Woo Hoo!! I got a new job, I got a new job.... I start on Monday with the Aids Alliance in Brighton. Better position, better organisation,and better pay!! The interview I was supposed to have on Tuesday didn't happen til Thursday and I was starting to wonder if the agency who'd called me about it was pulling my leg. But as it turns out, no legs were pulled, and I have something to go to on Monday that it a lot more 'me'!
It's closer to the train station which means no more getting up around 6am, and I get home earlier too! The organisation seems a lot nicer than here, and the position sounds pretty interesting, well the one I should be moving into. To begin with I'll be doing data entry backlogged work and that lasts for about 3 -4 weeks, then another position comes available - at least they think so - in Admin for their policies department, and also helping out with their marketing and communications division. So it sounds like it will be reasonably varied, and interesting. They want me for that role as well which will go for about 6 months or more, so hey presto, I've got something that I like and pays reasonably well!

I'm still off to London this evening to see Aaron and Marie, but have forgotten my mobile phone battery and may not be able to catch up with the others which is a bit of a bummer, but maybe I can sort something out - dunno. Either way it should be a good evening still.

I did make one friend here at future media though - Dina, who is a lovely American girl. She's just moved over here as well and is going through the whole getting used to England thing too. It's nice to know someone in a similar position to myself, plus she's really nice, so I've made my first friend! She's living about another 10 minutes east of Brighton, so a little far from Hastings, but not too far. I'm sure they'll be up to visit at some stage. It's good to have some friends close by rather than having to go up to London to connect with mates. Still a trip to London every now and then is a bit of fun!

We had a huge storm last night. Lots of lashing rain, thunder and an awesome lightning show. Was brilliant, although walking home through it wasn't the best of fun. Being home and cozy though and watching it from inside was a lot better. It lasted for ages, and makes the flat feel really warm and nestish while it's pissing it down outside. I just want to get that fire going though, to add to the whole snuggly feeling. Soon it will be working though, I'm sure.

The train trip in is getting better each time too. I am remembering to take the necessary book for entertainment, and the scenery is pretty good. In the mornings it starts with a beautiful sunrise, views of the beach and sea, and then undulating hills and small cottages. There is a ruined castle somewhere along the way as well, just stuck out in the middle of some guys paddock - or maybe I should say 'some geezer's field'?

Almost the end of the week, and some exciting things are in store for this weekend. Yep, we've got a special on visits from older brothers, and their wives. Normally it'd be a quick trip back to Aus, but as a special offer, for this weekend only, I get to see my older brother in London - YAY!! So I'm off back to London again this Friday after work. I'll be heading up to Kings Cross, apparently much like the Kings Cross in Sydney (but I shall let you know about that one...Can't be as good as ours now can it??) meeting with Aaron & Marie and then the next day traveling with them to Essex (apparently a little like Moe, but again I shall let you know, I doubt they have a delicious Belinda, or Jayden Lesky there...)
Once in Essex I shall be dressing in my finest Vietnamese clothes and attending a wedding where I plan to drink copious amounts and have a laugh... Seeing that I won't know a soul other than Aaron and Marie, I figure what the hell? I promise not to end up on the floor though. The wedding is out in the country side, and Marie's parents (whom I will be staying with for the night after the wedding) live in a converted what-cha-ma-call-it - one of those houses that they build next to churches for priests and such... Can't think of the name of it, but I guess the description is good enough. (If not don't go playing charades any time soon...) Sounds really pretty and from the photos I have seen it looks really nice as well. If I get the chance I'm going to head off into the country side for a nice long walk in the brisk weather. Maybe to clear a hangover on the Sunday... Mmm shall have to remember to take coffee with me if I do.
On the Sunday, when we are all feeling human again, Aaron and Marie are going to come and visit my new flat!! I'm a bit excited about that actually, it's all looking pretty nice now and there are only a few bits and pieces that we want to get to finish it all off. They're going to stay the night, and possibly Monday night. So Sunday will be more beer and bourbon... And a look about town, I think we should visit a pub in the old town... Maybe the pump house... Shall decide when they get here. Ooh it's all a bit exciting really, it's like having my whole family to visit in one person.... And that sounds really strange and I encourage all that are reading this not to think about that last comment too much.
I am off for an interview today at lunch time, the Aids Alliance in Brighton are looking for someone for data entry. Not the most exciting of jobs, but at least it's back with a charity, and apparently there is another position coming up shortly with them that may be my kind of thing... We shall see. Either way I need to leave here. Getting up at 6.15am to start work at 9 is a bit much and not getting home til 8pm is horrendous. Plus the work here is mind numbing, and they would rather I sat at my desk between calls tapping my fingers than actually doing something. I'd do anything at all really rather than sit and imagine my brain melting out my ears from lack of use. So we shall see what comes of this new one. I'm going to have to quit this future media malarky anyway, there's no way I am getting up at 5 to be at work by 8, that is just the height of ridiculous-ness!
The data entry one is only supposed to be for 3 to 4 weeks anyway, and if I can ingratiate myself with these people in that time well and good. But if not there is an agency in Hastings that can get me a job within a few days which would be local, so no more travel to Brighton, and I am sorted either way that the coin lands. Well and good really.

