Leah's Blog - Week 2: Waiting (for our flat)

Hyde Park Suites turned out to be a great place for us to stay for a while.
We had a kitchen so we could finally make some healthy, cheaper food. We had a TV and a great balcony with a table and chairs to enjoy breakfast on. We were just a short walk from Bayswater and Queensway tube stations and Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens.

John got set up with internet access and was able to work for the week.
We were in wait mode – waiting to see if we would get the flat in Ealing. We couldn’t really do any other flat searching until we heard and I didn’t want to start my Ikea shopping for bedding and towels yet as I might risk jinxing us.

Monday morning I did laundry and walked through Kensington Gardens in the sunshine, down to the Kensington High Street HSBC branch to check to see if our money, and our Group Introduction Form (a form from HSBC in Canada that would allow us to open an account in the UK without having a UK address yet and without employer references) had come in. Neither had and I was frustrated. Things beyond my control, but things I was still able to stress over.
So, after making John lunch, I decided to be a tourist. I took the tube to the British Museum and spent the afternoon roaming it – old Greek, Roman, Chinese, British artifacts, a large reading room, and all inside a beautiful structure.

Tuesday, John took a few hours off in the morning and we went to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. It was noted on the sign just inside the gates, that on “rare occasions” the changing of the guard ceremony does not take place. Unfortunately, we picked one of those rare occasions. So we took in the surroundings and took a few photos of a Canadian Gate, with all the provinces coats of arms carved into it.
While we were there, we got a call with good news regarding our HSBC Group Introduction form. It had arrived from Canada and we were able to set up an appointment to open an account. No such good news regarding the flat yet. Only warnings that it may take longer than expected!!
John went back to work, and I took the Docklands Light Rail (DLR, an above ground train) to Canary Wharf. The ride enabled me to get the lay of the land and check out HSBC’s global head office.
I then headed to Piccadilly Circus and bought us cheap tickets to the Producers that night.
And after that, went to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Now, normally I have learned my lesson with art galleries – I don’t go, as I have very little appreciation for the works. I thought I would give the National Gallery a chance because a) it was free, b) I had an afternoon to kill, and c) the building was beautiful.
Surprisingly, I ended up really enjoying my time in the gallery; not like a real art aficionado would, but in my own way.
Two paintings jumped out at me, both with black backgrounds. One was of a monk in a brown robe with a shadow on his face (very dark), and one was of a virgin praying, wearing a bright blue robe with a white hood. I couldn’t take my eyes off them and had to go back at the end of my cruise through the gallery to see them again.
I also enjoyed a room full of old paintings of Venice, and of course the Da Vinci cartoon.
In the evening, we made our way to Covent Garden, and the Theatre District to see the Producers. Our cheap seats put us in the second balcony. The beautiful, old theater and view from the 2nd balcony were worth the price of admission on their own (which was a good thing given that we were only mildly entertained by the show).

Wednesday morning we strolled through Kensington Gardens in the sunshine (again sunshine, what great weather we have been having) to go to our appointment at the bank. We got the account set up and our money had arrived! One large weight lifted off my shoulders. No such luck regarding the flat yet.
I spent the afternoon walking around Park Royal, the area where I will be working. I found the office, explored some of the business park, found the Asda (Walmart equivalent), and figured out how to take the bus back into central Ealing (where we were hoping to live).
After that, I checked out two parks not far from central Ealing: Ealing Common and Gunnersbury Park. I am so impressed with all of the green space in London.
That evening, we had a very enjoyable dinner with a VP of John’s company. He was staying at a hotel nearby, stuck overnight due to delays at Heathrow. Unfortunate for him, but it was a good chance for us to chat with him. He enlightened us on Cornish pastis and miners (several generations of his family were miners), and we got a great list of travel tips and good reading material from him.

