The Tourist

London April - June 2008 Part Two

rebhorgan — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:20:00 GMT

My mum always said that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. So I have thought long and hard about the final story for the end of my time in London. This is the final of two drafts.

I could tell you about the people of London. I could tell you about their self-obsession, their materialism, their vaniety. I could tell you about the underlying presence of fear, that pervades every situation in which you encounter people, from passing someone on the street, to being alone at night on the bus. I could tell about the disgusting and revolting attitude that men have towards women, their stares and their comments. A chauvinism that I have no time for. I could tell you about the women. But then that really wouldn't be nice at all.

So I won't. Instead a list about all the things that I have enjoyed and will cherish about London. Caffe Nero Mocha's; Kew Gardens; The train trips out into the countryside; Curry and Vodka in Soho; Brunch with crossiant and coffee from the Bread Shop on Turnham Green Church Common; the gym; Wine and giggles with Andi and Toby; the Fulham nightlife experience with Brit; Greenwich village and markets; the West End and the Theatre.

I am leaving london in 3 sleeps. Whilst I am a little sad to be leaving friends, I am stoked to be out of here.

Since my last report I ventured out of London twice. I have been to Sherborne in Dorset and stayed with William's lovely grandparents. We visited Cerne Abbas - the big roman giant in the field, Weymouth Beach, Portland where the olympic sailing will be, Chesil Beach, West Bay and Bridport. I have visited old clients in their home in Dorking, Surrey. We saw the estate where the Queen Mother had her honeymoon, we saw the church that was used for the end wedding scene from Bridget Jones' Diary 2 and the house where The Holiday was filmed.

I have ventured up London Eye, which may I suggest is NOT ideal for those who have fear of height issues. Westminster Abbey was a highlight, especially the poets corner. We have ventured into Kew Gardens for the treetop walk, again not for the faint hearted. Flugtag with 80,000 people in Hyde park and the West end stage show the Sound of Music was a brilliant birthday weekend treat and another highlight. Various musuems and churches along the way have all been very interesting. My Aunt and Uncle visited on their way to France, which was great to see them and catch up on the news from NZ.

Catching up with friends from NZ has been great. One thing about travelling I have learnt is that it is best when shared - Quinn where are you?? I have spent a few nights out - a real true blue london experience out with Brit in Fulham, a wonderful curry night in Soho with Andi and Tobes, getting familiar with the locals and their habits - its all going on here.

A ferry trip to Greenwich a few weekends ago was awesome. We visited the observatory, the naval museum and crossed under the Thames in the foot tunnel. I will dearly miss our picnics.

I don't think I will be back to London. I think I was always going to be hard to please. Also I have always come with the mindset that I was only here for a short time and I am really keen to get my backpack on again. I am restless.

So onwards and upwards from here. I fly to Paris on sunday where I stay for a week with Debbie, Bruno and the kids. We then travel down to Corsica from there. Two months of watching the kids on the beach in 30 degree heat. Life's tough, but someone has to do it.

London April - June 2008

rebhorgan — Wed, 7 May 2008 11:01:00 GMT

Arriving into Heathrow, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had been told on many occasions, 'you won't know what hit you when you land into Heathrow'. I am sure that finding the tube could have been a mission, but it was a quiet Sunday, the airport was empty. The only slightly unsettling thing was all the immigration officers staring at you as if you were guilty of drug trafficking or some other heinous crime.

Thankfully Andi was there ready to go and we hopped on the train. The initial impression coming from the west of London was how grey everything looked. This was probably more stark than usual, when in contrast to the bright yellow of Bahrain. However the sun popped through the clouds and the rest of the afternoon was spent along the side of the Thames, sharing a bottle of wine and a meal at a traditional ole' English pub. We even had to bend down to get under some the doorways.

The temperature was the first thing that I remember – after 35 degree days in Bahrain, 12 degrees in the rain was not welcome! Toby and I ventured into town the following day by double decker bus – this is how he gets to work and it is great to see so much of the city from up there. I sorted my banking and mobile, and spent the rest of the day wondering the main shopping streets of Regent and Oxford Street. So so many people, negotiating the footpaths and side streets was a constant battle!

