England continues to surprise me. I already knew that chips were crisps, but Salt and Vinegar are in GREEN packets and Cheese and Onion are in BLUE! How odd is that? Especially seeing as I hate Salt and Vinegar chips. Yuk. Lesson learned.
I announced I was going to iron my pants. Everyone fell about laughing. I have learnt to say trousers.
Strange language.
It is lovely in Knowle with Brian and Lesley. We went to Warwick Castle and saw some jousting and other medieval past times, the weather was fabulous...hot in fact. This is great I thought...summer is here.
Not so much. Just the one day. But what a lovely day it was.
I am impatiently awaiting our move into our first home here. I have a lot of e mails to write and people to phone, especially to make proper contact with all my family and friends here. I am yearning for a base from which to do this so that I can make future plans.
I am also yearning to stop living out of a bloody suitcase.
And I need a place with a bookcase to house the 15 books I have bought since I got here. (god they are cheap!!)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Swine Flu
Dr. Lauren said if I had swine flu I would have to go into quarantine and not visit Lesley and Brian this weekend. So I had to admit that it is just a bad head cold. Feels like Swine Flu. I certainly sound like a snorty little pig.
This is the best weather we have had since I got here. It's lovely and warm and light and bright. Pity I can't breathe.
This is the best weather we have had since I got here. It's lovely and warm and light and bright. Pity I can't breathe.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Ditto Ditto
I see I have repeated myself. I think it is the swine Flu. My brain is not working.
Watch this space. Tomorrow I will tell you about walking distance to the O2 all over again.
Watch this space. Tomorrow I will tell you about walking distance to the O2 all over again.
Home Sweet Home
The good news is that we have found a place to live. Having walked the daily 500 miles, we found an apartment in Greenwich Millenium Village. It is walking distance to the O2, the tube and Sainsburys. It is on a bus route with buses every 8 minutes.
It has a garden. Well, it has what is called a garden here. It is actually a patio with a bit of grass around it. It does look out and lead to a large eco park with a river and duckies and birds and hopefully not frogs.
Inside we have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a lounge, dining room and kitchen. This sounds very grand, but it is all squished in to a very small area. Still, it is the biggest one we have seen. There truly is room to swing a dog.
I love the furnished places here. This has everything! Down to the last teaspoon, and the dishwasher to wash it in. So...on the 27th we move in.
The bad news is that I seem to have swine flu.
It has a garden. Well, it has what is called a garden here. It is actually a patio with a bit of grass around it. It does look out and lead to a large eco park with a river and duckies and birds and hopefully not frogs.
Inside we have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a lounge, dining room and kitchen. This sounds very grand, but it is all squished in to a very small area. Still, it is the biggest one we have seen. There truly is room to swing a dog.
I love the furnished places here. This has everything! Down to the last teaspoon, and the dishwasher to wash it in. So...on the 27th we move in.
The bad news is that I seem to have swine flu.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
House Hunting
I have walked the requisite 500 miles again today.
Being an estate agent myself is not so much a help when looking at properties. I can negotiate the price down, get extras thrown in and frighten the poor agents to death, but I have no control over the crap they show me.
So.....tomorrow it's back to Greenwich Millenium Village. That is going to be the spot. I like it. The apartments are modern and light. OK, from the outside it looks like a Lego Village, but it is an eco estate and has a river and a park....is close to the O2 and all transport, it has a 24 hour concierge and is walking distance to a Sainsburys.
The outlying villages we have looked at are lovely and quaint...they are also too far from public transport and are a bit old and damp and, quite frankly, smelly. Well, the ones in our price range anyway. Can anyone in South Africa IMAGINE paying R4000 per WEEK for a 2 bedroomed apartment?
Lordy Lordy.
Note to self: Suck it up and stop whining.
Sun is out and it is 18 degrees.
I learnt a lot today.
A day without learning is a day wasted
Being an estate agent myself is not so much a help when looking at properties. I can negotiate the price down, get extras thrown in and frighten the poor agents to death, but I have no control over the crap they show me.
So.....tomorrow it's back to Greenwich Millenium Village. That is going to be the spot. I like it. The apartments are modern and light. OK, from the outside it looks like a Lego Village, but it is an eco estate and has a river and a park....is close to the O2 and all transport, it has a 24 hour concierge and is walking distance to a Sainsburys.
The outlying villages we have looked at are lovely and quaint...they are also too far from public transport and are a bit old and damp and, quite frankly, smelly. Well, the ones in our price range anyway. Can anyone in South Africa IMAGINE paying R4000 per WEEK for a 2 bedroomed apartment?
Lordy Lordy.
Note to self: Suck it up and stop whining.
Sun is out and it is 18 degrees.
I learnt a lot today.
A day without learning is a day wasted
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Facts of London
1) Weather
I am not going to go on and on about the weather , but it is FASCINATING, so I do have to comment.
