Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Caught the train from New Malden to Wimbledon and then transferred to the tube to South Kensington.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  Not so much!!  The train/tube ride here was HELL and I almost burst into tears but had Rescue Remedy that I took lots of and just put one foot in front of the other – that’s the only way to do it.      

After I arrived in Wimbledon, I got my ticket to South Kens – then had to FIND the right train to South Kens.  A fellow from NYC and his wife were heading there and guided me in the right direction.  Even got on the right train!  Thank God!

No lift at South Kens tube station and I carried my very heavy suitcase up 3 floors of heavily trafficked steps with a heavy rucksack on my back!  OMG, people CRAMMED everywhere.  I negotiated the stairs with the mantra “one step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time” and slowly made my way up the steps to the outside world at South Kensington tube station in the middle of Chelsea.  OMG – I’m actually here. 

I followed my airbnb host’s directions to the flat – her directions were clear, which was a relief.  Pulling my suitcase – thank goodness for the 2 wheels, I walked for about 10 minutes, stopping here and there to rest as well as take in my surroundings.  Beautiful, majestic buildings lined the streets of Chelsea.   My wrists are absolutely killing me. This trip is all about new experiences and to see that I can actually DO it - I survived.  My host’s daughter, Becky, very kindly carried my suitcase down some very steep stairs to the flat.  I was exhausted and so happy to be there.

After a cup of tea, I spiffed myself up a little bit and went out to wander Chelsea in the autumn light. Went down to Kings Road to pick up some food at Waitrose.  As I walked the streets of Chelsea, I felt confident and comfortable. 

My host, Caroline, is an artist and she invited me to join her and her partner at the Chelsea arts club the next night for a private party and drinks!!!  She said she normally doesn't invite people to things like this but because I am an artist she thought I might like to join them.  So tomorrow evening around 8:30 PM I am off to meet other artists at a very casual event. How cool is that! I'm pretty blown away that I had the courage to say yes – another move out of my comfort zone!

Picked up some soup, soy milk, apples, almond butter and cheese at Waitrose, wandered around Kings Road for a little while taking in the window displays and headed back to the flat.  Made my dinner, sat on the bed and turned on the TV – whew!!  I’m here.  

I’ve come to realize that this blog is not only about my physical travels, it’s about my emotional, spiritual and psychological travels too.  I’m going to write about some of my experiences here – it won’t always be uplifting and it may be sad, disturbing, biased (my biases), challenging to read – you may not always agree with me and what I say and that’s okay.  You may get angry and that’s okay because that’s what I’m encountering on this journey too.  I don’t always agree with people I meet, or they with me.  Sometimes, I feel angry by what I hear and see.  Sometimes I feel helpless and out of control and sometimes, I feel joy and happiness.  Sometimes I am confident and outgoing while other times, I’m reticent and shy.  I’ve chosen this trip to the UK, in part, to walk into all of these feelings and explore them for myself, to find out more about who I am deep down when I face challenges in unknown situations, when I’m completely out of my comfort zone.  Some I’ll share here, others I won’t.  This blog is not only about my travels but also about my experiences, perspectives and the different challenges I face along the path of this new journey in my life.

October 27 – Wimbledon Park in the Autumn

I discovered that Harriet and I have very different values and beliefs – hers are very Conservative whereas mine are more Liberal – she called me a Socialist when I told her if I lived in England I’d vote Labour.  I told her I’m left Liberal not socialist – she repeated “socialist”.   Ok – so to her, Labour is “socialist” – I can accept that’s her perspective….

I keep reminding myself, this trip is all about new experiences, learning to deal with challenging situations, manage people’s expectations and ideas.  In order not to have a difficult morning, I explained that it’s all in our definitions of “socialist” – that to me it means something different in Canada and to her, it means something else.  Live and let live.

After abit of an argument, Harriet and set off in the the car to Wimbledon.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and driving through the town was a pleasure.  I decided within myself that I was going to enjoy this outing – I decided to enjoy it.  It was my choice to move beyond this morning’s challenges. 

Wimbledon Park is massive and the autumn leaves were at their height – gold, yellow, orange, red – beams of sunlight filtered through the leaves and saturated their colours even more.  It was an autumn wonderland!  We parked near the café and wandered to one of the footpaths.  Harriet didn’t want to go for a walk with me and insisted we go to the café for hot chocolate and cakes.  This moment was a turning point for me…. normally, I’m a people pleaser and in the past, I’d have just said “okay” and given up the chance to walk in the park and take photos.  But today, I chose to look after myself whilst also respecting what someone else wanted to do. 

I suggested to Harriet that she go to the café and I’d go for a short walk through the trails to take some photos and off I went.  I’m SO glad I did – the trails were glorious.  The ground was covered in a blanket of bronze, sunlight streamed through the branches and the soft, warm breeze rustled the leaves.   The lake at the bottom of the trails was calm.   

Thirty minutes and many photographs later, I walked back up to the café and bought Harriet a hot chocolate, myself some tea and we sat outside in the autumn sun and chatted.   

