Well, I left you last in the beauty of High Wycombe, glorious weather and picnics. Now we enter into the ongoing saga of hunting the job market for positions that a) Gave us a chance to show our colours rather than ruling us out before we had even thought about applying, b) We liked and, c) Payed more than 15,000 pounds p/a. Slowly we inched closer to all of the said requirements and finally job prospects began knocking on our door. We were hoping that these prospects would be trying to knock down our door to get to us, but I think perhaps in this dismal economic climate, that thought was a tad too optimistic!
We have certainly had our struggles on the work front, but I am pleased to report that offers were placed on the table and accepted graciously (aside from the haggling I did for a measly 2000 more per year! I wanted to experience salary negotiation, like a real adult!). You are now reading the blog of a fancy pants manageress who is dating a schmick freelancer. So that said, all I need to do now is actually start the job!
The Victorian house that we find ourselves settled into is very comfortable and homely. The housemates are all (relatively) easy to get along with. We have had a few delightful evenings in the company of the other inmates, involving poker and homemade pizzas. And have also spent many companionable nights in front of the television, engaging in in-depth conversations about who is more talented in "Britain's Got Talent" and who is the most likely to win the British version of "The Apprentice". We are all unashamedly hooked to the crass reality TV shows that British television spits out to us, the happy consumers.
The house itself has a character of its own with all the groaning from the floors and walls, not to mention the tick tick ticking of the boiler that sits under the uneven floorboards in our room. Then we have to remember that the walls are waifer thin, and being next door to the shower room means we get to hear the ensemble of splashing, squelching and singing that echoes out. But the view that we have of our very own little garden brings us right back to the thought of paradise, until a doof doof car speeds by and does donuts on the corner or the baby four houses down wakes and screams until its absent mother comes to suckle it or until...no really London is such a paradise of peace and quiet. Really, suburbia is a wonderful invention...
We have spent many hours scouring through food markets at Camden, London Bridge and Nottinghill, tasting the different English offerings of cider in as many different pubs as possible and enjoying tube rides to every corner of our new city. Our adventurous spirit has seen us hiring cars and speeding through the Kent (where we visited the white cliffs of dover and a quaint seaside village called...sandwich!) and Cambridgeshire countryside. We have visited the great houses of lady's and Lords and royal residences along the way. We even helped celebrate King Henry the Eighths coronation anniversary!
We have friends coming, going and staying which makes this new life seem more vibrant and settled. Suffice to say the world is being generous in her offerings to us and we are lapping it up in the same spirit of generosity. The weather is assisting our smooth transition into this adopted country, showering us with sun, blue skies and warm weather (I have a acclimatised, it is not really that warm...the term 'heat wave' is used when temperatures reach 26 degrees Celsius! And I find that 20 is warm enough to wear a summer dress!).
So here we are, we have arrived and are finally settling! Never fear though, as much as we love this temporary life, that is all it will ever be. If I have learnt one thing on our journey it is that we are extremely lucky to come from a country such as Australia and we could never choose to leave forever. I promise that we will be back before you can catch a cockroach!
Farewell for now!
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