Cambridge

Last weekend was our second last EXEAT (weekend off) and we headed off to Brighton, but more on that later...

On Friday Janet, Caitlin & I went to Cambridge for the day! We caught a train into London at 8.30am, then got ourselves to King's Cross to get a 45 min train out there. We found a bus to the city centre from the station then wandered towards the tourist info centre via Market Square, where the daily Cambridge Market was being held. On the way we stopped in an amazing shop called Ark. I literally loved everything in there, even though the few jumpsuits I tried on looked better on the hanger. I even went back at the end of the day for a cute cropped t-shirt I'd tried on.

At the market we had a look around & got a few things - juice, dried banana, cake (banana, honey, date & walnut) and studs/ear cuffs. We found the tourist info centre and decided to book a punting tour, which are flat-bottomed boats that take up all the little rivers in Cambridge. Then we went to find a veg restaurant for lunch which had been in a couple of guides. Caitlin enjoyed her enchilada but unfortunately the spinach, tomato & cottage cheese lasagne Janet & I both got was a little boring. I'd also already filled up on cake so that probably didn't help.

The restaurant was right across from King's College so we decided to go there next. We had to walk around to another entrance for tickets/admittance and it was pretty warm by this stage; it was meant to be 28! And it's been around 26 every day since then! It feels like the start of Summer not the end!

We headed inside the chapel, which was of course beautiful but I think these things are wearing off on me a bit. Then we had a little walk around the grounds, got mistaken for 'freshers' which was pretty exciting, and got told off for standing 'on the grass or where the grass would be if people like us didn't stand there'. Geez, I was just taking a photo of the other 2.

So we got out of the grounds and found the punting place. The ride was nice and relaxing, and not too hot as it was on-and-off under the shade of trees. We saw a bunch of the colleges along the river, Kings again, Queens, Trinity, St John's (whose clocktower is missing its clock as they ran out of money) and probably some others. We also went under the mathematical bridge, which is made up of no curved pieces of wood, & the Bridge of Sighs, which is named after the Bridge of Sighs in the Doge's Palace in Venice, but is a little less serious than prisoners taking their last breath. Our tour guide/punting guy had such a posh accent, we loved it. Can't believe this is pretty much the pastime of the students there - there were people in their punts just drinking and bumping into the sides, and others sitting on the grass on the riverbank, just relaxing. There was also a bride and groom taking a ride. Basically, living in a uni town would be amazing, especially one with rivers.

We headed back to the centre of town, on the way passing St Catharine's College (I took a photo for you mum), a musical bin (a busker who had somehow got himself inside it and just had his arm/guitar neck sticking out) and Jesus Lane. I got a fairly crappy hot chocolate from a 'Chocolate House' then we saw the Round Church and walked past St John's again. We got Camille a birthday present, I got my t-shirt then we caught the bus back to the station and caught the train back; this time it took an hour 20 min with lots of people and stopping - gotta love peak hour. We all eventually got seats though, plus Hamish & Andy and Legally Blonde music (which I am hopefully seeing next week for my birthday!) kept me entertained.

We ended up getting back about 8.10pm and went up to the flat, then went to bed about 11pm.

On Saturday some of the gals got up at 5am to watch the AFL grand final but I had to work 8am-2.30pm so I wasn't so keen. Had a pretty chilled out time, just getting the girls outside to enjoy the sun while it lasts. In the night, Aisling, Janet & I were thinking of going out as it's been a few weeks, but in the end decided against it and instead got takeaway (I got a vegie burger wrap) and watched The Breakfast Club, so it was a nice night.

Had yesterday morning off and then in the afternoon I supervised all the girls decorating masks they made Saturday afternoon for a competition, unfortunately not out in the sun, but in the art room :(

Currently planning our trip to Stockholm & Copenhagen in 3 weeks, possibly staying in a hostel which is a boat in Stockholm! And I cannot believe it is already October, home in 2 and a half months!