Snippets of Life: August

Hello again guys; I actually can't believe that we're saying goodbye to summer and hello to autumn already! August is always a busy month for me as it seems like everyone in my family has their birthday during August, so it has been pretty busy... During August I did a lot of things and actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would after a difficult start to the month.Over the summer months I really love the longer nights; it's such a lovely thing to be able to stay out late and watch the sun set at around 9pm; as you'll know if you've been reading my blog for a while, one of my favourite things to do is go for a river walk and watch the sun set for the night. I've been trying to enjoy every moment of life during this month and so I've been spending a lot of time with friends and family; for Piotr's birthday we spent the night in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire which was lovely, eating some good food and enjoying having the time to not do a lot of things, just having company and a nice view of the urban countryside. If I'm honest, August has been a very indulgent month; I've ate and drank whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and I can feel the extra pounds, but whatever. Happiness should always be the ultimate goal. The images below are some of the photographs that I've loved looking back on and thinking that this month was great. Now to look to September and keeping that positive outlook on life that I've been feeling recently!

A month in instagram #11

Hello again! Looking back over the month of May, I've actually had a pretty good month. I've spent a lot of the month seeing friends, going for walks and just generally enjoying the beautiful architecture of London. Seeing Spring transition into Summer is one of my favourite things; I love the longer days, the brighter, more blue skies and seeing nature bloom. It's such a cliché, but it really is lovely to simply step back and watch the world go around. Over the past year I've spent many hours being unhappy; ultimately I'm learning that you have to create your own happiness. To do so, I've realised that I like going for walks, I enjoy having dinner catch ups with my best friend and basically I look for happiness in the everyday. Happiness (for me) has come from the little things in life; the thins that you often overlook when you're desperate to achieve the 'life goals' that you feel like everyone else has achieved. During May, I've learnt to stop comparing my life to that of others and really focus on myself and what I want from my life. I want happiness, so I've created my happiness. Instagram is a fantastic way to visually remember all of the good times that you've experienced throughout the month; moments that you wouldn't remember otherwise. Here's to an equally lovely June!

 

 

 

Happy Things #12

 

1. This week I'm only working three days, so I'm planning to spend some time with my family, dye my hair, watch television and most likely read a few books and magazines before the weekend.

2. This weekend, Piotr and I are going to get on a plane (argh help me!) to Poland and spend some together as well as with his family, which will be nice. I like seeing where he grew up and understanding more about him as well as having some time to relax and not have to overthink. It's strange how being in a country where most people don't speak your language is actually rather comforting, I feel like I don't have to force conversation or worry about anything.

3. This week I'm going to be good and try and pack what I want to take to Poland fairly early on in the week so that I don't stress nearer to the time as the flight is at an awkward time of the day.

4. Going to try and organise my life a bit thug double checking that my gym membership is confirmed and getting a boarding pass sorted... Oh the fun times of being an adult! 

5. I'm trying to keep onto a positive plane this week and try to be less moody. I'm having some real issues with my mood swings right now so my focus is going to be on that area of my mental health. Feeling so up and down isn't great and it's not helping me in my everyday life so it's something that I definitely want to improve on.

 

Happy Things #1

In 2017, I'm determined to start the year as I mean for it to go on. I'm now a strong believer that it is YOU that shapes your future and therefore YOU who needs to take the steps that make things happen. The purpose of this post (and the series that will eventually follow) are to serve as a reminder of all of the positive things that will keep me going on my down days. This blog has become an online diary for me and so I'm choosing to share my happy moments with you.

 

1. EXPLORING. Seeing, believing, living. It's so important to focus on what you enjoy and I love watching the world go by, yes it's a massive cliché, but it's genuinely true. Every time I look around at the city I live and work in I realise how much I've taken it for granted. I want to be a tourist, learn more about trivial things and push myself to enjoy life. Reflecting on the past and present and dreaming of the future will make me stay positive. I'm grateful for being able to live in such an open minded, free society.

 

2. FRIENDS. New, old, lifelong. They're all important and each one of them has had an impact of my life whether I've noticed it or not. Keeping in touch isn't difficult in this modern age and yet we seem to struggle somehow. I want to break out of having too many things to do and get back in touch. Starting with this week; I'm grateful for the support of others when I least expect it.

 

3. CREATIVITY. When I pushed myself back into blogging, it was because after graduating from university I lacked a creative outlet; I genuinely missed the buzz that comes of productivity and using my brain to bring an idea into being. Blogging brought back a lot of that buzz and actually helped to refine myself and also regain a lot of positivity into my life.

