt do anything sunday, but then hung out with Steven at earls court
..>on sunday night. I had work the next day so kept it early.
Monday my first day. Walked in the big doors, to reception. They had
these weird lounges and a huge poster of meercats. They phoned my boss
and they came down and i went up three floors. Huge open planned
office with huge pc screens at every desk. I met the guys around me,
all from uk except my trainer Jamie who was NZ and same with the girl
next to me. I dont know any aussies in London yet. Im proud. hehe.
Well I got the hang of scheduling pretty fast. We went down to lunch,
and everyday the menu is different, its a bug buffet, and all fresh
healthy hot food. really really cool. And we all have our own
television set on our desk "for work" but really everyone just watches
cable tv all day. its very relaxed here we can check email whenever.
so thats what i been doing. Its now thursday. And i am looking out
over london this sunny but 5 degree morning. Hope this email isnt as
long.
Miss everyone at home, but love it here, am learning so much and
enjoying it. Let me hear your news!! And I can email ya back. since i
dont do much work here. hehe.
till next time.
Lloyd

Lloyd's Adventures in London 2005 Chapter One Part 2

Random. Thats what i have to call it.
Ok. last time i wrote, i was in a computer lab in the university of
warwick. Now I am writing from a spare bedroom in a little house in
abedare. Its a town in the valleys in south wales.
Right. Day 8, Friday. Spent the morning at the uni, then we hung out
with a german guy Jan in the uni bar with his gf Laura.



ME with Scott and his friend from Wales. She has such a cute accent.

