I've quickly realised that 3 months is next to no time at all to explore Europe. I felt an attachment to Portugal, as it reminds me of my many trips to Brazil, however I begrudgingly had to move on. To colder weather, and a more familiar culture in the UK.

London is gigantic, and within it is more than anyone would need of anything - people, shops, rain and traffic. Fortunately I had some friends here to hang out with, which made it feel a little more familiar. The London Tower was impressive, however apart from that I didn't feel a strong connection to the city and its culture. I could see the appeal, however I think because of the strong UK influence in Australia, I didn't get the feeling of exploring the far corners of the world when I was there.

Next stop was Manchester. It was five years ago that I met Louise, Ross & Caroline on my first solo adventure (it was in South America), and on my first night in Manchester we all went out for dinner and some drinks. It's times like this that make you appreciate the friendships that travelling can provide you with.

Manchester was also an eagerly anticipated destination as I was able to fulfil a dream I've had since childhood - seeing Manchester United play at Old Trafford. I met up with another mate of mine who's now living in Leeds, and we soaked up the atmosphere (and some gin & tonics) in a bar outside the stadium before the game. The game itself was an incredible experience and whilst I was worried for a while that the game would end goalless, it was nice to see United score a winner with only 10 minutes to go.

My final stop in the UK was Edinburgh, and to be honest I was eager to get back down to Portugal and Spain. Another place I wanted to see on this trip was the home where my Dad grew up in Scotland - and luckily enough in Jimmy I had an old family friend who was more than happy to take me there. After trying some haggis and walking around the city early the next day, I was back on a plane to Porto, Portugal, where wine tours and more football matches awaited.