Seven Sheep, Two Markets and One Medieval Minstrel

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to have the whole weekend off and since I couldn't afford a trip to Paris or anything like that, I decided to just head into London for some more exploring.

Saturday, I headed to London Bridge to see the 800th anniversary celebrations of its completion. The bridge had been closed to traffic and, according to the info I found online, "freemen and liverymen were exercising their 'rights to drive sheep across the bridge tax free'". So right there, in the heart of London, on a grey and muggy day, sheep were driven across London Bridge, by men in medieval robes (and also a couple in Drizabones!). The things you discover!

Next stop was Borough Market. One word: overwhelming! I think the whole population of London was there. It was an amazing experience, but after about half an hour of trying to weave through the crowds, I had to get out. Unfortunately, when I realised this, I was nowhere near an exit! I did make it out and I have to say that I didn't buy anything, other than lunch which was the best sausage in bread I have ever tasted!

After escaping the markets, I walked along the river to Hays Galleria, which did not live up to what I had imagined it to be, and then across the Tower Bridge to the Tower of London. Now it needs to be said that I am not a fan of bridges. I don't know where this irrational fear has come from, but I'm sure my dad didn't help, when driving over the Westgate Bridge in Melbourne, would always say, "This is where x amount of men were killed when this section of the bridge collapsed when they were building it". I am pleased to say that since arriving in London, although still with this fear of bridges, I have crossed the Millenium Footbridge, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Westminster Bridge and the Jubilee Footbridge. Well done, me!

Once safely on the other side of the river, it started to rain just as I arrived at the Tower of London. The line was too massive to get inside so I'll put that experience down as something to do when my friend arrives in November. Wandered around St Katherine's Docks too and it was nice to escape the crowds of people for a while.

After the Tower of London, I had a moment of insanity and headed to Harrods...on a Saturday...in the middle of a sale. Let's just say, this is one thing I will never do again!

That was enough for me and I caught the next train home!

Sunday, I had planned to stay home after my trip the day before, but when I woke up the sun was out and I just had to get out and make the most of it. In keeping with my market theme of the weekend, this time I ventured to Petticoat Lane Markets, which was not quite as crowded but still an effort to get through! This market was mostly clothes, shoes and bags and once again, I didn't buy anything - what's wrong with me?

The next stop was Regent's Park and I stopped for a while and listened to Jazz in the Park, before wandering down Baker Street, past the Sherlock Holmes Museum and then onto Oxford Street, where I still didn't buy anthing! Then off home.

Here are some photos from my weekend:

Sunday Snapshot

Cheese stall at Borough Markets

Four-Day Weekend

I just found out today that I get four days off this weekend...with pay, which is very nice, thank you!

Now I am at a loss of what to do! I know I want to do some more exploring of London, but should I see a show and maybe stay over in the city centre? That will be quite an expensive weekend though. What to do, what to do?

Ideas welcome!

Sunday Snapshot

Here's my Crocs on the Meridian Line last Sunday in Greenwich. Despite the blister, that I am choosing to blame on a stone inside my Crocs, they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn!

How's the Serenity?

What a week!

I am exhausted. It's been really hot here and the kids I look after have all been...how can I put this nicely? On edge? Slightly irritable? A bit peaky?

This week started off on a bad note. After my mammoth expedition into London and all the travel hassles last Sunday, I was already tired. Add to that heat and crazed children, let's just say, it's not a good mix.

Monday, I had four kids for the afternoon, all hyped up and screaming through the house. (Well, it was just two doing the screaming, but it felt and sounded like all four!) Tuesday, I walked to my second job in the heat, got a blister (even while wearing my new Crocs that up until that day had been the most comfortable shoes I have ever had!) and tried to keep two kids cool inside when all they wanted to do was play outside. Wednesday at my second job, I cheated and caught the bus to school pick up and even considered sneaking into the nearby polo field to lie under the sprinkers (until I found out it was river water!). Headed off to second school pick up of Wednesday, on foot, and picked up two kids who just wanted to stop in the blazing sun and collect rocks. Thursday, was fairly mild, but on Friday morning, all hell broke loose when Little Boy 3 decided to announce to his sister, Little Girl 5, who still has a week to go at school, that he has finished school already, ha ha, which then triggered tears, screaming and a whole lot of noise. I usually hide out in my room until they have left for the school drop off, but sadly, I chose this day to get up early and go shopping! Then on Saturday, I made the fateful decision to take the kids with me to Kingston...shopping...on the bus...on a Saturday! Yes, I really think I AM mad!

Now it's Saturday afternoon and I am again hiding out in my room (my choice!) as the kids have friends over...twins!! I think that would truly do me in.

So I am enjoying a small moment of peace and quiet...how's the serenity?!

Heat Wave

The weather has been really hot here this week and the next few days are set to be more of the same, and one thing I have noticed is how much the Brits really do talk about the weather.

For me, this weather is just a regular Queensland early summer's day (not even that hot yet!), and while I understand that it is such a novelty for the UK to be so warm, it still surpised me the amount of conversation about the heat the last couple of days.

The one thing that I must remember that you can't escape into a shop to get away from the heat. Most of the shops aren't air conditioned. I'm sure they are very warm in winter, but that doesn't help me now!

Also this week, I have noticed for the first time the cars in the car park at school pick up. You know you're really in another world when the cars in the car park comprise of a Bentley, Jag and nothing less common than a BMW. Not a Vauxhall in sight!

This is also the last week of school before the summer holidays, which I am looking forward to, in some ways. My hours should increase and my pay along with it, which will be very nice indeed. Lots of activities to plan - trips to the coast, pantomimes, picnics in the park...the stress of work!

