Bumbag Motel

With a number of imminent London departees including Possum, a boat party was organised to bid a fond farewell. Excellent evening to be cruising down the Thames, especially in the middle of the Olympics with many buildings and bridges of note all lit up.

Leaving Putney Pier – beautiful night!

Great views of familiar structures.

Blick and Morrie embracing the eye – during the Olympics it operates as a ‘mood ring’ and the colour changes according to the moods sent through a twitter feed.

I enthusiastically biked to Hyde park to see Liv for the first time in years, meet Terry and catch up with E Powell & James. Alas though, as we were greeted by torrents of rain, but no then really hot and sunny, but no it’s actually freezing and wet. Was so great to have a good catch up though and see the festive set up at Hyde park with multiple Olympic watching screens and entertainment.

…that’s right, if you look closely you might get a glimpse of the men’s road race. Great to get in amongst the atmos despite the diminished view. Was even more pleasing when we came across…

Chips on a stick! And also…

The Queen Adelaide pub for some pimms and beer with fellow cycling viewers Dobbo, Jane and Gen.

The most excellent vantage point for seeing the Olympic torch relay and an intensity hot day made taking the afternoon of work so glorious! Here we have Cam, Sarah and Possum enjoying the ambience.

…and Scott and Morri with requisite Silver Ferns.

And here we have the torch and torch bearer herself, haven’t been able to find her name, but what we did find out is that the below was occurring just 200 metres further down the road!

We were very lucky to get an early burst of Olympic enthusiasm by going to the Opening ceremony technical rehearsal. The lovely Lucy who has been busy working at the Olympics kindly got us in there and so very happy about that we were! The intense sounds, movements, lights and atmosphere were amazing as well as seeing 10,000 people working together to make it all happen – such a great start to impending Olympic mania!!

Cam and I heading towards the stadium, soaking up the sports centre sights along the way.

Morrie and Millie’s arrival into the stadium with the English countryside centre stage – cricket, Maypoles, badminton and most domestic animals.

And here we have the Mary Poppins saving the kiddies from Death and the creatures that emerged from some of the hospital beds.

To everyone’s utter delight the sun and heat continued – making bbq in the backyard the call of the day! Definitely felt like holiday times with sun, greeny, cool drinks and (vegie) sausies on the barbie.

After a solid couple of months of rain, grey and cold London finally presented us with some much needed summer heat. We celebrated with some gardening at home in the morning (foot of weed growth to deal to there) and then embraced another type of garden, the one of the beer variety in Camden. Here we have Cam, Scott and bunting all enjoying the festive, sunny beer drinking atmosphere.

Went for a Friday night drink at ‘Ben’s Canteen’, a most excellent restaurant just 10 mins walk from our house. Cam was keen to enjoy another ‘Kernel’ pale ale, which he got their last bottle of. He was a bit puzzled why they also delivered a small plant to the table, not realising that it was my dessert – the ‘choc pot’: melt in the mouth creamy chocolate indulgence mousse with ‘worms’ and crumbled oreo for the potting mix.

The other awesome thing about Brixton has been exploring the wonderful Brixton Village with it’s endless streams of gorgeous restaurants and cafes with delicimo eats and drinks. Not even the incessant rain can damper spirits here as is all under cover. This Saturday eve we went to ‘Honest Burger’ with Scott and Sarah before heading to ‘Ritzy’ picturehouse, the cinema where taking in a bottle of wine and stretching out is no probs – perfect place to watch ‘Moonrise Kingdom’. More beer joy afterwards at ‘Project Orange’ by Clapham Junction – felt like we were back in Berlin!