Brrr! Today's walk to the train station was a little windy to say the least, and splattered with rain that seemed to be blown from the clouds, rather than voluntarily falling. Sometimes all things need a bit of a push I guess.... Still I got there reasonably dry (thanks to my Kathmandu coat!) and on time. Only a quarter past 7, and I didn't start til 9. Took a little less than an hour and a half, and then I was in Brighton. The world had woken up by the time that I arrived here, and the sun had decided to shine! It actually looks like it might be a nice day!

Mark and I moved into our new place over the weekend. Already it feels like home. Most things have found a place, and there's a few bits and bobs that we still need, but overall it's bloody fantastic. I wish I could download a picture of it, but as yet I am not that technologically advanced, I am working on it though.

We took nearly all that we had and needed with us down on Friday night. I'd trekked up from Brighton on the train to meet Mark at Sam's place (in London). He'd already been down to Hastings once that day to sort out keys and drop off the first load. So after a few beers with Sam it was back in the van and down to the coast - Hastings here we come!! We didn't get there until about 1am - mainly due to hanging about at Sam's and drinking beers and smoking the od spliff... But it was good to walk in our very own door, and know that it wasn't the couch or someone else's bed that we were sleeping in.... and to wake up the next day with a huge headache because we'd left the heating on... and maybe because of those beers?

The central heating here is phenomenal, so warm, if you're not careful you end up living in an oven it gets so damn hot. But here I am sounding like I am complaining (maybe I'm turning English??), when really it'd be much worse if there was no central at all.... Still I want to test out our fireplace, but we need to check with the landlady first, just to make sure it works and we're allowed to use it. Don't really want to severely burn myself.

We checked out our local on Saturday - 'The Angel'... and decided not to go there again. But lucky for us there are another two pubs close buy, both just a very short walk around the corner. One looks really cozy and I am hoping that they do pub meals - perfect for a Friday night. So that's the mission for us, to check out all the pubs in town (and there are quite a few) and decided which will be our favorites. Not a bad little project if I do say so myself, and I did.

It's Halloween soon - bit exciting really as I have never celebrated it before in any way, shape, or form. Apparently we have to get some lollies in and hand them out to people that come knocking, whilst wearing a pumpkin on your head - sounds suspiciously American to me - but I think I may go buy the lollies, then lock the door, turn the lights off and scoff them myself!

After Halloween we have Guy Fawkes night (I have no idea if I spelt this mans name right, apologies if not) which I think will be my favorite festivity as it's all about burnin' it, and fireworks, and quite frankly I LOVE fireworks, and burnin' it ain't so bad either... unless of course it's treated pine.... Seems that people get in a bit of practice before the actual night as there have been a few bangs followed by sparkles over the past week or so, which I'm glad to have witnessed. Mark and I are going to buy a bundle or 'selection box' (sounds like chocolates, but it's even better!!) and have a go. I'm so damn excited about it, I'll probably end up blowing myself up, but what a way to go - as a huge sparkle it the sky!!

So it's all happening as winter sets in here, and we get ready to be snuggly in front of the fire and have some fun with fireworks! YAY!

