London week 3

Hey you lot!

I have been promising an update…. So here it is!

I made it to Salisbury and Stonehenge as planned! Stonehenge was amazing and the weather couldn’t have been better.

Salisbury has a large and beautiful cathedral and the best copy of the 4 remaining Magna Carta's. The town is famous for the market square and the cathedral. I was there on a Market day so I got to see the hustle and bustle…after a bit wandering with my ice cream cone and I headed home.

I have not made it to Windsor or Greenwich like I said… but I plan to this weekend!

I moved out of my temporary flat and into my new place on June 8th. I only had 2 suitcases so it wasn't too much trouble! The rest of my things from the US (a shipment of about 20 boxes 430 lbs!) was to be available for delivery on Friday the 9th… but it didn't arrive until the 13th! I had to start work on the 12th so that meant time for shopping!

I spent the weekend getting to know the neighbourhood relaxing a bit. I am close to a shopping "mall" (Whitley's), Hyde Park, Notting Hill, etc. There are many restaurants nearby including Indian, Brazilian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, American (even a soul food place called "Harlem"!), Jamaican, Pakistani, even a Mexican Taquria! (it's really good!), and of course plenty of English Pubs. Sometimes they have funny names… (well at least funny to me!)

Just around the corner I have a grocery, dry cleaner, shoe repair, library, gym, etc. which is good because I have to walk everywhere! I took a lot of pictures of my flat as I knew some of you wanted to see it… so here they are:

A couple of times recently I stopped by the Ten Bells pub. It was very close to my temporary flat. It is famous for being the place where Jack the Ripper used to pick up prostitutes. Yikes! The area is pretty up and coming these days. It is right next to a big church! Weird.

Oh. Here is a picture of how cool I am standing outside the Tate Modern. Pretty cool huh!

I am trying to write things down that I see or hear that are funny to me… because I figure soon it will sound normal! Mom suggested a journal..and I think that may be a plan… maybe I can just print these e-mails and paste them in… (wow very accountant like Scott!)

Here is some funny words or phrases and their translations:
1) A-"zed" = A-Z
2) "Splash Out" = spend lots of money on fancy things
3) "Petrol Head" = "Gear Head" - US person who likes cars
4) "Flash Car" = fancy car
5) "New Joiner" = New Hire - what they call a person who just started at a company
6) "Hash Key" = this is the pound sign to us!
7) "Top Up" = add to
8) "Dressing Gown" = robe
9) "Jumper" = sweatshirt
10) "advert" = commercial, advertisement
11) "you lot" = "ya'll" -Texas, "yoos guys" - New York, you all - the rest of the world
12) "Junction" = intersection
13) "Bird" = girl, girlfriend (just girl works too.)
14) "Bloke" = guy (guy doesn't work for this one!)

There are many others but most of them you have probably heard before, so I wont bore you.
I have been watching a lot of world cup football… go England! It is quite the experience at any local pub! (well America is out already…) Not this weekend but next I am going to watch the matches at Wimbledon!

My next big adventure is in July. I am going to Madrid and Pamplona Spain for a 4 day weekend! I will be visiting Pamplona during the San Fermin festival, where I will take part in the running of the bulls! Cross your fingers for me! :os In Madrid I will visit the museums (world famous!) and just wander around the city. In Pamplona, besides the bull run, I will try to attend a bull fight and just wander the festival.

Work is going well. Mostly because I haven't had to do much yet! It is just like starting a new job, the workload will ramp up. I have had lots of paperwork, and training, etc. to complete. The strange thing in the UK (that will kill some of you in the US!) is a standard workday here is 7 hours! The extra hour seems to be taken in the morning because the normal work arrival time is 9-9:30am… my colleagues consider 8:30 early!! Granted I will probably not be working 7 hours, but when I have little to do I have been! :)

My big excitement for work is our annual global offering services (my group or "service line") meeting in September. It is a 3 day training in Athens, Greece! They were kind enough to schedule it on a Tue- Thursday, that way you can stay a long weekend and make a trip of it. All of the people who work in our group from around the world will be there. It will be very interesting.

Now what should I do in August…. Hmmm.

Anyway… that's it for now. I hope all is well with you and yours!

Cheers!