 

4. A POSITIVE MINDSET. Recently I've definitely seen a spark within my mind that has somehow, very suddenly, begun to see the positive side of life. Having spent a lot of time at rock bottom, it's refreshing to have found a light unexpectedly at the end of the tunnel. Now that I've found that light, I'm very grateful and genuinely never want to let it go.

 

5. LOVE. It's something that translates into any language, but believe me when I say that love is definitely what kept me alive during those, long tough months at the bottom of a black hole. I'm grateful to the one person who stuck by me through thick and thin, even when I couldn't even love myself. There were days, weeks and probably months where I was the last person who you want to look after or be with and yet somehow I found someone who managed to love even when love felt impossible and undeserved.

 

Goals for 2017

 

I originally wrote a post like this back in 2015, which ended up being a major fail as I got absorbed in my final year at university and never kept up my goals or this blog. Since then, I haven't been massively into New Years resolutions as I never seem to keep them. However, during 2016 I definitely found some inner strength and so I want to try and keep up a positive attitude to life and so I'm determined that this year, I will challenge myself to keep to my goals and basically improve myself.

Relationships - I want to keep in touch with friends more and make an effort to meet up and enjoy the company of others. When you get older it's hard to keep that closeness when you have what feels like a million different things to do. I also want to keep up good relationships with my family and also my boyfriend. I feel like I can really improve on this area of my life, and relationships are built on two people so I need to work at it.

Hobbies - This year I intend to focus more on my creative side, which means blogging, photography, reading, drawing and scrapbooking. Last year I feel like blogging went well and I want to continue using my creativity to find a kind of peace within my mind; being creative helps me to relax and sharing my likes, loves and dislikes with the world on this little corner of the internet has been a really good experience for me. This year I want to build on what I've been doing and try and meet other bloggers and keep being inspired.

Adventure - I really want to get out of the house more and explore the amazing city that is London. The beauty of London is that however much you explore it, you'll always find something or somewhere you've either never noticed or never seen before. My boyfriend isn't British and he's always trying to push me to do more things and see more things and so it's now the time to listen, no more negative thinking or letting anxiety rule, time to get off and enjoy every minute of life.

Holidays/Time Off - There so many places I'd like to see, both in the UK and abroad, but ultimately I also want to keep more time for me, myself and I. Time to think, breathe and relax. The past year was rough and I didn't give myself enough time to rest, this year I intend to let myself rest more and take more time out, even it's a only weekend away with Piotr, it'll refresh the brain and keep my positivity levels up.

Health - I'm not my heaviest weight right now, but it's creeping very close. I don't actually weigh myself often, but physically I feel very unfit and uncomfrotable as realistically many of my clothes don't fit as well as I'd like right now. I want to push myself to drink more water, eat less crap and actually force myself to do some exercise. It's not all about physical looks, it's more about getting my mental and physical health in order. Exercise doesn't only benefit the body, it also benefits the brain. This is probably the most difficult and the most important of all of the goals that I've laid out here; it's something that's been pushed to the back of my mind for around 4 years it's definitely the time to push this goal into gear. 

Work - As I've mentioned briefly in another post, I'm starting a new job literally this month. A proper, salaried graduate job; the kind that I dreamed I would find when I was a final year student in university. Miraculously only 15 months after graduating I actually have a fantastic career prospect ahead of me and I'm determined not to waste it. It feels like the perfect start to a refreshing new year and I am going to make the most of every minute and push myself to work the hardest and best that I'm capable of.

 

The Boyfriend Tag

 

1. How long have you have you been together?

We've been together for six months, although it feels like longer as we've known each other longer than that and were talking a lot before starting to date. 

2. Where was your first date with each other?

The first time we met each other outside of work was a walk along the riverside and sat talking on a bench next to the London eye. We started to get to know each other a lot, he smokes and I don't and we both dislike being in the company of massive groups of people. Probably the most awkward part of the 'date' was seeing another couple having sex outside... We literally looked in the other direction and walked past. It was so, so awkward at the time but something we still laugh at in disbelief. It's not something you would expect to happen on a 'first date', but it made it memorable I guess. Actually the date was a couple of weeks before we started a relationship, so it obviously went well.

3. Where did you meet each other?

We actually met at work, I'm his boss and was told to make sure he was working properly during a busy period... It's safe to say that he didn't like me much as I spent the whole time standing and just opening a door for him to pass through. I let him to do all of the work, haha.

