These photos are in reverse chronological order - but here is the text and the photos - have had trouble getting this updated so rather than keep you waiting here are the photos and some stories:
So many days have passed since we went to Windsor and Eton and what a lot has changed!
2.5 house moves, a trip overseas and visits from friends.
We spent the good part of March working some insane hours and looking for new places to live, after we decided we’d had enough of being told how to wash clothes or when to turn the heater off. Word to the wise – never ever live with your landlord. Even I wouldn’t live with my own tenants!
We explored different parts of London, including Greenwich, Surrey Quays, Putney, Hampstead and Angel. We wanted to see where we could see ourselves living and top of the list was to not have dozens of council flats on your doorstep – which can be hard to avoid in London – and to have shops, cafes, bars and a safe and friendly atmosphere.
While exploring Greenwich, we took the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to Lewisham – the Dandenong of London – because T wanted to check out the Primark store. Along the High Street D came across a pub named after himself (Dylan’s) which was directly next door to a Reed recruitment agency. Weird huh?
As it turned out our saviours in London – Mel, Ben and Eveline came to our rescue once again and allowed us to doss on their couch until we could sort out a place to live. Our other saviours – my cousins - also came to our rescue and Louise and Paul came all the way to London and helped us to move from Bow to the Bush (She Bu).
We spent a weekend away in Bedford celebrating my cousin Gwen’s birthday which was great fun.
Our stay on the couch in She Bu was fleeting, as before too long, friends from work offered us the chance to rent a room in their flat in Fulham. We moved in shortly after – by bus – great fun! (joke)
Since then we found a flat of our own and we moved in last week. It’s in Fulham also and it will be home to the soon to be formed Team Fulham of Dylan, Tessa and Minh. (MT arriving 29th April)
We had a very short visit from Jacoco and Micha in late March and we had a few drinks in the evening with them and the Scotsman.
Our first overseas trip since we arrived was at Easter. We flew out of Stanstead airport on Good Friday – en route to Altenburg, Germany. It is the smallest airport I’ve ever been too – it’s even smaller than Plaine Coraille Airport in Rodrigues!! The Ryan Air flight we took is the only flight into the ex-military airbase airport each day.
We spent Good Friday strolling through the streets of Chemnitz, where Jacoco, Micha, Stefan and Anna live and taking some touristy and stoopid shots! Chemnitz was officially known as Karlmarxstadt during the GDR or Eastern Bloc period, and only in 1990 when Eastern and Western Germany were re-unified did it become Chemnitz. It is full of 70’s and 80’s soviet architecture, and home to the biggest bronze carved head in the world – of Karl Marx himself.
On Easter Saturday, we headed to Dresden for the day. It is so amazing to see a city that was almost completely razed to ground, being rebuilt stone by stone to its former glory. It’s an amazing city, which despite its years of history and the numerous historical buildings, has a new and youthful feeling to it.
On Easter Saturday night, we enjoyed the company of Micha’s friends Sandra, Andreas and Kevin. And Papa loved Mambo!
On Easter Sunday, Jacoco had prepared a breakfast spread – typically German, with crusty rolls, loads of cheeses, cold meats, jams etc was great! When Micha, Stefan and Anna arrived we had an Easter egg hunt and pigged out on German shokolade!
Then we learned how to play Ligretto and had a few games of poker, while enjoying German wine and beer and eating Russian Shaslicks and potato salad – thanks to Anna and Jacoco.
On Easter Monday after a relaxing brunch and cup of RoiBos tea on the balcony at Micha’s overlooking the city of Chemnitz, we headed back to the little airport for our flight back to London – home.
