the hunt

So it's been a couple of weeks since arriving in London, and while the hard work of finding a decent job and decent house (within my price range, and within greater London!) continues, I feel more and more like a Londoner. I give my famous black looks at those who stand on the left hand side on the underground escalators, overtake slow tourists on the footpaths and don't feel that being told to "mind the gap" over and over and over again is hilarious. For those who laugh *will* fall through those enormous gaps between the train and the platform on the Central line one of these days.

But enough of bagging out tourists.

I have been preparing for interviews and I've been researching typical interview questions such as what are your weaknesses blah blah blah. I came across one with "if you were an animal what would you be", and have since decided that I really must restrain myself from saying the following:

"Under the Chinese zodiac, I am a Cock".

But let us put frivolity aside.

My first proper outing in the UK was spent up north in Leeds with its pretty green hills, opium (erm, poppy) fields and hoodlum youths. There has been major flooding in the UK, and my train line going north was affected. I was forced to change trains in Doncaster (funny that, well, not ha-ha funny, it's just that I grew up in Doncaster, Melbourne) and it was pandemonium. I heard someone scream "Leeds on platform 5" so off I ran, discovering that I had taken the slow, local train by accident rather than the express connection for which I had paid 20 pounds for. I was then treated to a wonderful show, and managed to buy the commemorative CD during my hour journey. Famous hits included "Darren, will you f-ing stop being such a m***** f*****", "she's a f-ing sl**** wh***", and my personal favourite, "Did you hear that troll Belinda is pregnant at 16". Subtitles were available, but only in spittle-coating-the-windows format.

I did however have a really nice weekend wandering around an old English town and having a proper English afternoon tea with smoked salmon sandwiches, scones and cream, a cup of tea and a raspberry tart. I momentarily lost my English sense of decorum and rolled up an unfinished brownie into a napkin to take back with me on the train.

The house hunt continues - I have an eye on a place in Woolwich which is quite far out. I guess it would be like living out in Caroline Springs in Melbourne, but with muggings as a complimentary extra. Found a great place in Acton which was decidedly outside my budget, so the hunt continues. Ah well.