View from the top, Bruges

The view at the top of the Belfry of Bruges.

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I am going to Paris tomorrow for work and will be there until Saturday. I haven't been since October when my mum came to visit. Looking forward to it again! I'll have the Saturday free to roam around, take photos and, of course, eat, until I hop on the train back to London in the evening.

The week after will be the Easter break and I'm flying to Glasgow to drive around Northern Scotland for four days. We plan to go to Loch Lomand, Loch Ness, Skye, Inverness, Pitlochry, Stirling and then back to the airport. It'll definitely be a different kind of trip, one where we will be immersed in nature, away from the city grind. Ah, perfect timing.

Two weeks after Scotland, I have a trip to Lisbon and then in May, during the bank holiday, a trip to Krakow & Warclaw in Poland!

J&A Cafe (Summer 2014) & New Years 2015

It's the year 2015!!!
Hope you all enjoyed NY celebrations. I was at the Brandenburg Gates in Berlin and waited 4 hours standing to watch the midnight fireworks. Almost gave up but we pulled through! It was memorable nonetheless, especially with the Hoff performing on stage.

I have a backlog of all my Euro trip photos, including Amsterdam, Prague, Madrid, Barcelona, Cologne, Bruges, Berlin and Rome! In fact, the photos of J&A cafe are from summer when I went on a nice loner trip around Clerkenwell to enjoy a cup of coffee.
They'll be in the form of photo diaries but I'll also post up photos of things I got up to in London in between. I need to really allocate a day to sort out all my photos and organise everything! I'm off to a Cambridge tomorrow for a day trip so perhaps on Sunday?

In other news, I booked a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, for a snow trip next month!!! SO SO SO EXCITED. Last time I went snowboarding was in 2010 in Japan!!! It has been way too long.
It's the one thing I'm looking forward to during the cold winter days in London. Good times!

London cafes: Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

Continuing the 'London cafes' series, here is a cafe I went alone located on Leather Lane, London. I like the witty name of the cafe.

Granger & Co - Notting Hill

Granger & Co is the London branch of Sydney Bill's. I've been to both in Notting Hill and Clerkenwell and, let me tell you, the food is consistently divine and I would say better than Bill's in Sydney.
Have a light dinner the night before, go here for brunch the next day and order the full Aussie breakfast and the ricotta hot cakes (the best fluffy hot cakes ever) for "dessert". You will not regret it!

I want to go again. Actually, when my mum is in London I'll take her here when we go to Notting Hill. So excited! Can't believe I'm going to see her tomorrow!
She'll be in London for ten days and then we're going to go on a mummy & daughter trip to Paris for the last four days. Taking a week off work next week to be her tourist guide :)

Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, London

I remember taking these photos before full-time work in London. I had a list of places to visit and ventured out everyday and explored London. It was in May, the city heading towards summer, where I cycled on a Boris bike to the park. If Sydney has its beaches, London sure has its selection of impressive parks.

Speaking of May and summer, it has been half a year since I've moved to London! Autumn has hit the town with its crisp air and golden foliage. Wow, half a year has passed already. Before you know it, it's Christmas and then 2015.
I feel like I should be more productive these days. More action rather than planning. Plant more seeds, so to speak, to eventually reap what I sow. Yet here I am spending my free time aimlessly and writing down a list of goals with no plan of action. Part of the problem is that I attempt to do everything at once, eventually burn out and I'm left with mediocracy. I need to remember that every hour counts and by doing a little each day, it all adds up.
I've noticed a pattern: I get pumped up, all motivated for a few days, maybe weeks, but then after awhile lose focus, get distracted and never achieve the desired outcome.

Focus.
Discipline.
Persistency.
Tenacity.

... is what I need.

Darlinghurst Public School Fete

Stumbled across a very cute school fete after brunch at Bill's in Darlinghurst.

Fuji-Q Highland!

For those who love roller-coasters and thrill of it all, this place is a must-visit!
Seriously, the best and craziest roller-coasters are all packed in one location and it is worth a visit.
It was actually my second visit to the amusement park because last time the line was so long (can you believe I waited 4 hours to go on one roller-coaster?) I missed out on going on the two other major rides.
If you do plan to go, try to avoid the weekends and any Japanese public or school holidays (including the summer) as you will end up waiting 3-4 hours for one ride.
To get to Fuji-Q, I recommend using the bus from Shinjuku station which will take you directly there.
Click here to access the website.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment and I'll be happy to assist!

Gumyoji sakura on film