4. What was your first impression of each other?

I asked him and he doesn't remember... I remember thinking that he's very quiet, he doesn't speak much. Although I later found out he is actually quite shy unless he knows you fairly well, which would explain it.

5. What was your first kiss like?

It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing, he was smoking (like always) and I just leaned over and kissed him... he kissed me back, so it can't have been that bad, although he admitted after that he was really surprised as we weren't together at that time. He didn't complain though, so it must've been a good surprise haha.

6. Who said 'I love you' first?

I did, when he was taking me home on the night bus from work. Not the most romantic and he laughed me for saying it, before saying it back. Since then, we say it all the time.

7. When did you meet each others family?

He met my family towards the end of August and they loved him pretty quickly even though he's quite shy, and he moved in with me in October so they definitely liked him. I met his family in November when we went to Poland which was a bit scary as they don't actually speak English so it was a bit based on sight alone, but I got lots of hugs and a Christmas card, so I think it went well too. Everyone is pretty supportive of us, which is lovely.

8. When did you know you were in love?

I knew pretty quickly, although the test was when he went to Poland for three weeks in August and I missed him so much, and he missed me lots too. We were talking every single day that he was there by text and video calling more or less everyday, it was during those three weeks that we both realised that it was getting serious and not just a dating thing.

9. Do you argue, if so, what do you argue about?

We always argue about little things, like who will clean the room or who is hogging the bed or duvet. We rarely have big arguments but when we do it always ends up in tears and it's usually about the future and how we'll manage to build it together, such as talking about money.

10. What is the most common thing you guys do when seeing each other?

Well we live together so we see each other everyday, to be honest we usually watch YouTube videos, eat and just talk together. I like seeing his happy face if I wake him up and show him I've made breakfast that day.

11. Who wears the pants in the relationship?

Friends, family and workmates would say that it's me, but they're definitely wrong. Piotr does, I do listen to his opinions the majority of the time, although I guess most of the time we're fairly equal actually as he listens to me as well.

12. What do you love the most about your partner?

His constant love and support. I can be moody and stressy as hell when I'm having a bad day mental health wise, yet he always does his best to give his support even when I'm not the most grateful. He's also very funny and makes comments that cheer up a lot, just one comment or a hug can improve my mood a lot.

13. Do you ever get bored with each other?

Not really, we work together but different days and times and living together came quite naturally. I enjoy his company and I think he enjoys mine.

14. What is his/her bad and good habits?

He sleeps so much it's unreal... he can sleep at least 12 hours a day, easily. But that said, it's not the length of the sleep, it's the fast he can't sleep before 3am that so frustrating as I usually sleep at around 11pm so, as we share a room it can be a nightmare to fit in sleep. However, on a positive note I love how clean he is, he's constrantly brushing his teeth or in the shower which is a good thing as well as never forgetting his keys.

15. What is your boyfriend good and not good at?

He's very protective and looks after me really well; when I'm not feeling good he has this amazing habit of running to the local shop and buys me crisps, chocolate, magazines and other things he thinks will make me feel a bit better. Another time, he took me to work at 3am because he was worried I wouldn't be safe on the bus alone which was adorable too. I'm lucky. He's not a massive talker which can be difficult as I talk a lot, but he tries... Plus English isn't his native language so I appreciate that he even bothers aha.

16. What was the first thing you noticed about one another?

I noticed his voice, he has a really nice voice. He noticed my hair, apparently. 

17. What are your nicknames for one another?

This is going to sound so strange, but we don't actually have any nicknames for each other. We're not that kind of couple that saves each other as Love or honey or hubby with hearts in phones, we have our names. I guess I you could say that I call him a form of nickname as I call him 'Peter' the English version and not the Polish 'Piotr', but that's about all.

18. Do you inspire each other?

He inspires me to get better and want to better myself. He makes me want to get up in the mornings, go to work and want to build a future. 

19. Is your partner romantic, sweet, funny, serious or a mixture of all?

Piotr is a bit of a mix of all of those, he can be very romantic and sweet, with gestures of flowers, chocolates and attention but he can also be very funny too. He makes little sarcastic comments that never fail to make me laugh and always sends me Facebook messages with stupid memes and jokes for me to laugh at. Alongside that, he can also be serious and takes any problems or issues that I want to discuss seriously and always listens to me, even if he doesn't like what he hears.