Last Sunday I went to London and spent eleven hours in the city...five of those were spent on public transport. My first bus ride was diverted, then terminated halfway to our destination. We all got off the bus and waited for 15 minutes, before getting back on the same bus (which hadn't moved from the spot!) and finished the journey. The first tube ride from Ealing Broadway went off without a hitch and then I cruised along the Thames to Greenwich. After Greenwich, the tube and bus ride home took two hours. The District line was down for works and after taking the wrong line (entirely my fault!), I managed to catch the Central Line back to Ealing Broadway and then home...only for the bus ride home to also be diverted!

Welcome to London!

Sunday Snapshot

Bit late...sorry!


Strolling in Richmond Park with the kids

London Life - The Pale Man and the Harrods Perfumed Ladies Toilet

I thought I would start another title for blogs in which I can add any random thing I have observed from life in London...London Life!

Now the title of this blog does refer to two different events that did however take place on the same day, but are totally unrelated, just in case you were wondering what the pale man was up to in the perfumed ladies toilet in Harrods.

This weekend I spent the Sunday in London again and once more stopped in Harrods to use the bathroom. They have always fascinated me, the toilets in posh locations and while I have always held the washrooms in Harrods in high esteem, since making the trip to Dubai, have found them, this time, to not quite measure up.

The Ladies Washrooms at Harrods do, however, feature a range of designer perfumes that are free to use. So after taking care of the business you went in for, you can then sample a designer perfume to try and convince the world (or at least the rest of the store) that you smell like you belong there, even if your jeans, t-shirt and comfortable walking shoes beg to differ.

It makes you feel that little bit special.

Well, it would if you sprayed yourself with moderation, and managed to avoid giving yourself a headache for the rest of the day. I'll know better next time!

On the way home from London, while waiting for my connecting bus home from the station, a man walked past me. A very, very pale man. My first thought, "Get some sunshine!". Then I stopped. And remembered. I too have a very pale complexion and even though I have some lingering sunburn that could almost pass as a tan, I have no right to call anyone else pale!

What's more, recommending sunshine to someone that pale...I should have known better. So I apologise, Mr Pale. I am the same as you. I just got sidetracked by my sunburn-posing-as-a-tan!

How's that for some totally useless information about London Life? I can go one better. The girl who served me in Harrods, her surname was Barbosa, which left me thinking about Will Turner and Captain Jack Sparrow for the rest of the day!

Sunday Snapshot

You'd have to wait another 500 years for a shot like this! Here is King Henry VIII and one of his wives, floating down the Thames on his way to Hampton Court Palace as part of the celebrations this weekend of the 500th anniversary of his coronation. (He must be having a good day...his wife still has her head!)

Settling In

Since it's been about four weeks since I first arrived in London, I think it's time I blog about how I have found my first month in my new city.

One thing I have to say is that it is so different from last time. Mind you, last time I landed first in a small village at the foot of the Scottish highlands in the dark of night, on my own and unexpected by the hotel I would be working for. This time, I have to say I have landed on my feet. I was met at the airport by family and whisked off to my new home, all in the sunny light of day and then off to a good old Aussie BBQ. It couldn't have been more different from that cold, dark September Sunday back in 2003.

I started work on the Monday after I arrived and my first few weeks as a nanny were very easy and relaxing. The difference between my pervious career and my new one is glaring. For one thing, I look forward to going to work now, my migraines have gone and I probably only take about two phone calls a day, if that! Now that I've been working for four weeks, and having picked up two extra days work for this school term, I've found that I'm really busy and it's such a change from being bored and stuck in an office with no window. These days, my day consists of trips to the playground, football in the park, flying to New York in imaginary aeroplanes in the backyard and driving a huge 4WD through the narrow streets of London. More adventure than I ever had in an office!

I have also been playing the tourist in my own town, and have seen so much already! Sunday is usually my day off and so I head into the city to explore. Here are some of the places I've seen:

Albert Memorial in Hyde Park


St Paul's Cathedral


Harrods


Buckingham Palace from St James Park


Richmond


Big Ben and Houses of Parliament at Westminster


The London Eye


Carnaby Street, Soho

There is still so much more to see but I have time to do it all!

The weather has just been amazing. The sun has shone most days and although I know it won't last, I have been enjoying it while I can.

Thinking back to all the dramas I had last time, especially moving to Manchester and setting up the house with gas and council tax and all that "fun" stuff, I am sure that it prepared me for this move. I had some idea of what to expect. The only thing that I had bit of trouble with was setting up my bank account,even though it was nowhere near as difficult as last time. Once again, if you're planning to move over to the UK, I highly recommend buying a bank account package before hand.

So, after being here for just over four weeks, I have an Oyster card and am thinking in pounds rather than Australian dollars. I know there will no doubt be some tough times, but at the moment I am enjoying the smooth ride. It really helps to have family so close.

If anyone out there is thinking of making the move, I say just do it. It's an amzing opportunity and I intend to make the most of it!

I'll try to look out for some interesting observations on British life to blog about. I did see a three-wheeled car the other day...watch out for Mr Bean!

Sunday Snapshot

Vapor trails in the sky, taken from my (rather dirty!) loft window

The Women's Institute

Tonight I went to my first meeting of The Women's Institute and I have to say, inspite of myself, I had a great night.

My only idea of The WI, as The Women's Institute is called, has been from the movie Calendar Girls, based on a true story where women from the WI strip off and pose in a calendar to raise money for cancer research after one of the member's husbands is diagnosed. If you haven't seen it, it is a good one - one of my mum's favourites!

