Traipse, Trot & Trek

I ran. That’s what I did…for most of my holiday. When I wasn’t running to catch the bus, I was running to get the tube, and my flight too. And boy I’m one good runner, but not so much in the sprint category…more like long-distance-endurance running. I’ve got the stamina for it; a biological skill cultivated over those times I had to put up with enormous amounts of shit from the assholes in my life. It’s just another thing on my very short and limited list of things I can do very well.

And so I ran…and when I wasn’t running, I ate. And when I wasn’t eating, I laughed. And when I wasn’t laughing, I slept. And when I wasn’t sleeping, I conversed. And when I wasn’t talking, I just sat still and took in the ambience of the place. Yeah, great times were had and I got to meet with a lot of my friends, as well as with a lovely Sofia and an interesting Mash, and this delightful and talented one. I also met various other interesting individuals who are non-bloggers. My only regret is that I couldn’t meet with ALL of my friends in London because a lot of them were on holiday and others were reveling in their out-of-towness.

Since I’ve already seen every major tourist attraction in London, TWICE, I decided to do things a little differently on this holiday.

Hence, the holiday check-list:

Endure the mandatory holiday drama of sisters baggage left in Dubai CHECK

Run into the arms of my dearests, like they be lost loves from a cheesy chick flick CHECK

Connect with the global community of bloggers and chatting non-stop CHECK

Laugh my arse off on a daily basis at random people and events CHECK

Get lost on the way to Regents Park Mosque, then ensuring that attire is appropriate outside the mosque before entering CHECK

Go all the way to bloody Queens Park to have 5 of the best BBQ chicken wings at that particular Chicken Cottage CHECK

Compete with Lola in an epic running for the bus contest from Edgeware to Maida Vale CHECK

Go to an underground Salsa club and be an affront to anything that’s sacred to the Latino community by acting like royal fools on the dance floor and laughing hysterically in the process CHECK

Chat extensively to handsome strangers on the bus about nothing in particular CHECK

Imitate every variation of the British accent while chatting to random locals CHECK

Go to Harrods for a hot-off-the-press original glazed Krispy Kreme donut, the best ever CHECK

Pretend to be a resident in the posh and pretentious suburb of Richmond CHECK

Smell the plastic burning at Amazon.co.uk CHECK

Gallivant in Wales, Ireland and Scotland via bus, train, plane and ferry CHECK

Trek to inconsequential places like Swanley in the rolling hills of Kent to buy groceries and oogle the gorgeous bus drivers CHECK

Fall asleep at South Bank while gazing at the river and a brassed-out mime dressed in medieval gear CHECK

Finally FINALLY find the cheesecake I’ve been craving for all these months CHECK

Converse pleasantly over Shisha/Hookah at another underground joint CHECK

Club hop in London, wanting to sleep just after midnight and realizing we’re getting too old to stay out until the early hours of the morning CHECK

Visit old haunts and reminisce about the good ol days CHECK

Stalk Britney Spears then losing interest CHECK

Pretend to be a celebrity at Primark on Oxford Street CHECK

Get mistaken (several times) for being a native from either Egypt, Mexico, Spain, Morrocco, Brazil and India by the strangers talking to me in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Hindi CHECK

Involuntarily walking/running at least 10km a day CHECK

Get chased by the schizophrenic squirrels in Hyde Park CHECK

Throw a surprise Hen party for a good friend CHECK

Have Pringles for lunch on more than one occasion CHECK

Map out the British edition of Girls Behaving Badly: High on London CHECK

Eat a monster econo-burger that leaves you satiated for two days CHECK

Watch the sun set at 09:22pm and the skyline get dark around 10pm CHECK

Partake in an ice-cream eating competition with the girls, 3 Magnums each, and wanting to keel over and puke after the second one CHECK

Melt in the summer heat and in the tube CHECK

Eat the best chocolate in Ireland CHECK

Meander around aimlessly, in a bubble of nonchalance and dreamyness CHECK

Yeah, all in a nutshell. More detailed stories to come...