One way to the UK?

Well, woke up this morning and it was raining outside! Last night/yesterday was the Summer Solstice, and it was still light til about 10:30pm or so (i have some pics to post later) and so now the days will start getting darker earlier… and we’re all still just hoping that summer will arrive! Some sunlight not affected by clouds would be really nice.

 The guys were singing Ben Lee in the shower/bathroom this morning…. they have 7 days left in London… it’s going to be quiet without them all around!!! We’re all down on the ‘door list’ for Zoo (niteclub/pub) tonight for Carrie’s farewell do. She’s off the same time as the guys to Europe. So yeah, tonight should be good! Hopefully it’s not pouring rain but it’s not a far walk from the tube station anyway. It’ll be a busy/loud week next week too as it’s Ryan and Joel’s birthdays on 27 June, and then they leave for Europe the next day so they’ll all be up and most likely drunk for all hours! ;o)

Just flicking thru the online news from home… interesting for those in and out of the NT. I’ve already had a ‘heated discussion’ with one Aussie (from Perth) flatmate over here about how it is SO not injustice that the Aborigines are being served, and after living in Alice for 15 years I’ve earned the right to comment without being called racist.

Govt to control 60 NT indigenous areas
Thursday Jun 21 19:03 AEST ©AAP 2007
Alcohol and pornography will be banned in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory as part of unprecedented federal intervention aimed at stamping out widespread child abuse. The commonwealth seized control of 60 Northern Territory Aboriginal communities as Prime Minister John Howard declared the problem of child abuse a “national emergency”. He also announced an increase in police numbers, compulsory health checks for Aboriginal children and changes to the permit system which restricts non-Aboriginal access to indigenous land.

Mr Howard said he was intervening because of the NT government’s failure to act on evidence of systemic child abuse, the sex trade and juvenile prostitution in Aboriginal communities, as spelt out in a damning report last week. The federal government will override territory laws to deal with the crisis and, if necessary, recall parliament in the winter break to push through laws, including reforms to ensure welfare money is spent on essentials like food, instead of drugs and alcohol.

Mr Howard said the measures represented a “dramatic and significant commonwealth intervention” in the territory, but he was unapologetic. “We are dealing with children of the tenderest age who have been exposed to the most terrible abuse from the time of their birth, virtually,” he said. “It is interventionist, it does push aside the role of the territory to some degree – I accept that. But what matters more: the constitutional niceties, or the care and protection of young children?”
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I made scones last night for the house – they turned out pretty good (Em’s recipe from ASH) and so we had a nice dessert. But apart from that Mara and I are trying not to be lil house-wifey people in the share house as once you do something once (ie clean the toilet and shower) the guys thing we’ll do it all the time now!

So work is going pretty well already this week – of sorts anyway! Yesterday the computers went down again, from about 09:30 – 12:45 so we all had a break from doing hard work. Only the lucky people who had saved documents to their desktop could continue working….. of course I hadn’t thought of that, so the only options were internet time and lunch :o)

Computers are all fixed now though, so no slacking off for anyone! I’m on my cup-of-tea-break right now so I’m all clear. Had to post though, I’m sure working in banks etc is still a male-orientated role! ODA and another company are ‘tenants’ through Barclay’s Bank, and us tenants use the one row of 6 ‘lift banks’. There’s not many females on my floor, and the female toilets are unusually quiet, especially compared to the ones at ASH back home (apart from the cleaning lady who always seems to be in the ones here!) and then this morning, in a lift of 16 people – I was the only female in there! Squished in amongst tall men in their suits… would have been ok if some were young-ish and good looking, but no.

Oh and about those lifts – they go so quickly! You’re at the top floor before you even know it – apart from the fact that on ascent and descent you need to hold your nose and blow (ie pressurise your ears)!

Well, as the guys said on Monday when I dragged myself home and upstairs to the lounge… ‘oh look, the backpacker’s a working girl now!’.

My work place is pretty damn cool! I’m in Canary Warfe, inside the Barclay’s Bank building, on the 21st floor – and the walls are all glass!!!!! So from my desk (which I finally claimed on Wednesday along with my own computer, User ID and phone number) I can look in 3 directions and just see the outdoors – all the other big tall buildings and pretty much all of London. It’s like being on Mt Gillen (Wizza) or up Anzac Hill even, and looking out as far as you can see…. only that here it’s all buildings!!!!! The Olympic Delivery Committee seems to be a great group so far, and CLM, the Delivery Parter, who I’m actually working for is a group of very laid-back people, who get the job done. My work is reaally quite easy, probably the reason why I’m not getting paid that well!!! But next time (next job placement) I’m asking my agency for more Pounds!