While I knew that when I went along tonight that they would not ask me to be Miss April, beyond that, I really had no idea what to expect. I was a bit apprehensive that I wouldn't fit in to the WI mould. I did know that the WI is all about cooking (don't do that), sewing (can do that, but choose not to) and a whole range of other assorted homemade delights (my sister got all of those talents!). What I didn't expect was to find a group of women of all ages who just loved getting together, sharing interests and chatting over coffee.

The speaker of the evening was an alternative healer and life coach, which was, well, alternative. She did have some good things to say, in amongst the chanting and belly dancing!

Who knows? I might go again next month...and I may just learn how to make the perfect cake. Please don't hold your breath though!

Sunday Snapshot

Walking along South Bank, with St Paul's Cathedral and "The Gherkin" in the distance

The New Career

This has been a pretty busy week and it's so good to be busy at work...it's been a long, long time!

My new career as a nanny is going great. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier, instead of wasting away inside drab, grey offices with no windows.

This is what my "working" week has involved so far: day trip to Ham House to explore the gardens and enjoy delicious scones under a shady tree in the Orangery, feeding the ducks on Ham Common with ice creams under the tree, football in the park, taking a sneak peek at movie-making-in-progress next door, strolling to and from work along shady country lanes...I could go on!

As my nanny job is only part time, this week I have picked up two extra days working for another family for the school term, boosting my salary. Life at the moment is very good!

When I haven't been working, I've been getting out and exploring the area, and doing a bit of shopping. One thing I have noticed is that of all the new clothes I've bought, they have all been colours! When I was working in the office, I pretty much wore just black and white. It's great to have more colour in my life!

Sunday Snapshot

This is the plan. Each Sunday, I will post a photo in this section because...well, just because I can. Enjoy. Here is the first one:


This is The Fox and Duck pub on Petersham Road

Ahh...London

So at last I am in London and having been here for just over one week now, I have to say that I am LOVING it!

Last Saturday, I arrived at London Heathrow after a pretty good flight from Abu Dhabi on which I managed to sleep, yet again. Kirstie and I had been joking before our flights about how we both didn't get upgraded to Business Class. Kirstie said she would love to have a seat in the emergency row for the extra leg room and I said I don't like that row because I become obsessed with the big lever that if you just pulled it down, the door would fly open (I'm sure it's more involved than that!). So, guess who got a seat in the emergency row? Yep. That would be me! Luckily, I had the aisle seat so any overwhelming need to pull the giant lever would have to be done by my fellow passenger in the window seat and she looked like the responsible type.

After making my way through Heathrow to Customs and having to fill in the arrival card as I was in the line (turns out, I was fast asleep when they gave them out on the plane), I made it through, bag collected and unchecked through to the arrivals hall.

Now, if you remember, I had secured my new job before I arrived in the UK and had never actually met the family I would be working for. It's a very strange feeling, arriving in a new place, and trying to look for someone you've never met, so times that feeling by about 100 when the place you're in is London Heathrow!

Luckily I found her, thanks to my cousin who also had come to the airport to meet me, which was a huge surprise. I haven't seen him for about 7 years.

Anyway, drove back to their (and my new) house and settled in. Went off to my cousin's house for an Aussie BBQ on Saturday afternoon, then jetlag set in and came home to crash.

This week, I have done a mixture of work, shopping and sightseeing. Tuesday was my first trip into London to sort out my bank account (which, if you are thinking of coming over here, definitely buy a bank account package before you leave Australia. It will make your life so much easier. For a bit of a plug, I went with 1st Contact and set up my account with Barclays. Vojtek at Barclays Bank on Edgeware Road was brilliant!) and to do a bit of shopping. I walked from Covent Garden, along Oxford Road to Edgeware Road. This day was a bit cold and wet. Since then, the weather has been awesome. Today, I went into London for church and then wandered through Soho and along South Bank and the skies were blue all day.






It felt good to wander around London today, knowing that I wasn't just a tourist here for a week or passing through, but that I was now living here.

I have had to drive a 4WD on London streets for the school run, which is hard to get used to. I have only ever driven small cars on streets generally twice as wide as the ones here. But I'm getting there. The buses and the tube are so easy to get around on that I don't need to drive much at all.

And I am loving being a nanny.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Well, here I am in sunny London (and I do mean that literally - the weather has been quite nice!).

It was such an epic trip to get here so let me take you back...

On Monday 11 May, I flew out of Brisbane, bound for my first stop in Abu Dhabi. It was so hard saying goodbye and by the time I got on the plane, my eyes and nose were very red and I had almost lost my voice completely. I was more worried about them removing me from the plane and taking me to quarantine to worry about what I looked like. The poor man who sat next to me asked me innocently where I was going and I burst into tears! Then he said to me, "It's no fun travelling when you're ill". Now certain they are going to whisk me away for swine flu vaccinations, I quickly said, "I'm not sick!", then proceeded to cough, sneeze and blow my nose for the entire flight to Singapore! The change over in Singapore was pretty uneventful and on next leg to Aub Dhabi, I did something I have never done before...slept on the plane! I must have really needed it!

Kirstie and Matt met me at the airport in Abu Dhabi and took me back to the flat in the city they share with their gorgeous puppy, Sam. That night, I slept for about 3 hours and woke up at 4.30 the following morning...good old jetlag!

My first day in Abu Dhabi was hot and we headed out to visit The Grand Mosque, which is apparently the third largest in the world. It was amazing! Kirstie and I had to wear an Abaya and headscarves and remove our shoes before we could go in. The pictures do not really do it any justice.


