Stockholm, Sweden to Oslo, Norway

Today saw us make the long journey to Oslo.

Nothing really interesting to talk about. We made two stops along the way, one at a supermarket/petrol station to buy food, and another by a lake for a picnic lunch. Due to my inability to sleep on the bus, I took the opportunity to lay in the glorious sun and have a nap.

We arrived at camp at seven pm, and had ribs and vegetables for dinner. After dinner was the Viking Olympics, where the tour was divided into four clans (Meataxe, Drowning Warriors, Wascaly Wabbits and – my team – The Scary Fairies). Each clan built a fortress and participated in numerous sporting (?) and non-sensical events. In the end the Scary Fairies were the winners thanks to the great team work of me, Julian, Dave, Melissa, Jamie, Daniel, Greg, Jerry, Andrew and Matt.

Me & Roberta, Oslo, Norway

Bus Driver Mark & Tour Leader Spencer, Oslo, Norway

The spirit of the Olympics carried on into the late hours for most. I, however, went to bed at dusk – 11.30 pm.

Stockholm, Sweden

An early rise again today for our day in Stockholm.

We started off by going to the Town Hall, where Nobel Prize presentations are held. Here, we were given a guided tour around for half an hour, and then climbed the Hall’s tower for a complete view of the city. It differs from Copenhagen in that there is old mixed in with new, and it is on a much larger scale.

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden

Reichstag, Stockholm, Sweden

We had a group photo done in front of the Royal Palace before making our way around the city.

We saw a lot of Invasion 98 in the streets. This is a festival where kids perform in the streets to signify their role in Swedish culture.

The afternoon was spent at the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a 17th century warship that sank early in her maiden voyage. The shipwreck was discovered and refloated after 333 years, and put back together in extremely good condition for public showing.

After that we went to Riddarholmen, which was a church that had a magnificent open iron spire. We couldn’t get in due to a medieval festival that was taking place, so we headed to Gamla Stan (the old town) where Roberta and I had dinner at Cattelin. I had the schnitzel and she the Swedish meatballs.

Copenhagen, Denmark to Stockholm, Sweden

Not much to report today. It was a long drive between Copenhagen and Stockholm, with a ferry ride included (of course). 

Kronborg Castle, Helsingor, Denmark

Our two stops here were at road side diners, and we arrived at our campsite at six pm.

After dinner, it was down to the lake for our beach party, which was topped of with Jamie diving nude into Lake Maralen in near freezing temperatures. Better him than me.

Stayed in the cabin tonight with Ken and Jennifer.

Copenhagen, Denmark

I was up early for breakfast duty, then on the bus for a day in Copenhagen.

We started off with an orientation of the city which, like London, has plenty of history. We stopped at Gefion Fountain – which is a monument to Gefion who, as legend has it, was told she could have as much land as she could plough in 24 hours, so she turned her 6 sons into oxen and marked out Denmark.

Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen, Denmark

We then went to the Little Mermaid – a small statue in honor of Hans Christian Anderson.

The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen, Denmark

From here we were taken to the Carlsberg brewery for a 2-hour tour and some sampling, (much to the delight of everyone on the tour. The brewery pumps out 78,000 bottles per hour, 24 hours a day, using 99.6% recycled glass.

Carlsberg Brewery Tour, Copenhagen, Denmark

From the brewery we were dropped back at Copenhagen’s Central Station, where we were left to our own devices. Roberta and I started by walking past a few of the local sights – the university, St. Petri Kirk (a church) and Christianborg (the Danish House of Parliament), before heading to Nyhaven, where we took an hour canal cruise.

Christianborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nyhaven, Copenhagen, Denmark

Afterwards we walked to Vor Freslers Kirke, which had a staircase outside its spiral. Unfortunately, it was closed, probably because it was raining.

We left there and headed back to Central Station, but not before stopping at Thorvaldsen’s Museum. Thorvaldsen was a 19th century sculptor/artist whose collection fills the entire museum. We didn’t get to see any of his paintings but his sculptures were superb, with a stand out being the room which had Christ and his 12 disciples.

Dinner was at Hovedbanegaard Restauranter, near Central, where everyone made the most of the buffet style meal. Roberta even at raw, pickled fish.

Afterwards we went to Tivoli Gardens, which is an amusement park /entertainment area, kind of like what they are proposing for Luna Park. 

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark

Early start tomorrow, so it’s a quiet night tonight. Change of roomies tonight as the Contiki boys moved out and Ireland’s Jerry and Jen moved in.

Hamburg, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark

We unloaded off the ferry at Hamburg, where we drove for three hours until another ferry crossing, which lasted enough time for us to have some lunch.

After declaring everyone on the bus an Aussie, we passed through border at Denmark without any passport checks and started another two-hour journey north to our campsite, which was half an hour south west of Copenhagen.

We got settled in and I was on cooking duty (with Brad, Carmen, Melissa and Dave). After a hard shift it was off for a couple of drinks, then to bed. Our small cabin was shared with Spencer, Matt, Ben and Carcass.

London, England to Hamburg, Germany

We are all ready to go for our Contiki trip. However, when we get to Edgeware Road station, we find that no trains are running east to where we need to go. So out we come to find a way to Russell Square when, later than I expected in London (i.e., 3 days), the rain came bucketing down. Fortunately, we got a cab fairly quickly to arrive at the Royal National Hotel £5.60 later.