Well it is almost the end of my first working week, and boy am I glad to see it!! The initial joy of finally finding a job and getting some cash in, has now been over ridden by the fact that I have to get up every morning, don the work clothes and trudge into the office for a flourecent lit desk and glare of my computer. Still it's not so bad, at least it's warmer in the office than outside...
I'm sure there are other good points, but they're not springing to mind at the moment. Although I have a job, I am still on the hunt for another that will be closer to home, and hopefully better pay! Still I can't complain, some work is better than none and getting paid a low wage is better than not getting paid at all! So there it is - the other part of the bright side!! So proud of myself for finding it!!
Tomorrow after work I train it back to London and get my things together to move down to Hastings. Not being hasty at all, but I am soo looking forward to having my own place again (well I will be sharing with Mark, but I can still call it mine can't I?) And then the whole weekend free to do NUTTIN!! Laze about in bed I think and maybe see if the fireplace works... Put up some of the things I collected in my travels and make it feel like my home! Yay!!
Hastings is only about 1 hour south of London, and a really pretty drive there as well. Undulating country side, green hills and lots of hedges, in fact you can't really get away from the hedges anywhere, not that you'd really want to, they aren't dangerous, and instead are quite pretty and soft looking. You go through Kent, and other interesting places like Pratts bottom, and Lower tit... No I made that last one up, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a town up north.
This week I have been dossing in Brighton (where I am working) at a hostel on the beach front. It's reasonably nice - clean, comfortable and warm. You couldn't really ask for more. Breakfast is included in the price so I've been eatting up large in the mornings before work, at £15 per night I figure they owe me a good big breakfast. And who cares if I look a little piggy of a morning munching my way through 4 slices of toast, a bowl of cereal and slurping my coffee?? I'm sure that no one's watching... well no I'm not sure, but I don't care anyway.
The weather has been pretty good actually. Hail last night and gale force winds gave way this morning to brilliant sun and a crisp and nippley breeze. It's still pretty as the trees haven't lost ALL of their leaves yet, and are holding onto a few yellows, reds and golds to keep a little cheer around. Apparently this winter is going to be the worst on record. Kinda funny that the people here get such a kick out of having 'the worst ever', but I suppose you've gotta be proud of something.... Not that there isn't anything to be happy about here, there is.
The place where I am working, as I said is in Brighton, in the part they call 'the lanes' which is basically the bit with lots of little winding paved streets and alleyways that aren't wide enough to let fat people through. Very quaint and sweet, also very easy to get lost. It seems that no-one had heard of the 'grid system' when they were building around here - or anywhere in England for that matter. If you take a wrong turn anywhere, you can't just take the next street to get back to the road you were on, no that would probably take you to the other side of town, or to the next town even. I am getting rather good at retracing my steps and memorising the streets so as not to become as hopelessly lost as I have been in the past here.
Anyways, I will try to be a better blogger in future, I have been a bit crap since arriving here and having to knuckle down to get a job, but now that's done I should have a bit of spare time to keep you all up to date on what's going on around here. Anyway, promises, promises, I shall see how I go, and leave you with a picture.....

Hope this works, It doesn't look as though it has.... Jess if you are reading this can you send me the details of how to ad a picture again, it seems that I am skipping something I need.

Yesterday and today turned out to be bloody brilliant! I got an email from an old highschool friend of mine - Em. I haven't seen her for at least 6 or 7 years and I'd been trying to get in touch with her and was having minimal luck, so to get something from her was at once strange and delightful! She also passed on details of anothe highschool buddy who is over this way and living in Edinburgh. I sent her off a happy birthday email, and spun her out. We'll catch up at some stage, either when I head north or when she come south to the seaside.

Em and I met up last night at a pub in Soho, and wow, it was wicked. Em looks and is just the same as I remember her. Still setting up different friends of hers with each other, still a good laugh, and loads of fun. I ended up getting reasonably pissed and missing the last train home, so stayed with her and her man - Aaron - in London town. I had my first ride in a black cab, and am proud to say that I acted the complete tourist, gawking at the sights and clicking away with my phone/camera. Made the cabby laugh, and he was a good sport having his photo taken with me when we arrived home.

This morning I woke with a banging head, but after going back to sleep till 11, I was as right as rain - the rain that was beating on the window. That slow gin, although bloody tasty creeps up on you, but then the numerous beers probably had a hand in it, and possibly the shots as well.

But the rain cleared up and after a cup o' tea we (George - Aaron's dad, Aaron's brother (no, not Lincoln) and Dave) all trotted off down the street to the Tate Modern. Wow!! It was wicked! Loved it, so awe inspiring.. All those sculptures and paintings that I have only ever drooled over in art books at home, to see 'in the flesh' was brilliant. The pictures don't do them justice, Rodin Giacometti, brilliant, loved it. Makes me want to get my hands into some clay again, and the good thing about that is that I will be able to soon, I'll have my own little place down by the sea in Hastings! But aaah, the things in there. I will definietly be going back soon, when I haven't had such a big night the evening before.

Right accross from the Tate is St Pauls Cathedral. Whenever I looked at it the first thing that would pop into my head was that episode from the goodies where the giant kitten wreaks havoc in London with its playful ways. It really is great though to see these things 'for real' when I've read so much about them, or seen the so often at home on telly. All I need now is to get one of those tandem bikes, or bikes for three to cycle around on and complete my England/London fantasy.

