It's winter! What a surprise!

There once was a time, when humankind was living in a blissful 25 °C summer weather all year long. Till the year of 2009 reached its end. This was when things changed. Dramatically.

Something new could be seen on the horizon. It got colder than 25°C. It started to rain. But because it was cold, the raindrops froze. They formed little crystals. Every one different from its sibbling. They covered the land in a white coat. They offered peace and tranquillity. They didn't know humans. They didn't know they were causing chaos. They did not know of an invention called: the train.

For humanity, who had never before experienced such vicious little creatures, these little snowflakes meant breakdowns. Chaos. Delays.

It could be a nice story if it was true. Oh wait! It is! At least from the train companies' point of view. They are acting like there has never ever before been winter, snow, ice and cold temperatures. Otherwise there is no rational explanation for their behaviour.

On my way to Germany I was the luckiest person in the world with catching a Eurostar in the day I had booked a ticket. The German railway service had cancelled every single train from Belgium to Germany! The Thalys was bursting. If anyone would have wanted us to buy valid tickets I guess he would have been killed so they just let it be.

Back wasn't better. My ICE broke down in Aachen. There was a rail replacement service from Aachen to Liege. But nor with coaches. With buses designed for inner city public transportation. Not designed for motorways. Which was the reason one of them (my bus of course) broke down in Liege before we reached the station. No kidding. The Belgian Rail Service let us go the last way to Brussels without charging again.

When I arrived at the Eurostar Terminal in Brussels there had already been two cancellations that day. But to be honest: I doubt it was the weather. They did not have enough passengers for one train so cancelled it, booked everybody into the next train so that it was full and blamed the weather. Luckily it was my train. So I got to London in time.

But seriously people: winter is not something unknown and scary. It comes every year. Has been for a couple of million years now. It is cold, wet and partly full of snow. That is no news.

There can be breakdowns of course. But please, please don't act as if they were the most unpredictable thing in the world. They are not.

So long, Tini

Brighton

I went out of the train station. Nothing. I started walking downhill. People were moving in the same direction so I was sure I was right. But still nothing. Suddenly the slightest hint of salt in he air. I may have imagined it. No! Definitely! Here it was again. My pace is increasing. I am nearly running downhill now. Then: seagulls. Shrieking. Flying. I must be very near. And then I go over a little hill and finally can see it. Down the road there it is waiting for me. The sea.

I have finally made it to the English South Coast. I am in Brighton which was recommended by my housemates and the travel guide. Therefore it had to be good, right? Located on the South Coast of England Brighton is about an hour away from London and thus perfect for a day trip. So I, in train, in skirt. It is warm in London. Not in Brighton however. At least not that warm. The wind is strong (how stupid am I? I am on the coast! Of course there is strong wind! Silly!).
Anyway I came to see the sea and I saw it. I even managed to get rid of my shoes and stand in it. Brave me it was effing cold. BUT it was summer there was a hint of sun and no rain therefore feet in water has been a must. Since I did not catch a cold I do not regret it.
Brighton has a lovely town centre with narrow streets and a lot of weird shops. Anybody who loves hippie clothes, secondhand vinyl or cupcake lipstick is in paradise.
I at my first fish and Chips since I came here on the beach. Since I lost my camera in Edinburgh (more on that later) my photos are limited. Sorry. Hope the description helps nevertheless.

See ya, Tini

Glimpses of homesickness

I am very surprised about myself. I feel perfectly fine here in London and am still enjoying every minute although daily routine is starting to kick in and is keeping me on the chouch on the weekends rather than letting me explore the still very deep unknown depth of London's bits and pieces.
But sometimes a tiny little hint of homesickness is dripping through the umbrella of having a wonderful time. The other day I was queueing in the post office to return a dress I had ordered online. Post office queues in the UK do not in any way vary from those in other countries. They are long, slow moving and only a few counters are open during lunch break. But I did not know how much the parcel or the envelope that transported my dress would be and because I am still not understanding every single word of Carribean spiced Cockney I was also a little afraid that I would get a gruffy customer service (lol) person again. Anyway I was standing in that line and just wishing I was home. To be precisely not home as in Paradeplatz Post office blinded by yellow light and a clumpsy post horn but in an environment where I knew exactly what to expect. Since these feelings occur in situations that would be gone if I had lived here for a couple of months I am not worried about them or my ability to get along in a rather unknown environment. But it reminds me escpecially of one thing. That the concept of home is something I am unlikely to experience for quite some time. I do not know how my life will be after the end of October. Where I will go, what I will work and even not the country I will live in, let alone the city or flat. And this is what I am missing. A prospect of my future. Where I can create a home in.
I am not really worried about this. This is a time everybody goes through more or less. And it gave me a new definition of home. Home is where the heart is. Sometimes it is in a stupid German Post office queue.