Andi and Toby live in the west of London – Chiswick. It is a really lovely area, within 3 minutes walking distance from the main street, the tube and the bus stop. Their flat is lovely and cosy and their hospitality second to none. They have gone out of their way to make me feel at home and I would have been, and still would be truly lost without their help and company. The area is middle class, with a lot of young families. It has some lovely parks all around the area and is very green.

I had an interview with a law agency on my third day here, my first real test at negotiating the tubes. Of course I got too excited and got of a station too early, ending in a 20 minute walk to the office, in the rain, in my suit! The interview went well, but I could feel the beginnings of a flu. The tubes in the heart of central London are chocca in the mornings and actually quite unsettling when you think of the 7 July bombings. The damage that it did do, being so far underground with so many people is really awful.

Getting a flu, is quite possibly the worst thing when arriving. The weather didn't help, being grey and raining. When I passed the flu onto Andi I felt terrible!

It probably wasn't the best time to decide on my employment situation, but I started to notice how quickly you can go through the pound – living here is expensive and I wanted to have some money coming in. Law work would have meant temping, on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the job. It was first in, first served and work was not guaranteed. It would also have meant travelling, mostly by tube, to the office, which could have been across town and could potentially take hours. The other thing was a new wardrobe and my lack of enthusiasm for going back into an office.

So one look on gumtree and an email and I had an interview the next day with Liz. In the meantime, I spent a lovely day with my Auntie Trish in South Kensington. We walked through Kensington High street and found the most delicious chocolate cafe called Paul. Friday I ventured out to the Tower of London, tower bridge, The globe theatre, Tate Modern and St Pauls. It was a great way to see the city and meant lots of walking. The Tate is amazing and I will definitely be going back. The best thing is that all the museum's are free. Saturday after my interview with Liz, we headed into town wondered down past Downing St, past the Horse Guards and into St James' park for lunch. Buckingham palace was a slight let down, however massive it was. The flag was up so Lizzie was home. We the wondered through to Piccadilly Circus and down to NZ house. We happened upon a NZ shop selling all the good stuff like Burger rings and moros. Phew.

I moved into Liz and William's house on the Sunday and have been there ever since. It is about 10 minutes walk to Andi and Toby's. Liz works in the film industry, with the likes of Peter Jackson and has a contract until the end of June – working out perfectly for me. William is 9, loves football and is growing on me. We had his 9 year old birthday party last week, taking 8 9 year olds to the movies made for an interesting Friday night! Getting to be at home with an English family has been lovely. They are very kind and yesterday I spent the day with Liz's sister Sarah wondering through Kew Gardens. It was magic and in a city this size, such gardens would be necessary for one's sanity! Although wondering around, I kept thinking that I am so lucky, having grown up with this much space as my backyard and in that respect, Kew gardens and any gardens in the middle of a city pale in comparison to wonderful countryside of rural New Zealand and the landscape of Central Otago. I have been truly spoilt and will be hard to impress when it comes to the outdoors.

I have also had a chance to catch up with Brit – in Notting Hill over the weekend. I did happen to find the Portobello markets just after she left – so we will have to go back! It was neat to wonder through the cobbled streets, with side shops and stalls and every other person in London (we were shoulder to shoulder).

This week the plan is the London eye – given that the weather is so good. I have my days free when William is at school and have joined a gym, so will be kept busy by that and sightseeing. I am also taking French lessons, in preparation of the upcoming shift to Corsica in July. The weekends I will generally always have free too, so have planned a few trips away – to Surrey, Manchester and Southampton. This weekend may involve a ferry to Greenwich or a car trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.

The plan was always to come back to London after Corsica, however I am just not sure I am sold on London. The Middle East seems exotic and I loved it....maybe Dubai...maybe dreaming!! however watch this space.

Anyway keep the emails and comments coming. Check out the photos – some with me in them as requested! I am glad that the past two weeks are over – it can be a daunting task leaving a life and restarting again, especially when you leave your boyfriend behind!! I will write again soon with more photos once I have done some more sightseeing.