Then back to New Malden to meet Nicholas and the 2 girls for a pub lunch. It was okay but there wasn’t much for a vegetarian to eat!  Salad it was.  Afterwards, I joined Nicholas and their dog, Fudge (a golden lab) for a long walk through New Malden.  Nicholas is a wealth of knowledge about the area, a well read and educated historian and I enjoyed hearing all he had to tell me.  Two hours later, we arrived back at the house as it was getting dark and I made tea for everyone.   Quiet evening and off to bed.  Honestly, I was very glad to be leaving the next morning.

Down Memory Lane in Oxted

Monday, October 26 - Oxted Surrey

Harriet drove me to Oxted where we’d met and went to School.  My parents, Lindsay and I lived in Oxted for a year in 1965/6 and again in 9172/3 when Harriet and I met in Lower Fourth.  Gorgeous, sunny autumn day - beautiful!!

St. Michael’s is now broken up into 21 luxury flats.  Saw the exterior and drove around Oxted.  

 Had tea and coffee at Robertson’s on Station Road West in Old Oxted, which was lovely. I wanted to go into some of the shops but Harriet wasn’t interested so off we drove back to New Malden for lunch - hadn't even spent 4 hours in Oxted!

 She kept winging about the cars having their lights on during the day!  And asking me “WHY do they have their lights on?  It’s daylight!!  I hate the drivers behind me with them on”  I explained – whilst being constantly interrupted and dismissed while she went onto another topic – that in North America, running lights are on during the day for safety.  She thought that was nonsense and that they should be off.  No openness to progressive ideas.  Oh well, part of my journey is about discovering others' perspectives!  :)

Went in to see Peter Avenue – 16 Peter Avenue, Holmbury where Lindsay and I lived with Mummy and Daddy in 1972-3.  Beautiful autumn day so nice to see.  Drove up Limpsfield High Street too and around the lanes - so glad that today was such a gorgeous autumn day.Oxted is a pretty, lovely town with  beautiful, lovely homes.  If I could, I’d love to live there.  Maybe …….

Came back to New Malden and I went for a walk to Waitrose to pick up soy milk, apples, almond butter and contribute to tea biscuits etc.   When I got back from that, Nicholas told me there’d been a dreadful accident in Tofino!  Where a whale watching boat capsized and 5 people were killed and a 6^th missing.  All British tourists.  Jamie’s Whaling Station!  I thought of Tofino and the people there and I started to tear up.  It was even covered on the British News.  What a horrid tragedy.

Then I went for another walk because I really need the fresh air.  They keep the house HOT and I had to buy a light cotton Tshirt as I was so hot all the time – only £7 so that’s good. One of the things I've really appreciated is that I am SO grateful to my parents for the way that they raised Lindsay and me - with manners.  They made sure to feed us a variety of food and insisted on fresh veggies - not always a hit when I was a child, but I'm so glad today that they did insist!!  We had fresh, balanced meals of meat, fish, veg - but we rarely had "pudding" or dessert.  Never thought I'd be grateful for that but I really AM!

Interestingly, I notice that I’M the one with the accent!!   And I’m self conscious about it!  And I want people to know I’m Canadian and not American.  When the cell phone clerk asked about what I thought of our new Prime Minister, I was chuffed! 

Had a late dinner and then watched “Doc Martin” which we get in Vancouver.  I’d never seen it before and it was entertaining.

Visit in New Malden

October 25 Sunday – I was up early because of jet lag.  It's the UK's "fall back" one hour so only a 7 hr time difference.  But I was MUCH more tired today.  Going out in the fresh air for walks really helps my jet lag but Harriet doesn't like walks much because of her asthma, so I went by myself.  

In the afternoon, I joined Harriet at her singing rehearsal for an evensong church service in Stoke d’Abernon.  Beautiful drive along a river into Cobham and Stoke d'Abernon.  It was an evensong service in C of E church and it was really lovely - one of the choir members, Emma, was being "committed" to the choir as a new member so I had the priviledge of witnessing that.  While the choir rehearsed before the service, I took photographs outside in the setting sun - beautiful light.  Church is built of flint and is likely from 1600s!!    I wanted to take photos of the church in the late light but my friend wanted me to go to the garden store. I need to be more assertive!  So when she was rehearsing, I did go and take exterior shots and got some moody images.

When we returned to New Malden, Harriet's husband, Nicholas was off to his rehearsal with his choir and Harriet and I spent the evening on the computer researching the history of our former school, St. Michael's, which has now been turned into 21 luxury flats!!  

Flight from YVR to LHR - I SURVIVED the flight - no ditching in the ocean!!

October 23 - flight from YVR to LHR

Lindsay drove me to the airport.  I was terrified and had taken some meds to calm me down - I'll be honest in this blog about things like that!  As I got ready for security, Lindsay took my face and said “I am SO proud of you” and we hugged “I Love you”

I went through security without any problems - unloading my laptop, phone, rucksack and jacket into the plastic bins for x-ray.  Cleared without problems and then went through all the shops on that side to pass the time. Got 2 litres of water as planes are very dehydrating.  Then I couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer and off I headed to the gate!