Tomorrow I am off to Hastings with Mark for a few days work. Nothing terribly exciting but it will put some much appreciated and needed cash in my pocket. And then soon enough we will be down there for good, or good-ish.

So the work situation here in the UK is proving to be a little more complicated than I first thought.... Still it's early days and things are on the way to getting sorted. Last week I went down to visit Ash in Worthing, and Steve, as he was down to visit Ash as well.

Was good as I got to end things properly with Steve and the whole divorce thing. And although it was a little strange at first, and throughout my stay there I'm glad that I went down there. Seems like won't be seeing too much more of Ash or Steve though.... I guess that's the way of these things and there's no regrets on my part, other than a little sadness at the ending of that era or part of my life. But everything keeps changing and it would be bloody boring if they stayed the same.

Going to Worthing proved to be reasonably successful as far as the job search went, and I have a few positions that I am waiting to hear back about. So fingers crossed that something comes up soon and I have some cash coming in shortly.

Mark and I went to look for a flat or house in Hastings (on the south coast) late last week as well and we've found a great little place which over looks the sea and a park. It's really pretty in Hastings - rolling hills, woods, cliffs and the sea!! Everything I could want. There's heaps of castles and ancient buildings around as well. Small winding streets and little lanes. It's beautiful and aside from wanting my own place, I'm looking forward to moving somewhere as picturesque and peaceful as there. Walks in the wood and snuggling up in front of the fire are definitely on the agenda when we get there.

So in a few weeks time we'll be down there and sorting out things for our new place! Furniture wise and such we don't have a lot but that too doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, things are being donated from friends who've just moved out of their place, and I have plenty of bits and pieces that I collected on my travels to make the place homely.

Getting a bank account and National Insurance number here is seemingly near impossible!! The bank wants me to have been in the country for 6 months before they will even give me an account, and national insurance say that I need to be working before I can have a number, and of course all of these things I need in order to get a job, work and get paid!! Arrrrgh, it's all going around in circles, but I'm sure I can work it out, one way or another. At least I'll have a home soon, which is a good start.

The people I have been staying with have been fantastic, and really done me a huge favour by giving me somewhere to stay while I sort all this out. Hopefully I will be able to return the favour one day, in some way.

Anyway, that's about it. I've been looking for work, and trying to sort mundane things like that out, so there isn't too much to write about. Once that's sorted though I'll be able to take a look around England and hopefully my blogs will become a little more interesting.

Ah ha! I'm in England and looking for work. A bit of a shock to the system, and not such a nice way to burst the old travel bubble, but as 'they' say, better sooner than later, although in this case I don't quite agree....Have only been here for about a week, and am staying with some friends of Marks. It's cold and damp, but seeing that it is the start of Autumn (my favorite season) I can't really expect temperatures similar to where I have been, plus I have a riot of colour awaiting me which more than makes up for the cold!

I've been a bad blogger as I have been using all my computer time on the job hunt, and getting about looking for work. It'll be pretty much the same until I do catch one - hopefully a nice juicey one too! Still it's paying off, I have 3 interviews this Monday, down in Brighton and that way, so hopefully something will come of it!

On Sunday I am off to the south to visit my friend -Ash - near Brighton. It's also where I am looking for work & wanting to live, I don't think I wanna get stuck in London, and being by the beach (even if it is full of pebbles) sounds better than the city. I can always come north for a visit to London when I want, and it's closer to France.... Everything is so damn close here it's BRILLIANT!

Looks like I will be bumping into Steve shortly too. He's down at Ash's place at the moment and is supposed to be leaving early next week. It'll be good to catch up and put a cap on everything from the past 2 years or so... Almost exactly 2 years since I have seen him, 1 week shy. Anyway if worse comes to worse, I can always leave!

Had no luck with a job with Oxam here, the contact I had leaves at the end of this week - today - and she suggested I do volunteer work to begin with, which although may be good, it won't feed me.... The only other job I found in charity work is in Northern Ireland, and I dunno if I wanna go there either... Still there is plenty to apply for and chase after here.

Anyway, that's about it. Enough of talking about work etc. I went into Earls Court the other day, just for a look about and my first experience on the train here. I got lost on the way back, but thankfully people here speak the same language, so I was able to get some good directions and find my way back. Haven't been all the way into the city yet, may leave that for a couple of weeks depending on what happens next week with these interviews..... Ahh here I go talking about working again. And all the travel stuff seems aeons away now.... Routine and normalicy....