Video: New Zealand Adventures

New Zealand is where we started our gap year. And thanks to couch surfing we found some amazing friends. It wasn't our first time couch surfing. But it was a very interesting this time. We came to Auckland after little stop in Taiwan, ready to start new short life here. To find a job, to find a lovely place to live, meet new people etc. We came to Auckland little unprepared, I must say. We didn't book any accommodation and realized that all the hostels are fully booked. We tried to find a host on CS before, but nobody wanted us. Well, little desperate, we tried CS again. This time we didn't send individual messages. We simply wrote to Auckland wall, asking if somebody knows about a low cost hotel and if it is safe to sleep in a park. In few minutes, we had around ten messages and at least five calls from people willing to host us. And that is how we met Rory and Riley, two of the best Kiwis we've ever met. We ended up living with them for more than two weeks.  In January 2014 we went to a little trip organized by Rory and his brothers, out of the city, to the north of North Island. People usually prefer the South island, yes, but look, there are some really cool places up north, too! Rory took us to a beautiful quiet beach, we camped between the sand dunes, did some mussels picking and mussels bbq, had fun in the sea, watched wild dolphins, played ninja game, we were driving on the sand and visited some really scary caves. To go for a trip with a Kiwi is completely different from using a guide or Google. You will never find this cool places and adventures without a local.  Watching this now, in cold England, I wish that gap year lasted forever. And also we made a promise we will go back to New Zealand one day!  Here is a video from the trip and some pictures. 

London walks: Richmond Park

Richmond park was on my list for a long time but I don't know why I have never found the time to go. Until last week. We were super lucky with the weather. January in London is not really nice. No snow (and I really miss that!) but it can still be really cold, it is sunny but really windy and it rains occasionally. But last Saturday was really beautiful. Still bit cold, but sunny all day. I didn't feel like waking up, I must admit, but thanks God M. made me get of the bed and we decided to go to Richmond. For the first time of my life. 

It took us one hour to get there from north London, maybe more as we had to walk from the tube station, but it was a nice walk. I felt like we are out of London. And I feel like I want to live in Richmond one day. The park itself is just huge, we spent there around four hours, walking, enjoying a day out of the chaotic city centre. As the weather was nice we could see the city, actually. The best thing about Richmond? The deers! There are about 300 of them living in the park and you don't really need to keep looking for them, you will just meet them. We spent several minutes standing by and watching them. That really made my day. As well as the cute little parrots flying around. 

So, if you are looking for a piece of nature in London, Richmond is the place. Don't forget to bring some bread for the ducks and swans...

London Weekends: Angel + Soho (The Breakfast Club + TAP Coffee)

During the weekends we get to know the non-turistic London. M. doesn't work during weekends and I try to remain away from the school library. We have a long list of places to visit, the hidden London I've never visited before as a tourist (and I have been to London hundred times). We also have a long list of cafes, vintage shops, markets, exhibitions and concerts we want to visit.
This Saturday we choose the famous Breakfast Club from our "food porn" list. I don't really know why but from all their restaurants we choose the one at Angel. Good choice. Angel is just amazing area. This is the first time I went to there and I am in love! I don't really know why I've never been here before, it is so close to my uni. All the cute vintage shops, cafes, restaurants, art shops. Beautiful. Well, M. got bit bored after few minutes wondering around all of the antique shops.
On Sunday, we went to the British Museum, the last day of two great exhibitions - the Buddhism in Burma and witches and wicked bodies paintings. And of course, we have to spend some time in the Japan and China sections.
I had 3 professional baristas with me so we simply had to end up in a cafe. Kit took us to TAP Coffee, close to Oxford Street. Simply brilliant!

Hong Kong 2014

Do Hong Kongu jsem poprvé zamířila jako průvodce. A popravdě, neměla jsem to město ráda. Velkoměsto, ale pořád namačkané na pár ostrůvcích, takže všude plno lidi a dost těsno. Oproti Číně je to dost zápaďácké místo, ale Asii v sobě nezapře. Jako průvodce jsem tady musel vodit velké skupiny turitsů tím chaosem a to vše hromadnou dopravou a v tom neúnosném vedru. Na posledním zájezdu jsem v HK zůstala déle, klienti odletěli domů a já měla dva dny sama pro sebe. Ty dva dny, jak se ukázalo, byly málo a já se do HK zamilovala.

