Its starting to feel like Christmas!

Why .......
 - Christmas Carols in Trafalgar Square with Larissa on Friday night - where it was too cold and our feet got sore so we went to the cafe for Hot Chocolate
- It's finally below 5 degrees and even though it hasn't really snowed we did get a few snow flakes this week
- On Saturday Josh and I went our separate ways to get each other a present
 - On Sunday we skyped my parents and opened our Christmas presents from each other - Thanks Mum and Dad
- Sunday for lunch we had everyone around for Christmas Lunch of roast lamb and chicken and finally said goodbye to everyone at 9pm.  A really nice weekend.

Bronny and I cleaning up

Corny, Malcom, Urshula, Me, Mike, Bronny, Josh, Matt, Dave, Steph

Merry Christmas Everyone!  One more week of work and then off to Zermatt on the 24th at 7.45am for a White Christmas and some more ski lessons - can't wait!

Christmas Celebrations - Sat 10th - Sun 11th December

Check out the gingerbread - guess which one Josh made?

Food table on Saturday - before the chocolate fountain was turned on - you can see the fairy cakes we decorated.

On the TV is a log fire - it even had sound effects of crackling - Josh brought it on the internet and plug it into the TV - made it really feel like Christmas!

Chocolate fountain up and running now!

Secret Santa game.

Josh got beers - very happy until someone decided they wanted his present and he got another (rules of the game you can 'steal' someone else's gift and they have to unwrap another one) - the x-factor CD from last season - not impressed! Very funny!

from left to right: Steve, Larissa, Josh, Sarah, Audrey, Nick, Janaki, Mayank, Kirsty and Simon at the front.

Lunch with Jo and James on Sunday.

This weekend we had a really festive weekend.  On Friday Josh and I made gingerbread men - Josh made a special gingerbread - see if you can spot it in the photos! Then on Saturday Manyank, Janaki, Larissa, Steve, Kirsty, Simon, Audrey and Nick came around for Christmas sweats and a few Christmas games - including secret santa.  Josh and I also make fairy cakes and decorated them - very exciting!  Then on Sunday we had Jo and James around for a roast lunch before heading off to a carol service with Steve and Larissa at HTB.

The Christmas Tree

 And the roses Josh brought me.

Christmas Tree Time - 3rd December

 Our tree compared to the tree at Hayes Galleria

 Standing up at home - now to get some decorations!

On Saturday we went to borough market and purchased ourselves a real christmas tree - which Josh had to carry back home - all 6ft of it!  Picture of decorated tree to follow!

Sunday 27th November

The road was closed up to Tower Bridge so Josh and Simon climbed over the barrier and took some photos!

Lon

 Pictures of our area.

Hayes Galleria

Church

 St Pauls

Christmas Markets

Not much going on in November, just lots of relaxing.  This Sunday Josh took some photos of London and we met up with Simon and Kirsty at the Christmas Markets on Southbank and enjoyed some nice german sausage and some mulled wine!

5th November

The Bonfire in the Park

The Fireworks

Albert Bridge over to Chelsea

To celebrate the 5th November we went to the Bonfire and Fireworks display in Battersea Park.  We where supposed to go with Tim, Sarah-Beth, Larissa, Steve, Audrey, Nick, Ollie, Simon and Kirsty but it was absolute madness - we went with Simon and Kirsty and didn't meet up with the others until we got to the restaurant in Chelsea - there where so many people there!  We where all set up to have  nice dinner but Josh had picked up a bug and rather sick to say the least and we had to go home before dinner - poor Josh.  On Sunday I cooked the roast chicken I had out for Sunday Roast for us and ate it by myself as Josh was still rather sick!  I did meet up with Larissa for a coffee so that was nice.

Fancy Dress

This weekend Josh and I went out with the Howard's on Friday night to a great Chinese place in Soho and ate heaps!  Nice Lychee cocktail!  Then on Saturday night we went out to Kent for a fancy dress house warming party for a girl who played on Josh's touch rugby team.  On the Monday night we went out to tesco to get our costumes - not bad for under £10!  Because the house was in Kent we went out at 4pm as the last train home was 1130pm - so not a late night but definitely a good time! 

We Won The World Cup!!!!!!

 On Saturday we had a really nice lazy start to the day, and took a wander around Bermondsy before we headed into One Exchange (Shopping Mall at St Pauls) and did a bit of shopping.  And saw the protestors and all the police protecting Topshop!  Then we went back to Borough Market and celebrated what we hoped would be a world cup win with Champagne and Oysters before heading out for dinner.

Thank goodness we won!  A bit tense!  Our day started quite stressful as we decided to go to a NZ pub in Battersea with Mike and Steph.  We got there at 8am and joined the queue, but by 8.30 when we weren't being let in we left as we decided we did not want to watch the final on the iphone!  We drove around clapham to find another pub, thought we where going to be out of luck but finally found one!  So glad we won!!  Had a nice breakfast at a NZ cafe before heading to church then back home for more wine (Carva this time - spent all our money yesterday) and seafood!!!  Shame about work tomorrow!

October Update

Josh, Mayank and Steve cooking lunch!  Good sports those Aussies!

 In the pub from left around the table: Janaki, Audrey, Sarah-Beth, Tim, Mayank, Josh, Steve, Larissa, Oliver, Nick.

Since we have got back from Peru we have not done much but see friends and watch rugby - usually both the Saturday and the Sunday game.  This weekend we went out for bike ride on the Saturday to Battersea Park with Larissa and Steve, then out to Fulham to see Mayank and Janaki and then back home - 24km in total - and a nice sunny day in London - although a little chilly.  Then Sunday we went around to the Howards (Australian) and watch the All Blacks win - how exciting.  We where joined by Mayank and Janaki (Australian) and Audrey, Nick and Oliver (New Zealand).  Good thing they are good sports because they cooked a pancake breakfast, followed by a BBQ lunch then off to pub for a roast dinner - where we where joined by Tim (English) and Sarah-Beth (American).  We came home at about 9pm having spent all day out.  In fact this is beginning to be  a Sunday theme as last Sunday we watch the game here with Steve, then met Mayank and Janaki at the pub for lunch which became dinner and home at 10pm!  

Day 15: Saturday 10th September – Sunday 11th September

A picture on the oh so fantastic American Airlines!

Some of our favourite photos!

Our last day and in true trip style we got up at 4am for a 4.30am taxi to the airport.  7.30am we flew to Miami again with AA with no TV’s and only the movie Thor to watch!  We had 4 hours in Miami where we found a nice Corona bar and had some good old American chicken wings and cocktail before getting the next flight (no alcohol on the plane - $6 per drink!).  However, there was TV’s on the second flight!  We arrived back in London at 8am on Sunday morning truly exhausted and wishing never ever to hike anywhere again!  Sunday we after a nap, loads of laundry we spent the day relaxing in all our luxuries – toilets, showers etc!  Back to Work on Monday!