How long can 1 month last

The month that heather was away at times seemed like forever. But once I started at work, I had the anticipation of my first pay ( all of which would go into the payment for the first months rent), and the relief that we were no longer going deeper into savings that were meant for more fun times.

The flat move was another busy weekend. Once again commuting across the city with heavy bags, arriving in time to collect the keys, then off to the shops for rubber gloves and cleaning products, as our room needed a complete scrub down to make it feel like home. Two hot and sweaty hours later I was done, and there was still time to bus into the shops to get the essential bedding and basics so I could sleep that night. Back home to wash and dry everything, and by 8pm the bed was made and I sunk into, at last feeling like we had a base for the rest of our time in London, and relieved not to have to be moving again for awhile at least. I later calculated that I had been travelling for 99 days, so it was a good feeling to unpack and settle in.

The British Museum

Then I had only 1 more weekend before Heather flew back. This provided just enough of some much needed down time, settling in to the big brother house, and feeling like I could finally relax and take breath. 

I now had a very comfortable 50 minute work commute, with a pleasant walk for 20 minutes, and a tube ride on a stretch that would always get me a seat. Oh happy days.

Portobello Road

Trafalgar Square

It seemed a good idea at the time ...

With our stay at Arnside over, we arrived back at Darby for the third time to return the car, then caught the train back to London.

We had booked into a fantastic London airb&b at Stoke-Newington. Here we met Annie and Belinda, and their two dashounds, Lola and Scout. We were made to feel so at home, and got on famously with  our hosts. Annie took us to the Hampstead Heath Ladies Pond for a swim, which was great as the temperatures had warmed up again, and it was so nice to get in another swim in such a lovely setting.

I had a job interview in Ealing, but was told that though I interviewed well, and seemed well qualified, they were looking for someone with more uk experience. 

Then before we knew it, it was time for heather to fly home to NZ for a month. After much eager anticipation, Hana had safely delivered a beautiful boy, Te Au Marino (though his name was slower to arrive). 

While it all seemed reasonable during the planning stages in NZ, in reality, the prospect was daunting, that I would stay behind in London, on my own, trying to live off fresh air and a few NZ dollars that converted to pennies against the pound, still trying to secure a job, and with no fixed abode. 

I had booked 11 nights at a cheaper airb&b in Willsden Junction, but after lugging my suitcase across town, up and down tube stairs and so on, found this to be a rather disappointing setup, in quite a dreary area. It all seemed terribly hard, which we knew it would be, but the reality of a thing can sometimes still be overwhelming, even when anticipated. I was out each day, trying to make the most of the time and free London sights, but nothing was quite as much fun with my buddy gone, and no one to come home to to report about the happenings of the day. I had another interview, a dinner date at  Brendon's and Annie kept in touch bless her. After a week I decided it just wasn't helping staying at those lodgings, and so managed to extricate myself with a refund of days not stayed, and returned to Stoke-newington where Annie and Belinda had a room available. 

While trying to decide what was the best plan in such circumstances, I was just about to throw in the towel, hire a car and go camping until heather returned (despite the frequent wet days), and was looking forward to escaping London, when a call came through offering me not 1, but both jobs I'd interviewed for. 

I took the 3 month position at Ealing, and had a fairly challenging first week. Starting a new job has always been a time I least like, feeling overwhelmed with the copious loads of new instructions and things to remember, and relationships and systems to work out, and waiting for the time when my brain comes out of hiding from information overload and starts to process what comes and make sense of the world again. And then just to make this more interesting, as I adapted to the 80 minute tiresome commute on hot and crowded tube lines, the predicted tube strike went ahead. I was optimistic, and put on my kiwi-can do attitude and left for work at 6 that morning, getting home exhausted and harried at 8 pm that night, with my last bus terminating early leaving me feeling desperate and abandoned at a location I was sure was close to my destination, but stil feeling lost. Then just to cap it off, I was assigned as duty social worker on the Friday, with reassurances that there would be someone around to support me, but still feeling anxious at what disasters and delimnas may come my way. 

