Sunday

I wake up with a truly colossal hangover. It's no doubt a mixture of the heat, the questionable overall quality of the lager at the Hope and Anchor and the fact that I'm a bit of an idiot - either way I feel dreadful. I manage to drag myself out of bed and over to the computer as I'd planned to have a super-futuristic video chat with Andy on Skype at 10.30am (so that it would be a reasonable 7.30pm for him in Brisbane). I struggle through the conversation slightly as I'm pouring sweat and Christ knows what else through my forsaken glands - and don't quite get round to what I had planned to chat to him about. We do, however, chat happily about the dismal events of the World Cup and his temporary flat in Brisbane which all sounds great. However, no matter how long I spend video chatting to someone I know well who happens to be on the other side of the world - particularly in this fragile state - I won't quite believe it. What a time to be alive etc.

After hanging up on Andy, K and I get our act together and jump on the tube to Waterloo, as Ant has invited us to come along and see a flying robotic penguin float around the auditorium of the Royal Festival Hall. It's really rather impressive - as is the robotic jellyfish that rises and falls in time to the soothing ambient music playing into the enthralled hall. It takes a little of the sting out of my headache, as does the nice walk around the science fair taking place in the downstairs part of the building.

After leaving the South Bank Centre we get on the tube and head back north to Euston, where we make our way to the Wellcome Collection gallery, to check out the 'Skin' exhibition that's recently been installed. It's a curious mix of art and science - in equal parts grotesque and beautiful. My favourite things are probably the Victorian anatomical drawings, which I always find myself thinking would make brilliant tattoos.

Seeking even more culture after our stroll around the Wellcome Collection, K, Ant and I head down the road to the British Library to see the Magnificent Maps exhibition - another great free one. There's a good selection of stunningly detailed maps from the 1600s up to today, as well as a very funny map of London done in biro which picks out the socially significant aspects of each area. We enjoy picking out 'Shaun of the Dead filmed here' where Crouch End should be.

After the cultural onslaught and with my head still pounding, K and I make our way home for dinner. Later in the evening, I find myself browsing the internet for iPhone 4 upgrade deals - and find myself facing ridiculous upgrade fees and a general feeling of Steve Jobs waiting at the end of a tube down which I'll happily chuck all my money. In something of a rash move (for me) I quickly flick over to the O2 site and order an HTC Desire - a very well-regarded, non Apple smartphone - to replace my iPhone 3G. Friends know me as a vocal iPhone advocate (one of the really annoying ones); and now I've turned my back on it for at least the next 18 months. Scary times ahead!