The Grand Mosque


Inside The Grand Mosque

After The Grand Mosque, we drove out to Dubai, where Kirstie had booked us two nights at The Crowne Plaza at Festival City. We took the "scenic route" (read as "got lost on the way") to the hotel which was beautiful and the staff were so friendly. We dumped our stuff (or, I should say, the porter kindly brought our bags to the room, thankfully as my suitcase was 30kgs!!) and headed out to Mall of the Emirates for some air-conditioned shopping! Inside the Mall of the Emirates is Ski Dubai, an indoor ski slope and snow park. We just had to check it out. Picture this: I was wearing shorts and a shirt, and to go in we had to wear a beanie, gloves, a long black ski jacket and boots (remember, shorts!!). Overall, it was not the best look! The snow park was so much fun and we even got hunted down by the papparazzi, who con you into buying the photos when you come out. It was a great experience though, and I still have the beanie and gloves to show for it, and even a small photographic reminder. The Mall was massive and we stayed there for about 6 hours before coming home and having a well-deserved swim in the pool.


View from the hotel room to the pool area


Me in The Mall of the Emirates

The next morning, we drove out to see the Burj al Arab hotel on it's own island off Jumierah Beach. Truly amazing. The scale of this place just takes your breath away!
Then it was time for more shopping and it was off to Dubai Mall for us. This Mall is probably the biggest I have ever seen or imagined in my life. This mall had it's own indoor aquarium and underwater world...unbeliveable! We spent about 7 hours in this mall and I swear we did not walk past the same shop twice and I don't think we even saw all of it! My poor feet...


The Burj al Arab


My poor, tired feet!

But no rest for my feet just yet. After Dubal Mall, we drove out to Al Karama where there is a market that's not very well known to tourists. This was a first for me. We park the car and Kirstie takes me to see "her handbag man". We go into this shop and Kirstie heads straight for the back of the shop and opens up a change room door and asks the guy if she can see the "good stuff". We're led through the changeroom, and a hidden door to a very narrow staircase that takes us up to the top floor, filled with designer knock-off handbags and watches. I got a great deal on a "Gucci" watch...very nice! The rest of the market was full on. We went into another shop and while Kirstie was trying on t-shirts, the Indian guys who ran the shop found out I was from Australia and started to quote cricketers names to me! I didn't have the heart to tell them that I can't stand cricket and those names mean absolutely nothing to me!

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in at yet another mall for tea, then had a much-needed spa at the hotel before crashing into bed.

On Thursday, we drove back to Abu Dhabi and I had a nice day at home as Kirstie and Matt had a wedding to go to and in keeping with the culture of being in a foreign place, I ordered Pizza Hut for tea!

On Friday, the first day of the weekend in the UAE, Kirstie and Matt took me to Emirates Palace for morning tea. This place is huge! Once again, the photos can't do it any justice. It has to be said that the bathrooms are amazing! After morning tea, when we were leaving the Palace, we saw the official motorcade of the President outside, with no less than three Rolls Royce's...as one does if one is the President!


Emirates Palace


Kirstie and me at Emirates Palace

The rest of the day was spent getting ready for the next trip...mine to London and Kirstie's to Thailand.

But that can all wait for another post...

20 kgs!

With only three days to go before I fly out of Australia, I seem to have come down with the flu! This is quite possibly the worst time to feel sick! Not only will the flying be really uncomfortable for my poor ears, but with all the drama about swine flu that's going around, I keep having visions of myself stuck in quarantine for days on end and having my picture all over the news as the latest victim of the "pandemic". These visions usually come at night, when I really should be getting a good night sleep so I can feel my best. Add to that, the stress of realising that I won't be able to fit everything in my suitcase and will have to keep culling items so I can keep it below 20kgs!

Personally, I think 20kgs to move your life overseas is ridiculous! Even after shipping a second suitcase to the UK, seeing your life fit into two suitcases is pretty sad.

This has been an interesting week. On the happy side, I finished work and have had plenty of time to get stuff done, catch up with friends and get excited about the move. On a sadder note, I sold my car this week. That was hard. My little red car has been through a lot with me and it was difficult to let it go. While my car was a symbol of my freedom, selling my car was a symbol of the start of a new chapter in my life - stepping out and living the dream.

Today, I just need to make a trip to the bank for a final statement in case they quiz me at customs, meet some friends for lunch, buy my nana a Mother's Day present and clean my house. Tomorrow, the family are all out for a Mother's Day lunch and on Sunday, after my last Sunday at church, I have a wedding to go to.

Then Monday, I'm off!

I spoke to my friend in Abu Dhabi yesterday and now I'm really looking forward to my holiday in the UAE. It looks like we'll be spending some time in Dubai too. Very exciting!

OK. Time to get back to work on that suitcase. 20 kgs....!

One Last Week

I finished work yesterday and said farewell to my career in the 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, commute-to-work-in-over-crowded-trains-full-of-noisy-school-kids...I hope!

This is my last week in Australia for a while and it's going to be a tough one. Now the serious packing needs to start. On Sunday, my mum and my sister have organised a farewell / birthday party for me and while it will be great to catch up with everyone one last time, I'm really not good at big parties and especially not good with goodbyes.

Monday I need to get my car ready to be sold. Tuesday, I'm doing some final shopping for last minute items and meeting a friend for lunch. Wednesday, I'm getting my haircut and I have an appointment at the doctor to make sure there is no trace of swine flu! Thursday is my only free day so far and Friday, I'm meeting the girls from my last job for lunch in the city. Saturday is for cleaning and packing and trips to the dump and Sunday is Mother's Day and I have a wedding to go to in the afternoon. Then it'll be Monday...the day I leave. Oh, and I need to finish packing somewhere in there, too...