I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning with sunlight streaming into the bedroom. Yay! I thought, and dashed up to the balcony for a fag.
Fact #1: Sun does not mean warmth
Not that it was cold...well, not really cold, but not as warm as the blue skies and sun would suggest.
HOWEVER...I have my smoking spot sussed. There is a little block building thingie up on the balcony (god knows what it actually is) and it is a fabulous wind screen. So this morning I sat behind it and the sun was lovely. Then it rained . With no warning whatsoever. Not a cloud in the sky. The clouds followed about 5 minutes later. Thats when I went to get dressed. Well what would you wear? No fucking idea.
Fact#2: Cloud does not mean rain.
6 o' clock this evening (5 o' clock to you in SA) the weather was glorius. Got home and dashed up to the balcony for a fag. Yay! I thought. Unfortunately the sun was no longer on the balcony. The aforementioned protective bunker was now casting a shadow. Fuck.
2) Accomodation
We went to look at an apartment. Debbie showed it to us. Oh how we laughed.
Second apartment (not Debbie) was better. The lift was larger than the bedroom in Debbie's apartment. Good start. No dishwasher. Well, better than Debbie's offering.That had no kitchen. Still a 'No'
Third apartment. Getting desperate now. Has a dishwasher. Is bigger than a single garage. We almost paid on the spot, but restrained ourselves. Handy features though, as you can shower, pee and brush your teeth all at the same time without moving a centimeter. I mean inch.
3)Bank
Bank was good. (at first) Paul left me in the bank, took my cell phone, (I mean Mobile) , and went to buy air time,( I mean top up). All went fine until Ruth asked for my address. I don't know it. Well, I do actually, I know it is 43 Old School Square, but I don't know the postal code. You can say 'house with brown roof in London' and if you know the postal code they will find you. If you don't know the fucking postal code which has a series of numbers and letters , you could draw a map and they wouldn't find you.
I left and went to find Paul. I got lost.
I have a bank account now. You don't need to know anymore than that.
Distances.
Remember that group that sang 'I would walk 500 miles'? It was not a declaration of love. It was a fact of life . You have to walk 500 miles to get anywhere. I walked 500 miles today. It may be good exercise. It may be interesting. It may even give me a rare opportunity to smoke...but it takes some getting used to. I am knackered.
Tomorrow is another day. So far so good. May soon learn how to upload pics.
I am not going to go on and on about the weather , but it is FASCINATING, so I do have to comment.
I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning with sunlight streaming into the bedroom. Yay! I thought, and dashed up to the balcony for a fag.
Fact #1: Sun does not mean warmth
Not that it was cold...well, not really cold, but not as warm as the blue skies and sun would suggest.
HOWEVER...I have my smoking spot sussed. There is a little block building thingie up on the balcony (god knows what it actually is) and it is a fabulous wind screen. So this morning I sat behind it and the sun was lovely. Then it rained . With no warning whatsoever. Not a cloud in the sky. The clouds followed about 5 minutes later. Thats when I went to get dressed. Well what would you wear? No fucking idea.
Fact#2: Cloud does not mean rain.
6 o' clock this evening (5 o' clock to you in SA) the weather was glorius. Got home and dashed up to the balcony for a fag. Yay! I thought. Unfortunately the sun was no longer on the balcony. The aforementioned protective bunker was now casting a shadow. Fuck.
2) Accomodation
We went to look at an apartment. Debbie showed it to us. Oh how we laughed.
Second apartment (not Debbie) was better. The lift was larger than the bedroom in Debbie's apartment. Good start. No dishwasher. Well, better than Debbie's offering.That had no kitchen. Still a 'No'
Third apartment. Getting desperate now. Has a dishwasher. Is bigger than a single garage. We almost paid on the spot, but restrained ourselves. Handy features though, as you can shower, pee and brush your teeth all at the same time without moving a centimeter. I mean inch.
3)Bank
Bank was good. (at first) Paul left me in the bank, took my cell phone, (I mean Mobile) , and went to buy air time,( I mean top up). All went fine until Ruth asked for my address. I don't know it. Well, I do actually, I know it is 43 Old School Square, but I don't know the postal code. You can say 'house with brown roof in London' and if you know the postal code they will find you. If you don't know the fucking postal code which has a series of numbers and letters , you could draw a map and they wouldn't find you.
I left and went to find Paul. I got lost.
I have a bank account now. You don't need to know anymore than that.
Distances.
Remember that group that sang 'I would walk 500 miles'? It was not a declaration of love. It was a fact of life . You have to walk 500 miles to get anywhere. I walked 500 miles today. It may be good exercise. It may be interesting. It may even give me a rare opportunity to smoke...but it takes some getting used to. I am knackered.
