Expat Travels Home

Bred in Australia, but born in England, it was interesting to travel back to my birthplace as a tourist. It was also good travelling with my scottish best friend as there was always a place to stay and a sofa to sleep on. Thats when family comes in handy. England is most definitely my most favourite place to travel, not only to see my family there but the beautiful places to see and go as well. Fifteen years ago, a family of five took the biggest decision of their life to move to Australia. With 3 children under the age of seven, my parents took the biggest risk to start fresh in a new country they knew very little about. To there surprise, we loved it. The sunny weather seemed to be appealing, with endless opportunities for lifestyle activities and careers, Moving down under was definitely the way to go. Relying on face-to-face communication in making friends, (none of this Poms in Oz websites to help be introduced to people) it was important for us to commit one hundred percent, which proved to be successful as we have met some of the most inspiring and amazing people. There is no doubt our life here is breath-taking, with some friends back in England wishing they had the same, however there is still that excitement tracing back my roots in the cooler weather of England.

Only a day after breaking up from uni for our mid-semester break, my friend and i took a midnight 18 hour flight to England, a place we call home. Flying Malaysia airlines and finally arriving in London after transiting at Kuala Lumpar, we just couldn’t wait for the english food. With my Nan waiting at Heathrow for our faces to arrive, we just couldn’t get off the plane quick enough. With only moments of landing, we had a dr. pepper in one hand and a packet of monster much in another, it finally felt like we were home. Nothing could ruin our holiday, jet lag was not an option and being sick was not on the cards. We had 4 weeks of full on madness, attending festivals, exploring the sites of london, travelling different places and trying out the different foods and drinks…. Oh and not to mention the amount of shopping we did. When in England with your best friend, who could blame us we had to make the most of every day, sleep was not a must-have for us. Some of my favourite things to do in England are:

London Sites

London is the considered one of the world’s most expensive cities, home to historic sites and fun things to do. One of our busy days considered of taking an open-top bus tour around london in order to see as many sites as possible. It was the best way to not only showcase London’s most amazing attractions seen from the most perfect view, but contains commentary explaining the many interesting facts associated to each view. Coming from Watford, a placed situated just outside London, i never fully understood the beauty and the passion London has to offer. Seeing it first handedly i was able to really appreciate the major features of London which makes London, London, one the worlds most beautiful city with amazing stories. Madame Tussauds is particularly one of my favourite attractions you just must experience. You come face-to-face with some of the worlds famous figures ranging from popstars to politics, to royalty. Along with witnessing london’s greatest attractions, we stopped off to different amazing pubs and restaurants for a drink and a bite to eat. The greatest thing is anywhere you turn there is somewhere to eat and drink and they always have a story or background that is just so interesting.

Camden Markets

Camden is most definitely one of my favourite places to go in London containing markets which is just unbelievable. Each markets has its own uniqueness and character of its own, some with the usual tourist things and souvenirs and others with eccentric clothing, shoes and accessories you must have. With is lively environment and vibe, it is easy to lose your way and track of time. It is full of many things that catch your attention offering something for everyone. Everything is reasonable price and you can even barter to try and get things cheaper, thats the fun of it. I found many unique posters and ornaments, oddness’ and eccentricities you just can’t miss. The street-food market is amazing, ranging different cultures such as chinese, tai, mexican and many others. Not only does camden contain some of the most amazing eccentric must-haves but is home to some of the best pubs and clubs my friend and i had to experience. One of our first nights out in london, we got a 5 minute tube ride from our hotel to The Underworld, a pub/club in Camden. It is a music venue home to some of the most amazing bands having played there. By picking up a pamphlet from a women on the street earlier that day, we attended the club for free. We instantly appreciated the music and knew it was the place for us. We met some of the most random yet amazing people in the Underworld, a place where to our surprise we stayed until it closed at 5am. The drinks were cheap, the music was good and the people were great. What more could we ask for.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the city you could walk for 24 hours and not get tired. It is home to probably the most amazing views we ever saw that offers much more than pubs, hills and tartan. After flying from london to scotland, we saw a major difference in scenery. Edinburgh was peaceful and magical, somewhere you can do some serious shopping with no stress and worries. Oxford street in london is amazing, full of hundreds of stores you cannot tackle in one day however is so stressful to do so. Edinburgh’s, Princes Street admittedly does not offer the same quantity of that of Oxford Street, however offers a much more relaxed environment i rathered when doing some serious shopping. Princes Street was a lovely street you could walk down twenty times and still find something else you wanted. Edinburgh is a photographers dream, anywhere you go you have views to just die for. Edinburgh castle smacks you right in the face when strolling along Princes Street, yes it is just as beautiful inside as outside, but the iconic presence overall captured my heart.

T In The Park

Whether it be capturing the summer festivals, or the perfect iconic buildings and scenery, scotland is full of plenty of things to do and places to see. T in the Park was by far my highlight of my entire holiday. It is a major scottish music festival held in the small Balado airfield, Kinross-shire. It showcased some of the biggest names in music such as my favourites, The 1975, Jake Bugg, Ed Sheeran and who could forget, the headline, Arctic Monkeys. The 4 day bender consisted of limited sleep, too much booze, limitless music and the greatest people and vibes i ever experienced. I have been to many Australian festivals, but nothing comes in close to T in the Park. The different stages consisted of different acts and different music ranging from indie rock to pop music, there was something for everyone. Even though i have seen Arctic Monkeys before T in the Park, i would still have to say they were the standouts that highlighted my amazing experience. After waiting in the mosh for 6 hours, with no food or drink, watching act after act pushing to the front, the time finally come to see Arctic Monkeys perform, and what better way to watch them than with the best view. T in the park is something i will never forget and i have to experience it every year, i suggest you do the same. Get your tickets now.