First Stop = Bahrain, second week

rebhorgan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:39:00 GMT

Marhaba, (hello)

In my final days here on the Island, and with the impending trip to London where I imgaine I will be far too busy to write more than a few scribbles, I wanted to finish my report on Bahrain.

I still have the weekend here - with various activities planned, inlcuding Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton and a manicure and pedicure with Jacinta on Saturday.

Please take a teek at the photos I have loaded. The photo with the black flags denotes a particular area of Manama City (the capital of Bahrain) where a certain group of Muslims live - couldn't be sure which sect, shiites os sunni. Other pics include Jacinta and Andrew at the Souq Markets; the Saudi Arabian embassy - driving past sometimes interferes with the radio because of the equipment they must be using; the Sign to Saudi Arabia when we drove over the causeway, also showing the trucks lined up; and the world trade centre is the triangle tipped building.

Another aspect of life here is the US Marine Base. We are, (I think) about an hour and half flight from Iraq. So it is a crucial base for the US and the marine presence is clearly visible. In fact, not to blow my own horn, but Jacinta and I were out for dinner on Monday and three marines asked the waitress to ask us if they could buy us a drink. We politely declined. There is a distinct absence of white women here on the island. There are some marines stationed off the base and they live in compounds similar to Jacinta and Andrew. They are on year long contracts and are not able to bring their families out. I haven't seen as much of them around as Jacinta would have in the past. Apparently they keep getting themselves into trouble...

Call to prayer at the Mosques around town can be interesting for the first few days. After hearing it the first few mornings at 4am, I haven't really noticed it since. When it does happen, you know you are definitely not in NZ now.

I spent much of the first few days of this week organising my CV to agents in London. I did step out yesterday though, without the protection of Jacinta and Andrew, and made my way by taxi to the mall. I did contemplate wearing Jacinta's abaya and headscarf. There is a certain aninimity that is kind of appealing, where the majority of the women around you, are in most cases, wearing full abaya, head covering, with a slit for their eyes. There is something almost intimidating about the abaya and certianly there is something to be said for it when one wants to fit into the crowd.

Andrew has had a very full on week with the opening of the Kraft factory here in Bahrain that he is Plant Director for. All sorts of top knobs from Kraft have arrived this week. We were lucky enough to catch the end of their dinner last night at a Lebanese restuarant - we arrived in time to see some of the show that is put on for diners. This included belly dancing, Lebanese singing and dancing and was really very very good. This was about 11pm and the Gulf Hotel where the restuarant is, was just starting to come alive, with people everywhere. This included small children who were sitting down to eat. Apparently during Ramadan, when fasting finishes, families are out dining, sometimes late into the early hours, with small children in tow - poor wee things have to be up for school, which starts at 7.30am.

The compound where Jacinta and Andrew is fantastic. The villa has three levels and every room tiled and air conditioned. Every room also has a bathroom. The patio has a pool and bar and is a great spot to catch some sun in the morning or relax in the evening. It is well serviced by the workers, who collect the rubbish, clean the pool, do the garden, drop off the gas, drop off the drinking water, clean the car etc etc...

Well final words - come here, it is well worth the trip, it has a very interesting culture, the food is fantastic and the people are friendly.

To my hosts with the most - Jacinta and Andrew, thank you for the perfect beginning to my travels - I could not have asked for more generous and informative hosts and I hope that, whereever this journey takes me, I can play host to you both. Shukraan jazeelan.

Off to London, Inshaa'al l-lah (God willing)

First Stop = Bahrain

rebhorgan — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:40:00 GMT

Arriving tired, sweaty, and possibly smelly from 19 hours of flying, I was relieved to finally disembark and make my way through immigration. Here the visit visa for two weeks costs BD5, which is about $20 NZD. The immigration guy and the customs guy were very friendly and acknowlegded my long flight. Or perhaps it was the smelliness!

Jacinta and Andrew were waiting for me at the arrivals hall and we made our way through the amazing traffic home to their apartment.

The traffic is amazing, people weaving in and out with no indication, driving requires full concentration and being aware of every idiot that may cross your path. This is excerbated during the weekend - here Friday and Saturday as Friday is the holy day, many Saudi's, Kuwaiti's and Qatar's cross the border and arrive for a weekend of shopping, drinking etc. You can tell the difference in cars by the number plates being all arabic, whereas the Bahraini number plates are both english and arabic.