At least being busy will help to keep my mind off the fact that I'll be leaving everything I know (again!), moving somewhere new (again!) and starting over (again!!). But even though the thought of that is hard, I am excited. I get the chance to start fresh. The chance to do things differently and not be locked in to doing things the same way I have done them for years. That thought is liberating!

This time in two weeks, I'll be in London, starting my new life and living my dream. I know it won't be easy but it will be an adventure.

And to use one of my favourite quotes by Jane Austen: "If adventures do not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad".

One More Week

Only one more week at work and then I can burn all my "office worker" clothing...well, I could if it was legal to have a bonfire in the backyard!

Yep, only one more week as a Customer Service Agent at my call centre job, then a week in Brisbane, a week in Abu Dhabi and who knows how many weeks in London.

On Saturday, the people who had purchased my furniture came to collect it and in the space of two short hours, I went from living in a fully furnished one bedroom flat to living in a large and very echoey (is that even a word??) room. Only thing left to sell now is my fridge...any takers?

At the moment, I'm feeling OK about the move. It will probably be different tomorrow and then back to OK on Tuesday. I'm all over the place! But I guess that's to be expected. Looking forward to this week being over.

This week also sees the acting debut of my niece in her school play, which I am so looking forward to. Just another major event that I am happy to still be here for.

15 more sleeps...

Birthdays and Countdowns

My birthday was on Wednesday and I had the unique opportunity of spending my special day ... at work!

But it was a good day - only had one sort-of unpleasant call but they decided to hang up on me so it worked out well for all concerned.

Last night, the day after my birthday, I had a lovely roast dinner at mum and dad's with the family so apart from the shock that I get each time I even imagine saying my new age out loud, it was a good time all round.

Now that the birthday is over, I guess the official countdown should begin. As of today, there are now only 17 more sleeps until I fly out for Abu Dhabi and London. I know that while I have been impatiently waiting for this last week of work and the final couple of weeks before I leave, I am now struggling with how little time I have left. My mind is racing with all I have to do and all I seem to be able to manage is to move stuff from one place to another and nothing seems to get packed, sorted or thrown out. Then, I'm also trying to make sure I have everything I need, making time to catch up with friends and thinking about what I want to see here in Queensland before I go.

It seems all too big for me to get my head around, but then again, I have done it all before, surely I can do it again?

OK, I am thinking way to much and it's making my head hurt. It'll be "fine" ... and to quote Mark Wahlberg from the re-make of The Italian Job - "Fine stands for Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional". I think that describes me pretty well...



P.S. That would have been a VERY nice birthday present ... either Mark Wahlberg or the Mini Cooper ... I'm not fussed!

The Wedding of the Year

This weekend, I was in Sydney for my friend's wedding and it was an amazing weekend. Well, technically, it wasn't a weekend as I left on Thursday, she got married on Friday and I was home Saturday, but it felt like a weekend which was very much needed after my two whole days at work last week!

So, Thursday came and after failing to read the fine print on my plane ticket about the time I needed to be at the airport to check in, I managed to make it to my flight with three minutes to spare. In Sydney, I met up with the bride's former flat mate, Jane, and two other friends, Ros and Ann, hired a car and drove to the outer suburbs of Sydney. We checked into our accommodation and then headed off to dinner with the bride and groom-to-be, friend's and family who had travelled from all over Australia and New Zealand. The groom, Aaron, is a Kiwi, but we can't hold that against him. Instead, in true Aussie fashion, we'll just claim him as our own!

Now, the restaurant was only about a ten minute walk from the caravan park where we were all staying, so we decided to walk it. What they failed to tell us was that it was all up hill and I was not wearing the most practical shoes.

So, twenty minutes and three blisters later, we arrived at the Outback Steakhouse, and it was amazing to catch up with Prue's family from Adelaide that I haven't seen in years! It was also very nice to feel a cool breeze - something not often felt in Brisbane at this time of year!



On the Friday, the day of the wedding, we headed to the shops to buy Ros (from Townsville) a jacket before she froze in the sunny 23 degree Sydney weather and me some flat, comfy shoes and then, at last, off to the wedding.

You couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and the bride was beautiful. The reception was so much fun and I even got up on the dance floor! For those who know me, that is a rare thing! I am not a dancer and have never, ever claimed to be, but I thought since I don't know half the people there and if I do make a fool of myself, I could always leave the country...perhaps in three weeks time, so it didn't matter!













Then came the time say farewell to the happy couple, wish them all the best and then they were gone. Next, it was time for me to say the first of my farewells, which was a little bit harder. Being all back together with my friends was just like we had never been apart, instead of being scattered all over Australia and soon, the world. Great times...







On Saturday, we checked out and drove back into Sydney, where we dropped in to the apartment of a certain Australian Idol winner, as you do, to meet with friends for lunch. The Idol winner in question is currently in New York and the friends were house-sitting. Still seems strange to think of him as being famous since we went to the same church for years!

Then, after a few hurried snaps of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge by Ros, it was time to head back to the airport, return the hire car (thankfully undented after a few close calls driving in Sydney CBD!) and board our flights for home back to Brisbane, Townsville and Adelaide. Home, sweet home.

Now the un-packing, washing and re-packing begins...

This week...

This week, I only work two days, which when you're temping in a call centre, is always great news. Not so great for the old bank balance, but in my new "thinking positive" phase, I'm choosing not to focus on that point.

