Such is the new Jane Eyre movie, which is very good by the way.

I think the most amazing part is being surrounded by art. Not physically but knowing that I’m ‘around’ it. On my first lunch break I saw Renoirs, Miro’s and discovered Egon Schiele. Then I walked into a Mont Blanc pen exhibit. I think seeing all this will be my favorite part of the job.

Everyone keeps asking me if it’s good and I say to them a resounding yes. Do I want to do it forever? No. But I say yes because the people are lovely,  yes because it’s new and fresh, yes because I am finally using my brain again. Most of all, I’m surrounded by beautiful art that some people may never see or even know exists (did you know Banksy sell’s some graffiti canvas works at auction?).

Thanks everyone for all your well wishes love love love Rai.

I plan to be baking more again. Come back soon! <3

This entire week has been bathed in sunshine, and I’ve finally figured out how to tether my iPhone so I can catch some sun while still being productive (job hunting). As I type, I am sitting amongst a hoard of people equally as starved of vitamin D, right in the middle of Islington Green, a little green sanctuary at the fork of Essex Road and Upper Street.

A trip to Tesco from across the way had me leaving with a punnet of blackberries, pack of carrot/brocolli/cauliflower and a  tub of sweet chilli hommus – the modern day, quick-fix picnic. Everything is perfect except for the asshole behind me fucking up my fresh air with his smoking death stick.

Unfortunately, I’ve got to find some power soon, my mac is faltering at 21% battery life. When are they going to invent wireless electricity?? I need my tech and I need my nature!

Three months to the day since I last blogged. A blogging hibernation if you will.

It’s true, the last London winter has been ‘colder than usual’ – this is the general consensus, how would I know?? But perhaps the truer reasons are, life has been quite bland; the winter holidays were quite a bit more depressing than I’d expected and of course the usual excuse of laziness.

So what now? The snow has long since thawed, it’s no longer pitch black when I leave the house for work, the ache of missing family during the holiday season has dulled and the London Overground has even opened up new lines. It’s strange to think I’ve been here long enough to witness the change of seasons and the completion of an entire rail line, but I’m starting to realise my time here is limited and it’s time I started making some unforgettable memories.

First up Paris, France – not Paris, Texas. A trip to Paris has long been on the agenda since we arrived, so what better excuse than A’s birthday? A short weekend getaway to see the city of romance. How sweet.

Research has been overwhelming to say the least. Do we want to do the touristy stuff or burrow into local life? So far, the Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower are at the top of the list. And then there’s my insistence on visiting Oscar Wilde’s grave somewhere in the 20th arrondesment. But really, I think I would be more than content just strolling the streets eating ice cream, macarons, bread and cheese – preferably through old cobbled alleyways a la Harry Potter.

I’m yet to figure out exactly what kind of traveller I am. Meticulous planner or the ‘wing it’ type? Modest hostels or luxurious hotels? I figure I should be somewhere in between. I’m too scared to leave my valuables in a hostel, and can’t quite stomach the idea of turning up in a foreign place with nothing but the clothes on my back. A much as I’d like to be that wing-it sort of adventure traveller, I’m much more like a budget tourist – plan the day around a few must see sights and leave time to wonder, with the knowledge that my stuff is tucked away in a safe somewhere in a decent hotel room.

But this trip should help me figure out exactly how I travel, and I plan to use that information relentlessly until it’s time to pack up and go home. One city a month from now on. Thats the plan…clearly I’m more of a planning type.

Dear London,

- It’s not white Christmas if your snow melts
on Christmas day. In fact that is a really mean thing to do.

- I know Christmas is holiday time, but spare a thought for those who
need to be entertained/ get places as they don’t have family fights to engage them

- It’s ludicrous how expensive traveling gets during holidays. It’s
useless having you as a homebase for travel during this time!

- Butthank you for the after holiday sales!

- You have made me realise how much family and friends mean. Especially during the holidays.

-Fuck you for hiking up VAT and train prices. How much broker do you
want us to be?

- But thanks for the free museums and galleries.

Yours Sincerely, Rai

It’s Christmas month!!!

Fittingly, it has started snowing in London. Apparently the earliest since – 100 years or so?

I could go into the whole climate change thing, but I’m enjoying this way too much. I woke up on Tuesday to a blanket of white outside and couldn’t stop smiling. Like a dag, I took photos and videos. You’d think I’d never seen snow. But it’s so different in a city. Everything looks magical!!! – Plus, it’s my first white Christmas!!

Christmas is so much more Christmassy when it’s freezing and snowing and you’re holding an expensive cup of mulled wine at a fair at night with twinkling lights- exactly what I was doing last weekend at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. Here’s a shout out to ANYONE that wants to joing me there, I’m up for going again! – Also up for going ice skating at Somerset House.

Ok guys, my toes have just about frozen off and these new themal socks suck balls. Ironically, I was never this cold even when I was at the snow (except maybe that time at Buller when it was raining…). I think it’s time for me to start work, so I better be off.

I miss my Explorer socks, Hotham vest and Mambo snow jacket inserts.

Bring on the snow weather man!!!!!!! MOREEEEEE!! RAHhhhhhhhhh;oiausodihf!!iuy0!”£!”$%”%

<3Rai

This is a weird feeling.

It is 2pm on a tit freezing day, and I’m on my 45min daily journey to work. I am tired and I know I’ll be even more so when I get home at 11:38 this evening. But as I float between mini naps, I have a realization that I don’t feel the usual misery I associate with work – and I had the urge to share it.

PS. There is a weird person next to me waving his hands wildly to (what I hope is) his music. It is freaking me out…

Can’t believe it’s been more than a month since my last update. I apologise for the unintended hiatus. Who am I talking to anyway? This blog is for my own benefit!

At work now, so no pictures to entice – have a huge backlog waiting on my cameras. Will get around to those eventually.

The weather in London is getting more and more depressing – so I’m missing home extra much – thinking about beaches, sunshine and bike rides to the park.

During work – or lack thereof at times – I draw and daydream a lot – examples:

Business Venture 1: where I bind books in the stationary room and sell it back to the company at premium price.
or
Business Venture 2: where I make awesome coffee from the office kitchen and sell it to the caffeine addicts at £1 a pop (That’s such a bargain for London you have nooo idea!)
or
Business Venture 3: draw up little postcards, frame them and sell them on Etsy

Could I actually pull off business venture 3?…

I’ve also been learning new words – see WOTD post!

Been trying to draw as much as possible while in this city of art, decided to log them on art forum to keep motivated – see posts here!

Post pictorial updates soon.

LoveLove <3 Rai

‘A’ loves aliens and space related anything, and according to him, Korean writing looks like ‘alien writing’. So of course it is he that spots a Korean restaurant from about 200 metres away through a maze of buses.

Korean food always makes me think of home because some of the best meals I’ve had with friends have been Korean food. So it is with pleasure and ferocity that we at this meal, both happy and sad to thinking about friends and times that seem so distant.

It was a hearty and delicious meal, more so because of the memories it conjured up, we only wish we had the same people to share it with!