Officially old! My 30th birthday in London…
Well well well. Where to start? The spring bus finally came into view on the horizon a few weeks ago. The last chunks of ice and snow have disappeared now, leaving behind piles of gravel that once covered them. The birds are noisier, the mornings brighter and the evening light lasts longer. Since daylight saving started it’s now dark after 9pm…and it’s only 1 month into Spring!
The highlight of the past month has been my birthday in London. We flew to London on a friday, extremely excited about seeing old friends again. Dan and Linda had been planning the weekend for months, I was to find out. On the Friday night we met up with Chris (old friend from Adelaide), Linda (another old friend from Adelaide) & her Dan and then John turned up (an even older friend from Adelaide)!! Everyone (including Johnno) had said that he wasn’t able to make it. So it was a great surprise to see him there. We had a fun dinner at a sushi train restaurant that night.
The next day (my actual birthday) Dan and I were very tired from not sleeping well and I wasn’t sure what exactly Dan and Linda had planned. It turned out that we were seeing a theatre show called ‘The Blue Man Group’ and it suited my mood perfectly. It was very creative and entertaining. My ticket was a present from Linda (so thanks Linda man!). That night we celebrated my birthday at an upmarket dim sum restaurant called Yauatcha. The food was absolutely amazing. As was the hand basin in the toilet (see update 25). Ben, who we knew from Sydney but now lives in Glasgow, also came down for my birthday night. As well as an old friend who I studied with when I was 17, Andrew (who had just recently moved to London to work). So it was a fantastic night and it felt like we could’ve been back in Australia celebrating my birthday 
The next day started with a greasy english breakfast before catching the tube to the London Eye (big wheel next to the river). It was relaxing until it stopped halfway up and we both started to feel a little claustrophobic and sick. But we were fine once it started moving again. It’s a great view from up there!
After walking around Picadilly Circus and Chinatown, Dan and I met up with Linda and her Dan (confused yet?) and the Old Street train station. They had said there were some good bars and restaurants in the area. We walked along the main road when I glanced down a side street and noticed the Fifteen logo. It was the Jamie Oliver restaurant that I’d seen on television a few years ago! I headed in that direction telling the others that I wanted to get a photo. Linda pretended that she hadn’t heard of the place and we went inside for a drink. 10 minutes later Dan revealed that we were eating dinner there and they’d actually booked this place months beforehand! And here I was thinking I’d stumbled upon it myself
So we pigged out totally on good food and great wine. That night Dan and I had trouble sleeping again because our bellies were protruding so much that we kept rolling off the bed 
But it was a fabulous weekend. The next day the sun was out and London was much warmer (it had been really cold the first 2 days…colder than Oslo!). So we slowly made our way to the train station via the park and ate a great sandwich at a Pret deli. Touching back down in Oslo, I looked out across the grass to the forest surrounding the airport and realised how much we’ve settled into the open-spaced, slower-paced life here. If only we were a little closer to Australia!
We both thought that seeing old friends would help our homesickness. But it’s actually made it worse! The same can be said for the warm sunny weather creeping in. I keep closing my eyes and imagining being at the beach back home. Or just sitting in a backyard back home on a 25 degree night sipping a glass of wine with family or friends. Yes! Homesick we are
I had such a fun weekend in London. I have such amazing friends. And such a sweet boyfriend (which you all know already). Being so far away from family and friends for so long is giving us a strong appreciation for what actually matters in life. Something we did always know, but something we feel so much stronger than ever now.
I hope you’re all doing great and kicking back in a chair outside somewhere with the sun on your face. When you need a break from that I’ve included links to 2 new photo updates below. Update 24 & 25. Enjoy!
I had a brilliant 30th birthday in London. Thanks for the presents sent from back home.
Love Sonia & Dan
xo
Update 24 - Spring (almost):
Update 25 - My 30th birthday in London!:
:)