Germany/London

Back from Germany. Spent two glorious days wandering around the lovely city of Cologne, eating massive breakfasts and drinking kiba, a mixture of cherry and banana juice. Cologne is filled with beautiful, tall men that are the light tan of a pretzel and as smooth as Milka. It's a nice change from the larrikinness of Australians, or the wittiness of Brits. The evening I arrived I didn't get Jen's message in time and had no way of contacting her. After spending a good hour walking back and forth between the airport and the train station (no money, too big a note, couldn't work out how to use machine, had to check the timetable), I finally got myself to Cologne central, then found myself an Internet cafe. The internet cafe was really a pokies room and I sat at the computer for a few terrifying minutes while I tried to decide whether the man in the corner was going to rob me. Anyway, in the end I managed to contact her and she picked me up outside the station, which was rather good considering for a long while I thought I would have to stay in a hostel for the night. But all was good!

That night we went to Verdi's Requiem at a church in Cologne. It was massive, filled with hundreds of people. Jen, her friend Nico and I sat at the back on the floor. Everyone else around us was in their mid-twenties or of student age. As we sat back and drank in the music, people closed their eyes and focussed on the reverberations around them. To see that many people gather for a university concert (it was the University of Cologne) was incredible. I miss the cultural enthusiasm of Europe.

The following day, after late night drinks, we went for a wander around the city, down by the river and around the town. The highlight for me was the chocolate factory, even though there was no chocolate for us to taste :( (too late). We went to the Dom in town which was also incredible, just in terms of the size and the sheer magnificence of it. Massive monuments of art never fail to amaze me. That night we went to Goldfinger and Ivory, hip clubs in Cologne, and danced till morning. That you can dance in a small room with a hundred other people until the sun literally comes up also never ceases to amaze me.

Saturday I went straight from Gatwick airport to London Zoo, where the LAMDA grad ball was taking off. British actors are lovely and screwed up (kidding). Nah, they're a good bunch. All actors are probably a bit mad to some extent ;) Had a few good chats to some people about studying at LAMDA and how they're finding it. People seem to be enthusiastic and really loving what they do. Had a chat to an Australian graduate which was honest. Anyway, will see how things turn out. Am keen to start school tomorrow and meet some of the summer crew, find some people to see theatre with. Every time I've tried this week I keep convincing myself it's too expensive! So I haven't seen anything, which is very unusual for me, normally I have no issue seeing theatre on my own. Having someone to come along will be good.

Today I was reading a map at a bus stop when I was asked for directions by a lovely Japanese lady. We were both headed for Brick Lane and so we ended up spending the afternoon wandering around together, browsing through markets and having coffee. She's a post-grad art theory major, and we had a long chat about art and life and career braveness. We were both surprised to discover so many life and creative similarities to each other. When you're on a particular path you attract other people in a similar boat. Or, as I told her, when you're both just poor and creative people with a lot of time you're likely to run into one another! She was amazed by my bravado and being in London and I told her she was even braver for pursuing post-grad studies relatively late. We shared a chicken, fetta and spinach sausage in a British cafe, then hugged hope and joy into our dreams. I wish her all the best and I know she wishes the same for me.

London is big and tiny and full of people and not full of people. I think I could live here, especially if I thought I would be coming back to Australia eventually. The centre of London is big and beautiful and is much like Sydney in a superficial way. The apartment I'm living in is beautiful. I think I could very well imagine myself living and studying here. The locals seem to like me, and I don't mind them either. I would have to get used to drinking a lot at the pub, converting prices into Australian dollars, really very shit food, and being called 'fit', but I think I could handle that. It's going to be a tough road, but a fun one, and I think I could handle some of that stuff coming my way.