Thursday, the day we were supposed to take possession of the flat in Ealing, and still no word! We were not very pleasant to be around.
It was a balmy day out. I sat on the deck and did Sudokus and walked down to the bank to get our draft to pay for our deposit and first month’s rent, should we get the flat. (For any bankers reading, you have to order bank drafts ahead of time here, you can’t just go into a branch to get one. They usually take three days to come in but I put a rush on it and got it in a day. In addition, the cost approx $30! I won’t complain, nor take complaints about the $5 cost for immediate Canadian bank drafts anymore.)
I returned to get good news on the flat front. We got it!!!! Good timing too as the water main ruptured on the street our hotel was on so we had no running water.
Before going to our meeting at the letting agent to sign papers and hand over money, I went to the park for a few hours, sat in the sun and flipped through the Ikea catalogue, planning my purchases for the next day.
We headed out to Ealing for the meeting at the agent’s office and then we went to the apartment for the walk through with the landlords.
Before the walk through we enjoyed a bottle of wine on the patio with our new landlords, a great couple! She’s originally from New Zealand, and he is originally from Croatia (he fled the country as a teenager, was a refugee in Italy for a while and then immigrated to Australia).
Our new place is the penthouse of a three story walk up. It is in a little development with a tree filled courtyard and intricate rot iron work (the Queen came to the opening of the building in 1984). It is a two minute walk from the Ealing Broadway tube station, right by a Starbucks, close to many restaurants and pubs and some great parks.
As like most places in London, it came furnished (minus bedding and towels). Overall is it bright and clean! Just what I like.
There is a big open living and dining area with doors opening onto the patio with a picnic table. It overlooks the courtyard, has views to the left of a church with stone steeple and some classic London roof tops, and to the right some classic London row houses. It also has a view of planes coming in to/flying out of Heathrow – a major selling point for John.
The bedroom also has doors opening onto the patio. I love the air blowing in at night (almost like being at the Lake).
The kitchen has a cute little eating nook and the classic half sized fridge and clothes washer/dryer combo. We a have microwave for the first time since living together; we’ve been missing out!
We only have a shower stall in the bathroom which is tough for shaving legs, but I never have baths anyways. The good part is that we have a “power shower”, which is rare here (it is a separate pump which gives us great water pressure!).
While, it is only a one bedroom, we have an area to set John’s office up and we still have lots of room for guests (so don’t hesitate to visit).
Oh, it also has a garage for the car that I will get with my job. Yeah! No searching for street parking and attempting to parallel park, whilst steering from the opposite side of the car!
We went back to our waterless hotel for one more night, thrilled that we would soon be moving into our own place. I was so excited at the prospect of unpacking and wearing different clothes, as I had been wearing the same ones out of one suitcase for two weeks.
John worked from the hotel during the day on Friday and I took out trusty First Class Transporters car service out to Ealing.
I had a hell of a time lugging our suitcases up the stairs to the apartment. I got the last one in, the massive hockey bag, just as it started to rain.
Before unpacking, I took the bus to the nearest Ikea and bought a comforter and comforter cover, bath towels and mat, dish towels, and pillows. It’s fun buying new stuff, and easy when you are buying the cheapest of everything (except for our contour pillows). I brought some nice sheets from home.
Then I hit the Dollar Store equivalent for hangers, a dish rack, garbage can, etc.
Unpacking didn’t take long as we didn’t bring that much stuff. Our wardrobe looks so neat and tidy because it isn’t crammed with clothes (I should remember this).
We both had wonderful sleeps that night; relaxed now that we were in a place of our own.
It was a hot, sunny weekend. We enjoyed coffee on the patio both mornings in the sun. We are so happy to have this place!

John had a lunch meeting at Covent Garden on Saturday. While he was gone I explored two other parks close by (I’m loving all the walking!), and did some shopping, not buying, just looking. I figured out what to buy to make an office for John, as cheaply as possible. (Another trip back to Ikea is required.)
Saturday night we had Dan the Man (DTM) and George over for drinks on the patio and then we went out for dinner at a pub near by. Lots of fun but John and I couldn’t keep up.

Sunday we played pick up Ultimate in Hyde Park with people we met the weekend before, and of course went to a pub for beer after.
Today I went to work getting the bills changed to our name (electricity, water, gas, Council Tax – I’m not looking forward to getting them), started the process of getting a National Insurance Number and registering with a doctor, and got an Oyster Card to enable slightly cheaper travel on public transit.
I walked to the nearest large grocery store and stocked up, then made a big dinner. I enjoyed it on my own reading travel books; John went to Paddington to attempt a karate class with DTM. He just got back and can barely move; the power shower will be a necessity. I’ve never seen him so sweaty!