Tomorrow is another day. So far so good. May soon learn how to upload pics.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Arrival
Leaving Cape Town almost a relief after all the waiting. Sad to leave loved ones behind...happy to be seeing Paul and the children again. Glad to get on the plane. Not so glad when the plane took off. Convinced I was going to die as the plane lurched and bounced all over the place. Thought quite hard about my death. On balance it was not a bad time to die seeing as everything was sorted and tied up in SA and Paul and Jeeps and Lol and Si were all together in London. Bearing this in mind, and with the help of 2 Relicalms, I was prepared to plummet to a fiery death.
Obviously this didn't happen, and apparently I was the only person on the plane that didn't know this lurching and bouncing was a takeoff feature of the plane I was on. Paul knew this, but decided not to warn me.
Everything went swimmingly after that until I went to the toilet and saw a steward run...actually run, and take a cylinder out of a cupboard. It looked like a fire extinguisher. I assumed the plane was on fire. (well, one does) Having already prepared myself for death, I was strangely calm. As it happens...red is a fire extinguisher. Green is oxygen. The fact that it was an air hostess receiving the oxygen was a tad troubling. I returned to my seat and drank a bottle of wine.
I watched Benjamin Button, Madagascar 2, Smother, Marley and me and 2 episodes of Friends. Didn't sleep. ( no time, was watching movies)
Arrived in Dubai. Had to wait on the runway while medical people came and took away the oxygen requiring stewardess. Waited longer while she was checked not to have something awful and contagious meaning we would all be quarantined. She was fine. Well, not fine, obviously, but not Swine Flu. Headed toward the next flight I had to take. Saw Brian and Eva Dickson on the way. Seeing as I had only been in Dubai 5 minutes it was rather odd to see someone I knew. But by now, nothing was suprising me. Found a place to smoke. Considered missing my connection to have another 3 cigarettes but decided against it.
Back on the plane. Had a third breakfast. Watched 3 episodes of Friends and played Tetris. Watched Slumdog Millionaire. Told the people behind me with the screaming horrible children that it was fine, was just a 7 hour flight for me but they were stuck with them for life. They looked as if they had never thought of it this way before. The next time the child kicked my seat they smacked her. So I have done some good.
Thought we were landing seeing as it was 12 o clock. Lunch was served. Obviously I don't understand time zones. Went to the toilet, shaking my head sympathetically at the parents of the screaming children as I went by.
Landed eventually. Braked with both feet as the pilot went far too fast down the runway. Came to a stop and everyone clapped. Almost stood up to take the credit but was wearing a seat belt. Nodded modestly instead.
Husband and son waiting. Ran past them kissing in their direction and went for a smoke outside.
Am in London now. Is odd.
Obviously this didn't happen, and apparently I was the only person on the plane that didn't know this lurching and bouncing was a takeoff feature of the plane I was on. Paul knew this, but decided not to warn me.
Everything went swimmingly after that until I went to the toilet and saw a steward run...actually run, and take a cylinder out of a cupboard. It looked like a fire extinguisher. I assumed the plane was on fire. (well, one does) Having already prepared myself for death, I was strangely calm. As it happens...red is a fire extinguisher. Green is oxygen. The fact that it was an air hostess receiving the oxygen was a tad troubling. I returned to my seat and drank a bottle of wine.
I watched Benjamin Button, Madagascar 2, Smother, Marley and me and 2 episodes of Friends. Didn't sleep. ( no time, was watching movies)
Arrived in Dubai. Had to wait on the runway while medical people came and took away the oxygen requiring stewardess. Waited longer while she was checked not to have something awful and contagious meaning we would all be quarantined. She was fine. Well, not fine, obviously, but not Swine Flu. Headed toward the next flight I had to take. Saw Brian and Eva Dickson on the way. Seeing as I had only been in Dubai 5 minutes it was rather odd to see someone I knew. But by now, nothing was suprising me. Found a place to smoke. Considered missing my connection to have another 3 cigarettes but decided against it.
Back on the plane. Had a third breakfast. Watched 3 episodes of Friends and played Tetris. Watched Slumdog Millionaire. Told the people behind me with the screaming horrible children that it was fine, was just a 7 hour flight for me but they were stuck with them for life. They looked as if they had never thought of it this way before. The next time the child kicked my seat they smacked her. So I have done some good.
Thought we were landing seeing as it was 12 o clock. Lunch was served. Obviously I don't understand time zones. Went to the toilet, shaking my head sympathetically at the parents of the screaming children as I went by.
Landed eventually. Braked with both feet as the pilot went far too fast down the runway. Came to a stop and everyone clapped. Almost stood up to take the credit but was wearing a seat belt. Nodded modestly instead.
Husband and son waiting. Ran past them kissing in their direction and went for a smoke outside.
Am in London now. Is odd.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
