Hi there,
Now that we have plenty of time and Internet access here in London you would think that would translate into more posts. Well there is a combination of things that has proved that theory wrong. Firstly, more time means more opportunities to be lazy which is very easy to do. Secondly, Settling down aint exactly as exciting as being in a new country every week. And lastly, it’s hard not to grow to like football when it’s rammed down your throat during the world cup which has taken a lot of our time (mine in particular).
To start things off, we have now found a place of our own which we have been in for the last 2 and a half weeks. It’s in a very quiet area and is only 30 minutes to the centre of London, which is great. We are both working now. I am working at Cafcass, who are a governmental organization that look after the needs of family’s and children in court hearings. I have been brought on board to be in charge of Quality Assurance for their new Case Recording System. Robyn has been working for Kathmandu while she waits to hear back from applications in her Health Promotion Field.
We have also been able to see a bit more of the UK and have had our first taste of European weekend getaways. In my first week at Cafcass, I was told I would be sent to Birmingham for a week of training. It turned out pretty well as they put me up in a decent Hotel with a full buffet English breakfast each day, gave me lunch and also reimbursed me for up to £20 a night for dinner. Robyn was also allowed to come and stay in my room. She actually did the sight seeing for both of us, but I also got a good taste of a different city other than London. I also got to watch the Croatia vs. Australia game at the local Walkabout (Aussie pub) with a 35 year old MHSOB who pretty much summed up what it means to be an Aussie.
For Robyn’s 23rd Birthday last week we went out for a few drinks with a heap of people including Allison and Nick, Sarah, Davo and Michelle and Kathmandu work friends. We went to a pretty cool pub called the Anchor Tavern which is where Ethan Hunt (a.k.a. Tom Cruise) has a drink with Luther at the end of the first Mission Impossible movie. It was cool as it was right on the Thames and we sat outside and drank the night away.
This past weekend, we travelled to Paris as an extra special celebration for Robyn’s Birthday. We left the booking a little late so we ended up travelling by bus (after 40 hour bus rides in South America, 8 hours seems like a walk in the park). We basically did everything you would want to in the 3 days we spent there. The sites we saw included Arc de Triomphe, Musée du Louvre, Notre Dame, Le Sacré Coeur, La Sainte Chapelle and the Eiffel Tower among others. We loved them all and didn’t even mind the hour and a half wait to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was just really cool being able to explore the city (by foot) and find something new that you didn’t know was there at all.
One of the other attractions of Paris was the food. The bakeries are absolutely brilliant. We visited the same one every morning and were able to try something new every morning and loved everything. For lunch you could easily buy a baguette and find assorted meats and cheeses to fill them. The dinners we had were also great. On the first night, we tried escargot (snails), which was an experience. The taste is fine the texture is terrible. Once you get over the fact that you have a snail in your mouth they are actually alright taste wise. Robyn had a hard time making sure the snail went down rather than back on the plate! If you ever get there, we would also recommend the Fillet Mignon. I don’t know if I have ever tasted better pork.
Apart from work and the sightseeing, we were also able to catch up with friends including Sam and Drew, which was really cool. We did a little sight seeing by day and then hung out in Hyde Park throwing a Frisbee with strangers for hours. By night, we had dinner and drinks to the sound of James Blunt playing live at the O2 festival. Robyn was lucky enough to be given a free ticket by some passing strangers that found it. We also were able to see Royal Albert Hall, The Tower of London and Tower Bridge lit up at night an they were all very impressive.
That’s all we have for now, but in the next few weeks we are planning a trip to Edinburgh for the Edinburgh festival, and then a few weeks later we fly to Stockholm, Sweden for another weekend trip. That will give us plenty more to write about I’m sure.
Till then,
Robyn and Glen