We then caught
the bus back to leamington spa, a pretty little city that is called
Royal leamington spa now cause
Queen victoria thought it was pretty swell. Scott's friends collette,
nathan and natalie came on the train that night, and we hung out in a
pub for most of the night.
Day 9. Woke up. I cleaned the kitchen, cause it was horrible, and i
cant handle mess, especially after working in Gloria Jeans Engadine.
And it was a bit extreme.. the lease papers for the flat were under
cans of used baked beans. stuff like that, u know.
Then the rest woke up and after I went for a walk by myself through
the old graveyard and church yards, the sun shining through the big
oaks that were coloured reds and oranges, we all walked into the high
street courtyard. And before my eyes i saw a village market. Little
stalls lined the stone street, selling really odd things, like soccer
shirts.. ash trays.. garbage bags, all the useful things I thought i
desperatley needed.....
I bought a fresh loaf of olive bread. Then we got a bus to leamington,
and went to Costa Coffee there. Its very muvch the same as gloria
jeans, but they have english accents, and different signs.. and
different drinks.. and furniture. So actually, no its not that
similar. But the concept.. is similar. yep.
We the went through the shops and i saw these really cool dunlop
shoes. They have more styles here other than dunlop volleys, and i
went to buy them but a vamipire served me, and that put me off. Well
not really, they didnt have my size. I did the stupid thing of asking
..>..> them if they have US or UK sizes though. I had it coming, especially
when the guy looked at me blankly. he was dressed as a vampire cause
it was halloween.. they actually celebrate it. Not like oz.
We then met up with another of scotts friends Abbey. And all got the
bus back to Warwick. We went to a frozen food shop, where they sell
pretty much frozen dinners. I got chicken tika, so did collete.
thought u would want to know.
Then went back to scotts, and they are real cheap, and started havin
vodka and bitter lemon in coffee mugs, wth pictures of the royal
family on them. ohh and every morning everyone would get up and have
cups of tea. everyone does. but they think im weird cause i have it
black with two sugars, and not white with no sugar plus digestive
biscuits to dip in the tea..
ok right back on track. We went clubbing that night to a place called
sugar. Was so funky inside, in the middle there was this long long
grand table with red lit up tiles inside the table, and big wooden
medievil chairs around it. and this huge ball that was hollow and was
a huge lounge inside, but it smelt like sick. we didnt stay too long.
After clubbing everyone here walks to a chip shop like its a
pilgrimage. And gets a box of chips, covered in cheese, curry or
mayonaise. right.
We crashed back at scotts then i got up early again and went for
another walk, through this big forest/park. there are squirrels
everywhere. And lots of posh dogs, but they have owners.
We were feeling peckish and little english towns are quite traditional
so all shops are shut on sunday. except the american fast food shops,
so subway and dominos were open. 2 pounds for a 7 inch pizza. we got
one each. and burnt our mouths on them, while sitting on a garden bed
next to a lamp post. yes. a lamp post, and there was a posh dog there.
All scotts friends went home and i walked to leamington (cause there
are no buses on sunday, good people) and met up with a guy who was
..>..> moving to london and looking to flatshare, same as me. Well it wasnt
too successful cause the guy was kind of disturbing, an edgey. so kept
it short.
Went to bed, then got up again.. next morning ,went for a run through
the forest.
Went to scotts uni again, hung out with him and his german pal jan. We
went to coventry. Which is next city along. man its ugly. The germans
bombed it to the ground, in WW2, and so they had to rebuild. Wasnt
much of an improvement.
Monday night i just stayed in, watched a cool bbc documentary on
egypt. Got up the next morning. .as i do.. and packed and my mate
steve picked me up from warwick cause he was up that way for work, and
we headed for wales.
We stopped in at stratford. Thats where shakespeare was born. Its a
very old little town with lots of old english houses. Very cool. And
swans. They think they are so good.
We left there.. after being served a pasty by a woman that i swear was
a man.. but we wont go into that.
anyways, technically the drive from warwick to cardiff is meant to
take 2 hours. It took us 4. We got so lost. We ended up in the
countryside.. with hedges on both sides, and sheep across the road.
Like some movie. Then we asked a woman for directions. I couldnt
understand here, steve could. Im glad. Ok so we got to wales and all
the road signs were in welsh. plus english.
I was dropped off in the city where my friend andy picked me up. We
walked along the cardiff bay harbour. Was so so cool. If your a doctor
who fan, its right where one of the episodes took place. so i was
pretty excited.
Just went back to andy's house and had chicken. But got to his house
and found out an aussie guy my age was living there. Shane. So we
chatted in the kitchen for an hour, about australia. Quite sad really.
He went to cardiff cause every other aussie did the london thing. i
agree with him, but yeah not much of my work up in cardiff. Then andy
..>..> has a work party on at a pub so i tagged along. So many random welsh
people chatted to me. I cant understand them. But they found it
hilarious at how i spoke. I got a lot of free drinks out of it. Can
say to this day that I still havent bought a drink in the uk.
Got home and crashed. Got up.. and i had no idea what to do. Had
nothing planned and no schedule. Andy took me into the main centre and
i bought a tshirt. then we had lunch at henry's with tarrun, another
guy who lives at andy's, a 21 yr old kiwi guy.
then Andy headed to his work, but took me with him, he is a hotel
manager in the only 5 star hotel in cardiff on the bay. I got into the
marine day spa for free. So just chilled there for a few hours, then
had some dinner, and went out clubbin with tarrun the kiwi and shane
the aussie, it was his birthday.
I slept till 12 the next day, then got picked up in the arvo by steve
again, who drove me to wales, and we drove back to his house and i
stayed there the night. I couldnt understand his dad, his friends, or
the man who sold me some chewing gum. We went to the pub on thursday
night with steves mates. A 24 year old guy tyrone who is ex army, and
was part of the invasion team to iraq, he talked so so fast. and then
there was his other friend dan, who is an american. put tyrone
together with dan about iraq, man..
And they had no idea about anything to do with australia.
Went home, then stayed up for ages, couldnt sleep. Day 15.. Steve and
I drove around south wales in his red BMW convertable. the best thing
was, i got to drive! Along windy roads next to the seaside, with
hedges and old castles. Was a good highlight!
Then went to factory outlets and bought more clothes.. that are
actually warm. Its getting colder everyday. Had chips at a little
window cut into a surf club at a beach, two old welsh men chatted to
me, but they mumbled and spat. Said something about india.. being near
..>..> australia. And that they liked chips. Real chips, not the silly french
fries. We left it there. Said goodbye and went back home. And that
keeps everything up to date. Oh apart from the fact we went to another
supermarket. Good news everyone. they sell vegemite AND tim tams here.
and milo. im set.
So its night time day 15, and some man is interviewing harry potter
guy on late night tv. He is slapping his mouth. making noises.
So I am back off home to london tomorrow or sunday. The only incentive
to stay in beautiful south wales tomorrow is the huge rugby game,
wales verse NZ in cardiff. Right near me, and the city is alive with
activity, very very big here. 200 000 people are estimated to be in
pubs around cardiff. Tarrun and shane want me to go to the walkabout
pub (aussie pub in cardiff) to watch it. But i just want to get back
to london.. and get settled now, get some more routine.
Ok well there u have it. thanks for reading.
Chapter three, next week, only 50pence.
Lloyd
p.s. u can write to me, and i will reply. not like some people. esp those..