20. Do you wish to stay with each other for a long time and do you see a future with one another? 

Yes, we've discussed the future a lot and it's something we're both excited and ready for. We live together already, so it's definitely a lasting relationship that will hopefully keep growing with time. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

 

Bonfire Night // Life Update

 

 

Hello again! November has been a fairly positive month for me, thus far; I had a weekend off for the first time in absolutely ages and took the opportunity to see the bonfire night (or 05/11?) fireworks next to the local funfair with my boyfriend. It's been so so bitterly cold recently, it's as though November arrived and so winter has suddenly appeared from nowhere... Not sure how I feel about this, I always feel really rough and under the weather when it's super cold. I suffer with stiff joints and the cold weather really doesn't help my bones.

The fireworks themselves were super pretty and worth the effort of walking through a million hills due to road closures. Plus, it was nice to do something other than work at the weekend, haha. For the first time in a long time I felt like making an effort and putting some make up on and looking more like the confident person I used to be; hopefully this is a sign I'm slowly getting a little better, taking each day as it comes. I'm starting to feel lucky to be alive again, as opposed to being constantly down and having daily panic attacks. Although they're still present, they're slowly getting less frequent and I feel more in control of them, which can only be a positive thing.

I've found that I actually enjoy cooking, even if I'm not even good at it. It's enjoyable watching other people enjoy something you've made just for them, and those fruity, syrup-y, creamy pancakes were definitely a good idea... So so delicious and filling on a lazy Sunday morning. I've enjoyed spending time with my boyfriend and generally being in his company. November is looking like it's going to be a good month, as we're going to Poland this month... Ever so slightly terrified, for various reasons, especially the cold. Eek. Let's hope the rest of this year will be as good as this month is going :)

November Playlist!

 

1. Hot 'N Cold - Katy Perry

2. Dancing On My Own - Calum Scott

3. I Follow Rivers - Lykke Li

4. Closer (feat. Halsey) - The Chainsmokers

5. Locked Away (feat. Adam Levine) - R. City

6. The One That Got Away - Katy Perry

7. Give Me Novacaine - Green Day

8. Sorry - Justin Bieber

9. With Ur Love - Cher Lloyd

10. Franklin - Paramore

A month in Instagram - October

 

 

 

I've spent a lot of time during October going on walks and exploring the local area; going to places such as Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory and the Queens House. I've experimented a lot with photography, particularly with landscape photography to crate little snippets of life during the autumn months. I've spent a lot of time with my boyfriend, showing him things and getting to know more about him and his likes and dislikes. I've realised through this post that I've become a little in awe of beautiful sunsets this month.

Overall October has been a good month for me, in comparison with most of this year. A lot of problems have been resolved and I feel like my life is moving in a more positive direction. I've enjoyed spending time with my boyfriend, getting to know him more and relaxing in general. I love autumn but I hate winter, and I can feel the change in the weather already... ugh. It's gone from being incredibly mild to suddenly pretty cold, extremely quickly. I bought a new coat, a faux fur lined parka, so fingers crossed I'll be fine throughout the winter months. My boyfriends mama sent us some thick gloves as well, so I'm all set. October was a good month, November should be good too.

I'm sorry that this post is more photographs than words, but I think that sometimes it's nice just to visually present things and not overfill with information. I like how they've turned into nice little ordered sets of photographs. On that note, lets see how November fares from tomorrow :)

Exploring London #1

 

 

One of my favourite things to do at the moment is go for a walk. I find it really helps me to clear out my mind and actually relax. Alongside that, it also gives me time to take in what I see around me, as well as do something other than work, eat and sleep. Growing up in London meant that I took many things for granted that many people actually spend considerable amounts of money to travel and see. For example, there is so much history around. Museums, art galleries, landmarks, live music venues, cathedrals, churches, palaces, parks and even huge shopping streets and centres. As a result of my boyfriend not being British, it's actually a nice excuse to think of things to do and see.

The first thing we've done is go to Greenwich Park, arguably one of the best Parks and has the most beautiful views across the city. It's home to the Greenwich World Hertiage Site and includes the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College and the Queen's House. There is so much history in this park, particularly from British Royal history, first as a hunting park during the Tudor era and it was also home to the Tudor and Stuart palaces as well as Greenwich Hospital. Greenwich is also home to Greenwich Mean Time, and at night you can see a laser that goes across London that lets you know where time begins. Even some of the plants in the Park are associated with royalty, such as the Queen's Oak (Elizabeth I) and the Wilderness which alludes to its hunting days, complete with wild deers. The flower garden and the garden of the Astronomer Royal are also lovely parts to visit, dating back to the 17th century.

