When Abby Blogs: September 2015

Hello!
I just got back to Brunei yesterday after a 3-week holiday from the UK and Europe! Boy, was it tiring! Tiring mostly due to the fact that we took a tour around Europe and the entire thing was so fast-paced.

We flew on a Saturday and reached Heathrow airport, London on a Sunday morning. We took the National Express bus that my friend booked for us 2 hours later, and off to Bournemouth we went! The bus ride took about 2 hours.

The main reason for our trip (boyfriend and myself) was to attend my best friend, Rae's wedding in Bournemouth. To attend is to speak humbly, because I was one of the maid of honors. As children as young as 15, we have already spoke of our weddings, and how we both promised to be maid of honors at each other's weddings, no matter where our weddings were. Back then, we already knew she was going to be in England, so our pact was for me to be in England! So yes, we made it reality and I finally got to England for my first time!

Bournemouth is to the south of England, and it is situated near the sea, so it has lots of beautiful beaches. We stayed there for a few days, where we got to shop, eat and prepare for her wedding. I really liked Bournemouth because it was quaint and really lovely, with friendly people. I would go on to realize Londoners are less friendly.

My best friend, the then bride-to-be

Best friend and the Love of her life

True to blending in wherever I go, Rae and her parents brought us for English Breakfast and a yacht club.

We got there only to realize one person had to have one tray; it was their restaurant policy. I was okay with the top and bottom layer, but having none-existent sweet tooth, I could not do the middle tray!

Love these bunch xx

What else did we do? SHOP of course! Rae promised to take me to a huge Primark. Now, I have never been to a Primark before, so imagine my awe when I realized how cheap everything was. 2 pounds for a pair of shorts? 5 for a shirt? etc etc. The novelty soon wore off though, as I didn't even step into the one in London.

Walking to New Look!

Then one night (I forgot which!!!!), we had yummy dinner at Casa Pepe for steak!

Scampi

My steak with wine and mushroom

There was one morning where my best friend had plans, so my boyfriend and I took our way to walking around to find food. We found this amazing brunch place called Ludo Lounge after around 15 mins of walking from where we stayed.

Our Flat Whites and English breakfast! Eggs, bread, beans, mushroom, hash brown, bacon and blood pudding which I wouldn't even prod with a lightsaber

We have the tendency to order the same everything haha

Ludo Lounge (this was the first place where someone called me "luv")

Me and my giant breakfast! It was so good, I particularly loved the hash brown!

Um. OOTD:

I remember it being sunny that day, and was one of the none cold days so I was mostly without my jacket.

We had loads of time in Bournemouth, so we spent one day in a nearby town called Christchurch. Its tinier than Bournemouth, and we walked around the shops there, as well as visit their resident church, the Priory Church.

It was stunning, both inside and out. Like most churches, no pictures were allowed. I have a fascination for churches, so this was like a little starter for me before our Euro trip (read; Paris, Rome).

A street in Christchurch

Okay now back to the epitome of all blog posts; food!

Like Brunei is famous for its ambuyat (except different in a way that most people DO want to eat it :P), Bournemouth is famous for seafood, mainly its fish & chips!

Harry Ramden's is one of the most popular places for fish & chips in Bournemouth

So good!

On the day before The Wedding, Rae gathered up all her close friends and family and we had a nice dinner at this place next to the beach called Noisy Lobster.