A day out in London

I have done some London sightseeing since arriving.
I’ve shopped on Oxford street, but it’s so busy there that after about 3 blocks packed with millions of people, I went into a daze and only managed to get a couple of things on a long shopping list.
I’ve been back to the Victoria and Albert Museum, a place I love, not only for the great tea and cake (in their in house restaurant) but for the lovely displays they have. Yes I will profess to sometimes be a ‘visit a museum nerd’ ;-)

I’ve been to the infamous Brick Lane for a curry, and to various pubs and bars for after work drinks. This Friday past, I went with my team to a great roof top bar near to our office. It was too cold to sit outside, but I can imagine it in summer, sipping cocktails with a view of London and the Thames.
I’ve walked along the Thames a few times. It’s always filled with lots of people walking, sitting, talking, skating and busking.

Last weekend, I did some shopping (with a greater degree of success than Oxford Street) in Kensington High Street. Being a gal who frequents Rosebank and Hyde Park (but can’t afford most of what’s on offer ;-) this high street is right up my alley.
I went with my work colleague Blanche who is here from South Africa for two months. After our shop, we went to Hyde Park and played with the squirrels and had a picnic at the Princess Di memorial, which is a lovely water feature. We also looked at the Royal Albert Hall (a concert hall built in 1871, commissioned by Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert) and looked at Kensington Palace, a lovely red brick, rather large home.

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Picture 1: Me on our picnic at the water memorial

Picture 2: An early spring in Hyde Park

Picture 3: Kensington Palance

Picture 4: Squirrel Nutkin

It's snowing.... family

I have been lucky enough to spend time with family members (other than on the phone). My dad was in London for an evening a couple of weeks ago, and stayed at my apartment.
We had a lovely time despite him being tired (he only had 3 hours sleep on the return leg of a business trip from New York) and me just generally being tired with all the initial changes to my life.
We walked along the Thames with all the sparkly evening lights, and had a drink at a fabulous first floor bar which was roof to floor window with a view of the Thames.

An advantage of being in England is getting to spend more time with my brother Richard and his family. Sharon and Richard have been a great support to me though a fair amount of tough times lately, for which I’m terribly grateful.

I’ve been up to Ilkeston, Derbyshire twice in the last few weeks to visit.
So I’ve done all sorts of little things with the kids. Walked in the park with them, played in the play area (mostly swing pushing duties), and watched Tilly the Dragon with Kai (my nephew). I’ve also help supervise a chaotic bath time, read Kai bedtime stories, and had lots of cuddles and kisses with Sian, my niece.
They’re adorable and it’s lovely that they now see me often enough to remember who I am.
Kai seems to think that Aunty Deidre (never thought I’d allow myself to be called that ;-) is terribly cool, and is very unhappy that he can’t come on the train back to London with me at the end of a weekend.
He (and my brother) phoned last Saturday and I was lucky enough to be serenaded by Kai with a rendition of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’. How lucky can an aunt get :-)

Up at Richard's was also where I got to see more than a smattering of snow. Here is a picture of the white world we had for an evening before all the rain dissolved the little flakes.

Picture 1: Dad in London

Picture 2: Kai

Picture 3: Sian and the remains of the chocolate cake Sharon made

Picture 4: Snow glorious snow

Welcome to London

The last 6 weeks have certainly been a time of great change for me!
As you know, I’ve moved to London, I moved apartments twice, I have a new job (which has its ups and downs), I have left friends and family in sunny South Africa, I am single again, and am enduring another winter instead of having lovely long hot (if a bit sweaty) days back home :-)

When I arrived in London, I first stayed in an area called Aldgate. My tiny one room apartment was right on the edge of all the central London office buildings (including the building aptly named the Cucumber and various other naughty names). I could walk to work in 15 minutes which was fun. I was also near the London Bridge and the Tower of London. It was lovely going on walks to the river from there. I was also near the infamous Brick Lane – which is a must for curry lovers, it has about 2km of Indian restaurants, it has to be seen (and eaten at) to believe!
The apartment was wonderfully modern, but too small, and I was glad when after three weeks I was to move to my more permanent residence.

I now live a block away from the Thames River, near Waterloo station and the London Eye! I can even see the London Eye from my lounge window!
I love my new one bedroom apartment, it’s in a lovely old white stone building and very central.
It’s wonderfully modern, and when my mom saw photo’s of it, said: ‘Hmm that looks more fabulous than your apartment back home!’ I have to quietly agree with her ;-)

Work is going okay. I must admit that it’s not quite what I expected to be doing, but I’m trying to make it a positive, learning experience, even if I did love my job at home more.
Most people are really friendly. I think I tried a bit too hard when I arrived to fit in, so now that I’ve become more ‘laid back’, people are being friendlier. I think time also helps :-)

The weather has been interesting (trying to fit into the English ways and discuss the weather here!) It has snowed since I’ve been here, twice. However, in central London the snow never really settles. It was nice to go north and visit my brother and his family recently and walk on snow that was deep enough to do that delicious crunchy noise underfoot.
We also had terrific windstorms one week which caused wide scale devastation. I remember walking back to the office from the grocery store with two boxes of cereal weighing about 2kg’s and having the packet blown at a right angle to my body as if there was nothing in it!
The wonders of nature….

If you don’t know this already, Gerarde and I have broken up. I’m suitably sad and heartbroken.
As a certain friend has told me (and I’m sure you know who you are), get out there and flirt, flirt.
I’ll take her up on that soon ;-)

As one could probably have predicted, every nasty foreign winter bug has been targeting me since I arrived, the worst being last week when I was laid low with a bad cold and an ear and throat infection. I even managed to get antibiotics from a doctor (unheard of here ;-) because I was so ill! I’m slowly getting better.

Moving countries and also moving to a big exciting but impersonal city like London can obviously be very daunting. I must admit I have received so much support from everyone, friends and family a like, and even from acquaintances who I wouldn't expect support from. It's been very heartwarming.

Photos:
You can click on the photos added to enlarge them.
Photo 1: The Tower of London near my first apartment

Photo 2: The London Eye in the evening light

Photo 3: Me, walking along the Thames