Lloyd's Adventures in London 2005 Chapter One

Gday.
I get a big grin from people when i say that here. Dont know why..
First of all, I am having lots of fun, australia is so far away and so
its surreal to think Im here and this is my life at the moment.
Where will I start..
The airport. The family and heather came with me to the airport.It was
all rather anticlimactic when i said goodbye cause it was surreal i
would possibly be gone for so long.. and then i got in the queue to
board the plan to perth but they were still standing there.. not like
the whole go through the doors and gone.
Walking down the ramp to the plane.. whoah. "im by myself"
The plane to perth was uneventful, though i did sit next to a band
called "the used" who are american doin a tour in oz with mtv. the mtv
producers were there too and they drank about 4 fosters each. thats
all my story is with them.
Landed in perth and after a bit of trouble finding the bus that takes
me to internatonal.. i sat on the bus for 30 mins talking to louise on
the phone while the driver finally came and drove me to international.
driving through a desert in the process.
Hung around the airport for 5 hours and then went through customs. I
was so lucky.. they were checking everyones bags making sure they were
no more than 7 kilos.. but somehow i got past.. others had to take
out stuff and leave it at the airport.
So i boared after what seemed forever. And got an aisle seat.
thankyou. Talked to these aussie girls who were 12 and 16.. so they
were full of intellectual conversation in between watching charlie and
the chocolate factory and reading dolly magazine.
5 hours later we got to singapore. hell of a wait for 2 hours there
then got back on. the girls had left so i had seats next to me but a
silent man sat next to the window. he didnt get up once on our.. 14
hour trip! once!! ok maybe its just me but thats weird. bladders dont
last that long.
..>ok well london. we landed. about flippin time!!
Customs man. he was the first guy i had spoken to in 16 hours. And he
was so not talkative. He asked me where i came from. i said sydney. he
stamped something and gave me my passport. and i assumed that meant..
go now. so i did.
got my luggage then walked out into heathrow. My mate oscar was meant
to meet me but he was late
so met him on the heathrow express.. which takes u to london in 15 mins.
Was cool to meet him and we got the tube to his house. .in Farringdon.
Nice place, but surreal walking the streets seeing red buses..black
taxis.. red telephone booths, small streets, small cars. red post
boxes (they like red i gather, makes things less depressing)
His flat was pretty cool, right above a paint shop. like that matters.
I had a shower, didnt feel as seedy and then we went off to the city.
Went to oxford street to look at new mobile phone but didnt understand
the concepts of the prepaid stuff here so just got confused, and there
was about 10 retail assistants wanting to ask me if i wanted "any
phone in particular". i got confused especially cause i cant
understand some of their accents. Oscar found it amusing and we just
left.
Went to the british museum for all of ten minutes cause i decided i
will leave that for another day. But we got lost in there so was there
for 30 mins instead until a nice man gave us a lend of his map and we
worked out how to get out. its so so huge! someone said it would take
1000 years to look at every artifact.

I was tired by that stage so we went home and i slept for 3 hours.
then woke up, went to the shops and got pasta and cidar then watched
jurassic park on tv.. then went to bed.
Next day was full of touring.. thames.. then up to big ben and
westiminster, i use the word surreal again, cause it was. Other side
of the world.. famous pictures now before my eyes, no frame in front
..>of me, but it moved. well the buildings didnt, otherwise.. yeah not
good.
Had lunch up from trafalga square then went home. I could go into
detail, what i had for lunch, but its not that interesting. ok.. i had
pizza.
Day 3 oscar went to work so I went out by myself for the first time.
Went to oxford street for a bit, got confused with mobile phones again
plus the scary retail people bombarded me. I met up a friend matt, who
works in film. He showed me his post production houses and i met the
receptionist. He set up work experience with me too. So I am going in
in a few weeks.
Then i braved it and went back and bought a phone. I wanted to get in
touch with home so thought it was worth it. Walked into one of their
huge virgin stores (the sort that they now have in australia) and got
a phone with them.
I then went to pubs around soho with matt and i discovered i really like cidar.
Then it poured with rain and i walked 15 mins to home in the rain.
But it was so cool, hadnt experience rain like that for ages.
But half of the days i been here the weather has been beautiful. sunny
and warm. but yeah not as hot as over there.
so day 4.. i met up with iain, my future boss. Talked about what he
would like me to do to assist him, and it all sounds very promising. I
will be being his assistant, and doing reseatch projects on london
film industry etc.
That evening i went to oscar's friends house in north london. They
live in a big block of flats that looks like something off the bill.
but it was nice inside, they were a pair of french girls, who didnt
understand my australian accent half the time. but they were lovely.
They are studying chinese. Go figure.
We had supermarket pizza and.. yes.. cidar.
Caught a red bus home, was exciting. then crashed.
Day 5.. I came down sick with a head cold so stayed in and rested. But
in the evening I met up with another friend (yes Lloyd has lots of
..>friends) who worked on lord of the rings, and he wants to set me up
with work experience too. We went to wagamamas.. its Japanese and
there is one in oxford street in sydney. pretty much the same but they
served in a uk accent.
Day 6 I stayed at home then caught the train to warwick.. in the
afternoon. Was such a great train trip. I think one of the best ever.
The sun was setting and we travelled across green fields and little
villages, the sun hit it and it all glowed. was so cool. another..
surreal.. moment. wow. plus there was sheep.
So now i am in sleepy warwick, on a computer in a university cause my
friend scott goes here,who i am visitng. he stayed with me in
australia for a month. was good to see him again.
So very random being in a uni computer lab in the midlands of england.
We are going out tonight with his friends for his birthday. I went to
a pub called Lloyd's last night. I didnt get a discount though. damn.
Ok this woman who is supervising us uni students. yes me, we are in
the medicine computer labs, so im a medicine student for the day, im
fooling them all. anyways yeah she has asked us all to go, i think she
has seen through my mask.
well good timing. thats me for my first week in britain.
Thanks for reading and i hope u hold onto your seats for next weeks
episode. Chapter two. Lloyd in wales.
Lloyd.