So yes… settling into work still but the first week was good! Went out with Ali Wednesday night and we went to Oceans 13 along with Ed and Tia (so pretty much the 3 people I met through Sarah C at Derby Day!). Movie was pretty good – not as good as Oceans 11 though… and I hope they don’t make a #14 cuz that will suck.

Mara and I went ‘marketing’ today – however the weather… where is summer???… wasn’t that great. Portobello Road market is sooooo long!!! Walked all of it – saw some strange things and some good things but didn’t buy a single thing haha. Luckily this morning we both grabbed the umbrellas as htey came in use very often today!

Well… Thursday and Friday Mara and I did pretty much the same thing –> shopping on Oxford Street (for shoes of course) and had Sushi for lunch yummm! There are some great little places around but it just takes a while to find exactly where they are and we keep forgetting which tube station they’re near! Mind you, on Friday we dropped by Canary Wharf so I know where to go on Monday morning, and there was a sushi place there too which is great!

Neither of us ended up buying any shoes… i know – what the? But Mara couldn’t find a pair of black work shoes that was ‘just perfect’ for both of us and I only liked one pair of casual shoes, which were sketchers and the first shop had the style/colour but not my size, and then the actual sketchers shop didn’t stock them! ?? I’m doing an online shopping search for them now :o)

Friday night ‘the house’ (13 or 14 of us living in 10a Grove Road at the moment) all started with a few drinks at home, and some card games, and then all quite smashed-ly made our way to the tube station and over to Clapham Common to a nightclub called Inferno…. it’s an okay place to visit maybe just once in your time here, and it’s definitely dodgy when you sober up and so much worse if you ever see it in daylight as I did this morning! Clapham is pretty much the other side of town to Mile End, and once Mara and I were ready to go home at about 4am-ish the tubes had obviously stopped, so we caught a bus to somewhere in the city, and were going to find another bus to get home… but got a Taxi instead! By the time we got home the sun was about to rise, and then all the other flatmates got home too and I know some of them continued drinking! Was still a good night out, but rest night last night! I went out with Ali (alistair) a new brit friend of mine and his mates, watched them play football (…soccer) then we headed to a pub for drinks (i was on detox) and then we all went out for dinner at a italian place which was nice… then we headed to a club in Balham which wasn’t TOO bad, it’s just that I hate having to pay cover charges for everything over here! If there was a decent band or DJ then you probably wouldn’t mind paying, but hrmmm yeah. Just something to get used to I guess!

Weather’s nice at the moment — hopefully it will stay good! Need to go check out the gym tonight or this week after work.

Well, I had a great interview and registration with Tate, and as Jenny my agent there said, it was just fate that I walked in and registered at the time I did – as she had a client with two great jobs up for offer! I was a little surprised when I got to Tate and had to sit tests as I hadn’t been told about them! But it wasn’t too bad – it was all on computer and testing word, excel, powerpoint and typing etc. I have a typing result of 78 words-per-minute with a 97.9% accuracy which I, and the Tate girls thought was fantastic ;o)

An interview was set up the next day (yesterday) via phone with another lovely lady, this one from the employer, the Olympic Delivery Authority – so yes, little Aussie is going to be working for CLM a conglomorate (sp?) subcompany of the 2012 London Olympic Games!!! I’m going to be working in Logistics… will expand more once I have attended work and training! Not that I can mention much anyway cuz there’s lots of confidentiality to respect. The office is on the 23rd floor of the Barclay’s Bank Building down in Canary Wharf – a gorgeous newly developed business park district of London. So I’m looking forward to that – and finally earning some Pounds!!!

Mara and I went to the city today and have just returned to Mile End after walking for about 2 hours all around the city, from almost one end to another before getting the tube home, so my feet are stuffed and we’re off to have dinner :o)

Returning to Mile End on Sunday and actually getting to finally unpack our pack and suitcase and just have our own area was sooo nice! It can be a bit annoying to live out of the pack and case and so despite the small amount of storage space in the room, Mara and I have made the most of it! I will try and post some photos 10a Grove Road soon.

Went shopping on Oxford Street today, and literally walked the entire, entire length of Oxford – it is soooo long! There are like 2 or 3 of most shops along the street, obviously so that you aren’t required to go the entire distance just to get to specific things….. except that’s exactly what we had to do when looking for Primark to get our ‘homewares’ things! We went all around Mile End (well part of it, to Roman St) this evening and although the feet are ‘pinging’ the walk was good and ended with me booking a hair-dye-roots-fix-up for tomorrow afternoon and having dinner at a great Indian Tandoori place.

I have my job agency registration meeting tomorrow from 12:00 – 14:00 and wanted to fix my hair before then, but oh well! They’re only doing the roots (top layer only) and charging £25 which isn’t too bad! I should have chased back the apprentices from Toni & Guy today – every time we walk down Oxford Street the apprentices always approach us asking if we can be models to get our hair done — hello I’m starting to get a complex thinking that my hair is really shite because of it! I’m sure they’ll come in useful when it does get long and ratty and needs a trim but I did only get it cut three weeks ago!!!