Cheers, Tini

Maintaining living standards

Hello my fellow Non-London-followers (the London people too of course),
as I have mentioned about a zillion times before, I love London. And yet, I came to wonder about something a couple of times last month. It is really really hard to live organically.
I come from a German city that is plastered with organic supermarkets on nearly every corner, so I am sorta spoiled in being able to find everything one needs to live an organic life (which as most people know I try to do). I know at least five places where I can get organic fruit, vegetables, dairy, noodles, toiletries, cleaning products etc in one shop.
I mean I am living in one of world's most exciting cities with nearly 9 million other people. I´t is therefore easy to assume I wouldn't have any problems maintaining my organic living standard I have developed in Germany. BUT no. It took me nearly a month and some half-decent google research to find a shop that is selling organic soy yoghurt that is not literally on the other side of the city. There should be other lacto-intolerant people here right? At least some vegans? Come on people where are you hiding (and more importantly: where are you shopping??)?
I can get organic food in Tesco's or Sainsbury's but just carrots (sometimes), milk (sometimes) and yoghurt (sometimes). But I cannot eat that much dairy so I have to rely on soy products. And here come the problems.
I can live without organic supermarkets. But the little nice shops that are selling organic goods are all on the North of the river (I am not) and close when a working person is leaving the office. There are a lot of delivery services for organic veggies but they are not worth the trouble for just three months.
So I keep on searching.


Cheers, Tini

Cycling in London for Dummies

Since Lucy sadly returned to Berlin for two weeks and after that will attend the Edinburgh fringe she is lending me her bike till the end of August.

Now the manual:

What you need

I am now the sitter of Genevieve (the bike), a helmet, a jacket that is so yellow people sure will be blinded when they see me, three locks and the same number of keys. This is the Basic lay-out if you want to cycle the Royal streets of London.

The surroundings

Traffic in London reminds me a lot of certain South East Asian Cities i.e. Phnom Penh. It is immensly crowded, people with just two wheels pretty much drive how they feel right now (wiggly lines seem to be very popular) and only cars and buses respect red traffic lights (technically there are no buses in Phnom Penh. If they would have stopped at red traffic lights... who knows). There is on major difference though: everything here is faster. A lot faster. Meaning: while in Phnom Penh nobody worried about your pace as long as you didn't stop in London they can not overtake you easily because big buses and quite narrow streets... well, you get the picture. So to the " do not stop under any circumstances other than immediate danger to your very life or others" (a subject that can be defined very differently by varous people in various situations) comes the "the minimum velocity must not under any circumstances, I repeat, must not under any circumstances fall under 20 mph!". I can cycle very fast by now.

How to adress the streets

In London streets are divas. They like to go with the latest fashion. Holes are very much en vogue. They also encourage you to play. Because of the holes you have to cycle in slalom which can be very funnyt sometimes, e.g. when a bus is right behind you.
They are allergic to a non-observing behaviour. If you are on an intersection keep in mind that there are FOUR streets not only two or three. The neglegted street will react quite bitchy in spitting out an unlimited number of cars.
I have learned to respect the streets.

Getting around

Oh well the normal way: cycling in opposite directions of one way streets, in between vehicles that have stopped on a red traffic light, hiding under a tree till the rain's over...

Miscellaneous

Yes I am still alive and no I do not fear (much) for my savety. I am having a great time exploring the city looking like a douchebag.

See ya, Tini

P.S.: Some impressions from the previous weekend

I need new clothes!

I am boring. My clothes are boring. I have come to this conclusion while visiting Camden Town Flee Market on Sunday.I mean come on. I couldn't even buy some earrings because they would have not matched any of my outfits. How pathetic is that? I will come back with a new style, new clothes and a huge debt. If I am buying all that gorgeous stuff that is.
Work's gotten better today although I have the impression I am understanding less English every day. Hopefully my brain is just doing a major reboot to organize the latest words (especially law related) and will spit it all out with an entirely new operating system. Otherwise I won't have a lot of fun...
Watched Dr.Who tonight and still: I love it. Tomorrow 7 p.m. freshly back from work! I like BBC.

Thanks for reading, Tini x

First week of the rest of my life

Hi there beloved readers,
thank you very much for sticking with me, because honestly I wouldn't. My entries if there were any got shorter and shorter and lacked completely of any kind of relevant information. But know any exams, rehearsals, movings, premieres and parties are over. OK, not the parties but the rest...so far.
I have finally arrived in London. The train ride was to be taken 6 and half hours but in the end it were more than 8. But I was warmly welcomed by my housemates here in Herne Hill and have a great room under the roof, my own bathroom and a lovely little cute garden.
Three days of work have passed and although there is not much to do (so far) the staff is really nice. The office is in the middle of the city right on the crossroads of Southwark Street and Borough High Street at London Bridge, directly across Borough Market. This jewel in the heart of the city will cost me a LOT of money...
Anyways I am having fun, more to come!





See ya, Tini