It's Easter weekend and so far I have dismantled my bed (ready for collection by the lady who will be purchasing it...if she ever gets in touch with me, that is (think positive, think positive!), polished and buffed my car to within an inch of it's life and managed to restore it back to (almost) it's former red glory, ready for sale...to my dad. I've sorted through my wardrobe and collected four large bags of clothes that I'll be donating to charity (and about four more bags to throw out that no one would seriously want!), packed a second suitcase to ship to myself in London and still found time to eat a few Easter eggs along the way!

After all that, I need a holiday! Good thing I'm off to Sydney on Thursday for my best friend's wedding. It'll be so great to catch up with her and her family and also our other family, the Clayton's (you know who you are!). I better sort out what I'm going to take for that - packing, packing, endless packing!

Tomorrow, it's movie day with the girls and we're off to see 17 Again with Zac Efron (oh, to be 17 again....), then work on Tuesday and Wednesday...12 days to go!

"I'm off to Paris for the weekend"

I've just read my last few posts and I want to apologise.

Yes, while this is a huge move for me, packing up my life and changing everything to live my dream, I've been focusing way too much on the negative. From now on, I am determined to be excited...and positive!

I'm moving to London. I get to live in one of the most amazing cities in the world, full of more experiences just waiting for me than I can possibly imagine. I have the opportunity to get a start into a new career as a nanny. I'll be living and working in the area that has always been my first choice. My visa is approved. I'll be able to say things like, "I'm off to Paris for the weekend" - a sentence that I have never said in my whole life! And, I'll be stopping over in Abu Dhabi to visit one of my best friends for 5 days on my way over.

So what if I don't have every single thing I need in my suitcase? They do have shops in London.

Overwhelmed

So it's April. I'm moving to London next month. Five weeks tomorrow to be exact.

This past week has been pretty overwhelming. I received my passport back from the British Consulate in Canberra, containing my lovely new visa that will allow me to live and work in the UK. So it's really happening - I'll be leaving for London in five weeks.

When that hit me, all those doubts came back - those "what-if's". I made a late night call to my friend Prue (yes, the one who's getting married in two weeks!) and she said to me that it's OK to feel overwhelmed. In the midst of her own massive life change, there she is giving me some reassurance! Just that one little line made me feel a whole lot better. Yes, it is OK that I'm overwhelmed. It's a BIG move! If I wasn't overwhelmed, there would be something wrong with me.

I'm still taking things one day at a time. Slowly packing up my life here and preparing for my new life over there.

16 working days to go...
(I'm counting down the days at my call centre job...it's the only way I can cope!)

And here's a picture, just because...

Let The Countdown Begin...I'm Ready (I Think!)

A lovely e-mail arrived today, containing the very message that I have been waiting (and not very patiently) for...my Ancestry Visa has been approved.

Yes, I know I've done it all the wrong way round and I really should have had my visa approved and in my hot, little hand before I booked and paid for my flights, before I accepted a job and definitely before I shipped a box of my stuff over to London (OK, I haven't actually sent the box yet, but it is packed!).

Now that that last hurdle is out of the way, my official countdown can begin. As of today, there 45 sleeps until I move to London. 45!! Is that all??

Now that it's almost here, and as much as I know I'll be ready (packed, shipped and queueing at the airport), will I really be READY? I have been planning this trip for over two years now and here I am in the final days, feeling scared and sad and out of control. This is the big one - the BIG move. This is the change of the country, the change of the career and most certainly, the change of myself. While I know it's normal to have these feeling when facing such a life-changing move, I want to spend these last few weeks making the most of my time left with friends and family, and that means leaving behind all the worry and the stress.

I'm just not too sure how to do that. Maybe there is something to be said for the whole "one day at a time" thing...I should give that a go.

"Mine!" ... "Mine!"

On Sunday, I packed up my car (and my sister's) with most of my household items, left home at 5.00am and headed off to set up a stall at our local market. This was the first time I have ever done a market...and I was not prepared for the "feeding frenzy" that occured.

We pulled up at the car park of the train station that is home to the market every Sunday. The sun was not even out and the cars not even unloaded, when the "seagulls" arrived! Out of nowhere, we were suddenly surrounded by shoppers we could barely make out in the dark dawn. All of a sudden, my boxes were unpacked at the speed of light and we had already sold about $40 worth of stuff by the time I had everything out of the car. Just as quick as they arrived, they disappeared. It reminded me of all the seagulls in Finding Nemo (hence the title of this blog! If you haven't seen the movie, where on Earth have you been??).

To say the least, I was overwhelmed. Even my sister, who is a market veteran, had never seen anything like it. I am happy to say, that although we stayed busy throughout the day and I made over $800, we didn't have a repeat of the first half hour.

So apart from the sunburn (yes...again!) and the emotional breakdown in the middle of the car park at the end of the morning, it was a good day! I had been so good at seperating myself from all the stuff that I had to sell before I move overseas, telling myself that "it's only stuff", and "I can't take it with me", but once most of it had been sold and I was packing away the remaining few things that I could give away, it hit me that, yes, it is only stuff, but it's my stuff. It all has a story, memories that make up my story. So, looking around my place at the moment, it looks a bit bare, but then to cheer myself up, I look at my bank balance and start to feel a bit better!

It was a full-on weekend. On Saturday, I woke up at 4.30am to call the family that I'll be working for in London, then I couldn't get back to sleep. The night before, I was babysitting my niece until about 12.30am and I had her all day Saturday as well. We went shopping to look for a dress for me to wear to my best friend's wedding in Sydney next month and came home with a pair of jeans and a jumper...as you do! I can justify the purchase...I had jeans and a jumper on my list of stuff to buy before I move to the UK, so I've just bought them a little earlier than planned! I actually wanted to go and see Trinny and Susannah who I thought were appearing at Westfield that day, but they'll actually be there next saturday...maybe they can help me find something to wear...or what not to wear!