Mara and I flew from Jersey to Gatwick Friday afternoon, got the tube out to Mile End, emptied our packs, re-packed with clothes for the races and weekend and then got the tube, then national rail out to Sutton to meet up with Sarah and Emma – thanks so much again for letting us stay at your place Sarah! This was all in preparation to attend Derby Day to 1. view the races and 2. celebrate sarah’s approaching birtrhday.

Pronounced Darby Day, even Queenie turned up on this years cup day to mark the 54th anniversary since her coronation! Mind you all we could see on the screen on The Hill was a blue blob with a hat on walking amongst the owners and jockeys!
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Oh look, the writing in the post about Jersey is all screwey but it’s staying that way!!!

I think the weather gods heard me planning my day of sunbaking in St Malo, and so whilst in Jersey after umming and ahhing over the cost of the return Ferry to France, we booked it at about 11:30pm, to leave on the HDFerry at about 07:30 Wednesday morning and returning at 22:00 that evening. Well when I woke up, early (even before my alarm!) I could hear a noise outside and after thinking it was probably unlikely to be someone watering the roads I looked out the blinds and saw rain! Bucketing rain and cold winds and no, the ferry doesn’t get cancelled due to rough seas!

Mara and I quite enjoyed St Malo France, however it would have been much better with sunny and warm weather! We spent most of the day in the ‘walled city’ and stayed in restaurants, cafes and shops in-between dodging the rain storms! The weather did eventually clear up from about 5pm onwards which was nice. But yes, the day was overly pretty good and we tasted lots of French cuisine and I bought some proper gold earrings (to stop the infection in my newly pierced ears) and also a small handbag to carry my things if I ever go out partying (hehe). Everything seemed a little cheaper than in the UK as it was all Euros!

Well it’s been a few days since writing!

Mara’s Granny and Pops have shown us both great hospitality! We are based in St Helier, which to the south of the Island, and you can just see the French coast from the shores (or their lounge room window). We’re actually staying at Mark and Karen’s house (Mara’s uncle and aunt) which is right near the Jersey Cemetery which is a little odd considering you can see the head-stones when you look out the kitchen/hall windows!!! Granny and Pops have driven us to everywhere on the Island, and I even got sunburnt on our first day out when we had lobster with salad for lunch followed by strawberries and cream at Greve de Lecq to the North. Also visited Grosnez Castle on Piemont Bay, St Ouen’s Bay, went along the 5 Mile Road (and stopped for ice-cream), St Brelade’s Bay and St Aubin’s Bay. To see the Island and the paths etc you can check out www.mybus.je to get an understanding of the small size of the place, but also of all the sights we have seen already if you so wish!Friday was spent ‘in town’… the main place is not really a city, and yet it’s bigger than Alice Spring’s CBD and low-and-behold better shops too so it’s not really a town either. We walked here there and everywhere and found some really nice bakeries in the Market Square where they sell chocolate-filled donuts (similar to jam filled ones…) and tartlets covered with fresh strawberries etc, etc! So yes, I will need to get into the gym routine in London! Oh also – some of you know how I do not eat potato because I really just don’t like them… well that was until I discovered the Jersey Royals! I think it’s the only place in the world I’ll willingly buy and eat potatoes! Don’t know how to describe them, but better than any spud I’ve ever eaten.

Saturday was spent at the Jersey Foire (Fair), which was actually pretty good! There wasn’t entirely a whole lot there, but enough to see and taste to keep us occupied! Things included ‘Jersey Own’ products where we tasted a drink very similar to Bailey’s but made with Jersey Cream… don’t worry we made sure it was after midday when we were drinking it! The French come over (from France…) with various produce, and we bought some brie cheese & stinky blue cheese from one stand, strawberries, baby radishes & gigantic shell peas from another, lemon olives & marinated baby mushrooms from another, and after trying every sausage-type on another stand we bought a pork salami type thing. You have to imagine, especially for those from Alice Springs… all the little tasty morsels of things you can only buy in jars at home, or vegies that are nearly dead, over here are SO FRESH and vibrant and so very tasty! We’ve been told actually that produce in London is pretty crap – hence stocking up on our good foods whilst in Jersey! I think with the price of meat over here we’re going to eat vegetarian for a while in London too… Sarah said even English people don’t eat steak as it’s too expensive! ME with no scotch fillet for a while – unbelievable, hey Tys! At the fair we also had lovely ice-cream smooth from ‘Naughty Monkey’, it’s like Cold Rock Ice creamery in that you choose which chocolate bar you want munched into your smoothie!
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