Day 334 – Two days into the final study block at UCM I finally twigged to the wonders of the Eurostar and enjoyed a smooth, four-hour journey to London (as opposed to the about 7 hours it takes to fly a crappy budget airline with luggage restrictions!). My reasons for heading West were many and varied this time, a mixture of family and business. I had promised myself while in Europe I would visit some foreign newsrooms, given I have only ever worked in one. So with the much appreciated help of a former Advertiser colleague (who some of you long-time readers may remember I visited at the Telegraph newspaper offices last July when I was fresh off the plane) I was able to line up a visit to two of London’s most exciting newsrooms; The Guardian and The Times. Around the same time there was also an influx of Shore family members descending on London so I was able to catch up with long lost cousins, aunties and uncles – a welcome treat at the end of a long year away from family. And finally, ALSO around this time, two good friends from Maastricht had headed over to London (one returning home, another to start an internship). So it was to be a packed 6 days.
After the delight of the Eurostar trip (involving a normal train from Maastricht to Brussels and the Eurostar from there to London) I arrived in the centre of London in late afternoon, in time to catch cousin Kelly Shore (of Adelaide/Bunburry origin) for dinner and a quick squiz at the Westfeild shopping centre (haven’t seen on of them in a while!).
Day 335 – After a good chin wag with Kel the night before, it was down to more serious business the next day, meeting her for my first visit to the infamous Harrod’s department store. I had every intention on this trip of trying to see a wider area of London than I had previously and there were some specific things on my to do list, of which Harrod’s was right at the top. It truly is an amazing concept; doormen with tophats and tails, old fashioned candy stores inside, almost a whole floor devoted to merchandise for the department store (can you imagine the same in Myer or DJs?!), a milk bar, pizza restaurant, bakery and more downstairs, another floor converted into an art gallery and a centre-piece Egyptian themed escalator-well rising through the guts of the builing. Of course everything was exhorbitantly priced so I shopped shrewdly, but did treat myself to some Harrod’s choccies Kelly insisted were worth the about $6AU for a small box (and indeed they were).
Egyptian themed excalators
crazy ceiling of the escalator-well
Harrod's dogs in the merchandise section (they're Westies!!)
The lolly section
The rest of the day was filled with lunch (a pie – at last!!), a quick visit to the portrait gallery where I stood in front of an award-winning wall-length portrait of people bathing at a nude beach in Corfu (including a full frontal of an old man!) and then spent about an hour in a bookstore… filled with book in English! (In fact, I delighted in the opportunities to read publications in English, spending one night in bed surrounded by newspapers and magazines). That night was spent having a good catch up over wine and nibblies with Uncle Pete and Aunty Di, swapping travel stories and plans.
Day 336 – Friday was newspaper day – the main reason I was there. The diary showed a visit to The Guardian in the morning and The Times in the afternoon. I realise how privileged I was to even get in the door (it really is who you know) and it was one of the most exciting and interesting days of my whole exchange year. First up, The Guardian was colourful, funky and busy. It had a really good vibe about the place and is clearly all about the digital age (massive Mac screens everywhere as just one example). The building was open and light and interestingly designed and the newsfloor about 4 times the size of the one I am used to, and with way more staff (one generous member of whom gave me a private tour). The real treat of the morning was being able to sit in on morning conference (a snappy affair through which I sat quietly in the corner trying to keep the smile off my face!) Its an open door policy for conference - two sliding doors on either end of the room, lots of glass, a canary yellow couch arranged in a square around the room and anyone can come in, ask questions and toss around story ideas, opinons etc. As we left the conference room the absolute highlight of the morning occurred … a casual chat with the editor Alan Rusbridger (“Ah, this must be our Australian friend”).
In the afternoon it was over to another side of town to The Times, with a view of London Bridge. First impressions – an impressive building housing more newspapers in one place than I’ve ever seen. The vibe here, being a News Ltd paper, was much more what I’m used to and reminded me a lot of The Advertiser, but of course on a much larger scale. Inside, again a larger newsroom and very organised, with signs above sections of desks detailing the rounds being covered by those below (my favourite was Real Estate = “Bricks & Mortar”). As mentioned, the view was spectacular over the Thames and London Bridge. Again I was privileged enough to be able to sit in on conference, lasting longer in the afternoon. It was fascinating to sit (quietly again of course) and watch these powerful newspaper people decide the fate of the next day’s paper; who else will have that yarn, how could they make a story better, which was the best pic for page three, and of course, what to splash with. To be privy to that process felt like being let backstage somewhere I shouldn’t be!
The day was finished with a visit to the Hammersmith neighbourhood to meet up with a mate from back home (loyal blog readers will remember Matty, from Victoria, coming to visit me in Maastricht late last year). I met Matty and some of his Aussie (house)mates at the Southern Belle pub (interestingly named for that part of the world I thought) and we drank Swedish cider and watch an AFL match on a big screen (it was even my team!).
Matty and I enjoying a beverage
Day 337 – Another lovely thing about being back in London (for the fifth time!) was being able to check some things off the to-do list that I still hadn’t managed to do. So this morning I set off for the Portobello Rd Markets (not put off by the usual tube disruptions!). After a solo wander I headed back to South Kensington to meet the old Advertiser colleague who helped me set up the previous day’s newspaper excursions. Over lunch we discussed a) my gratitude! b) living abroad c) how hard it is to get a media job in London and (among other things of course) d) how it is to go home.
No rest for the wicked – that night brought an opportunity to catch up with a friend from Maastricht, Andra (and a friend of hers also living in London) for a Chinese food fix (to redress the lack of a Chinatown in Maastricht) and some drinky poohs. But it STILL wasn’t a final goodbye for Andra… I would see her again on Monday…
Day 338 – European Father’s Day apparently so it was off to brunch around the corner with Uncle Pete, Aunty Di, cousin Sam and his girlfriend Lexi – quite the nice little family catch up, hearing tales of their visits to the Royal Ascot Races and other fun London things. Afterwards, it was time to leave the comfort of a faux-home with family and head to a hotel near the train station in preparation for my leaving London on Monday. After getting more than a little lost (I turned left out of the station instead of right) I finally found the place, dumped my gear and headed to Covent Garden for a wandering afternoon with a spot of gift shopping and boutique cuisine. Tonight was the aforementioned night spent surrounded by newspapers (and watching English shows on TV).
Day 339 – Last day… time for the final catch up with Andra – high tea at the Grosvenor Victoria Hotel to celebrate yet another Maastricht mate Leah’s birthday. In the fancy surrounds of this classic old English hotel (think chandeliers, plush couches, marble floors, cupcake stands and champagne) we had a celebrity spot – Elle MacPherson was lunching in the dining room. I found out later she was hosting UK Next Top Model at the time. At the end of this pink-in-the-air affaif it was finally time to say goodbye to both Andra and Leah, dash for a quick shop on Oxford St and then back to the hotel to pack.
Leah and Andra enjoying high tea
Day 340 – On the road again – after a truly satisfying trip it was time to head “home”, thankfully on the Eurostar again, not a budget airline! And I made it in plenty of time for my afternoon class!
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