And to today...today I may just have done something crazy! I have accepted an extension to my contract at the Government call centre until 1 May - 5 weeks away! Can I do it? I hope so. Before I accepted, I called all my recruitment companies just to see if they had anything else for me and sadly, they did not! On the upside, it's guaranteed work until I leave, I have made friends there and I know the job, so i'm pretty sure I can last another 5 weeks. But in this "Current Financial Crisis" (sorry to have to use the tired, old cliche!), it seems that beggars cannot be choosers!

So it looks like I'll be a Call Centre Customer Service Agent for a little bit longer. I can handle that. Soon it will all be behind me. I'll be a nanny. I'll be living the dream.

I'll be in London!

P.S Update on whereabouts of British Ancestry Visa...who knows?? I am getting a bit nervous, but I still have plenty of time yet. I just need to stop checking the tracking page on the Australia Post website EVERY...SINGLE...DAY!!

If I Only Had a Brain...

Today, I escaped the drudgery that is my life in the call centre at the moment, and went for a walk on my lunch break.

(This wasn't an effort to increase the amount of exercise in my day. The truth is, I overslept and ran out of time to pack my lunch, so I had to head off in search of sushi!)

Anyway, on my walk, I noticed two scarecrows in someone's front yard. Yes, it's true. Scarecrows! In the city! They were dressed in someone's old and pre-loved clothes, complete with accessories - a hat (bucket) for the gentleman and a handbag (of the green, recyclable shopping variety) for the lady. If I only had my camera....

It's amazing what you can see around you if you only open your eyes.

Donald Duck, Tea Cups and Other Dreams

Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to go to Disneyland to ride the spinning tea cups and have my photo taken with Donald Duck. That's all. Just going all that way to do those two things would have made me happy.

I was lucky enough in 2004 to make the trip from Manchester, England to Orlando, Florida and onwards to Disneyworld (I wasn't too fussed that it wasn't Disneyland - beggars can't be choosers!).

If you've ever been there, you'll know all about the piped music that is constantly playing around the park and after even 20 minutes, you believe that all your wishes and dreams really do come true.

So when Dream Number One, riding the spinning tea cups, was accomplished, I then lined up for an hour and a half to have my photo taken with the duck himself...The Donald! (Mention must be made of my flatmate, Lisa, who braved the line-up with me - by far the oldest two people without children in the whole line!).

Photo taken and Dream Number Two completed, what was I to do now? Come up with another dream? Something I have always wanted to do but have put off for whatever reason?

It wasn't until a few years later, after returning home from the UK and moving to Queensland, after years of the 9-5 office job, I found a new dream.

I wanted to be a nanny in London.

I had the training but had never worked as a nanny. Regardless, I pursued this dream and am pleased to report that as of today, I have a job...starting in May...in London...as a nanny! That's right. Another dream is close to coming true. The job is exactly what I have been looking for and in the area of London that I have always wanted to live.

So, thanks to you, Donald Duck and the Spinning Tea Cups. I now know that dreams can come true and I'll keep on dreaming.

What can I dream of next...?

My Best Friend's Wedding

My best friend, Prue, is getting married.

After getting engaged on Valentine's Day, they have set the date for ... April 17! The best thing is, I will still be here, in Australia, so I can go! I'm so excited and happy for them!!

I have known Prue for years and years. When I was moving to the UK the first time, Prue was planning a move to Sydney, so we were in the same boat. Both facing a life changing move...the only difference, a few thousand miles.

We made a promise that we would be at each others weddings, no matter where we were in the world.

And a flight from Brisbane to Sydney is certainly cheaper than from London to Sydney!

Where Have I Been?

Locked up inside a large, Government call-centre, solving the endless problems of the world's (or Australia's, at least!) unemployed and generally bringing hope and sunshine to the masses.

OK. So that's just a little bit of an exaggeration. I am actually working in a call-centre, but as to the hope and sunshine, I can only try.

Since I left my last job, and after surviving my week of training, I have been on the phones for just over a week now and I am actually enjoying it. For the first time in ages, I am working as part of a team, rather than being isolated on reception, and every call I take has been different. Some have been VERY different!

There have been plenty of things to keep us all entertained - phone calls being diverted to wherever they feel like, resulting in a flood of calls coming in that I am not trained to handle. Electrical storms that shut us down for half an hour, turning a normally quiet call centre into a hive of activity with people actually having the chance to talk to one another.

It's good to feel busy at work again and the days are flying by. I have been neglecting my blog and my e-mail inbox is overflowing. The last thing I want to do when I get home is spend more time in front of the computer.

In other news, my niece turned 10 on the weekend and we had a roller skating party with ten of her friends on Sunday. Where have the years gone? Wasn't it just the other day that I went to the hospital after my shift at The Mansions Apartments and held her for the first time when she was less than ten hours old?

Update on the London plans: I am sending off my application for my ancestry visa on Friday after my appointment to have all my biometric data recorded (retina scanned, fingerprints taken, DNA analysed, blood tested, MRI, CATSCAN, kidney donated...!).

Wish me luck!

Where am I?

I'm not quite sure what has gone on this week. You could say it's been a little bit full-on!

Monday: my day starts as any normal Monday at my job - quiet. At lunchtime, I walk down to the travel agent at pick up my ticket to London. I manage to escape work early to avoid being trapped in the city due to the cancellation of all trains on my line that afternoon. After waiting for a bus and a trip home that took two hours, I have accepted a temporary position in a call centre until the end of March.

