Kreuzberg

I tend to spend a lot of my time in Prenzlauer Berg when I'm in Berlin, it's where I used to live, where a lot of my friends still live and a place I can find my way around without using a map. Bjørn used to live close to me, in Prenzlauer Berg but has now moved to Neuköln, so we met not far from his house and walked up Berlin's highest hill to enjoy the view. I was sure I hadn't been there before and was feeling a little proud that I was doing something new in Berlin. When we got to the top I realised I had been there before, twice.

My fourth 'home'

For me there are countless wonderful things about visiting Berlin but spending time with good friends, definitely tops them all.

I feel lucky to be able to call so many cities 'home' but the downside is that I always have to say a lot of goodbyes, which is something I have never been good at. I often envy people who have all of their family, and friends they grew up with, in one country - it just seems so much easier that way and you have a place you can return 'home' to.

Now I'm back 'home' in London, the summer is still here and I'm happy to back - I'm already planning my next trip to my second 'home' though...

Berlin

Tomorrow I'm off to Berlin. It's been over a year since my last visit and I'm so excited to be spending a good part of a week, in this loveliest of cities. I get to see some very special people, drink coffee in beautiful cafés, eat the best breakfast in Europe, stay out all night in crazy bars drinking cheap beer with friendly carefree Berliners. Bliss.

I first visited Berlin in February 2008, one month later I moved there. I've had the worst of times and the best of times, in Berlin. The year I spent there made me a better stronger and happier person. Berlin taught me to love: music, making friends with strangers, coffee, my own company, going with the flow and whiskey.

I'll always have a special place in my heart for the city and the people I met there.

Barrel is Back

Andrew and I met through mutual friends in Berlin. His number is stored under the 'name' Double-Barrel in my phone, it's too long to work as a name so I call him Barrel instead. When we swapped numbers we both thought it was funny that we had double barreled last names - we were a little tipsy at the time - but it stuck.

Last December Andrew and Ryan moved back to Melbourne, I thought it would be years before I would see them again, Australia is just too far away and the whole time difference is too confusing. But, a couple of weeks ago Andrew came back to London and he's now working in Berlin until the end of the year aaaaand Ryan will be back in August too. I'm secretly hoping they will just give up on the whole Melbourne thing and stay. Sun, sea and sand is overrated anyway.

Old Friends

The best thing about growing up and getting older, is that the friendships grow with you.

Steffi and I met when we 14, I had just moved to Luxembourg from Denmark and we ended up in the same English class. It was not friendship at first sight, far from it. I can't remember exactly why we didn't like each other but I'm sure it had something to do with a boy. I remember going to a party where Steffi was helping out at the door, when you entered she had to stamp your wrist and she stamped mine so hard that I had no doubt how she felt about me. We only kept up this hostility for a mere two months or so and it wasn't long before we became friends and, 16 years later, we still are.

A couple of weeks ago Steffi came to London on a business trip, and the three of us went out for dinner and, in no time, we all felt like we were 14 again.

I've been out...

...and about and have neglected my blog. Sorry. I missed it though and will definitely start posting again. It's a bit like exercise, you really enjoy it when you do it but once you get out of the routine, it's so difficult to motivate yourself again.

Since my last blog post, I've probably spent the majority of my time in the park near my flat. The weather in London has been so lovely, it actually made me wonder how on earth we all manage to get through the winter? And where do all these people come from? When I first moved to Hackney 7 years ago, there would only be a couple of people in the park. Now, it's one of the best people watching spots in London.