After checking in, some money swapping and lunch, we were on the bus to Harwich, where we meet the ferry for our crossing to Hamburg.

The bus boarded the ferry and we left at 4.30pm.

The tour met for drinks in the Columbus Room where cabaret, a band, and drinking games allowed everyone to get to know each other. This looks to be a good crowd, most of whom are back for their second Contiki trip, and have all had a ton more travelling time than myself. I shared a four-bed cabin with Mark, Jamie and Julian and slept really well considering my paranoia of the 20-hour ferry trip, but that shouldn’t be a problem now, considering the amount of time we will spend on the bus.

London, England

We got up early this morning to get the rest of our 24 hours’ worth of The Big Bus in.

This morning it was the green route, starting from Marble Arch. Our mission for the day was Westminster Bridge to walk back and get some photos of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. This is a spectacular building – like nothing back home. Its gothic style and beauty are amazing. As is Westminster Abbey across the road. This church is over a thousand years old and filled with tombs and burials of royalty (e.g., Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VIII, etc.) and great Englishmen alike (Winston Churchill, Shakespeare, Unknown Warrior, etc.). I am just amazed at how much recorded history is here, especially compared to Australia. Yet everything still looks new(ish).

St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England

Me at Tower Bridge, London, England

Buckingham Palace, London, England

Me at Big Ben, London, England

Houses of Parliament, London, England

Westminster Abbey, London, England

Westminster Abbey, London, England

Trafalgar Square, London, England

The trip continued on for another hour, winding its way through Charring Cross, Russell Square and back to Marylebone Road and Marble Arch.

I made a phone call back to the Mansions and had half the house come down to Hyde Park for lunch, where we also kicked the footy around for a while.

Afterwards we wandered up and down Oxford Street (3 kilometers of shops).

Tonight, we went to our Contiki meeting at the Royal National before going to Baker Street for dinner.

London, England

Today is the start of our trip around London on the Big Bus Company, but not before Tim cooks up a storm for breakfast. We decide to stay on the bus for most things, just because of the time factor. We can come back to the things we really want to see later.

The bus started from Paddington Station, went past the London Planetarium and Madame Tussaud’s before heading down south past Marble Arch, Park Land and then west to Kensington Gardens. We got off here and walked through to Kensington Palace (home of Princess Diana) and then walked back to the stop via Royal Albert Hall.

Kensington Palace, London, England

Royal Albert Hall, London England

Back on the bus to Marble Arch to join the red route. The next stop was Trafalgar Square, via Piccadilly Circus, where we got off and had a look around and walked down past Whitehall to 10 Downing Street (home of the Prime Minister).

Me, Trafalgar Square, London, England

Back on the bus past Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. From there we went South west to Buckingham Palace, where, of course, we got off and had a look around.

We went back to Piccadilly Circus and caught the bus back to the Mansions for dinner.

After dinner we caught the tube to Hammersmith with Kern, Beck and Hayley, an adopted Mansions member and local bartender. We met up with a few of their friends, Nobbsy, Sarah & Pete, at Wetherspoons. Also, there were Hayley’s friends Megan from New Zealand, Andy from Oz, and Shane from Canada. A good night in a great pub ended with us catching the last tube home.

Hong Kong to London, England

Big, big, big day! We arrived at Heathrow at 5.20am after a 17-hour flight. Thank God for sleeping tablets!

We got a free bus ride into Marble Arch which, as it turns out, is at the bottom of Edgeware Road. A 20-minute walk and a right turn later, and we arrive at the Mansions to wake everyone up at seven am.

Beck, Me, Reggae & Troy at The Mansions, London

We started the day off with a walk up to Church Street Markets and had a great fried breakfast.

We headed into central London to take a look around. Caught the No. 6 bus (my first Red London bus) down to Piccadilly Circus and saw the famous neon signs. Then Roberta, Troy, Beck, Reggae and Mansion Family members, Johnny Joiner, Lena & Alyssa, met up with Brett and Simone, and Brett’s cousin, at Leicester Square before heading over to Sheila’s (a dodgy Australian restaurant) for lunch.

Afterwards, we walked through Covent Gardens to the Naag’s Head pub for a couple of local ales. Then back home where the rest of the house begin their night out. For Roberta & I, jetlag kicks in and we are done.

Sydney, Australia to Hong Kong

So, the holiday of a lifetime finally begins! We all meet at Sydney Airport at 10.30am (Mum, Kel, Nan, Aunty Trish, Uncle Greg and Roberta's family). Surprisingly, I’m still not nervous.

The flight to Hong Kong was great, well, exciting enough to stay awake and enjoy all the creature comforts, i.e., food, movies, hot towels, etc. We arrive in Hong Kong at eight pm local time, and into the 30ºC heat. It’s a two hour wait in the departure lounge for the next flight.

Swervedriver & Magic Dirt @ The Metro

What I remember (in 2014)

Went on my own.

Last show before overseas trip to Europe.

Went on the basis of Son of Mustang Ford and Rave Down. Overall, Swervedriver were pretty disappointing.

The Crap Facts

This is my 148th concert.

This is my 28th concert at The Metro.

This is my 32nd concert in Sydney.

This is my 146th concert in New South Wales.

This is my 148th concert in Australia.

This is my 5th Magic Dirt concert.
Swervedriver are the 190th band I've seen