Living Large in London - 9th May 2006

Hi all. We know that you can’t live without updates on our comings and goings, so here is a brief overview of the month that was.

Since our jaunt in Paris we became increasingly disillusioned with the bustling world of hospitality, and realised that in order to escape, we had to set a departure date and trust desperation to help us find work and lodging. This tactic worked fairly well, as we are no longer enjoying the questionable luxury of hotel living. To give you an idea of how swiftly events swept us from sunny Staines, here is a basic timeline

18th April - Weeks notice given at Hotel Ugly Duckling. Slight panic ensues
19th April - Maria interviews for temp work (thanks Jacqui!) We inspect possible accommodation
20th April - We find our new studio flat and sign for 3 months
21st April - Fletch interviews for new job (successfully)
22nd - 25th April - Work 12 hour days as punishment for resigning. NB that every other member of floor staff also gave notice during this period
26th April - Maria starts first temp placement, Fletch moves house (in a Ford KA believe it or not)
27th April - Maria interviews for long term placement in patent attorney practise. Impresses the sox off them and shopping spree for suitable work-wear ensues
28th April - Fletch sees the Australian dollar conversion from the shopping spree and immediately dies. A strong coffee is waved under his nose to revive him. Heart palpitations continuing...
2nd May - Fletch starts work

So as you can see we had a busy little period. Since starting work we have been a bit too busy to do much else but work and make our apartment a cosy nest. However with the weather warming up, Fletch’s one day off per week can hardly be spent indoors, so we have been visiting various London landmarks, such as Westminster Abbey, the Royal Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and the Nero Cafe at Covent Gardens.

On our first Sunday off in 3 months (30th April), we got God. Since the only way to get into Westminster for free is to attend a service, Maria & I swallowed our Catholic sense of superiority and attended the C of E Matins service. This was quite special as the entire service, excepting of course the homily, was sung in harmonies by the all-male choir. The service was quite casual, with only slightly more pomp than a graduation ceremony. The attendants shepherded us around so that we wouldn’t accidently see more of the church than we had to as freeloading worshippers. I’m honestly not sure why they don’t just do away with religious worship entirely so that tourists can tramp through seven days a week.

Following this we jumped on the tube out to Greenwich and I took a look at the bits of the observatory that I had missed last time, including the telescope that sits on the Prime Meridian, whilst Maria strolled through the markets. We have found ourselves drawn to Greenwich and may look at moving there once our three months is up here.

Last Sunday, we found ourselves drawn once again to Greenwich. This time we had a poke through the Maritime Museum. The Museum is a very large building with not a great deal in it. It does contain Nelson’s uniform and a lot of lovely model boats, but Maria is sharing my museum fatigue, and we were drawn toward the lovely soft grass in the park outside. With summer come on, the days are lovely and the vegetation is the most curious colour (green, rather than khaki or brown. Strange huh?).

In other news, Maria has joined the ranks of the crazed two wheelers and is getting plenty of exercise dodging busses on her way to work. She believes that it is safer than braving the crowds on the underground, and if you have ever tried to beat a chav to a seat, then you know what she means. Fletch obtained a leather jacket and is now apparently giving up future teaching ambitions as he is “too kool for skool”. Spelling that atrociously almost broke my fingers...

Anyhow, we hope our loyal legion of fans are in good health and high spirits, or are at least playing up as we would expect. We shall update you again soon. Please keep the emails coming, as very few people in England are worth talking to, and we do get lonely.

PS - we now have internet at home, so we ought to be better at keeping in touch from now on.

Fletch's tip for new travellers

A secret has been kept from mankind for too long. It is the secret of the ultimate dessert. It took the courage of the team at Wagamamas to bring it to the world. It is: the Tamarind and Chili Pavlova! I can now die a happy man...