Tuesday: first thing at work, I tell the boss and my line manager that today will be my last day. Then spend the day finalising all my work and handing my job over to...well, no one since they made the position redundant! At least someone else gets to sort out the problems with the printer now! Cheesecake, a card, a farewell afternoon tea and I'm done. Adios old job.

Wednesday: on my way to my new job, eager not to be late, a lady collapses on my train carriage and an ambulance needs to be called. We are transferred to another train and after a long wait, I am only 15 minutes late...for a call centre job...where every minute is accounted for...not a good start! Long day of information overload and new friends made.

Thursday: more information and now getting confused! They let us listen in on phone calls in the afternoon and it starts to make some sense. Plans made with the girls for lunch tomorrow.

Friday: day three. More training, more eavesdropping on calls, lunch at a Chinese restaurant, a mad dash back to the office in the rain (making my hair all frizzy!), 4.51pm arrives and we call it a day. Get home to payslip from old job and final pay in the bank! Also, thanks to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, $900 on it's way, too!

So, at the end of this week, I'm not sure where I am. But I'm closer now to where I am going.

The Final Word

Now I don't normally do three posts a day, but I saw this "quote of the day" on my blog page and before it could disappear, here it is...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Exactly!

Thank you Mr Twain.

What if...

Today I booked and paid for my flight to London.

Instead of feelings of excitement, I felt an acute attack of the "what if's". What if I couldn't get any temp work after the end of February? What if my visa application wasn't approved? What if I couldn't get a job in London? What if, after I have sold everything, I had to come back home to nothing? What if no one bought my stuff?

I could go on...and I did. Most of the afternoon. In my head, luckily, for those who had to work with me.

As it turns out, I left work early today as the train lines were down on my route home and they were shuttling everyone home by bus, and on my two hour bus journey home, the temp agency I am registered with called and they have a job for six weeks...starting Wednesday! The job is not what I would have normally chosen, but the pay is really good, so I have accepted it. Which means, my last day at my current job is tomorrow! Of course, they don't know this yet. That takes care of one of my "what if's".

Then, even before I got home, I got a call from a friend who wants to buy my treadmill! This treadmill has pretty much sat unused since I moved back into my place after Christmas (so much for New Years Resolutions!). So it looks like my stuff will be purchased and I'm worrying over nothing.

But you know the best thing? I hadn't got around to that testing the recruitment agency gave me to do yet ... and it looks like I won't need to after all!

My two-finger typing skills live to see another day.

I Love a Sunburnt Country

I love a sunburnt country
A land of sweeping plains
Of rugged mountain ranges
Of droughts and flooding rains

I love her far horizons
I love her jewelled sea
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me

My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims of the fires in Victoria and New South Wales and the floods in North Queensland.

...and then to the travel agent

Managed to avoid the test at the the recruiter today...ran out of time in the end! Now I get to do it online in the comfort of my own home.

After my interview there, I stopped in at Flight Centre and made a tentative booking for a flight to London! SCARY!!

Hoping for a stopover in Abu Dhabi to visit my friend Kirstie and then onwards to London.

The tentative date has been set for May...

The Great Big Job Hunt

Being happily redundant, this has now forced me back into the world of CV's, agency registrations and the dreaded interviews. Not fun, but a means to an end. At least for the next few months anyway!

I have my second agency registration interview today, including all the "fun" elements such as breaking down each and every job I have ever had (and believe me, there have been a lot!) and the test. Ah...the test.

Now, I have worked as a receptionist, in some capacity, for the past 10 years. From the frontline of hotel check-ins, here and overseas, to the being the face of major corporations (not too sure how THAT happened!!) and, yes, I am ashamed to admit...I still type with only two fingers...that's one on each hand! Which is really quite amazing when you think about it. How did I get to be a receptionist with 10 years international experience without being a touch-typer? Who knows! "George just lucky, I guess!"*

I can type quite fast with my trusty two fingers so this has never been too much of a problem for me. Until I am required to take typing speed tests. Like today.

Just hoping they put me in a room, with no CCTV, and let me get on with it. It's the end result that counts, right?

OK, back to the Great Big Job Hunt. I need to find a temp job, for exactly two months, that will pay me more than I make here, will have enough work to keep me busy and be easy to get to. Does such a job exist?

I hope to avoid the whole day to day temping here and there scenario, if I can, but at the moment, I'll take whatever I can get.

Oh, I did actually apply for a temp nanny job here in Brisbane for the next 2 months, so I'll keep you posted on how that works out!


* from "George of the Jungle"

Superbowl...Monday??

I know it's Superbowl Sunday, but when you're watching it Down Under, then Sunday is Monday...if you know what I mean.

Now, since I am still at work tomorrow (but can see the light at the end of the tunnel now!), and will miss the live coverage of the big game, I don't want to know the score before I see the game.

Usually this isn't a problem. But then, there has never been an Australian in the Superbowl before. Ben Graham, the punter for the Arizona Cardinals and a former Geelong (Aussie Rules) player, will be making his debut in the big time. While that is a great achievement for him, where does that leave the rest of us Aussie fans, unable to watch it live and do not want to know the score before they get the chance to watch the delayed telecast? In a total media blackout, that's where!

The Australian media has been all over the story. For a normal Superbowl, they make mention of it in the sports section of the evening news and that's about all. This year, I am going to have to avoid, from around lunchtime, all internet news sites, all radio, converstaions overheard at lunch and on the train home. There will be no TV for me until 7pm, when we all gather at my brother-in-law's to watch the game.

Can it be done? I hope so.

But then again, the Superbowl is NOT all about me! Go Ben Graham, the boy from Geelong - make us proud!