When in Rome...

Yes that is gelati on my face and no I didn't realsie until I got back to the hotel...

I'm so god damn unfit!

I remember back when I was in Japan last October that I vowed never to travel again until I got fit. I forgot how seriously hard and exahausting travel is when you are overweight and unfit. I am so annoyed at myself for not putting in more of an effort before I went away. At least I am now building my fitness with all this walking, I just wish I had the energy to do more- it is so frustrating.

The good news is that it has revitalised my desire to exercise more and work on my fitness. The past 6 months all my focus has been on my new job and I have definitely put my health on the back burner. When you work 14-16 hour days there is literally no time to fit exercise in so I need to find a balance and put my health first. Travel has a good way of putting your life in perspective.

Also, I am seriously considering doing weight watchers when I get back, just to have the support and accountability. I must be the only overweight person I know who has never tried WW or Jenny Craig. I think what might work for me with WW is the points system because I have a tendency to be too strict when I am trying to lose weight. Having a set amount of points to eat a day might help me with the guilt I feel when I eat and I wouldn't feel bad as long as I stayed within my points. Plus I would die if I had to go to a meeting and post a gain, so that would keep me honest! I would love to hear all your stories (good or bad) about doing WW.

Holiday!

Only one more day of work until I go on holidays! I am actually leaving Oxford tomorrow morning to go to my London office for the day and then Saturday I fly out to Rome. I don't know if I am more excited because I am going to Rome or just because I don't have to work for two weeks!

I have been having a nice time in Oxford, it really is a beautiful little town. I haven't had much time to explore, but I hope to come back soon!

Here is a photo of me in Oxford... as per usual I have to do something slightly silly to make the photo more embarrassing!

I'm In London Still, la la, London Still

Hello from sunny London. Yes you read that correctly, SUNNY London! Who would have thought it would be so hot here, certainly not me when I packed...

So the flight here was horrendous. Not only am I fat, but I get claustrophobic and normally don't use public transport at all because I panic, so 23 hours on a packed flight- not fun. Oh and babies on planes, well I know there is no way around it, but jesus christ it's annoying. Sorry to all those parents, I know it must be awful to get filthy looks from people around you while your poor baby is screaming all night.

So I arrived in London at 5.30 am last Saturday and managed to get a train into Covent Garden to my hotel quite easily. I was wide awake so I set off to do some exploring right away. I would like to blame the jet lag for the two photos below that I took...





I was smart enough to arrive on a bank holiday weekend, so I spent Saturday and Sunday touring around and exploring.


A double decker bus tour


Changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace


Changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace


Trafalgar Square


My big head in Trafalgar Square


A traditional Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding- Yum!


A spot of shopping at Harrods

Then Monday night I headed out to Oxford for work. It was easy to forget that I am actually here for work, but I soon remembered when I got into the office... So I have been pretty busy all week at work. It was great to meet all my colleagues that I work so closely with. I hear their names so often that it was almost like meeting celebrities!

I left work a little early today (Friday) and caught the train back into London for the weekend. I am staying in the West End, so I am going to see Chicago tonight and hoping to see a couple more shows over the weekend. I also want to go on the London Eye, to the British Museum, West Minster Abbey and lots more. I am not going to have time for everything I want to do.

Oh and I have met the devil in the shape of a chocolate bar and it is the Peanut Butter Kit Kat. Oh good god this thing is amazing and chocolate is so cheap here. Lord help me.

Au Revoir Melbourne

I am leaving for the airport in a couple of hours for a 23 hour flight to London for work. I'll spend the first 3 days in London, then 5 days in Oxford, 2 days in London and 5 days in Oxford. Then I will go to Rome for a week and then to Paris for a week, both of those are holiday- yay! At this point I am just looking forward to getting some sleep on the plane because I am so tired.



This is my first trip to Europe so I am excited to see everything and experience everything. Anyone have any tips for plus size fashion in London, Paris or Rome? The clothes over here are just so awful at the moment, I am really struggling to find anything to wear.



I haven't planned anything because I just haven't had time, but I have my flights and hotels booked and my Lonely Planets so I guess I will just take it as it comes. I am looking forward to just waking up and doing what ever I feel like. Of course at the the top of my list of things to do is eat pizza and gelati in Rome and drink French wine in Paris! Oh god, I can already feel those kilos piling on as I type...



OK, I have some last minute packing to do. Ciao. Au Revoir.