Bahrain being a Muslim country, in the Middle East conjures up many images and judgements about everyday life and different restrictions a westerner may face. In particular woman. Bahrain is an islamic state, however freedom of religion is welcomed, as are the huge number of expats, making up 40% of the working population here on the island. The island has a population of around 800,000, so that is quite a signficant number. There are a minority of Bahraini's who protest the foreigners here, mainly in the form of riots or random one off acts of violence. These are largely contained by a very efficient and effective police force. Just last week, a militant threw a molotov cocktail at a police car, killing one officer. These are condemned by the King and the Interior ministry and are far and few between. These are mostly directed at the governement, as they see them for being to blame for their inability to get work or live in sub-standard conditions.

Being a woman here is really no different to anywhere else. You can wear what you like, however perhaps the short miniskirts and midtriff tops should be left for the resorts that line the beaches here. The beaches are mostly all owned by the resorts and one has to pay to use them. As a western woman though you will notice being stared at. It is actaully quite funny, as the arab men would never really talk to you. At security in the airports both here and Dubai, I was largely left alone, which is quite normal as the security guys did not want to search a western woman.

Two days of down time for me, as I got over the jet lag. This menat that by the time the weekend rolled around I was ready to explore with Jacinta and Andrew on their weekends. Thursday night we had a meal out with Andrew's workmate and his wife - Richard and Jo, expats from the UK. There are a huge number of eating places in Bahrain and leave the service of many in Queenstown to shame. I suppose that is the cost of tipping.

Bahrain is not cheap. When you convert a meal out costing BD80, it means spending $240 NZD on a really nice meal. Clothes shopping at the malls is also expensive, as are groceries. But most foods are imported and therefore cost more. Also if you wnat to buy alcohol, find an expat to tell you where the stores are - they are unmarked buildings and have signs on the door stating that by law, they cannot sell alcohol to Muslims.

Friday we did the groceries, I loved looking at all the different things available, so much more choice. There were NZ dairy and meat products there, a section for non-musilms containing the pork goods and the anchor sign has the cross taken off the anchor, as this depicts the crucifiction - not allowed. amazing! We then went to Seef Mall - huge mall still under construction with every type of store. Then off to the Ritz-Carlton resort right on the northern tip of the city and had a yummy lunch of local seafood. That evening we had the most delicious Lebanese meal for dinner - there was soo much food and we were all so tired from the night before, we left before the belly dancing started.

Yesterday we set out early to the Souq Markets - these are markets for all types of goods, set amongst alleyways, easy to get lost in. We went to a building with a door that a safe on it - these were the gold markets and the jewellery was amazing - you could take any design in, pick your gold, pick your stone and have it priced. A ring that Jacinta paid around $400 NZD for, would have been about $1500 in NZ. I am stopping there on my way home for sure - just hope I have some funds saved for it!

Following lunch we headed out to the F1 race track - huge circuit and so effeciently built. When the King wants something it is done, in 9 months nonetheless! We then headed out to the causeway which joins Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. I loved this bit, but I could hear Jacinta and Andrew take some big breaths and then sigh of relief once we had done the U-Turn before reaching passport control. That is the closest I will ever come to that country. There were trucks, 100s of them lined along the side of the road, heading to Saudi, and then onto Dubai, Qatar or Kuwait. These are heavily controlled by the police, and you could see the ones that were prepared for a long wait - they have sleeping compartments and a kitchen that hangs under the body of the truck. What a life. Most of the service workers and construction workers are Indian or Pakistani. There are tipped to be more Indians here within a couple of years, than there are Bahrainis.

The landscape is largely sandy and flat. The sand storms from Saudi often cause the sky here to appear like fog and the sun is never really directly out. The heat at this time of the year is fine, a little muggy, but not bad. Apparently the heat increases but the mugginess disappears eventually.

I like it here and could definitely do an expat stint. I may need a driver though...

Jacinta and I are feeling slightly under the weather today, She is home from work. Lets hope this is a day thing and I am back to full health by the time I arrive in London this time next week!