And the winner was London!!! My next blog entry was here, but it was a close call all the same.

The on again off again nature of the flight was keeping both Pippa and I on tender hooks. At one point I was offered a flight to Frankfurt via Hong Kong and thought of taking it. But good old QANTAS came through.

It was actually the smoothest flight I have ever been on. There was virtually no turbulence and the people in the seat beside me were friendly without being in your face for 24 hours. With all the chopping and changing of flights due to the snow at Heathrow, my vegetarian meal was forgotten, but the crew even managed to give me a meal from Business class.

Pippa was at the airport to meet me and apart from trying to run past a police man doing crowd control causing her to be almost arrested, we had a big hug and all was well.

London still has lots of snow on the ground though nothing like I saw on the news from Australia. We drove back to the flat in Peckham and caught up with Pen, Max and Milly after lunch for a walk on Peckham Rye.

Christmas Eve was quiet as Pippa had to go to work. We had our only pre Christmas shopping outing at the new huge Westfield in Sheppard's bush. 9 years waiting for high street shopping and we go to Westfield. This will be corrected for the New Year sales.

Christmas day was great as we went to the Freeman's for breakfast and presents and croissants then around to Rozzy's with Nick for lunch. This was finished 2 hours after dark (5pm) which did confuse my little brain somewhat as I thought it was much later. Only 6 hours of day light in winter so I have to get use to coming home in the dark after a day s*** at work. But I look forward to it. I think I am like a Budgie, make it dark and I go to sleep.

Lots and lots of yummy food, wine and chocolate, but this English idea of a walk on Christmas Day I feel is simply to instigated as a reason to complain. "Lets leave the warm house and walk briskly around the local park, slip on the ice, fight the snow, complain about the cold and know it was worth it because the house will be so warm when we get back" let me say the house was warm before we left.

Pippa and I are having a day together and are off to find breakfast. I will write my blog until New Year then finish it up. Also I will get a last photo album in from around London.