I went to the Gate D64 for AC854 to LHR and waited about an hour.  

Boarded the plane and the flight was over ½ empty.  I was so nervous – terrified.  Had a couple more good meds!!  I had the whole row to myself – wonderful.  The couple behind me across the aisle had a toddler – 15 months – who cried and I chatted with them saying it must be so hard for them.  They were so relieved that I was friendly and compassionate and we had a nice chat and connection.  Their daughter was beautiful and so entrancing.  She finally fell asleep.  It’s so hard to travel with a child and I thought it would be so refreshing for them, and for me, to be warm and friendly and share in their distress and worry that they’d be disturbing others. 

Got ready for take off - "flight attendants take your seats" and the flight is hurtling down the runway and as I’ve seen on TV show, Mayday.   I can imagine them say “V1 – Rotate” which means they’re reached take off speed, can’t abort for any reason now and rotate is to pull the nose of the aircraft into the air and up we went  - without incident.  I heard the landing gear close into place as I was seated over the wing and landing gear there.  

After dinner, which was uninspiring but I ate it (chick peas in curry, rice, fruit salad - the tea was surprisingly good),  I lay out across the seats and managed to sleep awhile.  There was a screen in the seat back where I could watch movies or TV or the progress of the flight.  I walked around sometimes, went back to sleep.  I awoke about 2 hrs out of London and it was light outside.  We circled awhile over LHR and landed – bumpy landing too.  The flight was 1 hr ahead of schedule because of a good tailwind.  The screen showed us coming into LHR.

Walked a long way through Terminal 2 "The Queen's Terminal" through to Customs – LOOOOOONG line.  Thenk it took at least 1 hr to get to the desk!  We'd all had to fill out a Landing Card – various questions – Name, nationality, how long are you staying, where are you staying for contact details etc.   

 I went to the Customs Gent and he looked at my card – “purpose of your visit”  “Pleasure”  “Four ½ months – that’s a long time – what are you planning to do here?”  “I’m visiting friends, taking photographs, exploring the country.  I need a break from the past 3 years which have been difficult”.  When’s your return flight?  “March 8” “You have it booked”  “Yes”.  He eyed me and closed my passport and said “Well, welcome and have a good 4 ½ months”.  I felt like he wasn't exactly convinced but that’s what I’m doing and I had no guilt on my face as I was honest and they’re trained to read people.  So off I went to get my luggage.  Grabbed that and out to arrivals where I met Harriet’s husband, Nicholas and her daughter Emily who’d kindly come to pick me up.   

England greeted me with light drizzle - seemed appropriate!!   Nicolas is an interesting fellow and we drove to New Malden along the Thames and through Kingston by Hampton Court and the park.  It was very English and picturesque and I just LOVED it.    Arrived at their home in New Malden and it was lovely to see Harriet and daughter, Abigail when we arrived at their house.  Had lunch and then went for a walk with their golden Labrador, Fudge, who's  lovely.   Very nice evening, chatting and catching up over 25 yrs since the last time I saw Harriet.    I’m sleeping in the living room on a cot and air mattress – very comfy actually.  


(Sorry for the change in font - I'll have to work that out later!)

 

Tomorrow, Friday, October 23, 2015, I leave on my 4.5 month UK adventure.  As a VERY nervous flyer, I'm anxious about that but I have medication!! 

This journey is a tribute to my golden fluffy paws, Lauer.  

When I first got Lauer as a 7 week old puppy, I had no confidence in myself at all.  I didn't even think I could have a dog and was convinced I'd mess it up badly.   Lauer was a challenge as a puppy - as all puppies are - and I survived, as did she! 

And Lauer forced me to go out for walks and connected me with people again.  I'd hidden away for several years and was afraid to go out but Lauer's needs called to me and I listened and started to walk the trails in the Endowment Lands, as I call them (Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver).  I met other people with dogs and developed relationships with these people - we knew each other through our dogs, we'd walk together, talk about our dogs and other topics and I've been lucky enough to develop friendships with several of the people I've walked with and met over the years.

Lauer saved my life in so many ways.  She gave me confidence and courage to go and follow my dreams - she was my dream 16 yrs ago and I was a really good mum to her and I know that.  She taught me to persevere, to push forward one step at a time.  She showed me how to enjoy life - roll in the dead salmon and smell to high heaven!!  Run, run, run on the beach with joy, bliss and happiness.  Chase balls.  Eat whatever you want before someone says "NO!"  Lauer taught me to trust my intuition, to trust my energy and where it leads me. 

Lauer believed in me 100% and I feel her golden heart encouraging me on this journey.  So, as I am about to embark on this once in a life time experience:  to Lauer!!  This journey is my tribute to you and the remarkable, everlasting bond we share across time and space.