The nicest thing about the park is probably the views of London however. You can see literally so many landmarks if you walk up to Flamsteed House. Canary Wharf, the o2 (The Millenium Dome), the Gherkin, the Shard, the old gasworks, ferry ports and docks. Piotr and I went in the afternoon, as it's now autumn and getting much darker, much faster in the evenings it meant that we saw the view in twilight, definitely my favourite time of say to take in such a nice view. I'm definitely liking sunsets a lot recently, I like the colours and how the lights of buildings twinkle and glitter in the darkness. I'm liking the decision to travel around London and enjoy what tourists pay money for, it's nice to discover new things on a budget. 

Changing seasons

 

 

As a child I absolutely loved the change in seasons and that has definitely followed me through to my adult life; my favourite seasons is probably autumn but I do enjoy every season for different reasons. However, I do struggle with the physical changes that happen as the seasons change. For example, gaining and losing weight, getting spotty skin and feeling constantly tired. I have arthritis, a condition which affects my joints. As a result, I've always struggled more with pain and stiffness in the autumn and winter months, I feel like the cold really affects me and joints. I've always had a problem with cold, in the sense that I always feel cold, even in summer months I wear a jumper without feeling hot, so imagine how many layers I have to wear in the winter months to keep warm.

Living in London, I feel like the city really comes alive during the winter months and I love how the lights glitter in the darkness, especially in central London. This year, I'm going to do my best and really enjoy every minute. I want to do at least one enjoyable thing a week using whatever time I have available. I need to learn to make more time for myself and spend more time with friends. I want to explore the city more and embrace the changing seasons. I studied an arts degree so I want to use my creative side more on this blog, take better photographs and organise them better. I'm my own worst critic, I want everything to constantly explain changed and improved. I feel like my photos don't look professional enough, that I don't spend more time taking perfectly planned photographs but I'm learning and I hope that my photography is improving, slowly, but surely.

Simple Pleasures

 

Now that September is over, it's nice to look back and enjoy the moments. Overall I've had a really good few months now, to the point that I'm looking forward to October (and beyond), to enjoying more simple pleasures. During this month I've realised that my favourite moments have been the least interesting. I want to spend more time doing touristy things in my home city; I want to visit more landmarks, galleries and museums and stop taking life for granted. I want to be more active in enjoying the life I live, not simply living it.

I haven't been to the cinema in literally years, so that's another things I'd like to do this month, I have no idea what to see but I'm sure I'll find something when the time comes. I've also realised how much of a foodie I'm becoming, so I'm quite excited to try new foods and eateries throughout this month. I'm definitely seeing a more positive side of myself, which can only be a good thing. Autumn in London is truly lovely, especially Greenwich Park with its crisp leaves and fantastic views that spread across the city. I like having picnics in the park as well, literally sitting back and relaxing with good company and watching the world go by. I want to watch the bonfire night fireworks with my boyfriend, as there's less tourists at this time of year so it's busy overall and therefore more space to explore! Here's hoping for a great month. :)

 

Hello, October

 

Finally, it's staring to feel like real autumn; there's a chill in the air and it's getting darker earlier in the evening, I love it. I've always loved autumn, I love how the seasons change and the colours that the leaves and trees turn as they begin to disintegrate. Photography wise, I adore taking photos in the autumn months, especially sunset landscapes. This month I want to try and live more, go out exploring and enjoy seeing and experiencing new things. I've been living stuck in a rut for about five years, so I feel like it's time to branch out and live. I intend to really push myself to go out and actually enjoy myself.

Blogging has actually been like a kind of therapy for me and I'm grateful that I pushed myself to get into a routine of it; it's encouraging me to out, to have something to write about and enjoy. After studying creative subjects for so many years it's also a good way to pushing through with my creative side. Growing up in London I've always taken interesting things for granted, for example there are so many museums and breathtaking city views visible from where I live and yet I've never really taken the time to go out and actually experience things that tourist travels across the globe to do. My boyfriend isn't from London so it's such a good excuse to go out and explore like a tourist in my own country! 

A month in instagram - September

 

 

 

 

This year seems to be disappearing... I have no idea how it's the end of September already. Part of me likes it, because I love autumn and winter and I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. I've had a nice month, spent a lot of time with my love and walked my dog so much that I have too many photos of pretty sunsets. I was bought flowers twice and believe me, they smell and look so nice, makes me happy. I spent some time with my nephews for the first time in ages and I really enjoyed their company. I've done nothing especially interesting or overly amazing, but all of the little things are what makes life whole for me. 

