Back on Baridi Island

Baridi* Island (a.k.a England) – a very cold place far, far away  in a distant land where generally people on the street don’t talk to you but stare at you with suspicion (well in my case anyway) and where Welly Boots are an essential wardrobe must have. It is also where I am now.

Yep, after a standard flight, which involved bribery, angry ladies with overloaded trolleys and a criminal wandering about on the plane, I touched down in Heathrow Airport just a little under a week ago. And all I can say is oh my! I have only been gone for about 6 months and for some reason I am finding it very hard to adapt back into my English ways (case point – as I write this I am sitting inside, next to an electric fire in boots, jeans, two jumpers, a scarf and ear warmers – and yes before you ask everyone else in the house is laughing at me). I am so under-prepared for this weather having given all my winter gear away at the end of uni to save packing space (in hindsight probably not the best decision I have ever had) but hey ho I must make do with what I have (I am also unemployed – so buying new clothes is out of the question and as much as I love all my friends in the North there is no way in hell you will get me to venture further than Oxford to see any of you until the summer). Hehe I am sure I will get used to the weather pretty quickly, but for now the only reminder of the sun I have is my screensaver.

That said, it’s pretty good to be back. I can do crazy things again – like walk down the street and shock horror go for a run after dark. It’s nice being in a place where I don’t have to get in

my car just to go and grab some milk (that said I will miss “Screechy the Subaru” as my brother aptly named it) and I have a very sad feeling that I have seen the last of that car. Oh well maybe I will actually pass my UK driving test at some point (Ha!) and get another car. On the up side I have now been reunited with Costa (I know that sounds pathetic but you can’t beat their chai latte). Nah it’s good to be back – all I have to do now is come out of hibernation and go and see some friends.

*Swahili for Cold or Freezing