We have arrived!

View of the snow from the plane.  Arriving into London.

After 29 hours on a variety of planes through Aucklan - Bangkok - Vienna and finally Heathrow London we staggered (about 40 mins sleep each on a chair in the airport) out of customs and found Neil (Rods nephew) who was patiently waiting for us.  The day was crisp and cold and there was alot of snow everywhere but the roads were clear.  Neil drove us to his house in Surrey which is a classic english style 2 story house with a narrow staircase upstairs (exactly like in Harry Potters uncles house in the first movie).  A welcome cup of tea and cinamon toast!! (so yummy) and we then were dragged off to the village pram race.  This is a tradition were groups of people, mostly young, had to take a pram?? around a course that involved six pubs.  On the way they collected money in buckets from the onlookers.  At each pub they had to stop and consume a pint.  You can imagine the day.  Freezing cold conditions and some of the participants dressed in next to nothing drinking 6 pints.  It was rowdy and boisterous and loads of fun.  Rod and I played the japanese tourists and clicked madly at all the wonderful costumes and "prams".  AFter we had lost the feeling in our toes and fingers we came back to the house and went to bed for a couple of hours.  Up again for tea and then try and stay awake before bedtime.  Now this is really hard when you have gone so long without sleep and it is dark at 3.30pm and you are in a warm, cosy house.  We managed somehow and sleep through till 6am.  First full day and off we went to catch the train and underground to find where my school is, which of course is at the opposite end of London to Surrey. After quite a few changes and reading maps, we managed to find the place.  Looks fairly modern and of course is behing a 15 ft fence.  Wrote down a few real estate agents numbers then headed back home.  Very weary once again.

This is in relation to the student fees protests.

Day 2:  Up and off to the agents.  Bank holiday is over and shops are open for 2 days before shutting again until the 4th Jan.  Boxing day sales are on here with a vengeance.  people queuing for 2 hours to make a purchase, shops jammed packed with people and people grabbing stuff off others.  It was amazing.  I watched from the outskirts and decided it was not for me.  Anyway, after looking at 4 flats we settled on a new place in Maryland which is a 10 min bus ride (double decker london bus) and really close to a large shopping centre.  It sounds very flash because there is a concierge on the door and it is nice but very basic.  We need to go out now and buy linen, crockery, food etc to get settled.  So, today is all planned for us and probably tomorrow too.

The Beatles???

 We met up with Anthony last night (my son).  He is looking great and it was so good to see him.  He took us for a drink down Brick Lane in Whitechapel (where Jack the Ripper lurked).  It is such a funky area, with a whole row of restaurants and bars of all varieties.  We settled on a place with big comfy chairs. The tube is great but it takes two flights of stairs to get to each train and so we are certainly getting our quota of walking in. (Might actually be good for me).  By the time you make all the connections home it's about an hour and a half travelling.  Got to try and work out my buses and the best place to buy groceries and things today so gotta catch that train.  Toodles

The third of six pubs.



The Cave Girls







Two Days left of School

Wow!! Almost there.  This week has been crazy.  We have both got our loaded for travel money cards sorted, our International Drivers Licences done and our doctors visits completed.  So WOF on us both passed, we must be rady to go.  Bags arepacked, house is nearly finished, gardens are tidy.  Just need to clean the windows, wipe out the cupboards etc...etc...etc... Can we please just go, I am so ready.  Gorgeous days at school this week, the kids are just really enjoying their last few days as a unit and we have had alot of laughs and fun.  Hope some of them stay in touch.  Looking forward to this weekend when we have "Christmas" with Melanie & Jamee-lee.  Her first Christmas.  Boy, I'm gonna miss her. Well, off I go, get my bucket and cloth, there are cupboards that need wiping out.  Talk to you in a week.

28 Sleeps to go

Well, as the title says there are only 28 sleeps till we fly.  This past week has been a busy one with getting tenants for the house, and me getting not one but two jobs offered.  I had a phone interview with the Principal of Plaistow School in Newham and I was a bit nervous waiting for the phone to ring.  Well, finally it rang and it was the agency.  He said I'll put you through now Good luck, and then he hung up on me!!! Great start.  He rang again, and we finally got connected.  I spoke with Janine for about 5 minutes and she said thank you, I'll be in touch.  Well, you know what that usually means.  The next morning Rohan (Agency rep) rang and said that she has offered me the position!!!.  Next thing, that night he sent me an email and said she has offered me two positions and I can choose which one.  The first one is releasing teachers for their PPA (planning, preparation) so I would be in a different class each day but in the same classes each week if that makes sense.  The other position is teaching a year 3 class until June (end of UK academic year).  I'm still tossing up which one to take. PPA would give me no planning time and less responsibilty but no consistancy, taking my own class will give me more work to do but the opportunity to make a difference. Plus I get a half day a week release for PPA time!  
Also, we have been lucky to sevure a tenant for the house (our new DP at Central) so this weekend was spent packing up furniture into the container.  We now have 3 weekends left so need to really get stuck in and get organised. 

Let's Begin shall we?

I am sitting here tonight learning how to create a blog.  I shall have a play and learn how to use this to enable friends and interested persons to share some of 2011 with me.