I've began to see the beauty in every life, the unimportant moments and the cityscapes that surround where I live. After a rough few months during this year it's been great to start finally feeling able to see beautiful things, to enjoy what I see and what I do, even if it's something most would find 'boring', like a dog walk or a quiet meal. I've enjoyed a rare few meals out and about, and showed some touristy landmarks to my boyfriend who isn't British. It was nice seeing London from a different perspective and after taking my nephews on a boat, I would say I really want to explore London and the world more, I'd like to experience more things.

Monthly Reflections #2

 

On a serious note... I have no idea where this month is disappearing?! It's suddenly turned colder and autumn is definitely coming into full swing, but I like it. I love autumn and wearing jeans and boots and warm clothes. Literally I feel like achieved nothing at all this year, but in reality I've actually achieved a lot personally. Ever so slowly I'm learning to be more positive and far less negative. I'm learning to enjoy the small things, like taking my dog for a walk or listening to music on the bus on the way to work. Photography has become an essential part of my life and a way of releasing creativity, as well as enjoying the world around me. I've realised that having a hobby, a distraction, helps me to keep perspective during harder times.

I'm in a fantastic relationship with the most amazing and supportive person, who puts up with all of my shit (somehow) and I need to be more appreciative of the time that we spend together. I've learnt that it's not always the length of time you've been a couple but how much someone means to you that's important. I've stopped counting months and days and instead am enjoying all of the moments, however small. Giggles on the bus or sending each other stupid snapchats, waking up to nice texts are what makes the time special. I feel like the months are going faster now because I'm starting to feel a little better.

I think it's time I went to a doctor and spoke about my negative feelings, how I'm almost always down when I should be feeling fine. I want to tackle my issues with anxiety and try to (embrace?) (almost?) that I have a mental illness, something is not always fixed in a matter of minutes or hours, even days, weeks or months are not enough. I've struggled for literally years (if I'm honest around thirteen years) and I feel that now is the time to finally admit it. I'm wondering if I need to see a therapist, but maybe the answer is confide in the people around me. No, I don't have thousands of friends but I can name several who would listen and definitely support me, and for that I should be more grateful.

So, yes this months reflections have been a little strange, a little confusing, perhaps. But I guess that's also a reflection on myself, as I'm a little strange, a little confusing. I'm a female in my early twenties with so many things to understand, to work through. I'm twenty three, have no idea what I'm doing with my life, or what I want to do with it and I think that's ok. Everything in my life is going ok, so I need to learn to live in the now, rather than living for the 'future' that I dreamt up for myself whilst I was around eighteen years old. So many things have changed in those five years and so my outlook needs to change to reflect that. Nothing in life is set in stone.

Tall Ships Festival @ Sail Royal Greenwich

 

Last Sunday my two nephews, mama and I went on along the River Thames on a boat, as part of a 'river cruise', complete with real sailors directing the ship along the course of the river. Starting from Woolwich Arsenal Pier and moving along towards the Royal Greenwich Heritage Centre, it was a really incredible way to see the sights of my hometown. My nephews, aged 12 and 14 were enjoying themselves, eating from canapés and drinking cokes frim glass bottles whilst looking out over the river. It was a rather nostalgic experience in some ways; my puppy Star, who died two years ago loved watching the ships sail along the river during the festival and so it was a reminder of her, in a way. As well as that, as we passed Silvertown docks we talked about my grandfather who worked there and how one of my nephews was named after him as he died when I was young.

In all honesty the river is a fantastic way to see all areas of the city; from Poplar Rowing Club, Silvertown Docks, the Emirates Cable Car and the o2 arena, there are so many different things to see. One thing that I noticed is how the old and new architecture mixes in together, from Stuart Palaces, 1900s factories and docks to millenium aged flats and oddly-shaped houses. It was a really nice experience to see the city from a traditional boat rather than ferry as it was slower and so you had more time to take the views in fully. My nephews seemed to really enjoy themselves, one was a bit hyperactive and desperate to see and do everything all at once, and the other was quite solemn, staring intently at different things and really concentrating. During the tip I also found out that the youngest one is very keen on photography and we definitely bonded over that. These river cruises are only available for a short time and if you can go, you should. Mama and I agreed afterward that we wished we had booked one of the fireworks evening cruises, but with kids the daytime version was probably the safest.