Back to Brighton

Brighton milujeme. Alex, kterého jsme poprvé potkali loňské léto, když nás v Brightonu ubytovával (jeden z těch couchsurfingových hostitelů, kteří se stali našimi opravdovými kamarády), byl na svátky doma z Readingu a pozval nás na víkendový dýchánek. Byli jsme rádi, že se na chvíli dostaneme z přelidněného Londýna. Ač je Londýn mé město číslo jedna, občas si člověk musí odpočinout od velkoměsta.

London: Yoshitomo Nara Exhibition

Zaprvé, vůbec jsem netušila, že mám hned za rohem od školy tak parádní galerii. Dairy je předně úžasná industriální budova, skvělé prostory. Je to malá galerie a většina výstav je tu zdarma, ale to je obecně dost londýnská věc. 

Zadruhé, Yoshitomo Nara! Byla to asi ta nejroztomilejší výstava, na které jsem kdy byla. Rozpouštěla jsem se nad všemi těmi okatými postavičkami a holčičkami. Nebyly to ale jen malby, byly zde i celkem velké sochy všech možných druhů. A ta nejroztomilejší fontána, viz. první foto, plakajících postaviček. Tu bych brala domů hned. Absolutně nejlepší byla ale místnost, která mapovala autorovu tvorbu za posledních třicet let. Jednoduché, roztomilé, vtipné, originální. Yoshitoma jsem si dokonce na nějakou dobu dala na pozadí počítače. 

Tea Time in Lindfield - The Toll House

Alex nás vzal do Liendfieldu, jedné malé vesničky kousek od Brightonu. Nic lepšího jsme si ani nemohli přát. Unikli jsme z rušného Londýna do té pravé anglické idilky. Městečku dominovala High Street, kde byl jeden dům starší než druhý. Toll House byl z roku 1630. Ani nevím, jestli jsem někdy byla v nějakém tak sterém domě. 

V přízemí mají malý krámek se serepetičkami a za ním rozkošnou čajovnu. Krom toho, ceny rozhodně nejsou londýnské, velké plus. Udělala jsem z toho posezení ve velice britském stylu - čaj s mlékem (dokonce to bylo okolo páté odpolední!) a scony s marmeládou a smetanou. Celonárodní spor mezi Brity je právě o sconech, přesněji o postupu konzumace. Jedna strana zastává postup marmeláda a potom smetana. Proti nim jsou zastánci obráceného postupu, tedy smetana a na ní marmeláda. Alex jasně tvrdil, že marmeláda musí být první. Netrvalo asi pět vteřin a od druhého stolu se ozvala paní, že je to tedy přesně naopak. To prý dá rozum, že smetana musí být první. V rámci uklidnění situace jsem si dala půlku sconu tak a druhou tak.

Coffee Talk: Coffee@33, Brighton

Our first stop on our "speciality coffee" mission in Brighton. Well, Mr Wolfe was for some reason closed that day, so we went to a lovely little cafe close to the train station - Coffee@33. Good choice, I must say. Friendly place with an amazing design and really nice atmosphere. Cafe as I like it - not a long menu, just few traditional drinks, some snacks and sandwiches and 3 different filters. M. tried the Rwanda one and it was just perfect, bit stronger, but really goooooood. (I am sorry, I forgot the exact name already).

There were not many seats, but it looked like people stopped here more for a take away coffee and a friendly chat. Anyway, we found a seat and I, personally, can imagine spending here hours and hours with a book. 

Coffe Talk: MARWOOD cafe, Brighton

Our first trip of 2015! Our beloved Brighton was amazing as usual. M. is a barista now, a professional. We were never so much into coffee as now. So, a must do in Brighton for us was to visit some speciality cafes there. A there are many in Brighton. We had recommendations for Mr Wolfe, Coffee @33, Small Batch, Ground, Marwood and of course Taylor Street Barista, Michael's cafe. And many others, check the list here.