 I made it through the first week, but the weekend was not for rest. I ended up in my own version of the amazing race, charging around London on a flat hunting mission, with a tight schedule of flat viewings and tube rides. Thankfully there are some great apps to get one about the city, manoeuvring the complexities of the transport system, and including street maps with directions to get you to your location. By the end of the weekend I was shattered, but I had a flat all lined up that I could move into the following Saturday, as long as we could manage the international banking transactions to get the deposit paid in time. 

Those Jolly Romans

While at Arnside we decided we could manage a drive up to the best preserved remains of an old Roman fort beside a section of Hadrians wall. And then drive back down through part of the Lakes district. Tom thought it was quite a distance, and though he hadn't been yet, he earnestly reccomended that we would need to be on the road by 7 am.

I quietly told Heather that we would manage the day with a much more civilised start, that it was light until late, and we had no plans for the evening requiring us to be home. 

It was a longish day, but once we got to the ruins, we agreed it was well worth the journey. 

Though Hadrian hadn't been here for over ..... Years, his wall was still very intact, and more substantial than I imagined. The Roman fort was still maked out by the original stone footings, and an interpretive display explained how they had developed underfloor heating for the commanders residence and hospital wing. Despite these attempts to make it comfortable, it must have been a harsh outpost assignment, with the long cold and dark days of winter.

Up Hill and down Dale

We did a day trip into York, once again taking advantage of the park and ride system to avoid the hassle of driving and parking problems. It was a wet drizzly day, and all I can recall some weeks later was just how good the take home ready prepared curry meal pack from Sainsburies was, and cheap at £7 for 3 dishes, rice and naan bread. I'm not sure what that says about York!

On July 14th we left Thorner and headed over to  the coast and had booked into another airb&b at Arnside. This place was a bit more of a risk, as the site didnt include any pictures of room or house, but had many outstanding reviews, and as it was in our budget we thought we would take a punt. It was also to be the first stop where you lived in the home with the host, rather than our earlier stays where we had our own space or apartment. 

So we took the opportunity to make the most of the drive, and went via a small detour through the Yorshire Dales. Of course it was a slow trip, as the lanes are narrow and winding, but we were well rewarded with gorgeous scenery. 

We arrived at Arnside in the late afternoon, and after a few hiccups locating the house, arrived at Vivean and Toms place. First impressions were a bit shaky, but our room seemed fine, and it turned out to be a great stay. Vivean obviously enjoys hosting, and Tom, while perhaps less sociable was very helpful in making recommendations for our sight seeing ideas, and was in charge of cooking the spectacular breakfasts that were served quite formally in the dining room each morning. 

Arnside is located on a huge inlet, and despite several attempts, we didn't get far enough to actually connect with the beach. 

From here we visited the most amazing gardens at Levens Hall. Unfortunately we arrived to late in the day to view the house, and while we were initially a little scathing at the idea of a topiary garden, it was just one of the most amazing gardens I have seen, and certainly a highlight of the trip.

Midnight at the museum - again

We're keen to make the most of our time in London, and are enjoying mixing it up with the usual tourist activities along with a bit of what the locals do. 

Heather insisted I had to be ready to include some week night activities, despite finding my job enough for one day. But Friday is always good, so we met at the tube station, and went out to Kensington where we stopped off for a sangria and tapas. Then a quick stroll to the late night opening at the British Natural History Museum. This is a monthly event, where the kids have mostly gone home, the halls are arranged to allow room for bars selling a variety of beers, bubbles and cocktails, and funky sounds play throughout the main hall. The building is stunning, with ornate detail everywhere, oozing history, and though some of the stuffed exhibits are a bit disturbing, there is a feeling that you're not to far from some of the early botanists and explorers.  At one point when we entered the massive gallery of stones and minerals exhibit, I joked and said I hoped they had some space rocks. Well, when we made it down to the end and discovered the vault, I was rewarded with my first viewing of Mars rocks, along with the massive diamonds, pieces of gold, and probably everything else under the sun (except kryptonite). 

And when we had had enough and stepped outside, we were rewarded with the glorious sight of the building in lights. 

Beautiful intricate ceiling panels that you barely see unless up on the top floor, or you have heather with you to point it out!